Evangelical vs Progressive Christianity

What do they actually believe?

Part six: Spiritual Practices

This is the 6th in a series of blogs where we are comparing the mission statements of an evangelical congregation with that of a progressive congregation. By scrolling down you can find the previous five blogs.

1. Foundation of Faith
2. The Trinity
3. God’s Relationship with Humanity
4. Nature of Salvation
5. Humanity’s Relationship With God

They are located below in reverse order (newest to oldest). Feel free to read them in any order you choose, but they might make more sense if you read them in order. For what it’s worth.

Also, I need to interject here that I do not believe in the theology of either congregation. But I do have an opinion about which dogma or which view of God is healthier for humanity. Once again, what matters here is how each congregation views their… 

Spiritual practices

Evangelical: We participate in worship, prayer, scripture reading, memorization, sabbath, generosity, silence, solitude, and more because we believe actively training ourselves through healthy spiritual rhythms directs our whole selves toward being formed in the image of our Lord and Rabbi, Jesus.

Progressive: Our mission is… “to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.” We believe that when we embody this mission, we will be an extension of God’s welcome in the world.

Once again, Evangelicals focus on how mankind earns God’s favor. Do they actually believe that by actively participating in these “works” they will become more like Jesus?

Is this really what God requires?

• to participate in worship
• prayer
• scripture reading
• memorization
• sabbath
• generosity
• silence
• solitude
• and more (?)

There is an alternative.

Our mission is… “to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.”

The Progressive mission statement comes from Micah 6:6-8.
In verses 6&7 the writer is pondering how he can please God. In verse 8 he realizes what God really wants from him. And it’s simpler than Evangelicals could ever imagine.

6 With what shall I come to the LORD

And bow myself before the God on high?

Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,

With yearling calves?

7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams,

In ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has told you, O man, what is good;

And what does the LORD require of you

But to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God?

The differences between these two churches becomes profoundly clear when you read the evangelical mission statement about spiritual practices in the light of Micah 6:6-8.

6 With what shall I come to the LORD?

            And bow myself before the God on high?

            Shall I participate in worship, and prayer?

            With scripture reading?

      7 Does the LORD take delight in thousands of memorized verses?

            In ten years of church attendance?

            Shall I present donations to the church for my rebellious acts?

            My silence, solitude and more for the sins of my soul?

      8 He has told you, O man, what is good;

            And what does the LORD require of you?

            But to actively train yourself, to love spiritual rhythms,

            And to form yourself to the image of your Rabbi?

Evangelicals have this one all wrong… again.

 

Now, let’s take a look at the “end purpose” of each congregation’s spiritual practices.

Evangelical: …we believe actively training ourselves through healthy spiritual rhythms directs our whole selves toward being formed in the image of our Lord and Rabbi, Jesus.

Progressive: Our mission is… “to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with God.” We believe that when we embody this mission, we will be an extension of God’s welcome in the world.

No matter what they profess to believe, Evangelicals are once again doing the work by “actively training themselves” to please God. Evangelicals believe that all their “works” will transform them into the image of Jesus. I have no idea what it means to be “formed in the image of Jesus”  and I don’t think they do either. It’s a nice, lofty and wonderfully pious thing to say, but how would they know if they’re actually achieving that goal? The vagueness of this statement makes it unmeasurable, unattainable and in a sense, worthless.

In addition, Evangelicals believe that Jesus Christ came to… “sacrifice Himself for all humanity”. Can anybody… has anybody ever lived up to that standard? Admittedly, it’s an honorable and lofty goal, but totally unattainable. If a person believes that Jesus was indeed perfect, then trying to live up to that standard of perfection can only lead to a lifetime of failure… and therapy.

 

 

So, while Evangelicals are trying (like Don Quixote) “to dream the impossible dream”

 

 

 

 

Progressives are striving to be “an extension of God’s welcome in the world”.

That’s a huge difference!

 

 

 

Point for Progressive: 6-0

Coming up next:

Purpose of Spiritual Community

Evangelical: Therefore, we want to be a colony of hope reminding the world all of life is sacred and all of our fears, failures, and brokenness can be restored and made whole. Our church does not exist for ourselves, but to join God in his redemptive work… and we see ourselves as agents of God’s Kingdom for the betterment of his world. The church is at its best when it serves, sacrifices, and loves, caring about the things God cares about.

Progressive: As a faith community, our call is to accept that we are already accepted by God, and to live a life imitating God’s love.

 

From Where I Stand

Dale Crum