Waking Up

[aron]

Well I admit my bias up front. I found a kind of bustling excitement in the Local Church Movement (LCM) that I didn't get at Podunk Community Church. Instead of marking time, it seemed like a happening place. Certainly meetings were engrossing. A lot of singing, declaring, praying, loud "amens".

But over time it waned for me. I began to see that problems weren't getting addressed. Just shout "O Lord Jesus" and everything will be resolved. Judging others who were not in "the Recovery" - that started to bother me. Being alienated from other believers, assuming that they were all "darkened". Lack of care for those who need, both within and without. Elevating of men. Quarreling with other ministries. Etc.

And the excitement, looking back, began to appear shallow and contrived. Like those people at the Charismatic revival meeting: they're excited because they are supposed to be excited. But there's really nothing behind it besides some crass manipulations and people allowing themselves to get sucked in.

Today I was thinking about how this works in the world. Everybody is looking for something new, and exciting. Something to get worked up over. The entertainment producers constantly are trying to come up with something that appears novel, even if its really the same old schtick. The teeny boppers who faint in front of Frank Sinatra, shriek in front of the Beatles, or squeal when Justin Bieber points at them during a show are fully convinced that their experience is unique, when its actually a repetition. It's the same old contrived hokum, but people want it so they invest themselves.

Anyway, I'm just considering the spiritual corollary, that the counterfeit excitement of the flesh and euphoria of the soul has some counterpart behind the veil. Like Moses when he was the lost sheep-seeker - he was a failure by most accounts, having once been a prince of Egypt. Now he was semi-destitute, and an alien in a strange land. But he was determined to find that missing sheep, and God saw something good there. Moses suddenly saw a novel sight that made him turn aside. I was just thinking of the God who places "signs and wonders" in front of us, to turn us from our way. The "charismatic" experience seems to be related to this phenomenon, in some way. But chasing spiritual highs as an end in themselves, or signs and wonders as evidences of God's continued favor, becomes yet another illusion.

Certainly Lee was aware of the need to continually produce novelty. And he tried. But we have a God who is always new. We don't need to do anything.

[Cal]

Everyone wants excitement. It's one reason romantic love is so popular with the masses. But romantic love is not the glue that holds good society together. Another more basic, quieter, perhaps more mundane love does that.

I've long appreciated C.S. Lewis's wisdom when it comes to love. He noted that the raging fire of initial romantic love (which husbands are constantly chided for losing) is unsustainable, and fortunately so, because it would burn us out. In its place, rather, grows a humbler tender affection and appreciation which, from time to time, fittingly blazes back into the old fire.

LCers, to use the analogy, were always trying to pump up the "romance" while disregarding the more common, everyday affections which actually constitute a loving life. They burned themselves out and never found comfort in the pace of a more mature married life with the Lord. That's why they are always hearkening back to the "good old days."

Like someone said, life is a marathon, not a sprint. LCers were always trying to turn it back into a sprint.

[aron]

Originally Posted by Igzy

Like someone said, life is a marathon, not a sprint. LCers were always trying to turn it back into a sprint.

To go back to my analogy of popular culture, it's like a Justin Bieber concert. They want to whip you into a frenzy. Then, when you're unstable and easily suggestive, they tell you you're becoming God, by your yelling and shaking.

Folks, life is not a techno concert. At some point you have to stop taking ecstasy, turn down the lights and volume, go out and get a job, pay the rent, and stand in line at the Kroger. (Actually God occasionally likes yelling and shaking. Look at those whom Jesus touched! Many made quite a fuss -- "Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion! For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." But what are you seeking: the kingdom or some kind of psychic rush?)

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Igzy

Like someone said, life is a marathon, not a sprint. LCers were always trying to turn it back into a sprint.

In other words, LC leaders were always willing to sacrifice the long-term profit for some quick and easy short term gain. But, what the heck, if Jesus is really coming tomorrow, wouldn't He overlook a few shortcuts on our part in order to "gain Christ."

[rayliotta]

This discussion really hits the nail on the head for me. Reestablishing balance after participating in this kind of organization does take time. It takes a few years. But it does happen sooner or later, methinks.

To the discussion of spiritual "highs" and "burning" zealousness, I would add the "revolving door" dynamic in the recovery. By "revolving door," I mean the tendency for people (especially young people) to fade away from the "church life," and then return to the meetings, where fanfare and emotional consecrations await. And how many times does this cycle then repeat itself...

This in-and-out cycle is part of the paradigm many of us were caught in. And I think it's just one more aspect for us to unlearn. Because it's not balanced.

[aron]

Originally Posted by rayliotta

... how many times does this cycle then repeat itself...

This in-and-out cycle is part of the paradigm many of us were caught in. And I think it's just one more aspect for us to unlearn. Because it's not balanced.

Yes -- if you get a kid to cry for his sins at age 12 or 13, and to scream loudly at age 14 or 15, then you have an emotional "hook" in them. Then, they may eventually get sick of all the fakery and quit, but quit to what? They find unanswered questions and contradictions in "the world"; without oversight they're lured into sin-binging in the lusts of the flesh; they chase empty pursuits, dawdle in loneliness... then the 20-something comes back to LC meetings and tries a fresh consecration. As if the fault, originally, had been with themselves! They confess that they'd been too immature to get the rich ministry of the age. So they plunge back into the church life, for a time...

Like a druggie who couldn't handle the sickness of it all, and quit. "For good, this time"... Then, they couldn't handle life on life's terms, so back to the drugs, for temporary relief. Again and again, like Charlie Brown, and Lucy putting the football in front of him. "This time it will be different"...

LC kids are arguably ill-equipped to handle life apart from the LSM ministry/LC church life crutches. So even if they have the impression that it's not "the glorious church life", what are they going to do? Where's a better alternative? They don't have any search strategies in place. Certainly LSM constantly negates any searching, because "you are home in the LC" and everything else is constantly criticized as empty or worse. So, they go back to the LC. Try again.

I think the "Charismatic experience" deeply reinforces this. If you can get them psychically "high" (read, "burning in spirit") then the roller-coaster will always lure them back. Doesn't matter if the Maximum Brother is corrupted, if the elders are yes-men and lackeys, if the "ministry" is recycled endlessly, if the true history is whispered and covered up. Where else are you gonna go to get high?

[rayliotta]

Originally Posted by aron

I think the "Charismatic experience" deeply reinforces this. If you can get them psychically "high" (read, "burning in spirit") then the roller-coaster will always lure them back. Doesn't matter if the Maximum Brother is corrupted, if the elders are yes-men and lackeys, if the "ministry" is recycled endlessly, if the true history is whispered and covered up. Where else are you gonna go to get high?

Yes. It becomes a false choice.

[rayliotta]

Originally Posted by rayliotta

Yes. It becomes a false choice.

But a compelling one.