I entered full time ministry with the intentions of renewing the church. The books I digested and conversations I had with my friends and family helped me realize the veneer piety among church and parish circles. This sickened me. Priests and sexual abuse disgusted me. Pastors and money laundering vexed me. And the hundreds of stories about moral failures among good Christians hurt me. Because I saw the brokenness of the church, I entered full time ministry thinking that I would contribute to the church's rejuvenation.
Initially as a youth pastor, I thought rejuvenation could come merely through changing the church's format. By changing the music, the time and type of the service, adding a coffee hour or dimming the lights; I thought the church would improve drastically. Perhaps dressing "casual" would help us relate to different people. Maybe if we put ads in the newspaper and on the radio, we could advertise to new people groups. I felt a call to rejuvenate the church and I was serious about bringing change. It wasn't long before a friend of mine pointed out my error. He helped me realize that all I was doing was changing the keyboard, the mouse, the speakers, and the screen. What I needed to do was change the operating system. I quickly realized that I, too, had fallen into the trap of veneer piety by thinking I could change rejuvenate the church through such surface level changes.
The next method I thought rejuvenation would come to the church was by intellectualism. I had seen enough "uneducated" pastors - it made me sick. Uneducated passionate pastors who led the masses to believe that God would give them a nice house and fast car turned me and many peeps I know away from church. Sure, a smile and personality could bring people into a building for a crafty sermon, but the Jesus that they taught wasn't the Jesus I read about in the Gospels. I didn't want anything to do with this. I began going through books like they were water. I read every theological book I could get my hands on. From Augustine to Wesley to Kierkegaard to Zacharias, I discovered intellectualism at a level I hadn't been exposed to before. As I went on to seminary, I found myself exposed to a level of sophisticated logic and theology that I adored. Systematic theology and hermeneutics and the process of exegesis and church history gave me a deep reverence for the Holy Scriptures like I had never known before. As I continued my seminary studies, I realized that again, I had fallen into the constraints of veneer piety. As my professors pointed out, intellectualism alone didn't hold the answers for rejuvenating the church.
Veneer piety is manifested when the church solely depends upon format or the latest intellectual buzz-word or anything other than Christ to vindicate itself. Through the cross God's grace is poured out onto all humanity. This foundation has always anchored the church. Even the Apostle Paul wrote, " May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." The cross of Christ is the source of our hope and our Life.
Richard Foster penned it well when he wrote this in an article for Christianity Today, "We have real difficulty here because everyone thinks of changing the world, but where, oh where, are those who think of changing themselves? People may genuinely want to be good, but seldom are they prepared to do what it takes to produce the inward life of goodness that can form the soul. Personal formation into the likeness of Christ is arduous and lifelong."
The church will never be rejuvenated if we never rejuvenate ourselves in Christ. Veneer piety is manifested when the people of the church attempt to change the world yet nobody in the church attempts to change themselves. We can change formats, we can learn a bunch of stuff and we can try a million different approaches, but if we're not willing to submit to Christ, we'll only add to the hypocrisy that exists in the church.
My intention for church renewal remains, but now more than ever, I realize that this is something that has to start in my heart. This is what discipleship (continually learning and living the ways of Jesus) is all about. This is a mustard seed idea. In order to become the greatest, we must become the least. It isn't about church format. It isn't about mere intellectualism. This is about allowing the power of Christ to work and heal my heart. Furthermore, Christ's work in me will be legitimized through the love and character and integrity displayed in my life. Changing the world must first start with changing me. Renewing the church must first start with renewing Joel.
May the Spirit of God continually give me power and may the cross continually give me grace.
I strive on as Christ strives within me.
