I’m currently reading through Pagan Christianity, a book that has caused more than a minor upset in conservative (and even progressive) Christian circles. For starters I’d just like to make clear that I love this book. I’m going to ask my wife to read it after I’m done. I find that it’s helping shape many of my conceptions about Christianity and how we “do” church.
Since I’m not done with the book I’ll hold off on doing a comprehensive review of it. However, I would like to share at least one thought with you. As great as this book is, and as much as I enjoy it, the one thought that keeps going through my head is, “but most Christians don’t care.” Most Christians, I figure, don’t have a vital relationship with the risen Savior, they’re in it for the tradition anyway; so why would they want to do away with the tradition?
The other thought I have is in regards to full time ministers. Full time ministers, myself included, feel personally called by God to full time ministry. They have trained for it, gone to school for it and sacrificed themselves and oftentimes their family for full time ministry. It is the vehicle, the trade, by which these men and women put food on the table. Indeed, it’s the only viable trade many of them know. To ask them to give this up, to walk away from it, while justified, is highly impractical.
I am an exception, I have other skill sets which I could use to provide for my family, as does my wife. But most full time ministers do not. Again, I’ve not finished the book. I’m only half-way through it. But I hope that Frank and George give some sort of viable plan for full time ministers. For while it would be relatively easy for a lay person to walk away from the institutional church it would, quite literally, be impossible for many people in full time ministry.
Update 4/7/08: Jeanette has pointed out a helpful resource in the comments below which is designed to aid pastors who want to leave the institutional church to pursue a different career. Here’s the link.
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You have intrigued me with this. I put it on my wish list and will order in a couple of days (once Father Morris’ The Promise also becomes available). I have been reading a lot of New Age nonsense … maybe this help get me back to being interested in what I should be interested in.
Ben, I’ve often appreciated your open heart to thoughts outside your tradition. FWIW, I was a youth/music pastor for 12 years who is back in school learning another trade. I had many good years in vocational ministry and enjoyed much of what I did. However, there are a bunch of things I don’t miss (i.e. politics, machinery, apathy, etc…).
Nevertheless, I don’t think pragmatism should inform our decisionmaking. Pragmatically, I should have stayed in ministry. I would have taken a senior pastor role, a salary increase, and I would have been on my way to building a ministry of my own. But I walked away.
I’m not advocating you do the same thing because you seem to have considerable passion for what you’re doing and feel a sense of individual and divine purpose guiding you on. I support you (from afar).
I’ve taken a much humbler posture to vocational ministry and the institutional church than I used to have. I was broken and probably more than a little burned out following my departure.
What I’m trying to say is that just because institutional Christianity does things the way they do doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t do things differently. I think that institutional church and the rest of us can peacefully coexist. There are those in the building who are being used by the Lord in great ways and I applaud them (and you). I think its fantastic. At the same time, I can pursue what I feel is a more biblical and personally authentic version of church.
I am experiencing a greater amount of spiritual freedom since leaving the institution. I still attend from time to time but don’t use it as a measure of my spirituality. I’m fixated on the fact that I’m connected to Father through the finished work of Christ. Because of that I’m joined to the local, regional, and global family of believers. The denominational or church-in-a-box model has a hard time entering that arena.
I certainly don’t have it figured out but I applaud you for thinking it through. Bless you my brother.
I think all of us are ministers in what we do, or should be at least. We actually had a conversation similar to this after church in our mens group study session; too many people these days view “work” or their “jobs” as a means to an end, putting food on the table and money in the pockets of your family or self. That’s not how it should be. And, if you think about it in one light, it’s actually God doing work through us wherever we are at. You could have the “least fun” job on the planet, but we should still be thrilled that God has provided us a way for us to provide for our selves and families (and Him and His kingdom!), and enjoy going to work and working for the Lord. Too many people, I think, see “ministry” as actively getting involved in mission type settings, or in our area campus ministry, but the ministry regular “lay people” do is just as important.
@Ben: I definitely agree with you, but you knew that
I guess my main hangup is why can’t we see church ministry as a “job” that puts food on the table, and something we enjoy, while we do “real ministry” at the same time?
What a great title for a book; however, I question it’s read. I read the synopsis link and I haven’t read the book so set me straight if I am wrong.
There are plenty of problems with the church, but traditions rarely seem to me to be the problem—whether they are so-called pagan or not. The biggest problem that I see with traditions/rituals is that most people do not seem to understand or see their beauty. And to suggest that—“One of the most troubling outcomes has been the effect on average believers: turning them from living expressions of Christ’s glory and power to passive observers”—is just offensive and ludicrous. That sort of judgment does not belong to anyone but God.
Furthermore, I think it could easily be maintained that those same first century Christians who changed the world (though I think it would be easily argued that Constantine changed the world (granted Paul’s influence was incredibly important)) used/adopted/reinvented Jewish traditions to support their own. So taking Jewish traditions is not a problem (or is it?), but taking other “pagan” traditions is a problem?
I highly recommend you read the book. It makes for great discussion
Constantine is actually talked about in the book as being one of the main infusers of pagan practice into Christianity, and the facts are hard to ignore.
I’m still processing this book but I’ll have a comprehensive review of it within a week or so (Lord willing) and I’ll hopefully have formed more thoughts by then.
In the chapter on the modern pastor office, there’s mention of a handbook/guide to help pastors who leave the clergy to find work. Here is the site for that guide: http://housechurchresource.org/expastors/
Great, Jeanette! Thanks for that! Like I said, I’ve only read through half the book and will to a much more in depth review when I’m done. I just wanted to think through this piece as I was reading it. I’m no good at saving it all up ‘till the end.