Transformation Is A Dirty Word
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In last week’s blog post, Do Doubts & Questions Disqualify? I offered the suggestion that “There would be no Jesus if we just needed someone to raise the bar.” It’s such an important point, but it requires some further unpacking.
WHEN TRANSFORMATION OUTRANKS PROCLAMATION
If you’ve been part of a local church, you may agree that expectations for transformation increase the longer you attend. In other words, we believe that people who go to Church are necessarily and by definition going to look more and more godly.
If you’ve been part of a local church, you may agree that expectations for transformation increase the longer you attend.
Transformation is either explicitly in Church’s vision statements or heavily implied by the picture of success painted by the leaders. When goals are set, strategies are developed to achieve them, and metrics are determined to measure them. This is just good practice, good business, good leadership.
HOW THE CHURCH GETS TRANSFORMATION WRONG
The problem is that if transformation is the Church’s goal, then strategies and metrics are built to achieve it. The underlying assumption is that transformation is our side of the bargain. This makes the Church’s success story about transforming lives instead of declaring Good News.
People are taught how to achieve, not invited to believe. Or worse, they’re told that to really believe is actually to achieve. When the expectation is a continuous progression in Christ-likeness, the result is a steady regression in trust and faith. Instead of laying down burdens, we keep the old ones and pick up new ones. Transformation becomes a dirty word.
The underlying assumption is that transformation is our side of the bargain.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH EXPECTING TRANSFORMATION?
Tony Sorci said in a recent meeting that when it comes to the Church, “expectations are indicative of a god who demands instead of dies.” But, the foolishness and the folly of the cross is a murdered God. A God who makes sinners holy simply by taking up residence in their bodies.
…“expectations are indicative of a god who demands instead of dies.” - Tony Sorci
Preaching a god who demands progress is antithetical to the story about Jesus. Again, there would be no Jesus, no incarnation, no crucifixion if all we needed was someone to raise the bar or give a better strategy.
“If a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law” (Galatians 3:21, NRSV). When the Church expects certain kinds and amounts of transformation, the witness of the Church is disfigured. When the proclamation of the Church is the lark of grace and the reconciliation of all things in Christ, a transformation we could never muster takes shape.
Transformation is something we can expect, but in the same way we expect the sun to rise tomorrow morning. Nothing we do or don’t do changes reality. Transformation is neither the precondition nor the proof of the Gospel. It is something that has been promised to us. What do you do with gifts and promises? You trust them and give in to the overwhelm of gratitude.
Transformation is neither the precondition nor the proof of the Gospel.
HOW TO MISS TRANSFORMATION BY AIMING FOR IT
Turning this promise into a condition may be one of the greatest vices of the modern Church in America. In an effort to grow the Church, we end up shrinking it because no one finds life in the demand to get serious about becoming more like Jesus. No one ever accomplishes it either. But, when they think they have, they end up building systems to replicate themselves.
In an effort to grow the Church, we end up shrinking it because no one finds life in the demand to get serious about becoming more like Jesus.
The Gospel, which is a message about what Jesus has done, becomes a message about what we do. The best news the world has ever heard gets twisted to confirm their greatest fears and suspicions. There’s an angry god in the skies who is threatening hell for disobedient people.
In response, people either ratchet up their efforts or shrink in shame and despair. Either way, life is not what they find. Freedom is not what they experience, and joy is not what they pass on.
ENCOURAGEMENT OVER EXPECTATIONS
This is the tension Lark is living in. We exist to empower conversation about things that are not up for debate. Instead of expectations, we offer encouragement and invite people to belong no matter what they believe. If this resonates with you, you’re invited to press in and join the conversation with no strings attached. We’d love to have you.
Instead of expectations, we offer encouragement and invite people to belong no matter what they believe.
We are always talking about Jesus’ words on the Larkcast; this is an easy place to explore your questions about what Jesus really said. Reclaim is a book that helps you reimagine the identity and ministry of the Church as a liberated people of indiscriminate grace.
We host live online Q&A’s to extend the dialogue, and this blog provides digestible content to promote more conversation and exploration. We even have an online community and local events where you can connect with other people on similar journeys.
Wherever you are, whatever you believe, whatever you have questions about, you are welcome here. You are not alone, and you are not crazy. We hope you’ll lean back with us as we celebrate the “hilariously inequitable [generosity]” of the grace of God. Cheers!
You are not alone, and you are not crazy.
This blog explores what Jesus said and did. Everyone’s questions deserve conversation, not answers. You are invited to press in with us. Hit the link above to reach out or access all our resources. We'd love to hear from you.
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