Facing the Darkness

Much of the conversation around faith is framed in the language of sin and holiness. Faith is often seen as striving for sinlessness by extricating all sin from our lives. But, what if this isn’t the whole story? What if trying to separate ourselves from sin leads us into evil? What if true holiness is found in facing the darkness, not running from it, or denying it?

Jesus confronted the forces of evil many times in his earthly life, and many of those confrontations arose because he went looking for them. The Spirit drove him into the desert, specifically so that he could be tempted. He deliberately went to Jerusalem even though he knew the religious leaders would challenge him and try to kill him. He willingly chose the solitary Garden of Gethsemane to pray, knowing the grief and temptation he would face there, and making it very easy for the soldiers to arrest him without causing a riot.

Jesus, then, did not strive to keep himself free from darkness and evil. He went out of his way to step directly into its path. As Franciscan priest, Richard Rohr, explains - Jesus’ strategy was to absorb evil into himself, and transform it. The image Rohr uses is that of the scapegoat that had Israel’s sin laid on its head, and was then released into the desert. (See Leviticus 16:1-22).

Rohr makes the point that scapegoating is easy and pleasing for us - we feel good when we project our sin onto others and then judge them for it. But, the way of Christ, he suggests, is to BECOME the scapegoat - to stop projecting, and to “own” our darkness, absorbing it and allowing God’s Spirit to transform it and us. And then, by extension, we become those who bring light into the world by absorbing darkness wherever we may find it, rather than just judging and bemoaning it.

Lent, then, can be seen as a scapegoat’s journey into the desert - much like Jesus facing his temptations. It is a journey we undertake not just for ourselves - to find personal purity - but also for the sake of others - to break free from the cycle of blame and judgement. It leads us to face our darkness square on, and then to make a choice - either to scapegoat others, projecting the sin we won’t face in ourselves on to them, or to become the scapegoat, absorbing evil into ourselves by sacrificially refusing to adopt its strategies - violence, oppression, blame, deceit, manipulation and denial.

Worship teaches us to do this darkness-facing work. When we confess, when we intercede and when we meditate on the cross, we are refusing to look away from our own and our world’s sin. And we are daring to believe that we can be part of God’s saving transforming work, by ensuring that the cycle of evil stops with us. We choose to acknowledge that we, too, are part of the problem, and even as we do that, we become part of God’s solution.

So, this Lent, let’s stop pretending that we are holier than others. Let’s stop blaming others for the evil in the world. Let’s face our own darkness, let’s own it, and then let’s offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God, so that we may be transformed. Because when we choose to do this, our world will find a measure of healing through us.

Giving up could save your life

Have you felt like giving up? Like everything is just too much and you can’t carry on? Usually the result of this feeling is that we begin to streamline things – we start pulling out of commitments we’d agreed to, we start protecting our time and shutting ourselves away, and we begin to withdraw from others – sometimes even those closest to us. And, often even while we know that we need to care for ourselves better, we feel guilty, because we have, inevitably, let others, and perhaps even ourselves, down.

I want to suggest that the reason we get to this place, may not be because we have given up too soon, but because we haven’t given up soon enough! We hold on to too much – too many responsibilities, too many expectations, and too many activities – for much too long, and we end up having a breakdown of sorts where we know that unless we make some radical changes, we won’t survive much longer.

This is where the spiritual journey of Lent can be such a gift to us. This season is often thought of as a time of “giving things up”, and, of course, there are many teachers who rightly remind us that Lent is much more than this. To gain the spiritual benefit of the Lenten season requires more than just not eating chocolate for a few weeks, or not watching a particular TV show. But, that doesn’t mean that giving up cannot give us some wonderful gifts. Let’s not underestimate the power in the discipline of giving up.

If we were to develop a habit of regularly evaluating our lives, and giving up those things that were unnecessary, unhealthy, or just not our task, we would be far less likely to hit the burn-out or breakdown that leads to a total giving up. And that’s one of the important lessons that the discipline of giving up in Lent can teach us – that giving up should be an ongoing discipline, and it should result from a deep and continual evaluation of our priorities in the light of Christ’s call on our lives.

This is where worship is so powerful, especially in a season like Lent. As we gather weekly, we are reminded, through our songs, prayers and Scripture readings of the priorities of God’s reign. We are challenged to hear again God’s specific call on us, and to use our unique gifts and abilities in God’s service, while making space for others to use theirs. Worship, when entered into mindfully and whole-heartedly, has the ability to transform us, to remind us of who we really are, and to reset our values and commitments. Worship is the one thing we don’t want to give up for Lent! Rather, this season can be the inspiration to take our worship even deeper, and allow it to fill every moment of our lives through the discipline of giving up.

So, whatever you may be giving up this Lent, I pray that it will be a step toward a discipline of giving up that lasts all year - and that you will allow your worship to lead you and sustain you in this practice. After all, it could very well save your life – or at least your sanity!

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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

Erotic Worship

This weekend we remember Valentine’s Day - the annual celebration of sexual love. But, we have a rather conflicted relationship with sexuality in our world today. On the one hand, sex is used for everything from entertainment to advertising, but on the other hand, we find it difficult to talk about sex openly and honestly. Nowhere is this conflict more clearly seen than in the Church.

I can’t help but wonder what the impact of this is on our worship. Now, you may be wondering what on earth sex and worship have to do with each other. Well, the Bible is very comfortable with using sexual language to speak about our relationship with God. For example:

And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. (1 Cor. 6:16,17 NLT)

“As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one.” (Eph.5:31-32 NLT)

In both cases, Paul compares our union with God to a sexual union. For Paul, there is a definite ‘erotic’ element to our worship. But, what does this mean for us?

The Greek New Testament has four words for love: ‘philea’ - the love of friends; ‘storge’ - affection; eros - sensual desire, or sexual love; and ‘agape’ - which is generally referred to as “God’s love”, but which more accurately expresses an unconditional, sacrificial love which puts the beloved first. To call only ‘agape’ God’s love, is to make a mistake. All love originates in God - even sexual love. And when we grasp this, we can begin to celebrate our sexuality as a God-given gift, not just for our human relationships, but also in our worship.

How is it possible to bring our sexuality into our worship? You’ll be glad to hear that I am not talking about temple prostitution, or religiously inspired orgies. But, I do believe that our worship engages every part of us, including our sexuality. Human sexuality is simply a language, a way of communicating, in which we become completely vulnerable and connected to another person. It is a doorway to losing ourselves in the deepest, most satisfying of relationships, and discovering the truth of who we are through honest, open interaction. The physical act of sex is simply a way to express the real union which happens on a spiritual level.

In the same way, worship is a language, a way of communicating with God, in which we become completely vulnerable, and in which we lose ourselves in the deepest, most honest and open interaction with God’s Spirit. The physical acts of singing, praying, kneeling, raising hands and receiving the sacraments are simply ways to express this union.

When we begin to understand this, we are able to enter worship with passion, with expectation, and with openness to the work of God’s Spirit among us. And, then, as in any genuine encounter with another, we will find ourselves truly transformed.

So, maybe this year, you can make Jesus your Valentine, too!
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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

Beyond Words

“The age of symbols is over, isn’t it?”

This question was asked of me after one of a series of alternative worship services that I led a few years ago. The idea of these services was to be as creative as possible (without violating the worship encounter), to be as all-age friendly as possible, and to explore themes that our “regular” church would struggle with. As a result, we used symbols, rituals and the arts extensively. Sermons were short and highly visual, and our themes included a Lent series based on Joan Osborne’s song “One Of Us”.

One thing we worked hard at was not wrapping everything up in nice, neat boxes. Hence the question above, which was asked because we had done some symbolic things that we hadn’t explained, allowing the worshippers to find their own meaning as they engaged with God through the symbols. In spite of this, the question took me by surprise.

We live in a highly symbolic world. From the Nike “swoosh”, to the Mercedes “star” to the famous apple of Apple Computers, we encounter symbols everyday in a myriad ways. All of which makes me very curious when symbols are treated with suspicion.

Perhaps, we get suspicious of symbols because they communicate with us in ways that go deeper than our conscious thoughts. Perhaps, they connect with us and move us and challenge us in ways that surprise us and are unpredictable. Perhaps, we are nervous because they cannot be easily classified or explained or understood, and so they lead us into the unknown. Whatever the reason, we are often tempted to resist the power of symbols. We may select a few “safe” symbols to use, and shun all others. Or we may use symbols, but make them so one-dimensional, or so explained, that they almost cease to be symbolic at all. Or we may simply run from them altogether, labeling them as “new age” or “evil”.

The Bible is full of symbols, and of symbolic acts (or rituals). Think of the Ark of the Covenant, with its spread-winged angels. Think of Ezekiel’s vision of God’s throne, and the many-eyed creatures. Think of Amos’s plumb-line, or Jeremiah’s almond tree. Think of the parables of Jesus, or John’s visions in the book of Revelation. The Bible is very comfortable with symbols - and invites us to explore these strange images and acts in order to encounter God in new and deeper ways.

Traditionally, Christian worship has been a place of great symbolism. The sacraments of baptism and communion, the colours of the liturgical calendar, the candles, incense, crosses, doves, circles, all speak of truth that goes deeper than our understanding. The acts of kneeling, standing, raising hands all open us to knowing in ways that are more than just thoughts or ideas.

So, here’s an invitation. As you worship this week, take time to notice the symbols around you and the symbolic acts you are performing. And then, open yourself to the wisdom that God wishes to speak into your soul. Open yourself to the Spirit who blows through these symbols. And, then, resist the urge to explain or even to understand - at least for a little while. Who knows, God may surprise you with God’s glorious presence.

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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

Faith Passed Down

I was talking to my children the other day and made reference to McGyver, the “fix-anything-with-nothing” television character from the 80s. They looked at me with blank faces and asked, “Who’s McGyver?” I was reminded of how easily the stories and ideas of one generation fade and are replaced by new ones for new generations.

Unfortunately, this seems to happen way too easily in the realm of faith as well. Don’t get me wrong, I believe that faith - both personally and in community - grows and develops over time, and so I am not opposed to new expressions of faith or new ways of thinking through issues and ideas. I believe that new movements in faith like the Pentecostal and Charismatic revivals of a few decades ago, and the Emerging Church movement of today, give us valuable and important gifts for the development of our faith.

But, I also believe in the faith that is passed down. I believe that all new expressions of faith need to be rooted in the ancient community of believers, and in the lessons that are taught by its history. I am reminded of Paul’s words to the young pastor Timothy when he described Timothy’s faith:

“I'm reminded of how sincere your faith is. That faith first lived in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice. I'm convinced that it also lives in you.”

Timothy’s faith was not a completely new thing, unrelated to those who had come before him. On the contrary, Timothy had a faith that was passed down - rooted in the faith of his elders. As fashionable as everything to do with youth may be in our world today, our faith is shallow and poor if we ignore the stories and memories of our elders. And those among us who are advanced in years, have a responsibility to pass our faith down - through our example, our story-telling and our mentoring. This does not mean that youth has nothing to offer - it certainly does, and I will explore the gifts of youth in a future article. But it does mean that we must be careful to preserve the treasures of our past as well.

When worship is practiced thoughtfully and faithfully, it gives us a connection to this faith-history. Our ancient hymns, well-used liturgies, historic symbols and age-old rituals all open doors to the wisdom of our mothers and fathers in faith. Yes, these traditional worship elements can be “packaged” or expressed in fresh new ways, with new instruments and new technologies, but let’s never make the mistake of abandoning them. As the old saying goes: “Those who fail to learn the lessons of history, are doomed to repeat them.”

So, who are the mothers and fathers of your faith community? How can you value their stories and memories better? How can you enable them to pass their faith down to new generations? What are the ancient practices of your church? How can you honour and preserve them? What “packaging” can you given them to make them more attractive to the young people who need to learn their lessons? And when the time comes, how can you pass your faith on to others, so that they too can enjoy the benefits of a faith passed down?

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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

Treasures Old and New

I am something of a creativity junkie. I love bringing new ideas into being, and watching lights go on for people as they see things in a new way. I am always on the look out for new music, new theatre and movies, new books, new places to go. If I was ever forbidden to express myself creatively, my life would lose a significant amount of joy, energy and meaning.

But, I also love routine. I tend to structure my time in repeatable ways. I like to return to the familiar and enjoy the comfort and reassurance it brings. Without this sense of routine – tradition, if you will – my life would be chaotic and dysfunctional.

In worship, there is a tendency to put creativity and familiarity at odds with one another. C.S. Lewis, I am told, wrote that he struggled when ministers changed the liturgy just at the point where he was familiar enough with the words that he didn't have to focus on them and could connect with God through the familiar language. Similarly, in many churches in which I have worked, there is strong resistance to anything new. In other churches, though, the opposite is the case. If things are repeated, if anything is the same for a week or two, people begin to feel like things are stagnating. It's like there needs to be a constant stream of new music, new technology, new ways of organising the services or we don't get the right injection of energy. And these two groups often struggle to worship together.

It doesn't need to be this way. In a world of media, entertainment and multi-tasking, creativity speaks in a language that makes sense. In a world of fast and constant change, familiar rituals and routines can keep us grounded and give us roots. We need both. Creativity and tradition are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they are two sides of a single coin that draws us closer to God, and God's eternal truth and grace, and opens us to the new move of God's Spirit in our hearts and in our world.

There is a longing in us for an experience of God that is fresh and alive and new, but there is also a need for the comfort and security of the familiar, and the history and depth of tradition. So, as you worship this week – and as you live your worship out – how can you embrace the new things God wants to do in and through you? And how can you preserve and protect the familiar, the traditional and the routine? How can you set your heart free to fly on the wind of the Spirit, while also remaining rooted and anchored in the wisdom of the ages?

As Jesus said in his awesome parable: "That is why every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a home owner. He brings new and old things out of his treasure chest." (Matthew 13:52 – God's Word). Remember, everything that is tradition now, was once innovation, and a lot of what is innovation today, will be tradition tomorrow.

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John van de Laar is a Methodist minister, liturgical consultant and the author of the book Food for the Road – Life Lesson from the Lord’s Table. He holds a Master’s Degree in theology from UNISA, and is the founder of Sacredise.com, an international worship training and resourcing ministry. John is married to Debbie, and they have two sons.
Visit www.sacredise.com for more articles by John, as well as resources for personal and public worship – music, prayers, liturgies, images and drama scripts.

Worship for the Long Haul

It’s an instant world we live in. If our needs aren’t met immediately we get frustrated. Longevity has lost it’s attraction. We upgrade our cell phones every two years wishing it was sooner. We measure companies quarterly, and we choose our activities by the instant rush we hope to receive. It’s an instant world, which has given us so many benefits, but there’s a sting in the tail.

In the realm of spirituality, ‘instant’ doesn’t cut it. If we want a deep and fulfilling relationship with God, if we long to grow into the people we are meant to be, if we hope to make a positive difference in the world, this is going to take time and commitment. In spite of the promises in the books on the self-help shelves, no one becomes whole, healthy and spiritually strong overnight. And when I read a review of a book that promises to teach its readers to meditate like a Buddhist monk in just 30 days, I can’t resist the sorrow that floods me. I weep for those who sell themselves short by treating their most authentic selves, and their connection with the creator, like something you buy at a fast food outlet.

Unfortunately the culture of the instant has infiltrated our churches. While I love contemporary worship music, I worry when the music becomes the focus of our efforts. I love technology and I believe in using it in worship, but I know how seductive it can be, and how it can divert us into instant gratification, rather than the long, slow road of spiritual development. When we measure our worship by the goose bumps we feel, or by how well the band mimicked the latest worship CD, or by how dramatic the video production was, we have missed the point. We may feel an instant reward, but our souls have suffered the malnourishment of spiritual fast food.

At the start of a New Year we have a wonderful opportunity. We can make a commitment to long haul spirituality. Instead of measuring our worship by the weekly experience, let’s commit ourselves to waiting until the end of the year. And then, let’s judge our worship by how we have changed - by how we have become a little more like Jesus in his love for God and the world. Each week as we come to worship, let’s open ourselves, not to the instant gratification of a thrilling experience, but to the slow nurturing of a weekly discipline that will, sometimes, be thrilling, but, sometimes challenging, and sometimes just quiet and ordinary.

At the start of the New Year is a good time to reaffirm two profound truths about our worship. First, worship is not about what we do in church, but about how what we do in church changes the way we live when we’re not in church. Second, worship is not a weekly “fix” to uplift us and carry us through the week until our next “fix”. It is a discipline that we embrace with commitment and faithfulness, so that, through repeated practice over time, we are changed so that the world is better off for our presence.

Now that’s a resolution worth making.