Evangelism Bulletin 228 – Culture of Blame and Criticism

Have you noticed the degree to which blame and criticism have entered the bloodstream of our nation? Teachers are worried about disciplining the children for fear of reprisals from parents, the police are fearful of stamping down too strongly on crime for fear of sparking off riots – and so we could cite examples of unrest between ethnic and religious groups, young and old, traditionalists and modernists – the list is endless.

How many of the disputes which go on in churches are down to a lack of appreciation for another person’s point of view of tastes? How many situations in the world lead to violence because of ignorance or intolerance of people who are different from themselves?

I read the words on my daughter’s fridge magnet which said…

Before you criticise someone

Try walking in their shoes for a mile.

Then you will be a mile further away –

And you will have an extra set of shoes!

Joking apart, there’s some wisdom in these words. We are quick to pin the blame for the country’s economic woes upon Presidents, Prime Ministers and Chancellors but would we do any better in their position -  and how much of it is down to the ‘greed culture’ which pervades our nations? Some people criticised the police in London for standing idly by as rioters torched public buildings and stoned the police and their cars. Would you like to be a policeman in those situations? We are scarcely into the new football season and the fans of some football clubs are baying for the blood of their managers as the team’s form dips (mentioning no names, of course!).

The Bible has some important words for us on this topic.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

It is so easy for our human nature to draw the wrong conclusion about other people simply because they upset our thinking or peace of mind. Perhaps a closer look at their motives and a deeper understanding of the problems they are seeking to solve may reveal that they are acting out of real compassion and for the benefit of many. Perhaps their motives are true, noble, pure and praiseworthy – but we haven’t seen things from their point of view – and are too quick to blame or criticise.

I love the words from James who wrote – “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.” (James 3:17).

You can always tell when a person is acting in a godly way by comparing their actions to these words. You can also substitute the name ‘Jesus’ for the word ‘Wisdom’ – “Jesus is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere”.

I’ll leave you with some words from Dorothy Law Nolte …

If a child lives with criticism

He learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility

He learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule

He learns to be shy.

If a child lives with praise

He learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with approval

He learns to like himself.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship

He learns to find love in the world.

An extract from ‘Children learn what they live’ 

Evangelism Bulletin 227 – Old-style Messy Church

As we read the pages of the New Testament, do we stop and think what the early church was actually like? Think about the opening verses of Acts 13 where Saul and Barnabas were chosen to go out on mission. Can you imagine what it must have been like to find the right people for a job that had never been done before and had a high risk of failure?

Full-Time Outreach Worker Antioch Christian Fellowship We are a vibrant, charismatic-evangelical fellowship with a passion for spreading the gospel in and around the eastern-Mediterranean region. We are looking for a young, spirit-filled person to take the Christian message to those who have yet to hear about it. Your job will be to create new church communities in the towns and villages, select and train local leaders and teach the faith. Salary : Nothing (OTE) – depending on experience Pension : You must be joking Working Hours : 24/7 Company Car : In your dreams Secretarial Provision : LOL Accommodation : Make your own tent Contract Period : 1 year The successful applicant must be qualified to degree-level Christian Theology (Jewish and non-Jewish flavour), a good communicator and a team worker. Two references must be provided, one from your previous employer. For an application form email office@antioch-fellowship.org

Well, after 3 months in the Antioch Recorder and in the shops, post offices and libraries of the surrounding area the church met together for prayer as follows:-

The Church : “Lord, we have advertised as requested but the only applicants are Saul of Tarsus, an autocrat and control-freak and Barnabas who wouldn’t say ‘boo’ to a goose and has no qualifications.”
The Lord : “They’ll do.”
The Church : “But Lord, for all their faults, they are our best people. We won’t survive without them.”
The Lord : “Oh yes you will.”
The Church : “But Lord, they will never be able to work together – they are so different. And Saul couldn’t provide a reference. His previous employer wouldn’t play ball. And when he preaches, no one can make head nor tail of what he’s on about.”
The Lord : “Blow this for a lark. If I say ‘send them’, send them!”

And so, Saul and Barnabas were sent out with much prayer and rejoicing. New leaders emerged in the Antioch Fellowship and their worked thrived. As for Saul, he planted lots of churches, appointed new leaders, wrote lots of letters, changed his name, argued with head office, had a bust up with Barnabas, and upset loads of people in the process.

Do you ever wonder why God chose the leaders you have in your church? If only everyone was made in our image and thought the way we thought! Instead the church is full of diverse people who, somehow, fulfil their calling and serve the purposes of the kingdom. So, if you thought ‘Messy Church’ was a recent invention (sorry Lucy), then look back at the pages of the New Testament and you’ll find it originated right there. In fact if you look at the Bible overall you’ll find even worse…

Noah was a drunkard, Moses a stuttering ex-murderer, Samson had a penchant for the girls, Jeremiah was hardly out of nappies, Elijah was a manic depressive, John the Baptist had no dress-sense and lacked social graces, John Mark had cold feet, Simon Peter had foot and mouth disease (he opened his mouth and put his foot in it) and Lazarus was – errr - dead. And yet … 

So with all these tales of woe, all I can say is ‘there’s hope for me yet!’

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