The Pope and God

It has been amazing watching the news this week. The visit of the Pope has overshadowed the presidential election! The last great supreme monarch has garnered more press than the free election of the next leader of our country. It is amazing that a religious monarch, remember that the Vatican is a country, whose authority extends over all members of the Roman Catholic church enjoys great attention from a supposedly secular nation.

This week it has been exceedingly easy to know which newscasters are Catholic. Most will identify their faith in conjunction with their coverage of the Pope, but it is hardly necessary. Most of them gush with glee over the arrival of their Holy Father. One female newscaster gleefully stated that it was like God coming to visit. I am not sure if her reaction is due to the faulty thinking of a celebrity worshipping society or the result of Catholic indoctrination. Either way it is disturbing. I am not a Catholic hater, a good many of them are Christians. But if people get God and the pope confused, then the pope is a stumbling block. (A side note - Protestants must be careful in leveling judgment against the Pope. We often elevate certain pastors to a celebrity level that rivals the Pope). I don't think the problem is the elevation of the Pope, though it is a contributing and misplaced sentiment; the real problem is total misunderstanding of the True and Living God.

Change and the Church

Every decade there is some new movement that seeks to revitalize the local church. Some of these movements are a welcome relief while others are a wicked poison. Often the movements are not anything new, just a repackaged version of an older attempt at reform. Change is often the mantra of these movements and they are proclaimed as a panacea for the church. The doctrines of such movements should always be the first thing examined. The popularity of a movement is not an indicator of validity. Fascism has been very popular at times, but that does not mean it is a correct political approach. Animism has had more adherents than any modern religion, but we know it is not the correct religious approach. After theology, practice should be the next thing examined. Does the movement practice what it preaches? Does it encourage correct ethical behavior among its adherents? These would seem to be obvious concerns, but it is amazing how many people follow modern pied pipers who publish and profess lies.

We are constantly told about how we can better do church. Often the methods do not require any change of theology and only minor changes in practice. However, there are still troubling elements that often emerge from these movements. Why do modern churches feel the need to criticize traditional churches? Emergent and missional churches are quick to call traditional churches judgmental and insincere. Is the name calling not an indication that they are no different? They are quick to judge those who prefer to dress well for church - apparently sloven dress is intended to bring us closer to God. The problem is not the style of worship, but the aim and source of worship.

The goal of any church service should be to glorify God. Ultimately this cannot be done by human methods and means. The Holy Spirit must be the source of true worship. Only when God enables us to worship can we truly worship. If God is not the object of our worship, worship becomes a deluded form of entertainment. If God does not initiate worship, then we end up pursuing our own ideals of God and create idols in our image. These dangers exist in all churches, whether they are traditional, emergent or missional. Change is not the solution nor is it necessarily the problem. We must worship God in Spirit and in Truth.