The Parachurch: Alongside Not Instead Of

When I was in Bible school I remember one of our instructors making a particular statement. At the time I thought that it was strange and perhaps a bit overly equivocal. Retrospectively, after what is rapidly pushing twenty years in ministry, I have seen the truth of his statement come to life in a full and even expanded way. What he said was, 

"Ministry is a great place for lazy men to hide."

What a terrible sentiment. It is absolutely devastating that this kind of statement must be articulated, but further, that it is a functioning reality. So often parachurch organizations become a shelter for disqualified men to serve, often in leadership, while not meeting the qualifications of eldership. Many times it can be used simply as a money laundering opportunity; by that I mean, with very little oversight, unscrupulous individuals can collect a comfortable income while doing very little to benefit the work of the organization. Generationally there can be a tendency for the development of a welfare mentality and sense of entitlement which flies directly in the face of the actual surrendering spirit of missions work.

As a worker in a parachurch ministry, this is something I have wrestled with deeply for many years, almost since the very beginning. I do believe that God has called us to serve Him in the place where He currently has us. Please do not understand this series of blog posts to somehow call that into question. But as we have served here I have struggled with several things. Our role as parachurch workers in relationship with the local church being the primary thesis of our concerns. We do not want to fall into disobedience in our quest for obedience to God. That may sound like a strange thing to say, but I think too often zeal manifests itself in disobedience, even with the greatest of sincerity. 

 Several years ago, while traveling to a conference together, a dear brother challenged me in my thinking about these things. "Why are you not serving as a pastor" was his initial question. It took me aback. Was there some suggestion that my work was lesser somehow because I was not serving a local church ministry directly? We had a very helpful conversation, but if I am being honest, I was incensed. He and I were recently together and discussed this interaction from a decade ago. Although I found the conversation hard at the time, it did two things; it gave me a lot of important things to consider at length and it galvanized my trust for my friend. It is only someone who is honest and trustworthy who will kindly give you challenges to your thinking and drive you to God's Word for answers.

I have been thinking for some time about organizing my thoughts on parachurch ministry into a series of blog posts, and I guess this Fall is the time for it. Over the next few months I hope to write a number of times and address a few of the following things; what is the church and what is the parachurch, the responsibility of the parachurch to the church, promises to God, co-dependancy — always presenting a beautiful, idyllic picture of ministry to financial supporters, the sufficiency of scripture as it relates to the work of missions, godly leadership that is submitted to the church, the role of ordinances in the parachurch, the authority of the local church, the necessity of sound doctrine and theology, the qualifications of a Christian worker, unity in division and functional obedience. I have not entirely decided how I will organize all of these thoughts, but I hope to examine this topic as thoroughly as I can. 

I believe that parachurch organizations can operate in a fully Biblically obedient way. Many do not, and are enabled and emboldened by apathetic congregations and a faulty understanding of mission work. I am confident that Scripture will bring some clarity and hopefully a good challenge to obedient obedience. (*Disclaimer for the grammar police: Yes, I realize that grammatically a word cannot be it's own adjective — but I am drawing attention here to the reality that we can fall into disobedience even while in pursuit of obedience.)

Fear!

I’ve had thoughts rattling around in my head for months. And each time I’ve thought about writing anything down I’ve stopped myself. I’m not trying to needlessly add noise to the ether - but I’ve been struggling with my own heart and preaching the truth to myself has been a challenge.

The past few months have been difficult. Profound, I know. How have things gotten so confused, so laden with division and controversy? The chaos isn’t just permeating the culture, it has infected the Church as well. It has occurred to me that, as the Church, we have landed in this slough, in part, of our own accord. I’m not convinced we were prepared for this onslaught of difficult circumstances.

As easy as it is, and as much as we want to bluster and blame, it is incumbent on us to examine our hearts and our own role in current events. This is an especially important fact for me to consider as a Christian.

The Church

The past couple of hundred years has afforded the Western church perhaps the longest period of relative peace in church history. Real, tangible persecution has not touched our lives or the lives even of our grandparents. We have been given opportunity to observe persecution abroad from time to time, but we have largely missed the opportunity to see God at work in it and apply that to our own lives. We have been comfortably distracted to the degree that we perceive any affront to our faith as persecution.

The Culture

We live in a culture that has descended for the past 150 years from a cooperative society to a society driven by fear. Having worked in advertising in my former life, I can tell you that looking at the advertisements of a culture can give a pretty clear picture of how a culture thinks. In the 19th century we saw a pragmatism and utilitarian lifestyle that preceded and permeated the industrial revolution. People worked hard and supported their neighbours in survival and flourishing. As cultural and social achievements were made and the American Dream started to become a realization for many, cultural attitudes morphed into a society dedicated to “Keepin up with the Joneses”. A culturally driven covetousness that bespoke the brewing discontent in the hearts of people. As the 20th century came to a close, we saw the fruit of this ripened and harvested in the culture and doctrines of self. The "You deserve a break today” mentality that emphasized ease, convenience and your best life now (as long as you’re not hurting anyone else). A culture that has descended to this kind of narcissistic individuality has only one place to go. Fear is the natural outworking of selfish ambition. The social more that elevates self to preeminance, even to the detriment of others has everything to lose and everything to fear. The safest toys, the purest products, the cleanest “If you don’t have our product you’ll die” kind of fear that inflames the heart and drives everyone further apart, guides society directly into the hands of tyrannical leaders. Generally we will confront that fear by submitting whatever we can to remove the fear. Fear becomes the central figure of our lives.

The Confusion

Observing these facts about Western culture should give us pause as the church. How have we met the challenge of our culture. Have we been proactive in taking every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and applying Biblical truth in the face of cultural philosophies? Have we allowed ourselves to be affected by the subtle evolution of Western culture or confronted it well with the Gospel?

The evidence for us is rooted in how prepared we have been as a church to confront the smorgasbord of mandates and restrictions imposed on society over the past couple of years. We have had more than a century to prepare each generation to confront fear in obedience and submission to God - and yet so much of our time has been spent lulled to sleep by the shiny things and alluring philosophies of the world. It seems we have spent so much time trying to be “relevant” to the world that we ended up as a Petri dish for the world’s philosophies.

The problem we face isn’t the pandemic or even the mandates. The problem we face is applied theology.

We have been given so many opportunities to fear. Fear of the virus, fear of the vaccine, fear of our neighbours, fear of the unvaccinated, fear of oppression, fear of persecution, fear of government, fear of our neighbour, fear of the unmasked, fear of the masked, fear of medicine, fear of doctors, fear of death, fear of racism, fear of truckers. We have achieved a critical mass of fear. And I fear that we’ve given ourselves over to it. In so many ways we have exchanged the Glory of Christ for fear.

The Comfort

The pursuit of self will always result in a spirit of fear and, unchecked, a spirit of fear will always result in division. We’ve seen the division everywhere - even within the church. Division is the fertile soil of tyranny. We live in this culture of fear, but we're not meant to give ourselves over to it.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.” 2 Timothy 1:7

But we have hope. The beautiful hope of the Gospel and the commands of Christ provide the simple solution for us in all of this. Giving ourselves to thankfulness and prayer is the anthesis of fear.

“Rejoice always! Pray constantly. Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Our primary pursuit as Christians is Christ and bringing glory to Him in all of our lives. The questions of how involved to be in protests or to what degree do we obey the government or how do we love our neighbours properly are not nearly as complicated as we tend to make them, if we are striving for a deep and committed obedience to His basic commands. Pursue Him and His will is made evident.

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

So, the truth that we all know. We must pursue Christ; Rejoice, Pray and Give Thanks in all things. This is the only way that the Church can hope to confront what promises to be an ongoing descent of culture. It’s not hopeless because God is sovereign. Stop pursuing fear and pursue Truth and Light. Pursue Jesus.

If you’ve been like me and, at times, have allowed fear to become the central figure of your life. Stop, rejoice in Hope, give thanks for hard things and pray incessantly. With Christ as the central figure of my life, the world can burn and I remain in Hope and Joy.

Seek Jesus!

 

Here’s the thing. It’s all become so complicated lately and there are so many voices out there telling me how to feel and what to think. Some days I could easily descend into fear. Most days I struggle to not rant out loud about the burgeoning nonsense.

I’ve been having a very hard time maintaining a redeemed perspective of living in this world. It’s frustrating; constantly dealing with the newest round of imposed restrictions, seeing and hearing people willfully deceived to the point of pursuing oppression, watching modern society seemingly crumble into obsolescence. I’ve come to have an idea of what I deserve as a Canadian citizen and what has been promised by the government and celebrated on Remembrance Day. At the thought of that loss, and without very much effort, I can easily become overwhelmed by the voice in my head that is influenced by the plethora of voices in the ether — both passive and active.

But. It’s Christmas. My pastor reminded me recently of the most important thing we need to keep in mind here. SEEK JESUS! He said. What a reminder. What a powerful truth. A reminder I deeply need.

For the Christian, living in a world that seems to be in chaos. It’s Christmas. We celebrate Christ. Not simply as a quaint affectation of holiday cheer. We celebrate Christ as the central figure of our Faith. God Incarnate.

At Christmas we are reminded of where to fix our gaze. The author and finisher of our Faith. Our Hope. Our Affection. The Light. Truth and Peace.

This Christmas, we have an even greater reason to lean into God’s Word and His promises — as a reminder for us of real hope. He is still greater than the critical mass of sin in the world.

As loneliness seems overwhelming and oppression mounts; as corrupt leadership persists, and conspiracies grow, when things are bleak and life seems unjust. Remember Christ, preach the Gospel to yourself.

Seek Jesus.

Colossians 1:15-20
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by Him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities — all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together. He is also the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He might come to have first place in everything. For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile everything to Himself by making peace through the blood of His cross — whether things on earth or things in heaven.”

Prudence, Posture and Provincial Guidance

The number of challenges and nuanced tensions that have arisen over the past year have certainly created a context for administration that have been unexpected and sometimes overwhelming. 


Last summer the decision was ultimately made to not proceed with summer camps in any of the NCEM facilities. This summer we are faced with difficult decisions once again. No one desires to cancel camp. However, it was brought to my attention very recently that there are still some misunderstandings out there in the ether about Arrowhead and our posture as a parachurch ministry in 2021. It has been my experience that for every concern that is brought to my attention there are ten more in hiding that fester and bubble up in the "later-on". With that in mind I want to take a brief opportunity bring everyone up to speed with respect to our posture as a Gospel ministry in light of Provincial guidances and plans moving into Summer, 2021.


What About Provincial Guidance?

Last summer it was announced early that summer camps would be approved to proceed with programs. However, the guidance for this was not forthcoming until the latter part of May. Because of the logistics of working with volunteers and communities, our planning typically takes place in February and March for summer camps. Once again we have been told we can have camp programs, but no guidance has been forthcoming. Yet we have to make decisions about the ministry right now for July and August.

It was said to me that if non-christian camps are running this summer, then no Christian camp has an excuse for not running a program. I can certainly understand the sentiment of this, especially in light of the idea that the Church is somehow being persecuted in ways that are above and beyond the rest of society. Fortunately, that sentiment is not an accurate picture of the situation in NB. The province has elevated the value of the Church and given extra dispensation to church for gathering. The reality is; the decision to change a program, to operate or not operate—is about the ability of each facility to adequately follow the provincial guidances. It is not a comparison across the table at other camp facilities or other churches, each ministry must determine how they can best honour God and serve the Gospel in their particular context. For example, my friends at another Bible Camp have been able to operate a half capacity camp because they have large cabins and can maintain social distancing for sleeping arrangements. We are not in as favourable a position with our cabin sizes. This is just one example of the multitude of details to be considered with respect to our program.


It is our position at ANBC that we will strive to follow the guidance of the Province with respect to Covid to the best of our ability. We believe this honours God well, and serves the Gospel in a way that rebellion would not. This may mean that our program will look different than "normal" this summer. We will celebrate whatever opportunities God sees fit for us to have and we will pursue those fervently. 

No Ministry For Two Years?

It was said to me that public perception of our ministry will not tolerate another entire year with no ministry. I am thankful to say, irrespective of what may be observed by the public, the ministry has continued to grow and function throughout the pandemic. The team at ANBC has been working very hard to develop, launch and facilitate a number of ministry initiatives aside from Summer Camps. The initial vision of the missionaries who founded and named Arrowhead Native Bible Centre was that it grow and flourish in a number of areas. For anyone who has read our Field Notes over the past 2 or 3 years, you will know that we have a variety of ministry arms serving a variety of purposes; podcasting, bookstore, pastoral care, compassionate care, Mission Barrel, these things continue to flourish and fill out the ministry. We are not idle at ANBC. 

The fact of the matter is, we have always believed that these ministries belong to God. He provides the staff, He provides the financing, He governs the Government that allow us to operate, He provides safety and camp speakers. This summer is no different. We are diligently striving to plan a program, but ultimately God will see His ministry run this summer as He sees fit. It is our desire to simply follow Him in obedience. In the same way that we have never measured the success of our camps on the number of campers that come, we do not measure it by it’s traditional function — it is not something less if it is done in a different way. The success of our camp is found in the clarity and consistent presentation of the message of the Gospel
.

What About Staff?

The reality is that our programs all run on the faithful service of volunteers. Without the loving labours of those who wish to see the Gospel go forward we cannot run any programs. Many of our volunteers in recent years have come from Ontario, which will undoubtedly not be an option this year - and even if it does become an option it will in all likelihood be far too late to find anyone who has not already filled out their summer commitments. We are relying entirely on volunteers from NS and NB this year. This reality has an impact on what programs we are able to run in compliance with our own regulations. 

What Does it All Mean?

Certainly, our hearts desire would be to have a "normal" summer and normal camps. We love camp and we want nothing more than to see camps flourish and grow. We value the gospel highly and want to see it transmitted clearly and in a way that brings glory and honour to God. As we pursue the camps for 2021 and seek to follow guidances from the province, our hearts are striving to be settled in obedience to God, not rebellion and bitterness. We would love for you to consider joining us for a week this summer to assist us in running a week of programs. It may be day camps, it may be a micro camp, it might be a full on regular camp, perhaps a family camp or even a camp out. We will know the full nature of what the schedule will look like in coming days. 


As you pray, please consider all of the summer bible camp ministries in Atlantic Canada and across the nation this summer as we struggle to make decisions. That we would have wisdom and clarity and that our primary focus would be bringing glory to our Good and Holy God. 

Firemen and Lighthouses

“There was a man named John who was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” John 1:4-5

It all really depends on how we look at our world right now. It seems to me there are two primary perspectives that have emerged as predominant among Christians.

The World is on Fire
With this perspective, we can look at the calendar for 2020 and see so much chaos and confusion, much of it driven by anti-christ. Some of it driven by panic and worry over environmental or natural disaster.

This perspective can cause us to react, to respond as firemen. We can feel a deep urgency to speak into every anti-christ circumstance and splash hope on every natural disaster. As keyboard warriors, we can even be tempted to blame natural disasters on Satan as we seek to sooth and salve — and hose down the world.

It is next to impossible for anyone to address every divergent and aberrant idea that confronts us from all sides. And maybe that's the point. There are more fires than there are firemen.

The World is in Darkness
Understanding that the World is in darkness, that it has been in darkness since the curse, that the darkness is not greater now than it was then and that the source of light is a person can help us find balance and perspective in 2020. Darkness by virtue of its substance, is complete and stands no chance against the light. The light always defeats the dark and the dark is everything that is in opposition to the light.

The Firemen
As firemen responding to fires we are entirely reactive. Our Gospel attitude is in response to those fires and because it is driven by response we can sometimes wander astray of the Gospel in our fervour. We've spent our lives looking out into our own culture and shaking our heads and saying things like "tut tut how far we've fallen", "can you believe they did that", "I'm not shopping there anymore". We risk allowing our response to circumstance serve as our only Gospel witness, which is sort of like throwing a water balloon into a house fire.

The Lighthouse
A lighthouse isn't a primary source of light, a lighthouse is a collection of mirrors and lenses in the upper tower of a home on a seashore. As obedient Christians we are called the Temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), our home on the seashore - peering out into the darkness of the world, it has a fire. That fire gives us the ability to produce light. The fire doesn't come from us, it is ignited by the Holy Spirit. With it we have the capacity to reflect the light of Christ - out into the darkness. An unlit lighthouse on the shore is of no functional use, darkness cannot reflect into itself.

Often as a lighthouse, we will have the opportunity to speak Truth into specific situations. Apologetics can be good and helpful, but proactively and driven by the authority of Scripture and not by emotion.

Our attitudes are to be as ambassadors for Christ, as a bright reflection of the light of Christ - the message of the Gospel ever on our lips.

“From now on, then, we do not know anyone in a purely human way. Even if we have known Christ in a purely human way, yet now we no longer know Him in this way. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come. Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
2 Corinthians 5:16-21

Does this mean apologetics is of no value or that we should stop having public opinions? Certainly that is not what I am trying to say. However, if our entire Christian life is trying to spray the message of the gospel onto the fires in the world we may end up overwhelmed, discouraged and burned. Culturally reactive Christianity is not what we see in the narrative of Scripture. Consistently and repeatedly Scripture commands us to proactive obedience. Attitudes of; thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:18, Ephesians 5:20), praise (Psalm 130, Hebrews 13:15), worship (Psalm 100, Hebrews 12:28-29), surrender (Romans 12:1-2, Matthew 16:24, Mark 12:30), obedience (Galatians 5:22-26). All of this is meant to be our primary pursuit as followers of Christ. And as we read in 2 Corinthians, serving as ambassadors, reflecting the light of Christ into the darkness.

In 2020, Pursuing Christ in Obedience should be our primary objective. That obedience is marked by our desire to reflect His light into the chaos around us. God's Word is effective (Hebrews 4:12) and will always have His intended effect (Isaiah 55:11). The same cannot be said about my Word if it is not informed by His Word.

My encouragement to you today, as you traverse the minefield that 2020 has brought us, is to pursue Christ in His Word. Put away anxiety (Philippians 4:6-8, Psalm 37) and simply in obedience, reflect the light of Christ into the darkness. We don't have to answer every evil in the World, God promises He will do that.

As the World Roils

As you are tempted to despair, to forget our good and holy God;
remember the gift of faith and and the sufficiency of our Saviour,
pursue Christ.

As you are tempted to lean on your own understanding, to find comfort in lies;
remember the gift of scripture and the sufficiency of Christ,
pursue wisdom.

As you are tempted to division and conflict, to hatred and selfishness;
remember the gift of God’s grace in the face of our sin and the sufficiency of Jesus,
pursue thankfulness.

As you are tempted to vice, to the sin of idolatry;
remember the gift of salvation that exists only in the person of our Messiah,
Pursue obedience.

no matter how hotly the cauldron of the world boils, remember the majesty of Yaweh;
Pursue the glory of God.

God Given Rights

Recent weeks have seen a social and political outcry, demanding the “God Given Right” of Christians to assemble in church buildings for regular Sunday worship. It is a wonderful thing to be a part of the Body of Christ, to have Christ as our head and to have committed to live as slaves in His service. Being recipients of a new nature, having been born anew through the gifts of faith and repentance we have a kinship together as children of God — our good and perfect Father. Desiring to gather together for worship is a good and real affection that we, as the body of Christ, should obediently express regularly. Missing this gathering is good and obedient.

But as we make demands and express desire to gather together physically, we are forced to ask ourselves if this is the only command for the Church that we are pursuing, and if that pursuit is rooted in obedience or selfishness.

It is good to desire gathering as the Church. Good Ecclesiology doesn’t end with simply gathering in a particular way in a particular building. I fear that is the extent of thought for so many who are clamouring and fist shaking at the government for the right to gather at this time. The doctrine of the Church, or how a Church should obediently express worship and ministry together under the authority of God involves far more than simply sitting in a pew in a building once a week.

It is good to desire gathering as the Church, but it shouldn’t rooted in a passion for a building or particular traditions, it is rooted in a person, the person of Jesus Christ. The Church is a people, one of the greatest downfalls that I think we have fallen subject to in Western Christianity is the propensity to refer to a building as the “Church”. Though this may seem equivocal, I think it has led to a larger confusion about just what it is that constitutes the Biblical Church.

It is good to desire gathering as the Church, Christians are of the Church, the body of Christ, His bride, elect, set apart for righteousness. The command isn’t simply to meet once a week and sit dumbly on our pew and be consumers, the Church serves and submits, it works and labours together. I fear that for so many, this desire to gather is an attitude borne out of selfish consumerism. A product has not been delivered as expected and that product is a weekly service that is used as a salve to serve and enable me for the week to come. This kind of gathering is not obedient gathering, this is a kind selfishness that ignores the centrality of Christ and commands of submission and worship. The desire for obedience is good, but we must ask ourselves if it flourishes in all areas of Christian living or simply in this aspect of gathering for my own personal benefit.

It is good to desire gathering as the Church, the Church gathers to bring mutual glory, honour and worship to the King. We submit to Him, He continues to sanctify us so that we might bring Him glory and honour. While we consider the reality of meeting together, and just why we should desire this. It is incumbent upon us to consider all of the other areas we are commanded to obedience in. We are to have a spirit of humility and obedience, to serve in our churches and give of ourselves. Under the authority of our local church we must engage in reaching out to neighbours and friends with the message of the Gospel. Biblical Church membership submits humbly to pastors and elders — to correction and rebuke, it gives financially of it’s abundance. We submit to the headship of Christ and shirk worldliness, we redeem our time and offer thanks in all things. As we demand our right to gather, have we committed to redeeming our lockdown time invested in reading God’s Word and prayer? I need to reflect on that.

It is good to desire gathering as the Church. Social Distancing and this context of worshipping at home — together but apart — has given us an opportunity to look critically at our relationship with the Church. If Church is simply your name on a list and a spot on Sunday morning to consume a sermon and music, then obedience to gathering is only one area of obedience you should be concerned about. We have an opportunity to consider our relationship with the Church, both in gathering and in submitted service to the King, the head of the Church. Don’t simply pursue what you perceive you have lost, pursue Christ and strive for a deep, committed, humble faith that informs your worship and ultimately is for the Glory of God.

We must all return to gathering together again in person as Christians for corporate worship, at the appropriate time. This is an obedience that cannot be set aside. What we must examine in the meantime is our attitudes and affections in approaching this return to gathering. Every Biblical Church should be flourishing with humble submitted Christians chomping at the bit to serve God together, having invested their lock-down time in a faithful pursuit of God in His word and in prayer.

Our affections right now, as always, should be the pursuit of God in Christ by His Holy Spirit.