Sermons

“A Faith That Matters”

Matthew 5:13-16; Revelation 3:14-20 – Rev. Rebecca Littlejohn

Vista La Mesa Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), La Mesa, California – November 15, 2015

Holy God, bless the speaking and the hearing of these words, that our faith might become a living, growing thing, shaping our lives and changing our world. We pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Earlier this week, I read an interesting article by a woman named Ruth Graham. It was basically a book review, of a new book coming out called “Losing our Religion: How Unaffiliated Parents Are Raising Their Children.” The book is one of many to explore the significance of the growth within our population of what people are calling the (capital N) “Nones,” that is, people with no religious affiliation at all. Graham has found herself in a similar place to the author of the book, professor Christel Manning, of wanting to raise her child in church, even though church has come to have little meaning for her personally. Graham opens with a personal confession, “I’m the kind of Christian that many adults warned me about as a child: I’ve been a church member for most of my adult life, but I have at times gone years without regular attendance, my theology is squishy, and I don’t really pray… I think of myself as ‘religious but not spiritual’: The rituals of faith—the songs, the stories, the bread and wine—are meaningful to me, but I can’t say much for certain beyond that. When I read the verse in Revelation where God says ‘because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth,’ I think, Yep, that’s me!”

Graham also includes a snapshot of Professor Manning’s biography, which is similar. She is “self-described None, having drifted away from church-going as a teenager. But as a younger child, she had loved the rituals like nightly prayers and lighting Advent candles. When she had her own daughter, Manning wondered if she should expose her to these traditions in some form. ‘It was all so beautiful and comforting and safe,’ she writes. ‘Why hold a child hostage to my doubts?’” Graham continues with a quote from Manning delineating the central questions motivating her inquiry, “What if the religion you rejected was a rich and wonderful part of your own childhood that made you feel protected and safe? Should you attempt somehow to recreate that feeling, along with transmitting your secular perspective, so that your children can make their own decision? But how can you do that with integrity if you no longer believe what you were taught?”

The phenomenon of young adults coming back to church once they have children has been happening for generations. And it’s not happening among all the so-called “Nones.” What is new here is the open admission on the part of the drifted-off parents of this generation who are bringing their kids back to church that they aren’t really believers. They know they want something for their children by having them in church, but they’re not really sure what or even why. As Graham concludes, “In the meantime, I tote my little girl with me to church every Sunday … She hears the Lord’s Prayer every week, and before I know it she’ll be reciting it. I deeply hope it means something to her someday. But I know it might turn out to mean nothing at all.” Honestly, it’s that last bit that made me the saddest. The truth is that it’s not Ruth Graham or Christel Manning that is lukewarm. It’s the church that raised them, which utterly failed at giving them – and most of their generation – a faith that mattered. The rituals are lovely, but unless they are pointing to larger truths that make a difference, they are empty and superficial. Somehow, we have failed to make the connection. With devastating results.

One of the most significant books to come out in Disciples circles in the past ten years was the result of a massive study of congregations that were doing things well. Martha Grace Reese’s “Unbinding the Gospel” aimed to analyze those success stories and help other congregations follow their lead toward growth and vitality. One of the first challenges she lays out is for people to answer a basic question: “What difference does it make in your own life that you are a Christian?” What she initially discovered is that life-long Christians have a hard time answering this question. Especially for those of us who grew up in the church, we’ve been so surrounded by it our whole lives that religion becomes as much a matter of habit and family culture as it is conviction or commitment.

When I was first reading this chapter, I was intrigued. I knew that “life-long, habitual Christian” warning could certainly apply to me. My family was the one that was the last to leave every Sunday. I had nine summers of church camp under my belt, and even went to church all through college. What difference did Christ make in my life? It was hard to answer, because it was hard to imagine Christ not being in my life. Where to draw the line? Did it mean trying to imagine my life if my parents hadn’t been Christians either? What would that look like? I had to get creative. And once I did, things got real fast. Knowing what I know about myself – my personality, my strengths and weaknesses – I suddenly had a very visceral image of myself, living in New York City, striving and striving, as a passably successful, but basically unhappy advertising executive. When I say that this image was visceral, I mean that I felt it as much as I saw it. It made my shoulders ache. I could feel that woman’s stress. I was suddenly incredibly grateful for the presence of Christ in my life. It is through Christ’s gentle taming of my ferocious will and the irresistible call of the gospel to be part of something bigger than myself that I am not that stressed-out, striving, unhappy person, trapped in a job that serves no purpose other than manipulation for the sake of profit. This was a revelation to me. The presence of Christ in my life has made a huge difference. Church has been almost like the air I breathe, so it’s hard to notice, but when you take a stark, clear look at what happens when that air is removed, you gain a new appreciation for it.

When following Jesus can make such a difference, how is it that the church has failed to communicate that to so many? Perhaps more importantly, is it too late, or could we somehow fix this? Could we take advantage of the fact that these non-believers are nonetheless bringing their children back into our sanctuaries, and offer them something they aren’t expecting – namely, a faith that is meaningful, a faith that has significance, a faith that makes a difference in our lives, beyond offering rituals that comfort and soothe and help our children feel loved.

It seems Disciples may be uniquely positioned to reach this portion of the population. Studies have shown that two of the major reasons “Nones” have left the church behind are because they see church doctrine as hostile to science and because of the way they’ve experienced the church treating their gay and lesbian friends. Ruth Graham herself, in her article, notes that she grew up evangelical, which is probably why she’s able to quote Revelation with such ease! What if she had known there was a different way to do church? What if these returning parents were welcomed into a congregation and surprised with the truth that we believe in Jesus and science? What if they were welcomed in and discovered gay and lesbian Christians serving as elders and deacons and even clergy? What if those barriers were removed, and more, what if we were then there for them when life gets rough? Might we be able to help these “Nones” become Christians again, in their own right, and not just for the sake of the kids? How can we overcome our own “lukewarmth”?

The truth is, this isn’t just for the sake of growing our congregations, or just getting more people on “our team”. This isn’t even just about the lives of the people coming in that will be changed. The world needs us to have a faith that matters. In case you haven’t noticed, the world is in a sorry state. Violence, terrorism, racism, environmental degradation, income inequality, a foster care system broken beyond belief, a school-to-prison pipeline shaming us all – dare we believe that our faith could make a difference in the face of such tragic circumstances? How can we not? What would be the point of a faith that doesn’t?

The story of Christianity is an ever-present reminder, for those of us listening, that another way is possible. We do not have to respond to violence with revenge. We do not have to listen only to those with authority, ignoring those on the margins. We do not have to allow ourselves to be divided into tribes, by color, religion, class or nationality. Another way, another world is possible. God’s vision for our lives, as seen in the life of Jesus and the words of the prophets, is a constant reminder that our lives can be different, that they can make a difference.

And proclaiming that with confidence, standing strong with our fellow believers, is only the first step. To truly live as though our faith makes a difference, we have to be prepared to stay committed to that truth, even when it isn’t apparent. To be part of the church of Jesus Christ means to be committed to something much bigger than ourselves, which means that the results may not be ours to see. To follow Jesus means to commit to doing the right thing with love and compassion and mercy, whether or not the ends arrive in our lifetime. It is a long walk, and much of it is uphill. To proclaim a Savior who did not resist the violence perpetrated against him, but instead asked God to forgive his tormentors is to sing a new song in the midst of the violence of our world. To follow a Teacher who asks us to forgive our enemies and pray for those who persecute us is to set aside our fear and tribalism and ask how God’s love might be shared with those who would bomb and terrorize. To worship a God who was willing to die, rather than take life, is to give up all our tendencies toward self-protection and vengeance and invite the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts instead. Can you imagine a faith that compelled us to live that way? Can you imagine thinking that it’s just about the comforting rituals? Can you imagine drifting away from such a thing?

Though we may not have some of the barriers other Christian traditions have, Disciples still have plenty of handicaps when it comes to cultivating faith that matters. “You can believe anything as a Disciple,” we sometimes say, despite the fact that it’s not quite the case. But what that openness to diversity of belief has too often meant is that we never talk about what we believe, the convictions upon which we build our lives, because we don’t like conflict and we’re not sure the people around us will agree with us. And we are all the poorer for it. When we don’t talk about our faith, our theology gets “squishy” as Ruth Graham put it. If we don’t put it into words, it grows crumbly and doesn’t stand up to the test when difficulty comes around. If we’re going to claim to follow Jesus, it’s vital that we know what that means. If we’re going to claim that it makes a difference in our lives and in the world, we need to know how it compels us to live differently. We need to do this, for our own sake, for our children’s sake, and for the sake of a hurting, frightened world. May we leave behind lukewarmth and be the flavorful salt and the light of hope that Jesus calls us to be! Alleluia and Amen.