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First Article

Scared Away

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20
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Second Article

Christian Oxymorons
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another John 13:34
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Webster’s Dictionary defines oxymoron as "a combination of contradictory or incongruous words" made up of conflicting or inconsistent elements that have opposite or very different meanings such as, "wise fool," "bitter sweet," "a Fine Mess," "jumbo shrimp," "rap music," or passive aggressive." The list is virtually unlimited and frequently funny; often with a stinger in its tail such as "business ethics" or "military intelligence." They exist in the Christian world as well. One of the better known encountered oxymoron is "Christian Scientist." Another that we may not have given a name to as yet is "alone together." Seeing a person walking down a street while talking on a cell-phone is a very good example of someone who "alone" on the street but "together" with the person on the other end of the cell-phone conversation. Of course, the person "texting/talking" to someone else on a cell phone is alone even in the presence of others. They have simply chosen to ignore those present in favor of the buddy with whom he/she is electronically connected. Observe how common this disembodied model of friendship has become. Maybe another oxymoron will soon emerge to cover this contradiction. How about, "cell phone friends?"

"Alone-together" describes the 20^th century church to a tee – perfectly. It matters little whether the "church" small or large; meeting in a little building or an auditorium, church is a classic example of these two oxymoron’s. As a matter of fact, describing the impersonal gathering as a church is in itself an oxymoron. Yet the fact of the matter is that what passes for "church" today is an organization strangers briefly assembled in a building to hear a lecture by a professional cleric. As "churches" get larger and larger, (thinking size is an indication of their fulfilling the Great Commission) some numbering in the 10’s of thousands, being strangers in a crowd, is becoming more the norm rather than the occasional exception. We may not be physically alone but we might just as well be. We had just as well stay home and watch Joel Osteen posturing before his throngs of adoring fans as he gives "Schuller-esque" possibility thinking lectures or Ed Young preaching his heretical "sexology" to an enthralled crowd exceeding 24,000. And Young has the audacity to call his meeting place "fellowship Church." These two and dozens of others are "churches" in name only. The growing mega-church phenomenon fits in perfectly with the American axiom that bigger is better.

A person sitting alone in his/her living room watching TV preachers/evangelists such as the likes of Joel Osteen and Ed Young, (without taking into consideration the internet market) give us another growing Christian oxymoron; "together alone." Of course, probably without realizing the incongruity of such a phrase many refer to Osteen and dozens of others like him as their TV preacher or, in the extreme, as their pastor and Lakewood Church as their "church on the air;" the granddaddy of which was Dr. Schuller’s "Hour of Power" of that one could actually become a member. This "together alone" syndrome is becoming much more widespread. Sadly, so many don’t realize how alien such ideas really are within the context of Christianity. The only difference is, instead of dressing up, driving to "church" and then home again is that the "together-alone" crowd stays at home. Other than this, there are very few differences.

These "Christian oxymoronisms," "together-alone" and "alone-together" aren’t that difficult to understand, when we realize that most people (even a growing number of Christians) consider "church" a building, an organization or the so-called "priestly profession;" (which, by the way, is another oxymoron) all of which are totally impersonal. With this misconception so prevalent in the "Christian community," it is little wonder it has become disembodied. Size alone is not the only factor responsible for "churches" being a lonely crowd. Size is perhaps more correlated with egoism and hero worship than anything else. Large sized basketball, stadium sized churches just makes anything resembling a Christian gathering most unlikely. However, even so-called churches with attendance ranging in the 20’s and 30’s to several hundred may, and all too often are "churches" in name only even if they go through the motions of being a gathering of Christians.

In contrast, if we look at the early church, as found in the Bible, we find they were genuinely together as a group rather than simply a crowd. They knew one another; they loved one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. They looked after the well-being of one another. They were a family in every sense of the word; something that is impossible in the "mega-church" and virtually missing from all Christian gatherings which are more correctly described as audiences rather than congregations. They were together-together. Truly they were a "communion," meaning intimate, compassionate fellowship and sharing a common faith, of saints.

And all that believed were together , and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Acts 2:44-45