Miller Time

OK, so this next blog isn't a continuation of my previous one like I said it would be. That's because I got the latest Christianity Today in the mail yesterday. It's about Donald Miller. I'm going to resist every temptation to be sarcastic. I'm going to try to maintain as much of a respectful tone as possible. I don't want my blogs to turn into an avenue to simply vent my frustration. I want them to be thought-provoking and I want them to have a good effect. However, when I read articles like the one in the latest Christianity Today about Donald Miller, I can definitely feel my blood begin to boil. I'm really convinced that much of the emerging church rhetoric wraps itself in a thin veneer of humility, but underneath it lies a well of pride - as is the case with most of us unfortunately.

Donald Miller is just like many writers. Much of what he says is insightful and witty and creative and somewhat truthful. That's what makes writers like him so dangerous. I could care less if I sound like the fundamentalist evangelical so many emerging types so despise. I don't care how I'm viewed or what people label me, as long as what I'm saying is biblical. Donald Miller begins his article by championing the new gospel of the emergent church - the gospel of "narrative" or story. Much of this of course is a reaction to the propositional tendancy many evangelical preachers have displayed throughout the years. He says, "What's you're favorite movie?" Everyone in his audience begins rattling off title after title. Then he says, "What's your favorite line from the Nicene Creed?" Someone then says, "It's a Wonderful Life." Everyone laughs.

I suppose I can chuckle at that somewhat. I myself know more movie titles than sections to the Nicene Creed. But I'm not convinced that's a good thing. His point is that human beings learn more from stories than they do propositional truth and objective, logical arguments. This is a popular concept in the emerging movement today. There's SO much I could say in response to that, but I'll limit my reaction. First, I'll begin by saying, I love stories just as much as anyone. But, I'll qualify that with the fact that I've learned more through propositional truths and logical arguments than I have anything else. I don't know why the emerging church is placing so much emphasis on one form of communication and genre, but it's completely unbalanced. First of all, as I have so often said, Jesus did tell a lot of stories, but he spoke in propositional truths and logical argumentations just as much if not more than he did in the narrative. And many of his stories were actually intentionally confusing in order to reward the soft-hearted, genuine disciple and punish the hard-hearted skeptic who acted like they were trying to learn, but in fact were not. They were called parables. Once a parable was spoken, it was up to the listener to decide if he wanted to learn more. If he did, then Jesus would reward that pursuit by explaining the parable in propositional truths and logical argumentations. I've spent the last 2 1/2 years preaching through the gospel of John. Most of it, believe it or not, is not story. It's logical reasoning. Preaching. Explanations. Even the story of Jesus and the woman at the well is a discussion where Jesus uses logical deductions and reasoning. In fact, the same could be said for much of the Old Testament as well. Within the stories are whole portions of preaching - and not just "nice preaching" either, but challenging, convicting preaching that makes demands. Yes, people get "preached at" in the OT time and time again. I know that's the biggest crime of all time, but that's what happens over and over in the OT, in the ministry of the prophets, and the ministry of Jesus. I don't understand how people can say, "Don't preach at me". I understand if what they mean by that is, "Don't be condescending or legalistic or self-righteous". But much of the "don't preach at me" attitude comes from a heart that doesn't like to be convicted of sin, plain and simple.

Continuing on: Proverbs have no stories. Just a very small percentage of the Psalms is story. Leviticus - no story, just boring rules and regulations. I'm sure very unappealing to the emerging mind. Deuteronomy - it's a regiving of the the law: "Dueter" (second); "onomy" from "nomos", meaning "law". It's Moses recycling and old sermon. :) Job. Yes, there's a story at the beginning, but for the rest of the book?...propositional truths, logical argumentations. And the prophets, well, that's just preachers being preachy, right? Some of the things that were spoken by the mouths of the prophets would make many postmodern's skin crawl. Much of the gospels are the same. Sure the Bible is full of stories, but within those stories is a surprising amount of logical argumentations and propositional truths ... like the Nicene Creed.

Besides, Donald Miller is using logical argumentations and propositional truths to make his point in the first place. If preaching is best as story, why not tell a story to prove your point, Donald? I'm not trying to be witty. I'm trying to bring balance to the exaggerated role that emerging Christians give to the narrative.

Another disheartening aspect of the article is this statement by a friend of Donald Miller: "I'm a Jesus girl, but I also like to go out and do tequila shots with my friends. This is a book (speaking of "Blue Like Jazz") I can give to those friends." My heart sank. What utter confusion the young evangelical world is in. What utter nonsense and total disregard for the sanctity and awesome power of the Word of God. I want to take someone like that and say to them, "Do you tremble at the Word of God?!" Where is our fear? Where is our reverence? Tequila shots with friends? Are you kidding me? The last thing I would ever want a Christian who does tequila shots with their friends to do is hand them Christian materials. What a confusing message you'd be sending! Dear friends, "Let us not get drunk on wine; but be filled with the Holy Spirit" the book of Ephesians says. And as the wise mother in Proverbs 31 says, "Leave the intoxication for those who are hopeless." We are not hopeless! We have Christ. Why are we proud of our drunkeness? But this is the mindset of young evangelicalism: The only way to get the world to hear you is to be like them - sin included. What confusion.

Another thing: Miller advocates a view of Christianity that is so prevalent these days: Don't make people feel bad about themselves! It's rampant. In the seeker churches, in the emerging churches, in the Vineyard, and in so many other churches as well. One youth comments in the article, "I love Blue Like Jazz because it's, like, a Christian book, but it doesn't make you feel bad about yourself." Donald Miller says people say things like that to him all the time: "They don't feel accused. They don't feel hurt or offended by what you're saying." Well congratulations. You've accomplished what every other Christian these days is seeking to accomplish: the spread of the gospel minus the persecution. I was very upset by these words. It's the spirit of the age: preach without making people feel bad. Make sure no one ever feels uncomfortable or convicted by your words. Say it positive. Don't preach at. Etc., etc. But is this the preaching we encounter in the Bible? I'm not saying we don't encourage, but, as Paul said to Timothy, the preaching ministry is a ministry of encouraging AND rebuking. The Holy Spirit comes to comfort AND convict. Jesus came full of grace AND truth. Paul tells Timothy to rebuke the false teachers in his church sharply. Paul convicted the Corinthians so much that they were in severe pain from his letter. It hurt Paul, but he said he had to do it. The more I study the gospels, the more I see Jesus making people mad wherever he goes. No wonder the Scripture says, "Those who seek a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." What does that say about us if we're NOT being persecuted? I'm not saying go out and make people mad at you by being obnoxious and condescending, I'm just saying, sometimes you just have to make people feel uncomfortable in your preaching - whether you're a pastor or a house-wife. Not all the time. The preaching ministry should consist of rebuke AND encouragement, Paul tells Timothy. But where's the rebuke? Where's the conviction? Where's the repentance in our churches? Where's the admission and abandoning of sin? It's virtually non-existent. Let us return to the Lord! No matter what we're caught up in, no matter how where we're at - let us return to the Lord, Hosea says. "If my people will humbly pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will come and heal them" 2 Chronicles says. I pray that God will bring grace AND truth back to the church; comfort AND conviction. To all of us - myself included. As Daniel says, "We have sinned against you, oh Lord."

That's all I can say for now. Other than, don't read Donald Miller unless you're mind is saturated with a biblical worldview; then you can sift through his material with discernment.

Oh, he also has a link to MoveOn.org on his website. I'll let you decide what you want to think about that. I'm not big into politics much anymore, so I won't comment.