Posted on July 18, 2008 - by ray
The Gap
I’m preparing to teach a class on Spiritual Formation in September. I’ll be using the Frost & Hirsch book The Shaping of Things to Come as the primary text. In review of the book I came across something I had forgotten about that I think is worth posting. The authors refer to Robert Bank’s book Redeeming the Routines and his pointing out the gap between belief and everyday life. According to Bank this gap shows up in ten worrying ways:
- Few of us apply or know how to apply our belief to our work, or lack of work.
- We only make minimal connections between our faith and our spare time activities.
- We have little sense of a Christian approach to regular activities like domestic chores.
- Our everyday attitudes are partly shaped by the dominant values of our society.
- Many of our spiritual difficulties stem from the daily pressure we experience.
- Our everyday concerns receive little attention in the church.
- Only occasionally do professional theologians address routine activities.
- When addressed, everyday issues tend to be approached too theoretically.
- Only a minority of Christians read religious books or attend theological courses.
- Most churchgoers reject the idea of a gap between their beliefs and their ways of life.
Of course, the last is the most telling. Many of us fail to see the disconnect between what we read in scripture and believe about our life in Christ and what we actually do. I have to admit, I’m guilty of this as well, even living cross-culturally, where it’s my job to avoid this type of gap in my daily life.
I’m convinced now more than ever that we do a horrible disservice to both new and old Christians in our discipleship of them if we don’t teach and example what it means to live the incarnational life…what it means to love your neighbor, what it means to bless those who persecute you, and what it means to turn the other cheek. We do a fine job of teaching truth and sound theological concepts but we fall short in giving them the full council of the Word.
So, this is where the rubber meets the road - I need to come up with a way to teach and example this to 18 year olds this September in a way that will hopefully impact them to live out their faith, not just believe in it.
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July 18, 2008
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Keep us up to date on what you’re teaching so we may bridge the gap.
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July 19, 2008
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What we’re seeing is that the “old school” is stuck on the Sunday as the “holy” day, and Mon-Sat are the days that you simply “have to” get through. Mon-Sat are not seen as “holy”, they are not seen as opportunity, but drudgery. Colossians 3 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,” is used to motivate the “saints” to action within the bounds of the Church, rather than a continual reminder that Jesus is your mentor, boss, superior, foreman on the job.
Our busi-ness IS our mission…we are to work in the name of Jesus and by the power of God’s Spirit, our Sunday is our day for physical rest. We’ve GOT to get this…sales, IT, PT, truck driving, teaching; these are our missions.
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July 24, 2008
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Comments on couple of points (some of them seem a little made up, but could be true):
1. I disagree, I believe we have the know how, we just choose not to care (ouch). It’s not convenient.
7. I hear pastors all the time mention this, and there seems to always be a focus on being effective at work. I would disagree with his assesment, only to add that we ignore this teaching. I believe it is taught and ignored, as are many other biblical truths. I think this could be many pastors’ greatest frustration.
9. One also needs to be very careful that the ’spiritual’ and or theological books they are reading are sound, and that their basis for action is the Word. I believe there are too many who quote books instead of scripture.
10. Not sure about this one, most actual believers I know would readily admit the disconnect (I think). Not sure where he got that information.
Loving and serving others is hard. It takes selflessness and obedience (and we are selfish and unobedient), which is all the more reason we need to change our behavior. I’m excited to see where this goes.
Question for another day: Does God need us to make him ‘relevant’, or is he, through his scriptures, just as relevant today as he has always been?
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July 31, 2008
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Wow ML - I really disagree with your assessment of #10. I can think of tons of believers I know that when asked about their daily life in relation to their beliefs would respond by saying that they live out what they believe. Try it out at your church this Sunday. Do an informal poll of 10 to 15 people. You might be surprised by the responses.