"The Office" as an Ecclesiastical Allegory

My wife and I have become addicted to the NBC hit show The Office. I admit, it took both of us a little while to figure out what everyone found so funny, but once we did we couldn't get enough of it. The new season just kicked off this past Thursday, and we can't wait to see the antics that unfold.

Like many in the Christian fold, I diligently try to be an able exegete of the cultural realities around us (although, I must admit humbly that I fall short when compared with Eric Park. http://www.chcumc.com/weblog/eric/ Read his post on Prince, especially the last hilarious paragraph. But I digress...)

Anyway, lately I've been noticing some pretty interesting parallels between the situation in The Office and the situation in much of the Christian Church today. I'm sure that some of what I write will come off as offensive, but I ask you to take my comments, not as an attempt to degrade the Church and those who work in it (since I'm one of them), but as a voice of deep love for it and a concern for its future. Here are some allegorized interpretations of some aspects of The Office:

DUNDER-MIFFLIN: A New York-based paper company whose best days are in the past. It has branch offices in Scranton and elsewhere, and does try diligently to add personal service in providing individuals and businesses with its product. However, it is dealing two new realities: First, most people are buying paper at mega-marts like Staples and OfficeMax because it is cheaper and because Staples and OfficeMax offer a smorgasbord of alternatives; second, paper is less in demand than it was in the past, because computers and other technology have rendered paper usage largely obsolete in areas where it was once a necessary commodity.

Does this sound a little bit like the American Church? Are we dealing with the reality that many people no longer want our product (our Message)? Or how about the reality that "successful" churches are those "mega-Churches" which are able to offer the Message at a "cheaper price" (i.e. less is demanded in terms of real discipleship)?

"CORPORATE": On the TV series, we rarely see the true executives of Dunder-Mifflin (known as "Corporate" by the characters), and their positions seem to have little effect on the day-to-day business of the Scranton branch. Their current vision for the company seems to be one of "status-quo maintenance" - keep marketing our product the way we always have, downsize and make cuts wherever we can, be the authority figures that we are. But nowhere do we see them attempting to think creatively about adapting to the new reality described above, no vision for new marketing strategies or even changing their product to meet new needs. Just holding onto the status quo and maintain the corporation...even as sales go down and less money comes in, even if we are no longer providing a meaningful service to the public.

How about many churches today? Do we see executive leadership engaged in a "maintenance mentality" when they should be challenging pastors and lay ministers to engage creatively in new types of ministry and in presenting the Gospel in different ways? Has the "corporation" of church become the highest value, even when declining numbers is evidence that its current structure may not be the most effective way to provide meaningful service to the world? When the Church in other parts of the world is growing, evangelizing, Spirit-driven and Christ-centered, has the American Church become so infected with a "corporate" mentality that it has little power to think outside the box and engage the new culture in a meaningful way?

"MICHAEL SCOTT" - The regional manager for the Scranton branch of Dunder-Mifflin (flawlessly portrayed by Steve Carrell). As a salesman, Michael was one of Dunder-Mifflin's best; he was truly gifted to connect with people and successfully market the product. But for reasons unknown, Corporate promoted him to his current administrative position for which he has no skills or passion. As an administrator he does not hold the employees accountable to high standards of productivity and performance; instead he throws parties to boost their spirits and create and atmosphere of "camaraderie" (which fail miserably most of the time). He hates making unpopular decisions or taking a stand on anything which might offend someone. In his administrative incompetence and failed attempts to be "popular" with his staff, however, he is unwittingly even more offensive.

When we're really honest, I think we can admit that at both the local and denominational levels, there are many people in administrative positions who should not be there. These men and women are surely gifted in many ways, as all believers are, but as individuals called upon to provide visionary leadership for the Body they are failing. They seem more interested in keeping everyone happy and creating an atmosphere of "camaraderie," when what might be called for is real prophetic provocation which (while offensive) might be just the thing to stir the ashes and create a fresh blaze. This is especially necessary in theological areas, where so many Church administrators are failing to take a stand on basic biblical issues for fear that they may offend someone. But it is also necessary in the area of church commitment and discipleship, in which we allow people to get away with the "bare mininum" in terms of their active participation, rather than making it clear that Christianity is not, so to speak, a "spectator sport."

Let me just reiterate what I wrote above: I make these observations not with the purpose of being offensive, but with a deep love and concern for where the Church of Jesus Christ is and where it is headed. When I look at this "ecclesiastical allegory" of The Office, it is a mirror in which I see myself as much as anyone else.

I think I will put the rest of my observations in a sequel post, because for right now, this thing has gotten long enough. (Don't say it, Michael...)

Signs of Hope are Everywhere!

Here are some grim facts about reality today:

Gas prices are way too high... The economy is in serious trouble (especially here in Michigan)... The political dialogue in this country has declined to a level that would make our Founding Fathers ashamed to be called Americans... America is engaged in a war that, in my opinion, is no longer justified if it ever was... Too many teenagers are graduating from high school without adequate knowledge, direction, and confidence to make their way in the world... Divorces, teen pregnancies, abortions, and sexual depravity continues to pollute our moral landscape... And there is devastation, poverty, and injustice on every continent of the globe.

Our world is clearly flawed on some fundamental level. A person...even a Christian...could easily be tempted to throw up his or her hands and choose cynicism, despair, or indifference. God knows that I am often tempted to lean in that direction.

But then I return again and again to the writings of the Inklings and I find that, in spite of all temptations, I must choose a different attitude.

In his classic Orthodoxy, G. K. Chesterton distinguishes between three ways of looking at this world. The first is pessimism, (pretty much described above) in which one sees the evil, injustice, and inhumanity in the world and immediately concludes that the world is unredeemable. This pessimism, Chesterton writes, is not an option for any true Christian.

Secondly, one may choose what Chesterton calls "rational optimism," in which a person looks at the world around him or her through rose-colored classes, simply avoiding any engagement with the evils and injustices of the world, and merely settling for the way things are. While I'm sure we have all run into Christians like this, Chesterton would argue that this is also not an option.

The third option is what Chesterton labels "irrational optimism," and this is the true attitude to be espoused by the disciple of Christ. Irrational optimism is when the person sees what the world has become, acknowledges its fallenness, but still wills to see a deeper hope. The Christian believes that in spite of the wickedness and inhumanity all around us, the world is literally saturated with God's grace, beauty, and goodness. If we look hard enough, even when we are enmeshed in the worst that life can throw at us, we can find signs of hope, signs that God is still acting redemptively to fulfill His purposes in the world.

In Tolkien's The Return of the King, there is an incredible line that I think of often. It involves one of my favorite characters, Sam Gamgee, when he is in the devastated land of Mordor, exhausted from a long journey, with evil all around him. Here are Tolkien's poignant words:

"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach."

May God give us the wisdom to know that evil and injustice, in spite of their imposing presence in our lives, are nothing more than superficial Shadows that have been defeated forever in the Cross of Jesus Christ. And when confronted with evil and injustice, may God give us the "irrational optimism" to look deeper and to see His glory and grace...and then to go forth boldly with the spiritual armor to resist the Shadow and to do our part in restoring God's masterpiece of Creation.

Let Freedom Ring! (Another Ordination Question)

One of the distinctives of the Evangelical Covenant Church is our commitment to "Freedom in Christ." What is your understanding of that freedom? What are its limits and responsibilities?

First and foremost, a Christian is free from the power of sin and death, by which the Devil holds this world in bondage. This freedom allows the believer to say "yes" to the power of obedience and life in Christ, which requires that the believer not hold up any of the world's values as his or her ultimate goal. Any worldly pursuit, however good or noble it may be in and of itself, must be submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

The Christian is also free to acknowledge sin for what it is, in his or her own life and in the world. Because Christ has canceled the power of sin, His followers no longer need to ignore evil or cover it up with "fig leaves;" rather, we must expose it honestly in the hope that God might redeem it and ultimately use it for good.

Within the fellowship of the Church, Christ through His sacrifice gives us freedom from all the burdens of religious ritual and obligation. Instead of being held in bondage to any such institutional sacrifices, we are free to offer relational sacrifices: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). In other words, we are no longer in bondage to a self-serving religiosity, and we are free to serve God and others selflessly.

Finally, with receiving the gift of freedom comes the responsibility to extend freedom to others. This means that we must give individuals outside the Church the absolute freedom to disagree with us and to hold their own convictions, that we must never attempt to force our doctrines or moral precepts on unbelievers, even though we may respectfully disagree with them and challenge them in fair and open dialogue. Within the Fellowship of Believers, this means that in matters of secondary importance, we must humbly give others the right to disagree without breaking fellowship or causing unnecessary turmoil in the Body. We must follow St. Augustine's famous dictum: "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity."

CREDO - "I Believe"

Okay, so I'm finally back to blogging. I'll make no excuses for my lack of posts in the past month and a half. But I'm back.

As a part of my orientation to the Evangelical Covenant Church, I had to do an extensive "Statement of Faith" paper, responding to questions on issues of theology and practice of ministry. The questions are very direct and probing, and I only get a half-page (typed, single-spaced) in which to answer. Apparently they're looking to see if I can articulate my faith candidly and succinctly. I'll share a couple of my answers over the next few weeks. Here's one for you to chew on now:

While the Evangelical Covenant Church is "non-creedal," we have historically cherished the Apostle's and Nicene Creeds as worthy summaries of Christian faith. Using these as a guideline, articulate your personal theology for life and ministry.

I believe that God is the Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer of the entire universe, and that He has eternally existed as Three Persons in intimate communion - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The purpose of all creation in general, and of humanity in particular, is to reflect the glory and goodness of God and ultimately to participate in intimate communion with Him. Throughout history, God's chosen people have anticipated and lived out this ultimate purpose through their worship, witness, sacraments, and stewardship.

I believe that in the Person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God came amongst His people, born of the Virgin Mary. His ministry on earth is a model for His followers, a ministry characterized by a bold and relevant communication of God's Word, empowered teamwork, a compassionate and holistic concern for persons of all walks of life, and a prophetic provocation against the status quo of institutional religion. His death on the cross reconciles a sinful humanity to God, and His bodily resurrection from the dead frees us from bondage to the evil powers of this world. His followers live in the reality of that reconciliation and freedom, witness to that reality for the benefit of others, and wait in joyful expectation for the day when He returns bringing God's justice.

I believe that the Holy Spirit continues God's presence throughout creation and that He is the prompter of every genuine desire for newness and hope. He is especially at work in the Church which is one yet diverse, holy yet imperfect, and universal yet present wherever saving faith in Jesus Christ is confessed. The Church is a place of intimate communion for all believers, where the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed and practiced. Although all people face the reality of death, the Church lives in the hope of life beyond the grave, and therefore it is eternal life and not death that ought to inform our values, choices, and attitudes in this life.