Shaped To Last
Over the past month-plus, I’ve been writing around the topic of how we might move forward together in an era of highly online tribal interactions.
After my initial post on the subject, I dedicated a few blogs specifically to communication within our current culture. The short version is that I think it would help me (and maybe you, particularly if you are a Christ follower) to:
Keep the good news of Jesus central to interactions.
Make public statements on current events sparingly.
Communicate in forms that allow for caveat and nuance.
Use labels for others (and even ourselves) as little as possible.
Minimize snarkiness in communication.
Give the benefit of doubt, that if the other party is seeing reality correctly, perhaps their opinion regarding a corresponding course of action is the most prudent option.
I’m sure there is so much more wisdom to add to my little beginning here. In addition, this only addresses how we might interact interpersonally, or via our own little “broadcast channels” we control via social media, etc.
But what about the rest of life, which for most is likely the majority of life? For many people, it is hard to know what it looks like to proceed in an era of confusion with certain vocations and even some volunteer labor and to some degree, it may seem more difficult by the day.
Where do we need to place our energy right now?
The phrase I used in my initial post on the subject was to “outlast the zeitgeist.” I think that’s what is necessary right now. To reiterate, I think the zeitgeist or spirit of the age right now is deeply tribal. We tend to only listen to someone that appears to be on our side of the cultural or political landscape to even describe reality to us, much less influence us about what should be done about it.
We’ve all watched it tear families apart, pit friends against each other, cause significant drama in churches, and more. I think there are people on all sides that truly grieve this, but again, we’re not quite sure how to get through it, and especially unsure of how to do so together.
So, here’s one thought about “outlasting the zeitgeist” for this post…
We must be defined by a positive vision.
If the spirit of the age is all about conflict, setting ourselves up in opposition to the antagonistic will only appear antagonistic, and make it all the more difficult to persuade those we love to exit the antagonism cycle with us.
It will also collapse eventually. Imagine a humongous water balloon that you and all your friends were trying to pop, for fun. You’re all bearing down, squeezing, leaning your full weight on it, maybe jumping on top of it.
When the bubble bursts, what happens to all the people pressing against it? Everyone will collapse into one another, potentially hurt one another, and at the very least have the purpose for cooperation literally disappear. To define ourselves merely as against a thing is to engage in a societal version of this metaphor.
To some degree, I think that merely being against things is what got us where we are now. Yet, the time for analyzing that path seems like an activity better suited for an era that has already passed, or maybe one yet to come. The question now is how do we outlast it, and I think it’s clear that to truly “outlast the zeitgeist,” you must be about something different than the zeitgeist, not merely in opposition to the zeitgeist!
What are you for?
To actually build something that lasts, whether it’s a literal physical structure, an organization, a relationship, or a society, a key detail is knowing what you are doing, not just what are you against doing.
There are certainly moments where we are unsure, and we just say “I’m not sure what I want yet, but I know it’s not that!” That can absolutely be a legitimate response to chaotic moments, but it is not a stable foundation forever.
I would persuade you that the things to build in this moment, are organizations that promote societal and individual wholeness. I tend to use that term, in light of the obvious fragmentation of our day. I know that can be a buzzword, defined in a variety of ways, depending on the definers’ paradigms and values.
If it has negative connotations for you, could I beg you to just think about the meaning, and not the word, necessarily? Choose your own synonym! Flourishing? Thriving? Whichever word you choose, the idea is people doing well, coming into their own, and functioning, themselves as agents of wholeness/flourishing/thriving for others! This is what I am for, and I’d love you to join me.
Wholeness begins with God.
I hope it won’t surprise you to read that I believe wholeness is only possible in union with Jesus. God created in order to love and give himself to humanity, but people chose to make God our enemy. This choice is what broke our relationship to everything- God, one another, the rest of creation, and even our own selves.
But Jesus came to make all things new, again, beginning with the souls of human beings. Knowing him is real life here and now, and he promises that life will continue eternally.
When people embrace the beautiful reality of all that Jesus is and all that he has done, we are united to him, and he begins making us “whole” spiritually, transforming us to love as he loves, to love what he loves, and to give up the things we once thought were “life” in order to worship him and work for the wholeness of others.
In other words, after we believe the good news of Jesus ourselves, we are called to apply the gospel to the world around us. A huge part of applying the gospel is speaking it, but it is also speaking in ways that align with his grace and love. It is seeking the wholeness of others through the work of our hands, whether vocational or voluntary. It is interacting with our neighbors in relationships shaped by the compassion and mercy that Jesus showed to us, in giving his life for enemies like us.
Gospel shaped wholeness.
Building organizations that promote wholeness will take so many different shapes and forms (and it should, as God has given different perspectives and passions and gifts to his people). To truly work for wholeness, though, I believe it has to be shaped by the story of Jesus in these ways. This means that the churches of our society must be shaping people, organizations by the gospel for the sake of the world.
There are a lot of good churches out there doing this work, but we need more. We actually need tons more!
So, here is my challenge to you, if you care about the things I’ve been describing:
Get involved with a new church that is dedicated to this type of gospel shaped wholeness.
I don’t mean that you need to leave your current church, necessarily. Maybe you are in a key role with your own congregation in doing just these kinds of things. Keep going! But, is there a way you could leverage your position or gifts to help another church get going that would multiply your efforts?
By God’s providence, I have many dear friends who love what we are doing, but are not in a season of life where they could join up with the work of a church plant. Perhaps that is you, as well. It is not for every person in every season and that is ok.
For some, though, (I hope it’s not too bold of me to say very many) the season has come when it is time to let go of ease and comfort and get to work. Is that you? Obviously, if you’re around here, and you share this perspective, I want you to come be a part of Union Athens, (or if not, to be an engaged supporter in our work).
If you’re somewhere else, drop me a line and let me connect you to a church plant in your area! I can’t tell you how much I believe in this work, maybe now more than ever. It is no longer popular to plant a church. It is incredibly hard to plant a church. That is exactly why I believe we need to double down on our efforts to plant the church in this day and age. Consider it. Pray about it. And wherever you are, figuratively or geographically, figure out how to play your role. It’s vital.