Are You Attending the NEBA Conference? Henry Ford Would.

Often times, a new Christian wants to live out their newfound life privately.  Perhaps that reflects poorly on our emphasis of discipleship, or maybe it just reveals the individualism of our society.  Either way, we cannot neglect the power that comes from uniting in Christ. 

Hebrews 10:22-25 says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.  Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” 

There is significance in working together toward a goal—it revitalizes the soul.  Henry Ford believed in the power of mutual effort; he said, “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”

We don’t normally think of Christianity in terms of success, but we do attempt to move forward toward the goal of becoming like Christ.  And in the end, we know we achieved success when we hear God say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!”  That is the finish line, and God made it clear that we should run together. 

That is why tonight will be a blessing.  The NEBA Evangelism Conference is a chance for us to meet and “spur one another” toward our goal.  Join us at 7:00 pm to fellowship and worship with other believers.

Home Is Where the Hurt Is

As Christians, we try to reflect God’s peace and grace in every interaction we have during the day.  But let’s be honest—some days we are a little more sensitive than others, and those plans don’t pan out.  You misplace your reports at work one day and a coworker makes a snide comment about it, and even though your blood is boiling, you are civilized enough not to retort—until you go home. 

See, you probably patted yourself on the back for being so “Christian” at work, but if you were honest with yourself, refraining from revenge was more about image-preservation than Christian love.  And once you walk in the door of your home, sweet home, all the frustration and anxiety that was pent-up from the workday can now be released—or rather, ambushed on any soul within your path.  If this is a common occurrence, the noise from the garage door opening may be a signal for your family to take cover, instead of produce an onslaught of adoration with hugs and kisses and squeals of “You’re finally home!”

There are two crucial parts of the day that can set the tone for the rest of your communication with your family:  when you wake up and when you return home.  Starting the day with a smile and a pleasant “good morning” makes you and everyone living at your house more inclined to respond kindly—it’s contagious.  If you have ever tried to pick a fight with someone who refused to be pulled down, then you know the power of a kind word.  When the first words you growl after returning home are, “Why isn’t dinner ready yet?” and your spouse tries to cheer you up you instead of throwing wood onto your tongue of fire, then the fire grows dimmer.  Proverbs 15:1 says, “A kind answer soothes angry feelings, but harsh words stir them up.”

We sometimes hold ourselves more accountable around the people we care less about.  Even though our actions at home are not publicly displayed, these moments have the deepest impact on others.  Frustrations and hurt will always creep into our day, but we can continue to embed our lives with His peace and grace if we actively choose kindness day after day.

Wearing Our Sunday Best (and why it might be the worst)

If you grew up in the average Christian home, Sunday morning was set aside for looking nice.  Your dad donned slacks and even a tie during special services, and your mom wore heels and a floral-printed dress.  And as a child, you wrestled with your parents as they held you down and pulled similar attire over your screaming head and flailing limbs.  But this isn’t a post about disobedient children—it’s about why Christians feel compelled to wear nice clothes to church services.

You might be surprised, but this practice didn’t start with our grandmas.  It goes back to the Industrial Revolution, where the manufacturing of mass textiles allowed the middle class to buy finer clothes—something to which only the wealthiest were accustomed.  In order to imitate the aristocracy, the middle class proudly displayed their new threads to social events, including church services. 

At first, the early Methodists and Baptists condemned the wearing of fine clothing to church because it separated the rich from the poor—sometimes those in fancy clothing weren’t even permitted to come inside!  Attitudes changed when Horace Bushnell, a minister in Connecticut, wrote an essay called “Taste and Fashion.”  Bushnell asserted that sophistication and refinement were characteristics of God, and Christians should work to be like Him.  This began the idea that we should wear our best clothes to church to honor God.

Admittedly, this isn’t as prominent of an issue as it once was.  It wasn’t too long ago though, that people were apprehensive about entering the church without proper attire.  A woman might decline attending a service solely because she didn’t own a dress. Although no one would say it, frumpy people were unwelcome.

Dressing up for church gives the impression that we must clean-up before we come to God—an odd notion from a people who admit their own depravity and claim purification comes through Christ alone.  Wearing our Sunday best is nothing but a human tradition that was not sanctioned by God.  To decide that church-goers must practice this is similar to the Pharisees criticizing Jesus’ disciples in Mark 7 for not following the traditions of the elders.  Jesus responded, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’  You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”

Naturally, the point is not that we ban ties from our church.  Rather, we must have a watchful eye on our motivation behind our dress.  Is it for our own glorification?  Does it make outsiders feel distant and lowly?  Our church gatherings should draw attention to God, not ourselves.  On Sunday mornings, we should put on the attire God called us to wear—the full armor of God (Ephesians 6). 


Sources:
Barna, George, and Frank Viola.  Pagan Christianity:  Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices.  USA:  Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008.