Paul at Corinth - Night 4

Well, even if you only made it for 1 of the 4 nights of wineskin talks at BCNZ, you no doubt sense that your time was not wasted. Last night, Mark spoke from his heart about Paul, yes, but even more so about Jesus.

I appreciated his sweeping review of the last 3 nights, highlighting things that may have implications for us as the Church today.

He focused on how Paul saw the Dying and Rising of Christ...
-a Historical Event
-an Act on behalf of the people of God
-the Turning Point of all history
-the Explanation of Paul's change of life
-the Pattern of his subsequent life
-the Pattern of knowing Christ

Next was Paul on 'ekklesia'
-the Reference Point for the New Humanity
-the Focal Strategy for building up believers
-it reversed the meaning of the 'body' metaphor
-came with the idea of gifting >> brilliant innovation
-members gathered "to [verb] one another"
-Christ was the central figure, the meal was the central event
-the whole body had all the gifts neccessary
-one had the 'gift' to 'teach,' but each one taught
-immediacy, inimacy, innovation and order

Then he covered his take on Paul's style of leadership
-Never stop telling the story
-Maintain the central conversation
-Subvert abstract ideas by story
-Craft new meaning around story
-Embody the story
-Rework rank with grace
-Subvert status with grace
-Aim at congruence, not conformity
-Aim at maturity

Before opening the floor for response/questions/thoughts, Mark summarised his convictions on the challenge of imitating Paul
-Grasping the breadth / depth of vision of Jesus Christ and therefore also of life
-Grasping the counter-intuative and counter-cultural nature of Grace
-Translation between worlds
-Seeing the simplicity and profundity of vision for gathering and community
-Seeing the ruthless transparency of his life

Now. I think we had all (at least some of us) been waiting for Mark to give us 'marching orders' as to... well... what is wrong with 'church' today. He didn't go there. Personally, I think I really needed to hear a lot of the wise perspectives he shared. I tend to be a 'let's blast the whole thing down' kind of personality, and Mark sharply warned against that attitude. It would be easy (I suppose) for this blog to become a place for us to spout all of our opinions about what our communities could do differently, etc., and I really DO think that we have to keep imagining (and re-imagining) what this 'thing' can look like. I just hope that as we imagine, we are respectful of our brothers and sisters in the Lord who don't see things like us. And as we imagine, I hope we recognise that God is able to use even the things we may not like.

I felt encouraged and hopeful as we wrapped things up. God Spirit is very much alive and we need not grow disgruntled. Certainly, I don't think for a split-second that Mark was in any way trying to simply and positivistically affirm all of church life and practise. Far from it. He had subtle warnings against gatherings styled after 'motivational seminars' and/or 'rock concerts.' He admitted leaning personally toward something of a house-church model. But he was careful not to prescribe what was appropriate for every context.

Change is needed... badly. Yes. But waging war on the structures of 'church' is not the answer. As he quoted his father as saying, "Big doors swing on little hinges." Big change can start small. Another quote I found quite helpful went something like this... "the way to subvert the system is to ignore it..." The idol is nothing. The church-structure document is nothing! The obsessive culture of stirring up religious activity for the sake of having religious activity is nothing! I think many of us may find refuge in taking up the practise of (dare I suggest it in these terms) 'non-violent resistance.' If someone is pressuring you into leading a ministry, programme, study, service or anything else that you don't have genuine passion for - don't give in. Just a thought. I liked what he said about just 'having people over for dinner and a chat about Jesus.' May we be agents of change. In our faith communities, in our workplace environments, in our social lives, in the wider world... everywhere we go.

Comments please!

-d-