There is a story about two boys, and each was given a block of wood and a knife. They were instructed to begin whittling. Both set off with great determination to complete the task given them. They were aggressively making the wood chips fly. When they finished the given task, they were asked to present their final product. The first handed over a nicely carved boat and the second handed over a pile of wood shavings.
What was the difference for the outcome? One had a vision within the task and the second only saw the task. This is a reflective illustration of how we, the church, often approach the journey of the task. We hear the presentation, and receive tools to do it then set off aggressively in getting it done. Then when we are asked to present the result of the process there is a wide variety in the end product.
To have a “Culturally Relevant Gospel” it requires visualizing what the end of the journey can and should look like. Time must be spent in “seeing the boat” before starting. All of the tools and materials have been previously given to us. We the church have been given the knife, “When the Holy Spirit comes upon you” and the block of wood, “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the far ends of the earth” and the task “Be my witnesses”. We do not need to change the tool or find a new block of wood. The task has not changed.
So what do we need to do to have a culturally relevant Gospel? In my experience in wood working, there are different types of wood and an equal amount of requirements to work with wood. Just as the scripture above depicts different groups of people, we must realize, no, we must deeply comprehend that people (and situations) are vastly different and requires different handling. Think with me. Instead of only looking at the listing of the people groups of Acts 1:8 as different regions, let’s look at the listing as different personalities, make-up and styles of people. Just as different regions must be ministered to at a culturally relevant way, so local people must be ministered to relevantly based upon their socially, mentally, educationally and economically make-up.
So, why it is that two churches placed in the same region experience different results? They are handed the same block of wood, receive the same tool and given the same task, but the results are so vastly different. I have trouble believing that God desires one over the other in completing the journey. I have trouble that God desires to bless one church and not the other. I have trouble accepting that God wants one church to have more and higher quality results. I refuse to accept that God provides a better tool to one over the other. But why are there different results? Can I suggest that maybe we, the wood workers are just whittlers and not cravers. Maybe we do not stop and visualize what the block of wood can be. I think of when Jesus approached Jerusalem and the scripture says that He beheld the city, He began to weep. He beheld … He visualized the status of the city and realized just what they could become. He stopped and looked at the block of wood and saw the boat. Let’s stop and see the boats in our blocks of wood and take the necessary steps to release the boats thus we become carvers instead of whittlers.
One additional thought. Consider the knife. Just in carving, the proper use of the tool makes all of the difference regardless of the vision you have. Use the knife the wrong way you’ll destroy the final outcome. Use the tool the wrong way, and you run the very high risk of causing grave bodily damage. A dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one when it comes to carving. (Our knife when it comes to craving for the Church will never go dull).
Having a culturally relevant gospel does not mean changing the gospel to fit the region, but the changing the ways in which we get the boats out of the blocks of wood we have been given. Are you; am I, a whittler or a carver?
2 comments:
Good piece. I couldn't help but think of when my boys were little and it was time, as scouts to work on Pinewood Derby cars. We'd sit there for hours carving away. Sometimes we'd take off a little more than planned but we tried our best. Their cars won a few races. No trophies brought home. But it was still rewarding. There were certainly much better cars on the track but we still got a lot of mileage out of the little talent we had combined. And so some churches can produce some pretty impressive results while others may not awe their neighborhood. Still, the qualitiy of one's heart is an important factor and determining whether we're whittlers or carvers.
Mark:
Thank you for your compliment. I too remember those days of making the Pinewood cars and the trophies and ribbons. Then there were the times of defeat as well.
So often when it comes to review and drawing the conlcusions in the "won/loss" records for the activities of the church, we judge it on the size or to use your term the "awe" it produces. I was not refering to score cards that man keeps when I suggested that we are to be carvers and not just whittlers when it comes to fulfilling the mission of the church. I totally agree with you about the condition/quality of the heart. To get the quality I feel we need, is to see with Jesus's eyes and to feel with His heart. All too often churches and leaders start off just whittling without giving any regards as to what they are to be making out of their block of wood. Then before long all that is seen is a pile of shavings and nothing recognizable left out of the block of wood. Then either one thing or another happens. Either we cry out to God and ask for "Holy Glue" to put the shavings back together or we proudly hold up the leftover wood and tell everyone what it is because no one can see it. (Sounds a little like modern art). Let's spend time in asking for Jesus Eyes and Jesus Hearts before we start cutting away at our block of wood.
The task is great ... but the way is fun and rewarding. Someday we'll have our boat just as Jesus sees it.
Post a Comment