Deep Church

So with this expansive imagination of the Kingdom of God, that has been available to so much of the church, and is one of the key theological motifs of Vineyard Churches, how have we lived within that imagination, what have we done with it?

The ‘now and not yet’ of the Kingdom is, I fear, often reduced to a ‘numbers game.’  Praying for the sick, and being able to explain why some are healed and some are not, can soon become about praying for enough people until eventually someone is healed.  Our understanding of the ‘now and not yet’ gets all to easily reduced to a ‘do it enough until you get a result’.

And that reductionism, often takes place within a larger reduction, of the Kingdom of God being about answers to prayer for the sick, and for receiving answers to prayer in my life.  The expansive, universe containing vision from Jesus of the Kingdom of God, is all to easily reduced to a slot machine lottery, of personal benefits.

Yet surely the ‘now and the not yet’ of the Kingdom, the time we live in between the ascension of Christ, and the Parousia when Jesus returns, is the freeing from the pre-occupation with the personal benefits of our ‘own kingdoms’.  It’s not that there aren’t benefits within this Kingdom, but the ‘now and not yet’ is so much more.

And within that I suggest that whilst we might have theologically explained how the Kingdom has broken in but is not fully here, we have yet to really explore beyond praying for the sick, and personal benefits what is really within this conception and experience of the Kingdom.

Perhaps it is the translation of our identities into the eschaton, into the mission of Jesus, with his followers, for the transformation of ourselves, and all of creation, socially, economically, politically.  What would church look life if that was the imagination of the Kingdom we explored and experienced together?

We began our new series re-imaginging Vineyard Church distinctives/values  for our emerging contexts, with the ‘bible’ last week.  This week we turn to the ‘Kingdom of God’.

For a classical summary of the Vineyard Church movements understanding and use theological use of ‘the Kingdom of God’, see this article by Don Williams, Phd.

At it’s heart, there is an articulation that there is a ‘now but not yet’ to our experience of the Kingdom, it has broken into this world, but is not fully here, such that:

‘This illuminates our present experience. It explains both the reality of our triumph in Christ and the continuing spiritual warfare which we fight on many fronts. It explains the reality that we have died with Christ, and the flesh still wars against the spirit. It explains why some people are dramatically healed by the power of God and also continue to get sick and die. It explains why we have strength through weakness and life through death. If we break this tension we either end up in the resignation of “cessationism” (God doesn’t work miracles today), or the triumphalism of perfectionism (God always works miracles if we have the faith to believe him). The good news is that the future kingdom is now at work in the present. We are not waiting for the end; we are living in the end. By the power of the Spirit we are enabled to live between the times.’ Don Williams

How might we re-imagine that today, and how might it resource more than ever the conexts we find ourselves in?

If the Vineyard movement is to move into some theological space for exploration and re-imagination, I think we must be anchored in our Kingdom of God and centered-set trajectories.  In terms of a passion for, and centrality of the Bible and confidence in it, my hope is that we broaden our interpretive and theological boundaries.  I think one of my favorite theologians – Walter Brueggemann – maps out some helpful theological space for this kind of inclusion and ‘being expansive’ without falling into the derision of so many academic biblical scholars that undermines confidence in our scriptures, yet presses on to maturity with respect to scripture as scripture.  What is the space that Brueggeman clears for us to humbly enjoin this new theological exploration of our sacred scriptures?  Here are a three:

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(In our discussions this week, Paul Mayers posted this parable in a comment.  I couldn’t resist and have re-posted it here in full, under his name – Jason)

Maybe it would seem we need to rediscover the wonder of parables, those stories that take our everyday encounters and transmutes them somehow. If we can hear them in the first place.

The third space one would be a great example, I can almost hear Jesus saying…

‘a man and women walk into starbucks, pay £8 to sip their skinny latte and chi tea. They leave feeling less thirsty and more virtuous having discussed their spiritual journies and resolve that in this space they can be truly free. Before parting they agree to meet back there at the same time next week where they will this time discuss how to resolve world hunger over a chocolate muffin and a piece of blueberry cheesecake. Who do you think is richer for this experience, the economy of God or the economy of the market?’

At once Peter spoke up, ‘Guru, you have made me think that if we offer free muffins and better coffee we will be able to attract more followers, for as you have said man and women need more than just Dunkin Donuts alone.’

‘No, no,’ said Judas, who managed the on-line bank account and charitable donations, ‘we should buy shares in this starbucks. It would seem its business model is most profitable.’

The disciples began to bicker amongst themselves, one saying for the coffee plan and another for the investments, still a third argued that they should set up their own coffee shop chain and a fourth that maybe it would be better and edgier to run a pub or a tattoo parlour. Each one saying that their idea was more radical and counter cultral than the last.

Finally Jesus spoke again, ‘oh you and your consumer ways, do you not realise that you seek to take on the forms of this world rather than embody the values of my Father? For it is not about the coffee blend or the pastries that you consume but rather what it is that consumes you and gives your identity. Broad is the market and many who find it easy to be sold their identity from amongst its counter cultural niches. Morons! You are being consumer sheep not radical rebels. But I tell you, narrow is the way of true self formation, denying your right to your rights and instead following me.’

The disciples wondered at his words as they entered into the McD’s drive through…

I’m travelling tomorrow to Portland, Oregon,  for the  M.Div/MA class  on ‘The Theology and Purpose of the Church’, that I get to teach twice a year at George Fox Seminary. As usual I’m looking forward to trying out my ongoing PhD research, and to meeting the students that I’ve been working with online this past term/semester.

I try to post all my speaking engagements with ‘trip it‘, and my main web site www.jasonclark.ws pulls that information through showing upcoming trips.