Cooperation...A Long Story and A Simple Idea

I have a meeting tomorrow that I'm not really looking forward to. It's with some good friends and that's usually a good thing, but not tomorrow. I have been invited to this meeting because of a word. A word that is used my church's statement of beliefs. That's right a word. I'll tell you the word here in a minute.

How did I get into this? Well, the elders at JFC have been working on an official statement of beliefs. Simple stuff, basic orthodoxy. Nothing controversial. Nothing that anyone would hear and go, O man, I can't believe you guys believe that. Journey Fellowship is a pretty simple place. We believe the Bible is true, Jesus died and was raised, God reveals Himself in three distinct ways, salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus, Jesus is coming back. We are not theological trailblazers. We are orthodox, largely evangelical, and very much crazy about Jesus.

The word that got us in so much trouble is how we refer to baptism and Communion. Many of our evangelical friends use the term "ordinances." I used that term for years myself. I never really thought about it or what it meant. I just grew up with it and never questioned it. Then I got into this church starting/pastoring thing and words and practices became really important. They are important to me now for 2 reasons:

1. because I grew up and learned to think for myself and
2. because I am now reaching people who ask questions about everything and I want to have a reason for what we do and say.

So we wanted to define what we believe baptism and communion are in our faith, this following of Jesus, Christianity. And initially we went with the term "ordinance" because it was what we had always known. Then we made the mistake of reading some books, a dictionary, and some old dusty theology. We rediscovered a word. That word is "sacrament." We thought we found something really cool. A word that described what we felt about, and what we felt like the Bible described the practice of baptism and Communion- "sacrament- an outward action that reflects an inward reality." Sounds simple enough, right? That's what I thought. Especially when ordinance means a rule or law, especially one enacted by a community.

(Side note: When I think of Communion or baptism I think of obedience, like a rule or law, but not is the sense I think of a law- more out of a sense of doing something out of love. I obey the speed limit because it's the law, I clean the kitchen for my wife out of love. I was baptized because I love Jesus and want to obey Him, not because I was afraid He would reach down and smack me. Getting the picture?)

Unfortunately, we have discovered that for some people. these friends of mine, "sacrament" has some cultural baggage in some evangelical circles. These circles think by saying baptism and Communion are "sacraments" we are saying they are necessary for salvation, or "aids to grace" in the theological parlance of the day. The rest of our statement of beliefs makes it clear that this is not our position, but the schism remains, at least on their side.

I write all this to plead with my friends who follow Jesus, particularly those who pastor or work in networks of churches, please, please, please think about how to cooperate with one another, instead of how to create division. There is a complete and total lack of willingness to listen and to look for areas of agreement in our churches, especially in our state (Oklahoma). Let's make it simple. Do you believe that Jesus came, died and rose again? Do you believe that His death was a substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind? Do you believe that in order to be forgiven and to enter into a relationship with God a person must trust Jesus for salvation? Can we agree on these basic things? If so, then what can keep us from cooperating? I'm sure I am overlooking something and it will be pointed out. That's cool. I will bet I am not overlooking much.

I'm not excited about my meeting tomorrow. I hope it ends well and we can part as friends or unite as partners in reaching people for the Kingdom. May His Kingdom advance...