Okay, so I’m in a grumpy mood and need to be curmudgeon for a bit. Sorry, but this entry focuses on a pet peeve of mine.
It came to mind when I had an interesting conversation with a friend. He will remain nameless because he’s smart enough not to draw attention to himself.
The conversation was about fatigue with the Church. But we were having a hard time defining exactly what it is we are tired of. It took us some time to figure it out. We aren’t tired of what we’re doing in the Church or in our personal spiritual journeys….we’re tired of what Christian leaders are talking about all the time. They do a lot of self-promotion about their innovative new idea, and we keep thinking, “Wait, didn’t I do something just like that back in 1986? Aren’t they just hawking an old idea as a form of self-promotion?”
It seems like we are hearing the same stuff over and over among Christian leaders and thinkers. With all due respect to the emergent movement (or whatever they want to call themselves these days), progressive pastors (really, it’s okay to call yourself a liberal), innovative seminaries (insert your own joke here), and back to the basics bible thumpers (who only read Fox News approved blogs), your self-centered personal discovery is nothing new. And seldom helpful for me.
Maybe its just the sheer volume of stuff in print or online these days. From blog entires on theooze.com to podcasts of the trendy churches, from webinars of the big Christian conferences to twitter feeds from self-described prophets…..it’s all just more of the same. A lot of noise, not much action, almost nothing new.
For instance, young emerging leaders talk about great new insightful discoveries….and I laugh because I remember thinking the same thing when I was in college. Deconstruction is not new, folks. Neither is social justice, biblical truth, or communal living. Geesh, I remember seeing the design for a community living multi-family home decades ago (Tom Sine, who probably still carries the blueprints around).
Or the sudden conversion of some big name pastors into “global thinkers” is something that makes me shout, “About time!” Really, don’t they realize it’s a 2000-year old approach to our faith? Why did they ignore me a decade ago (or more) when I said they needed to do more for the worlds poor, yet now they act like it was their idea all along?
And the folks who think that “workplace ministry” is the hot new way to go…they really get me upset. They need to go back and get a business degree, then study what people like me have done for the last several decades. Last year at the National Prayer Breakfast I heard somebody say that they spend a good chunk of their time trying to convince business leaders not to become pastors. Who, I wondered, is trying to convince pastors not to become businesspeople?
All of these folks — the emerging leaders, the pastors, the wannabe businesspeople, and many more not mentioned — are merely building upon what a few pioneers did a long time ago. Sure, there are a few folks with truly innovative ideas, but they are few and far between. The rest of you….just stop.
Now, thank God (literally) that folks are continuing to build on the work of the pioneers. Thank God (literally) that these folks are going through their self-discovery, pushing for rethinking our faith. I love you all and thank God (literally) for each of you.
But folks….it’s not new. Show a little knowledge of history. Rejoice in your discoveries, but recognize that others have been there before you. Leverage your new insights into actual action. Stop seeking out fame and start actually doing something. Walk humbly, for God’s sake.
Then call me. And we’ll swap stories. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll know something that you can teach me.
Now, I’ll go regret posting this self-promoting whiny thing that reads like a jealous rant from a middle aged white guy. G’nite.