One Mark of a Truly Spiritual Church

“We don’t have bulletins”, said the pastor quite proudly.

“Why not?”, enquires a sheepish visitor.

The pastor confidently answers, “We want to give the Spirit freedom to work and move in our worship services. We do not want to be shackled and confined by some order of service”.

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That is a real conversation I overheard in a church that I was visiting. At the time I was giving the pastor a thumbs up. I grew up in a Baptist church where the only time you shouted or raised your hands was if somebody elbowed you in the kidney when you nodded off during the pastors sermon. Therefore, this new found freedom of worship was something I was really digging.

Then it got weird.

Nothing like holding snakes or clucking down the aisle like a chicken. But it just got weird. I never knew what to expect from one Sunday to the next. Would we enter into a building with no chairs and start roasting marshmallows while singing Chris Tomlin songs? Would we see a live goat sacrificed as an illustration for the one week sermon series on Leviticus? Would I be called on stage and exposed for something? How long would this meeting last? Who would be speaking?

I never knew the answer to those questions. And eventually I stopped coming because of that. I started believing that it was less about the Spirit and his activity and more about the ideas that this pastor dude got at 2am after a night of indulging in a Chinese buffet. So I went to a church with a little more order.

Some might say that I was simply uncomfortable with the Spirit’s moving. If I really wanted to be in a spiritual church then I wouldn’t need a crazy church bulletin. Maybe, that’s true. But I kind of think the apostle Paul agrees with me.

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace…But all things should be done decently and in order.

According to Paul one mark of a truly spiritual church is a godly order that intends to build up the congregation. It’s the exact opposite of we-don’t-have-bulletins-because-we-have-the-Spirit dude. I’m not saying that bulletins are necessary. In some instances they are just a waste of paper. But order is necessary. The Spirit works in the midst of order not against it.

So the next time some dude invites you to his church that is really spiritual because they just do as the Spirit leads, you might consider 1 Corinthians 14 before signing up.

The Jesus Sensitive Church Review

If Jesus were on earth today where would he worship?  That is the intriguing question posed by Ron Auch and Dean Niforatos in their work The Jesus Sensitive Church: Would Jesus Worship Here? .  I received this book free from New Leaf Press to review. 

I actually received this book without much knowledge of it.  The title was compelling, and the central question was one the piqued my interest.  I was further interested by the fact that these men are of the Pentecostal faith.  I am not.  It is always interesting to here ecclesiological critiques from people of different denominational backgrounds. 

It is interesting that most of what you read in the first few chapters could have easily been taken out of a book from the Reformed community critical of the “seeker-sensitive” movement.  Chapter 2’s Give Them What They Want is a familiar sounding critique that is not exclusive to Pentecostalism.

I typically feel a great disconnect between myself and many of those in Pentecostalism.  Honestly, much of that is probably my own limited exposure (ala TBN).  I was shocked to hear these guys saying much the same thing that my own communities are saying. 

Then in chapter seven the Pentecostal beliefs begin to really thunder through the pages.  The first six chapters deconstruct the seeker-sensitive church.  Essentially they are saying that Jesus would not worship in a seeker-sensitive church. 

Well then, what type of church would Jesus worship in?  What they are really asking is—what type of church gathering will have the blessing of Almighty God.  Their answer?  One that is Spirit-filled, full-gospel believing, and baptized in the Spirit manifested through the speaking of tongues. 

The last six chapter are about the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” and that this is the mark that is missing in modern churches.  If you know me, then you know that I disagree.  Debating with Pentecostals is not the point of this review.  I’ll just simply say I disagree with this major thrust of the book—and leave it at that. 

So, since I won’t be following the advice to pursue “getting filled” what can a Jesus-loving Southern Baptist take from this book?  For one, even though I disagree with their application and interpretation of passages on the Spirit, I do agree that a de-emphasis on the Holy Spirit is rampant in churches.  This book can be a wake up call to consider the Spirit in our ecclesiology. 

Also to be respected is their passion for holiness.  And I really do think that the author’s of this book have a deep love for Jesus and want to see Him glorified in churches and throughout the world.  Many of their critiques are spot on and there is much to commend here. 

However, at the end of the day I think this book falls into the same trap that many books of this type do.  That is the if you do ___ then God will do _____ formula.  They are not nearly as bad as many of the other books—because I don’t think they really are hoping to have mega-churches.  They want to be faithful to God.  But I think their underlying theological presuppositions necessitate this formulaic understanding.  In other words Pentecostalism stems from this very If I do ___, God does ____ formula. 

Would I recommend it?  Honestly, probably not.  I think if I were a Pentecostal then this book would be great and serve as a wonderful wake up call.  I hope the Lord uses it this way.  I hope God uses this book in Pentecostal churches to call the people to get back to the Scriptures, pursue holiness, embrace the gospel, and surrender to Jesus and not to methodologies. 

But I would not suggest this book to those in my congregation because I fundamentally disagree with the last six chapters.  And where this book is strong I can find other books that are also strong and do not end at the Pentecostal conclusion. 

But that’s my take, you can check it out yourself: The Jesus Sensitive Church: Would Jesus Worship Here? You can buy it used at Amazon for less than a buck.  It’s pretty well-written and is an easy read.

Rating 2.5 out of 5 Stars