Community or Isolation?
I must be getting old. I read some of the ideas that are being put forth by Christian leaders who are described as being on the cutting edge [whatever that means] and I cringe. I recently read where some are saying that Christians and the local church must reach out and embrace the various forms of technology that has infiltrated society today and see those technologies as venues for what they call Christian community. I think that they use that particular term as a reference to what is most often called fellowship. The thinking is that believers can have wonderful fellowship with one another via technology without ever being in the presence of one another. I tweet you and you tweet me and we have fellowship. You go to someone’s page on Facebook and engage in a wonderful time of fellowship. You read a blog or watch a video on YouTube or a streaming webcast of a church worship service, and you have fellowshiped with other believers. Throw in text messaging, PM’s and I think you get the picture. Now what I do not get is this: how can this be fellowship?
I do not want this post to be a polemic, so I will not mention the post at another blog that provoked me to think about this issue. I simply want to respond to what I perceive to be a great fallacy: we can have fellowship with other believers though various forms of technology while remaining physically isolated.
As I have stated in previous posts, I have nothing against technology. As a matter of fact, I have always been intrigued by technology. My only gripe with technology is that we keep it in its proper place. All of the tools I mentioned above [Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and so forth] are good means of disseminating information. They are good tools for the transmission of information from one person or group to another. However, they are poor tools for building or strengthening fellowship.
Look at what Paul wrote to the Romans. In his letter to them, he told them that he was not content to simply send them a letter, which was certainly cutting-edge technology for that day, but that he longed to visit them and see them face to face [Romans 1.11-15]. He understood that he could convey in person what could never be conveyed by a letter. He understood the need to be with them physically. In our hunger and thirst to be creative and on the cutting edge of all things technological, is this something that we have forgotten?
Imagine what would happen if a married couple tried to relate to one another only by means of the technologies I mentioned above. They tweet back and forth throughout the day; they talk on Facebook; they blog about one another; they send lovely text messages to each other. They do all of those things, but they are never together physically. What sort of marriage would that be? There would be a great deal of isolation, but no intimacy. This, I fear, is also what happens when we substitute physical presence with technological presence. We breed isolation, not intimacy.
The better route is the Biblical route. We need to keep in mind and obey what the writer to the Hebrews put forth in Hebrews 10.24-25:
and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.
Fellowship, or community, cannot be built apart from our assembling together. The people of God need to be with the people of God in a physical sense and not just in a technological sense.
So I say, use Twitter and Facebook and blogs and other forms of technology, but do not let them substitute for being with other believers physically. Make sure you are in the Lord’s House with other believers on the Lord’s Day. Spend time in God’s Word with other Christians. Pray together, eat together, minister together, share the Gospel together. Build intimacy, not isolation.
Whatever Happened To Worship?
On this coming Lord’s Day I will be preaching from Acts 2.46-47 on the worship of those first Christians. As a part of my preparation I re-read the little book Whatever Happened To Worship? by A.W. Tozer. This is a simply wonderful little treatment on the matter of worship in the church today [actually the last half of the 20th Century] and an assessment of how far from the Bible believers have strayed when it comes to the matter of worship. The book is insightful and penetrating. It really gets right to the heart of the matter. We were created by God to worship Him but on account of sin we are unable to do that. Jesus Christ, therefore, has saved us that we might fulfill the whole purpose of our being: to worship God in Spirit and Truth [see John 4.23-24]. Having been made true worshipers as a result of the grace of God that is displayed in the salvation of our souls, we are then to worship the Lord in the manner in which He has prescribed in His Word.
Again, this is a great and powerful little book. I thought it might prove to be a profitable exercise to share some quotes from various portions of the book.
Jesus was born of a virgin, suffered under Pontius Pilate, died on the cross and rose from the dead to make worshipers out of rebels! [11]
I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven. [13]
True worship of God must be a constant and consistent attitude or state of mind within the believer. [24]
The whole import and substance of the Bible teaches us that God who does not need anything nevertheless desires the adoration and worship of His created children. [37]
The brief summary of this important matter is that God still desires worship, but we must learn that we cannot have our own way and worship God just as we please. [38]
Men and women continue to try to persuade themselves that there are many forms and ways that seem right in worship. But God in His revelation has told us that He is spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. God takes the matter of worship out of the hands of men and puts it in the hands of the Holy Spirit.” [44]
It must be by the Holy Spirit and truth. We cannot worship in spirit alone, for the spirit without truth is helpless. We cannot worship in truth alone, for that would be theology without fire. [46]
Yes, worship of the loving God is man’s whole reason for existence. That is why we are born and that is why we are born again from above. That why we were created and that is why we have been recreated. [56]
We need to be delighted in the presence of utter, infinite excellence.” [87]
We are saved to worship God. All that Christ has for us in the past and all that He is doing now leads to this one end. [94]
In Israel’s days of journeying, God have the visible cloud by day and the fire by night as a witness and an evidence of His glory and constant protection. If God was still giving the same signals of His abiding Presence, I wonder how many churches would have the approving cloud by day and fire by night. [98-99]
Many whom we have raised in our churches no longer think in terms of reverence–which seems to indicate they doubt that God’s Presence is there. [117]
In too many of our churches, you can detect the attitude that anything goes. [117]
If you cannot worship the Lord in the midst of your responsibilities on Monday, it is not very likely that you were worshiping on Sunday! [122]
Well, it is my experience that our total lives, our entire attitude as persons, must be toward the worship of God. [123]
I can offer no worship wholly pleasing to God if I know that I am harboring elements in my life that are displeasing to Him. I cannot truly and joyfully worship God on Sunday and not worship Him on Monday. I cannot worship God with a glad song on Sunday and then knowingly displease Him in my business dealings on Monday and Tuesday. [124-125]
Powerful words, indeed, from a man of God who had a true and Biblical grasp on what he saw around him. I would encourage you to obtain a copy of Whatever Happened to Worship? and read it for yourself.
Spiritual Disciplines Study
I have the wonderful privilege of leading the Mens’ Bible Study for the church I pastor [Sovereign Grace Bible Chapel]. We meet on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 7 PM at my office and I always look forward to this time of wonderful fellowship and the study of God’s Word. This evening we are going to begin a study of the spiritual disciplines outlined in the excellent book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney. I first came across this book about ten or twelve years ago when an older pastor gave presented me with a copy. I remember reading the book and being greatly challenged.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the book, let me offer you a little taste of the sweetness that it contains. Whitney has chapters that deal with the following spiritual disciplines:
- Bible intake.
- Prayer.
- Worship.
- Evangelism.
- Serving.
- Stewardship.
- Fasting.
- Silence and solitude.
- Journaling.
- Learning.
In his introduction, Whitney writes that the spiritual disciplines are the God-given means we are to use in the Spirit-filled pursuit of Godliness. In other words, the purpose of the spiritual disciplines is to enable us to grow in Christlikeness and Godliness. They are intended for our spiritual progress.
These disciplines are necessary because the Word of God makes it abundantly clear that we are to faithfully and consistently pursue Christlikeness in our lives here and now. When we step into eternity we will be made to be like Christ [1 John 3.2]. Until that time, we are to grow in that Christlikeness. This growth is not a waiting game, it is a pursuit. This is where the spiritual disciplines come into the picture. Paul writes in 1 Timothy 4.7 that all believers are to “Discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness.” According to Whitney, that verse is the theme of this entire book. The majority of the book is meant to help believers to apply the Spiritual Disciplines in practical ways.
The following quotes all come from the opening chapter and help us to gain a better understanding of what these Spiritual Disciplines are and why they are important:
Think of the Spiritual Disciplines as spiritual exercises. To go to your favorite spot for prayer or journaling, for example, is like going to a gym and using a weight machine. As physical disciplines like this promote strength, so the Spiritual Disciplines promote Godliness.
The Spiritual Disciplines then are also like channels of God’s transforming grace. As we place ourselves in them to seek communion with Christ, His grace flows to us and we are changed. That’s why the Disciplines must become priority for us if we will be Godly.
The original language of the words “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” makes it plain that this is a command of God, not merely a suggestion. Holiness is not an option for those who claim to be children of the Holy One (1 Peter 1.15-16), so neither are the means of holiness, that is, the Spiritual Disciplines, an option.
So many professing Christians are so spiritually undisciplined that they seem to have little fruit and power in their lives.
By neglecting the Spiritual Disciplines we face the danger of bearing little spiritual fruit.
Godliness is a lifelong pursuit.
I am very excited about this study. I am quite certain that it will be a challenge to our men, but I am also quite certain that it will produce rich spiritual fruit in their lives to the glory of God.
I close this post with a quote from J.I. Packer in the Foreword to Whitney’s book:
If, then, as a Christian you want to be really real with your God, moving beyond the stage of playing games with yourself and Him, this book provides practical help. A century and a half ago the Scottish professor “Rabbi” Duncan sent his students off to read John Owen, the Puritan, on indwelling sin with the admonition, “But, gentlemen, prepare for the knife.” As I pass you over to Don Whitney, I would say to you, “Now, friend, prepare for the workout.” And you will find health for your soul.
Welcome to my blog. I am Mark Fuss and I serve as Pastor-Teacher of Sovereign Grace Bible Chapel in Englewood, FL. I have been married to my wonderful wife, Kristy, since 1986 and we have three beautiful daughters and one precious granddaughter.
