Parish life is always an adventure! For the past two week’s we’ve had to cancel class (not services) due to weather and then a burst pipe the result of extreme cold. Not fun. But we are back on track in our series on Crafting a Rule of Life by Stephen Macchia. It actually is an opportunity to talk about how a Rule of Life is not meant to be entirely rigid. Sometimes we get interrupted. Things come up - emergencies do happen. A Rule of Life is meant to be an intentional norm - meaning intentionally planning what our normal days or week looks like in accordance with the principles and values we claim. Let’s take a simple example - Sunday Worship.
Many people claim to love and honor God, but they have no Rule of Life in their own home that says that they (as an individual or family) go to church on the Lord’s Day. Their planning and actions do not reflect their claim:
Because they have not intentionally created a rule to help them act,
Because they lack the moral fortitude to,
Because they do not really value what they claim
Soon other things crowd Sunday: you are scheduled to work Sunday morning, there is a basketball game or practice, the school has scheduled a club meeting, you need to catch up on work from the prior week. I have seen this in the course of my ministry. Families slip away from the Body of Christ, and from the Faith. There is no rule, no norm. Pretty soon, there is no growth and then eventually, no faith. As a pastor I can tell you countless sad stories of older Christians who’s children are not walking with the Lord and who’s grandchildren were never baptized. It is heart-breaking.
Sadly, a lack of living out a Rule of Life anchored in God’s commandment is the fact for many who identify themselves as “Christians”. According to a Pew study conducted at this time last year only 37% of those who overall claim to be Christians attend services weekly or more. You can look at the entire study here. The number is a little higher with those who are “Protestant” (40%).
The Lack of a Rule of Life has had a negative effect both on Individual Christians and on the Body of Christ. Part of how we mature or grow as Christians is to be in community. It helps us develop faith, virtue, and all kinds of skills that human beings need! This is particularly true in the Liturgical Church. There are ample opportunities to serve God and your fellow member.
Thanks to Brian Bennetch for this Image.
Honoring and Worshipping God on The Lord’s Day is actually an easy one. God commands us to do it. He gives us a rule of life in Commandment #4. "(Ex. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:6-21) But we need to make His commandment part of our rule of life. This is not to say that there are not exceptions, but the expectation is that we are in Sunday School and Church Sunday morning learning about and worshipping God. It’s hard sometimes - all discipline is.
I am convinced that many of our churches (and we as Christians) are weak and ineffective often because of the lack of a rule in our living. Not only do we cut ourself off from God, but we cut ourselves off from how God would use each other to help us see our giftings. We can’t identify our gifts if we take no time to be taught what they are. Consequently, we cannot recognize God’s gifts in ourselves or in others and we are stifled. That is not God’s plan.
So why have a Rule of Life? Simple. 1) God commands it, 2) So God can make you into the person that He has created you to be, 3) Because the Church wants and needs you. Learn about the Rule.
Don’t fall for the lie of “Freedom.” The “Freedom” of the world, the flesh, and the devil will lead you into chaos and worse. Let’s continue exploring what it means to craft a rule of life together!