A couple of comics on the state of the church
I don’t know about you, but I love comics. I love how through comics a very important message can be communicated simply and often in a manner that people might not otherwise consider.
Lately, I’ve run across two comics that I want to share here.
The first comic is by David at “nakedpastor” and is called “world report on the body.” (I’m not going to copy the comic here, so click the link above to see David’s drawing.)
This comic causes me to consider my own words and actions. Am I seeking to maintain the unity of the body of Christ? Am I writing or speaking in ways that can be considered divisive? Am I submitting to the Spirit and accepting those who God has accepted in Jesus Christ?
The second comic is from J.R. at “More than Cake” and is called “Blind Foxes & The Rock.” (Again, I’m not going to duplicate the comic. Click the link to see J.R.’s drawing.)
Again, this comic causes me to think about what I am proclaiming. While there may be many great causes, we should always point people toward Jesus Christ.
What do you think about these comics?
Sad but this is the case in church. This is not the case in the ekklesia of Christ. These organic called out communitas, are initiated and sustained by the Holy Spirit, and are vitally connected to the One true Head and that is Christ Himself. The moment they loose connectedness to the Head, they cease to be ekklesias, because there is no life outside of Christ.
Marc,
According to the New Testament, the ekklesia of God in the New Testament struggled with these issues. I think the ekklesia of God today continues to have these same problems as well.
-Alan
Both comics are spot on…the first can apply to individual congregations/groupings as well as to larger structures. That “germ” of individualism is insidious and, while Marc is right that it is the case with the church, by drawing such a line between “church” people and “organic” people, essentially it is ironically proving the point of the comic.
As for the second… that comes back to the greg boyd article I quoted on my own blog yesterday and some comments and conversations on Twitter with @fitchest, @thepeacepastor, and a couple of other folks. While there is some good in the things like social jutice, morality, etc…they are futile without the foundation in Christ…that foundation may give rise to things like justice for the poor and homeless, but they will point people towards Jesus in the process, not towards the cause
Mark Winter.
Wow! I want to steal your comments and paste them on the doors of all the local denominational churches in my small town here in CT. Nicely said, my sir!
Robert,
Yes, just as these problems were present among the church in the New Testament, they are still present today. I think comics like this can help people recognize the problems that they may have accepted as natural and normal.
Donald,
These problems show up in both denominational and nondenominational groups of believers; both in more institutional groups and more organic groups.
-Alan