Growing up Catholic, I was taught that missing Mass on Sunday was a sin; so I “dutifully” attended Mass every Sunday, avoiding the sin as well as the guilt associated with it. As I grew older, the “duty,” perhaps because it was nothing more than this, became drudgery. So I began looking for reasons not to attend: the obscure ritual, the irrelevant homilies, the congregational hypocrisy, my own unworthiness, the growing sense of disconnectedness. Eventually, I quit going altogether. Finally, I left Catholicism for a variety of more profound and honest reasons.
The point is that I ‘went to church’ out of obligation under pain of sin. I neither had nor knew of what Luke identifies as the fellowship of believers in Acts 2:42-47. What I longed for without knowing it was the “awe” that comes upon every soul (v. 43) in true believers’ worship. So when I read the question concerning how to break free from the entertainment addiction and Piper’s apt response, I grow a little anxious. Anxious because I am afraid that more and more churches (denominations) are responding to the entertainment addiction by feeding it, not by overcoming it. Anxious because without prayer, earnest bible study, and serious conversation about applied Christianity (in Sunday School communities, small groups, and regular worship), church might, for me, once again become a drudgery, and attendance only out of a sense of duty.
I am encouraged that Piper’s voice is being heard, and that those who seek to be entertained or to be entertaining might be instructed and encouraged by the Lord’s promise given in Malachi 3:16-18” “Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. ‘They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.’”
Thanks for this post it was really very similar to a conversation that I had last night with a sailor. Of the things that I am found doing on any given week which ones of those really matter in light of the kingdom. Challenging question Piper asks is " If I were to die today what would I want to be found doing?"
The story goes that when John Wesley was asked, “What would you do if you knew the Lord was coming back today?” Wesley replied, I would do what I already was planning to do.
So after meditating on these thoughts today I decided that I would take a 30 day fast from movies. Here is expectantly looking forward to see how God will speak and challenge me during this time.
4 comments:
Growing up Catholic, I was taught that missing Mass on Sunday was a sin; so I “dutifully” attended Mass every Sunday, avoiding the sin as well as the guilt associated with it. As I grew older, the “duty,” perhaps because it was nothing more than this, became drudgery. So I began looking for reasons not to attend: the obscure ritual, the irrelevant homilies, the congregational hypocrisy, my own unworthiness, the growing sense of disconnectedness. Eventually, I quit going altogether. Finally, I left Catholicism for a variety of more profound and honest reasons.
The point is that I ‘went to church’ out of obligation under pain of sin. I neither had nor knew of what Luke identifies as the fellowship of believers in Acts 2:42-47. What I longed for without knowing it was the “awe” that comes upon every soul (v. 43) in true believers’ worship. So when I read the question concerning how to break free from the entertainment addiction and Piper’s apt response, I grow a little anxious. Anxious because I am afraid that more and more churches (denominations) are responding to the entertainment addiction by feeding it, not by overcoming it. Anxious because without prayer, earnest bible study, and serious conversation about applied Christianity (in Sunday School communities, small groups, and regular worship), church might, for me, once again become a drudgery, and attendance only out of a sense of duty.
I am encouraged that Piper’s voice is being heard, and that those who seek to be entertained or to be entertaining might be instructed and encouraged by the Lord’s promise given in Malachi 3:16-18”
“Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. ‘They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.’”
Thanks for this post it was really very similar to a conversation that I had last night with a sailor. Of the things that I am found doing on any given week which ones of those really matter in light of the kingdom. Challenging question Piper asks is " If I were to die today what would I want to be found doing?"
Erik,
The story goes that when John Wesley was asked, “What would you do if you knew the Lord was coming back today?” Wesley replied, I would do what I already was planning to do.
Convicting.
So after meditating on these thoughts today I decided that I would take a 30 day fast from movies. Here is expectantly looking forward to see how God will speak and challenge me during this time.
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