The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society
by Henri Nouwen
Chapter 1: Ministry in a Dislocated World
Mysticism and revolution are two aspects of the same attempt
to bring about radical change. Mystics cannot prevent themselves from becoming
social critics, since in self-reflection they will discover the roots of a sick
society. Similarly, revolutionaries cannot avoid facing their own human
condition, since in the midst of their struggle for a new world they will find
that they are also fighting their own reactionary fears and false ambitions.
Jesus was a revolutionary who did not become an extremist,
since he did offer an ideology, but himself. He was also a mystic, who did not
use his intimate relationship with God to avoid the social evils of his time,
but shocked his milieu to the point of being executed as a rebel.
Chapter 2: Ministry to a Hopeless Generation
…Christian leaders who are able to be critical
contemplatives are revolutionaries in the most real sense. Because by testing
all they see, hear, and touch for its evangelical authenticity, they are able
to change the course of history and lead people away from panic-stricken
convulsion to the creative action that will make a better world.
Contemplatives are not needy or greedy for human contact,
but are guided by a vision of what they have seen beyond the trivial concerns
of a possessive world. They do not bounce up and down with the fashions of the
moment, because they are in contact with what is basic, central, and ultimate.
They do not condone that anybody worship idols, and they constantly invite
their fellow human beings to ask real, often painful and upsetting questions,
to look behind the surface of charming behavior, and to take away all the obstacles
that prevent us from getting to the heart of the matter.
by E. Randolph
Richards and Brandon J. O’Brien
When the "me generation" became Christians, we baptized this egocentrism. We now felt guilty for spending all our money on ourselves. So we gave it to the church. Mainly to our own local church. The church growth (megachurch) movement was led by baby boomers and populated with the "me generation." We built modern cathedrals with children's ministry spaces that Disney would covet. We still gave (and give) money to missions, but preferably for a trip that includes me. We sing the (beautiful) praise chorus, "It's all about you, Jesus." Who are we kidding? It's all about Jesus--as long as it's in a service I like, in a building I like, with people I like, with music I like, for a length of time I like. At some point in this generation, "Take up your cross and follow me" changed into, "Come to Jesus and he'll make your life better."
by Kevin DeYoung
…God wants us to sit at His feet and read His Word so that we can live a life in the image of His Son. God doesn’t tell us the future for this simple, profound reason: We become what we behold. God wants us to behold Him in His glory so that we can be transformed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18). If God figured out everything for us, we wouldn’t need to focus on Him and learn to delight in His glory. God says, “I’m not giving you a crystal ball. I’m giving you My Word. Meditate on it; see Me in it; and become like Me.”
Note: I’m not convinced of this “become what we behold” statement, but I like the thought of this paragraph. God does not tell us the future because He knows that it is better for us to focus on Him.
1 comment:
For the phrase "become what we behold", I would offer this verse. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. Psalm 115:8. Context would shed more light, but maybe Deyoung is saying that we are influenced by what we focus on.
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