The Church in the Wild

Have we been guilty of Christian passivity?  Are we guilty of preaching Jesus but failed to follow through in what He preached?  Some would argue that there is a great gulf that separates our teaching and our living.  Many in our society that have been marginalized have gone ignored and neglected by those who have been charged with the care of such individuals.  Has the church lost the transformative message of Christ in place of the performative?  Has passivity trumped passion?  To borrow a line from Kanye West and Jay-Z’s song, No Church in the Wild, has the church “…formed a new religion” that excludes the care of the marginalized?  No longer can we operate as if our lack of concern in inconsequential.  We must look within and use whatever strength to accomplish something for Christ’s charge is for us to do and care for the least of his people.  This is Church in the Wild.

A definition of the wild is when there is a lack of regular order or arrangement.  When considering the condition of our society, one might consider this a concrete jungle that is untamed.  K.D. Sullivan’s poem, Church in the Wild, describes this jungle filled with prostitutes, homeless beggars, profane rappers, conflicted souls, etc, but what I found interesting was this line,

“Christian’s hide,

trembling we cower

As if God-in-us doesn’t have the power”

His call is to the church to become a church in the wild.  He is calling out to a church that is bold and aggressive, yet meek and mild.  I believe this to be the church that has a well defined love ethic that doesn’t approve of doctrine over love, but love necessitated by doctrine.

The Apostle James argues the utilization of our abilities to effect change in the community.  James confronts the early Christians with this statement, “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food... (James 2:15),” He suggests that to fail in the most simple good works towards a brother or sister in need demonstrates that one does not have a living faith.  If we really believe something, we will follow through and act accordingly to that belief.  We can identify if faith/conviction is alive by seeing if it is accompanied by works, and if it does not have works, it is dead.  If our convictions are true, we will care for the marginalized in our society as He told us to. 

So if that is to be true, our convictions must be accompanied with action.  James would say, “...show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works (James 2:18b).”  The appeal of James appears clear to me and logical.  We can’t “see” someone’s faith, but we can see their works.  You can’t see faith without works, but you can demonstrate the reality of faith by works which I believe to be essential in my approach to applying this to ministry.  Consider a church that has a ratio of spending food and “outreach” being 2:1, but this church makes claims to be concerned about the community.  James would argue that those convictions would return "insufficient funds" because they’re not evident or accompanied in our actions.  Works must accompany a genuine faith, because genuine faith is always connected with regeneration – being born again, becoming a new creation in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17).  If there is no evidence of a new life, there was no genuine, saving faith.  As Charles Spurgeon is reported to have said, “The grace that does not change my life will not save my soul.”

It is my hope that as a church we would move beyond the religious rhetoric about our ethical position and seek to reclaim our prophetic voice as the social conscious of society by not seeking the government to set injustices right.  I believe the beginning of reform begins with confronting ourselves and repent.  Mark 1:15b states very simply, “Repent...”  Repentance carries with it that we would move beyond our feelings, but we must have a change in direction.  Repentance is an action word that speaks of a change of direction, not of sorrow in the heart.  I along with many have been obtuse and guilty of perverted love, polluted justice, and pitiful power under the auspiciousness of the Almighty.  Repentance is necessitated with the need of change in order to move forward with sufficient and effectual ministry.