theology – Pastor Robby Brown

Form, Substance, and Formalism

I love variety in the church! Though I am committed to and unwilling to compromise the fundamentals of the faith (the inerrancy and authority of Scripture, the exclusivity of the Gospel, the urgency of the Great Commission, etc.), I am grateful for the different forms of worship that I’ve had the joy of experiencing.

I grew up in a small rural Baptist church where the windows only had a hint of stain in the glass, the old hymns were sung with a southern twang, the day of worship started with a Sunday School assembly (including the obligatory birthday and anniversary recognitions and songs), and every verse of “Just As I Am” was sung at least a couple of times during the invitation. Of course, this church consistently presented me with the Gospel of Christ!

That traditional rural church also took me to children’s camps, youth retreats, and youth rallies where I was saved and challenged to grow much deeper in my faith. In fact, those events were the most exciting and God-encountering moments of my childhood and teen years. And the form of those experiences was much different than that of the worship in the church that sent me. Yet the substance was the same solid Gospel. It was straightforward J-E-S-U-S.

But this substance was celebrated in a variety of new ways. I remember the guitar around the campfire on a dark night, the introduction of those Keith Green songs and other choruses (that are now in hymnbooks), and the pageantry and lighting of the coliseum rallies. I never felt like it was a show, just that they were making large of Jesus and inviting us to worship Him. I was still committed to the Sunday morning services in my local church but longed for the freshness, passion, energy, and intimacy of those events planned for youth and children.

Those various “Baptist” experiences have not provided my only context of form in worship. Being called into the ministry I continued to attend the Pentecostal college that was close to home. At that time, most of the Baptist colleges of my denomination were struggling with serious substance issues related to the nature of Scripture. Besides, I assumed I was Pentecostal because of my love for the aforementioned passion, energy, and intimacy in worship. No doubt, I discovered some theological differences fairly quickly. But I also made some genuine friends, served on some ministry teams committed to sharing Jesus, and dug deeper in my personal relationship with Christ. I am so thankful for that time and the ongoing impact it has had on my life.

I met my wife while attending seminary in North Carolina. She had grown up in a large Presbyterian church. I was able to attend worship there on several occasions. The form was very different from the rural Baptist and Pentecostal churches that I had attended. But believe it or not, there were elements of liturgical worship that inspired me. The large organ, the recitation of the Apostles Creed and Lord’s Prayer, prayers of confession, while having become vain ritual for some were a welcome change of pace for me.

I could go on. I have attended predominantly African American churches where the choir sings a special that lasts nearly twenty minutes and the pastor preaches with organ accompaniment. I have been in worship in different countries all around the world that looked, in form, nothing like what I had experienced in this nation. In other words, I have experienced a variety of forms and styles in worship. But I have never abandoned the substance of my faith, THE FAITH once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

Here’s the thing…

The New Testament does not reveal a legalistic order of worship, description of facilities, or partiality toward styles when it comes to form in worship. However, the New Testament focuses big time on substance. Jesus Christ is the focus of New Testament worship. The exaltation of the risen Lord is primary. The saints of God are to be equipped in the Word of God to do the will of God. And the lost who choose to attend should hear the Gospel of Christ clearly articulated. Certain substantive elements and principles like preaching, teaching, fellowship, accountability, and the environment of praise are laid out again and again.

This substance of authentic, Christ-centered worship can take on a number of forms. Some early Jewish believers placed Jesus at the center of the passion and pageantry that was already part of their temple worship and festivals. The New Testament contains no instructions telling them to reject the multi-instrumental music and dance style of worship described in the Psalms (see Psalm 150), the torch lighting at the Feast of Tabernacles, or the hanging of colorful banners or curtains like they saw in the Temple. Nor does the New Testament require the Gentile believers to embrace Old Covenant forms (Colossians 2:16-17; Acts 15). Form would vary in the early church, but the substance was always the crucified and resurrected Christ!

That brings me to the subject at hand. Form is what helps us contextualize and celebrate substance. Formalism is equating form with substance or elevating it over substance.

Form is helpful. Ritual does not always mean ritualism. Whether high church liturgical, old-fashioned non-liturgical, or new contemporary, the form can give us tangible ways to magnify the substance. Different forms are likely necessary to engage different cultures and accomplish the substantive mission even in one given geographical area, especially if a community’s demographics are wide and varied.

It is important to know that all these categories of form have been embraced by theological liberals and theological conservatives. I completely reject attempts to classify a local church as liberal or conservative based on their form. Bible-believing churches are churches that refuse to compromise the substance of the Gospel and the authority of the Word of God, regardless of form. If form incorporates something the Bible blatantly calls sinful, you have a substance issue. In fact, heresy is not a respecter of forms! It manifests itself in all types of form.

The issue that concerns me the most today is the rise of formalism that is manifest not so much in one’s elevation of form over substance in their own worship setting. It is the elevation of form over substance when criticizing the worship setting of other churches that seems to be on the rise. This criticism of form can be a type of formalism. A quick scroll through social media will reveal this elevation of preference in form in a way that divides even Bible-believing followers of Christ.

Here are some statements revealing the prevalence of formalism:

“That church is too old-fashioned.” For whom? Are they preaching and exalting Christ? As the senior adult population grows in this nation, and lostness among that group, it may take more old-fashioned churches to engage them. And, by the way, a few young people enjoy that style.
“That church is too liturgical. Dry orthodoxy! Dead!” How do you know? The liturgy may keep their passions for Jesus fresh. Do you know their hearts? Some liturgical churches are doing an outstanding job using the liturgy to establish a generation in biblical truth.
“We’re losing sound theology by not singing the old hymns!” The old hymns were new at one point. And believe it or not, theologically sound hymns and worship songs are being written today. Perhaps we are losing sound theology because parents aren’t being equipped to teach it in the home to the next generation. There are old hymns that are rich in theology and old hymns that are not. The same can be said of the new songs. There are churches that only use the old hymns that are failing to engage and disciple a generation in sound truth. There are churches that sing predominantly new songs that are winning people to Christ, enlisting them into disciple groups, and growing deep in the doctrines of Christ.
“The lighting in the sanctuary should be…” You finish the statement. “Jesus is light, so the entire sanctuary should be well-lit!” Or “The light shined in the darkness, so the sanctuary should show the contrast with bright lights penetrating darkness.” Or “Contemporary lighting turns the service into a man-centered concert!” Each statement places form over substance if you are being critical of how other churches light their sanctuaries. Do you know the hearts and motives of the individuals seeking to engage believers in the exaltation of Jesus Christ? Be careful here. There is room for a variety of preferences. But don’t elevate your preference above substance. Worship can be a “show” in both well-lit sanctuaries where parishioners only go to be seen and in sanctuaries with only well-lit stages. What might be a “show” to one can be the elimination of distractions to another to get their eyes on solid lyrics and a timely message, form designed to place attention on substance.

I will go to battle, and often do, when it comes to defending the substance of our worship! But when it comes to form, I can worship in a spontaneous environment and in a liturgical setting. I can worship in a sanctuary as well-lit as the Crystal Cathedral or as dark and intimate as a theatre. I can exalt Christ with various genres of music. I love my Reformed and my Charismatic friends and the elements of worship each have helped me to appreciate. We may have theological disagreements in some areas of substance. Let those discussions continue. But let’s not belittle one another because we don’t embrace the same form.

The next time we find ourselves criticizing the form of worship in another church, let’s try asking these questions. First, listen to the preaching and teaching that’s taking place. Is it solidly biblical? Is Christ being exalted? Is the body being equipped? Does the lead pastor seem to have a biblical vision and mission? If so, there is also likely much thought and prayer given to how the form of worship facilitates this substance and the mission of the church.

Second, ask yourself, “How well do I know those who plan and lead the worship?” Have you spent enough time with them in worship and outside of worship to speculate concerning their motives? Finally, ask, “Is this church reaching people that a different church may not be reaching?” If so, is that the real cause of the criticism? I know that many of us, perhaps especially ministers, have been tempted to delegitimize that which we envy.

Quick note: Explaining why you choose the form you embrace is not necessarily an act of formalism as long as we do so without being highly critical of those who choose a different form.

I pray that those of us who stand firm on the Gospel of Christ and are committed to sharing Him with our world can learn to respect the various forms that contextualize the mission. Arguing our preferences only causes us to slip into subjective areas of pragmatism and divide the body of Christ. May we focus on the substance with greater passion than ever and see a new awakening of the church in this day!

Independent Thinkers

“There is no new thing under the sun.” -Eccl. 1:9

Independent Thinkers. I love them! I am one of them. I encourage them.

But I also want to speak a word of warning: Embrace the journey of an independent thinker with grace and humility.

“There is no new thing under the sun.” -Eccl. 1:9

What is my concern is for so many of us independent thinkers? It’s that we avoid arrogance! A sacred desire to be different for righteousness sake can sometimes be a disguise for being different for difference sake. The latter can lead to an isolationists mentality robbing an individual of one of their greatest needs, relationships.

To the high school seniors about to enter college: Be an independent thinker. That state university philosophy professor is going to throw a lot at you. As will the science and English departments. And let’s not forget the students and peers who will want you to scrap your moral convictions. You might be tempted to say, “Wow my parents and that country preacher never thought of these enlightened challenges to the faith.”

Truth is our minds have traveled those roads: The generation before you were the first to question everything. Some rationalized away their faith. Others kept digging until they found answers. Just know that there are folks with more education, secular and religious, than that professor you have who do find solid footing in the faith once for all delivered to the saints. And, by the way, you might be shocked to know how many philosophies of this world that country preacher had to grapple with along the way.

Think with grace and humility.

To the young adult millennial who has seen the hypocrisy in the church or assumed a blind and shallow allegiance by the faithful. You might be tempted to think that you’ve discovered a new way of looking at things in order to reject everything about the current structures of our worship, faith and practice.

Truth is our minds have traveled those roads. There is now a generation of midlife believers who didn’t settle for a “well that’s just the way things are supposed to be” answer. We grappled with sources of truth. We explored the various components of religious structures, biblical interpretations, denominations, and various factions of Christianity, and we listened to those who would deconstruct every aspect of our way of thinking. Some slipped into isolationism, others dug deeper until they found answers as to why we still hold fast to the core elements of a biblical corporate faith experience.

Think with grace and humility.

To the midlifer who DID NOT actually grapple with all these challenges: You woke up one morning not knowing why you’ve lived a certain way. Your kids are grown now, and you were “doing church” and holding the marriage together for them. And now your mind is wondering what you’ve missed out on. Do you really assume the godly Christian scholars, pastors, and revivalists of the revolutions, reformations, and awakenings didn’t mentally attack these challenges?

Truth is our minds have traveled these roads. Some, even vocational ministers, walked away from the church (and at times their families) while spiritualizing a midlife crisis. Others dug deeper, and their roots have tapped into the True Vine in ways they never imagined. They have become leaders in the Body, not for political clout but motivated by genuine John 15 love.

May we think with grace and humility.

Finally, to the senior adult who has found more time to think in the fourth quarter of life: You feel that you have served your time, that the church is not so much for you anymore, or that your maturity and experience has brought you to a place of spiritual retirement and permanent retreat. You aren’t even so sure you were right all of those years.

Truth is the Bible is full of examples of those whose best works for God took place in their old age. Their minds had traveled these roads. A few did not finish well. But Moses, Abraham, Sarah, Simeon, and many more saw God’s glory in the most magnificent ways in their latter days. Stay in the fight.

Think with grace and humility.

The good thing about independent thinkers is that we are not satisfied with the status quo, nor are we comfortable just going along for the ride. But if we aren’t careful, we will arrogantly assume that we must be pretty smart since we are thinking of things that no one else (at least no one around us) has ever thought of.

Humility says, “Check your motives.” Perhaps God is illuminating His Word to help us grasp something many have overlooked; in which case it will take grace and humility to engage others that need to be awakened to this truth. But, perhaps our flesh has desires for which our faith has not previously made allowances. In this case, we could be subconsciously using our abilities as an independent thinker to reconstruct (or deconstruct) our faith. All the while we are thinking of ourselves as spiritual revolutionaries going where others have been hesitant to go, we could actually be guilty of a blind iconoclasm making an excuse to neglect what our flesh rejects and embrace what our flesh desires.

There is nothing new under the sun.

Think! But think with grace and humility.

An Open Letter from a College Dad during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Dear Kent and Karis,

I remember being on vacation at Oak Island, NC with you both, a toddler and a 4 year old, on September 11 of 2001. That’s the day that our nation was rocked like never before in my lifetime. We watched in awe as the Towers fell, the Pentagon was hit, and terrorism left its ugly mark on our land and on our souls. Oh, but you were so young, and we shielded you as much as possible. But you would grow up in world that was different from the world in which I had spent my first thirty-one years. At least in the USA. We had been victims of terrorism, but never-before like this. The world was different.

Though thousands lost their lives that day, and thousands more since then by fighting the war on terrorism, this nation bounced back. And from the day President Bush stood on a pile of debris at ground zero and promised that the world would hear from us, I had no doubt that America would rise quickly. And we did!

In fact, the past two decades have been filled with life, love, joy, challenges, and opportunities. You have grown up watching the political pendulum swing back and forth in prototypical American fashion. You have seen a resurgence in appreciation of the military. You have been a part of a family that values and passionately celebrates faith in God. You have said good-bye to dear friends and family members who are with Jesus now, some leaving us too soon. And you have LIVED!! You have embraced life’s hurts and blessings knowing ultimately that there is a Sovereign God who is the giver of life, and that He has blessed, and often judged, his people and the land in which you have lived.

So here we are at the beginning of a new decade. And suddenly, like in 2001, the world is not the same anymore. This time the attack didn’t happen in a manner of minutes. The COVID-19 Pandemic didn’t happen suddenly by surprise. It hasn’t been like a fatal car accident or a fatal heart attack. It has been more like the cancers that have taken from us so many we love. We saw it coming a couple months out, prayed for the impact not to be so severe, and realized how fragile life is this side of heaven.

Well, what does a father say to his college age children at a time like this?

First, don’t quit believing in a Sovereign God. We are talking a lot about the mortality rate these days. I promise you this: Jesus Christ is alive forevermore! And those who know Him have nothing to fear. For we will live forever with him. For the believer, to live is Christ and to die is gain (Phil. 1:21). While a healthy respect for this virus is warranted, I am saddened to see so many believers trembling in fear for their lives.

Unfortunately, though, the mortality rate for the human race is 100%. “It is appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgement (Heb. 9:27).” I know we aren’t hoping to go to heaven on the next load, but life is a vapor compared to eternity. So always live as a pilgrim here, always on mission, holding on loosely to things of this world, and always ready to report to your eternal home when God calls. No need to fear when your faith is real!

The second thing I want to tell you is: don’t quit believing in the resiliency of the values that have brought this nation back again and again. In fact, our very Declaration of Independence from our beginning would cost this nation nearly 7000 lives in a war. Some 25,000 when you count deaths due to disease, imprisonment, and civilian casualties of the war. Yet this nation would prevail because of convictions like those of Patrick Henry who would rather risk death for liberty than pursue a safety that compromises freedom.

A Civil War and the depravity of humanity would cost this nation over another 600,000 lives, not to mention the collateral damage. Many around the world thought that would be the end of America. But, once again, we would prove stronger once the war was behind us. What about the First and Second World Wars, including the attack on Pearl Harbor? Over another half million lives, but we emerged as one nation under God, still in the pursuit of liberty and justice for all.

Well all of that was before my lifetime. And while we have not always lived out our principles as fairly and passionately as the great generations who fought for them, we’ve come a long way. I’ve seen soldiers return from a war for which they got little respect fighting. But that is beginning to change. Better late than never I suppose. I’ve seen this nation place men on the moon and land spacecraft like airplanes. I’ve seen hostages return from Iran, and watched a president bankrupt our enemies during a cold war. I’ve lived long enough now to have watched the market rise and crash enough to know that I should not put my faith in it, nor should I panic when collapse seems imminent.

What I am trying to say is, we have a history of rising from the ashes when we value liberty over safety, when our government realizes its limits and depends on the people, and when circumstances bring us to our knees again. And I didn’t even mention the famines, depressions, diseases before the age of modern medicine, assassinations or civil rights movements.

I am not saying that you should throw caution to the wind during this pandemic. I have advised otherwise. This is a serious virus that could take someone we know and love. I am saying that you should keep a discerning eye on the national leadership and on your friends and classmates. Don’t let folks slip into having an unhealthy dependency on government mandates. Make it clear that the answer to this and most crises is personal responsibility, not excessive government intrusion.

Third and finally, don’t quit enjoying life. Some who avoid this current virus will shorten their lives in a practical sense. Stress, worry, and fear will cause them to cease to truly live and will lessen their quality of life and possibly the length of their life.

At some point, hopefully sooner than later, it is going to be advisable to get back out among people. And the virus will still be out there. When the risk versus reward factors loosen the social restrictions currently in place, the chance of you catching and dying from this disease could probably still be somewhere between dying in an automobile related death (40,000 Americans per year) and dying from heart disease (650,000 Americans each year). I don’t think we will hit those numbers this year. And who knows, if we flatten the curve, find better treatments, and the disease weakens over time (all things that have happened before with other diseases) we may not come close to the heart disease numbers, ever.

My point is, if we were daily following the numbers of all other diseases and activities that cause you to live at risk, you would never leave the house. Let’s cooperate with our communities as an act of love while we strive to keep our hospitals from being overwhelmed, show love to our vulnerable citizens, and give health professionals and national leaders time to get their minds around this. Let’s pray for healing in our land, grow in ability to communicate creatively at a distance, and serve those who are hurting physically, emotionally, and economically. But don’t be frozen by fear. And don’t feel guilty for loving life, despite its risks, and quickly and courageously getting back to normal social interactions sooner than others. God didn’t call us to risk-free living, but to a life of faith and courage.

The Apostle Peter spoke of the ability to “love life and see good days (1 Peter 3:10).” This doesn’t mean trials will not come. The church Peter was addressing was under great persecution with a very high mortality rate. But believers in Jesus knew the deep secret of abundant life. You know it, too! And one day the Coronavirus Pandemic of 2020 will be added to the events listed above as another trial that this nation overcame. And you will remember that when your kids are in college!

Love Always,

Dad

PS. And if one of the crazy conspiracy theories turn out to true, God is sovereign over that as well!

Liberals, Conservatives, and Defining Terms in Political and Theological Life

Ever since the late 1990’s and the discussion of the definition of “is”, as well as the meaning of a few other words uttered during Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, one need has become more and more obvious. I am speaking of the need to define terms. Not only do people have limited vocabularies, we also have a vocabulary that is constantly changing.

By change I am not merely referring to the fact that some words become “dead” due to overuse while new words are being added every day. I am more specifically pointing out that certain words occasionally change meanings with various contexts. Therefore, not understanding a specific context in which a word is used can cause one to skew its meaning and perhaps incorrectly judge the political or religious position someone is taking.

So let’s try to clarify a few terms which have been known to cause a little confusion.

We will begin with the word conservative. Almost any thesaurus will list words like traditional and moderate as being synonymous with conservative. However, on the political spectrum, a conservative is someone who is clearly to the right of a moderate on most issues.

I actually see more confusion when conservative is erroneously equated with traditional when it comes to religious life.

Theologically, I am a conservative. By that I mean that I believe that the Bible is the inspired and inerrant Word of God. I believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God who literally died for our sins and physically rose from the grave. I believe that salvation only comes through faith in Christ, that there is a hell to shun and a heaven to gain, and that Christ is returning one day to make all things right.

As a conservative, I accept as authoritative all the Bible teaches us concerning creation, miracles, angels, the roles and differences of men and women, marriage and family, human sexuality, and the mission of the church in the world.

But the word conservative does not necessarily mean the same thing as the word traditional when speaking of the church. A church can be conservative theologically and very contemporary stylistically. On the other hand a church can be extremely traditional in style and at the same time be liberal theologically.

Let me illustrate. Years ago a lady shared with me that her church was much more conservative than the church that I pastor. I was surprised to hear her say this. I happened to know that at that time her pastor did not believe in the exclusivity of the Gospel of Christ, the infallibility of Scripture, or the reality of an eternal hell. The church was lacking in godly male leadership in most ministry areas. They had rejected so many conservative ideals which our church had always embraced. Yet she assumed we were more liberal by comparison?

Actually it quickly occurred to me what she meant. The style of worship at her church was more traditional. They were going to sing songs from a hymnal usually accompanied only by a piano and organ. They were going to hold tight to traditional Baptist programs. So in her eyes that made her church more “conservative” than ours. I would have described her church as more traditional, but far more liberal theologically. She was focused on style while giving little thought to doctrine.

To reiterate, it is possible to be conservative theologically while at the same time contemporary or innovative stylistically. And it is also possible to be liberal theologically and very traditional in style. While conservative evangelicals actually took the lead in the modern contemporary style movement, style can no longer be an indicator of a church’s theology. You will have to dig a little deeper than outward observations to see where a church stands theologically. Neither musical preferences, elements of worship, Bible translations used, nor the appearance of the facilities serve as clear indications as to where the church stands doctrinally.

Let’s look further at the word liberal. Again, context will determine connotation. The Bible encourages us to be liberal in areas such as giving to meet needs, offering forgiveness, and showing love. The Bible says that God liberally gives us wisdom when we ask for it without doubting (James 1:5-6). But that is not what we are referencing when we refer to a theological liberal.

A theological liberal is one who usually rejects the infallibility of Scripture. Often having been influenced by Darwinism and higher criticism of the Bible, theological liberals reject doctrines like the exclusivity of the Gospel, a literal eternal hell, and the virgin birth of Christ. A theologically liberal church may have a worship style that is traditional and often very liturgical.

In politics, and occasionally in religion, liberals embrace the title progressive which is a reference to certain social reforms they deem necessary for making progress. The assumption is planted in the minds of young students that political conservatives do not like progress. However, conservatives and liberals both believe in progress. They just bring different sets of values and convictions by which progress is defined and measured. What one calls progress, the other sees as disruptive of progress because we have vastly different goals, standards, and visions of which we are in pursuit.

The word moderate is also a biblical concept. The Bible speaks of moderation as being a healthy thing when it comes to certain areas of diet or exercising religious liberties. But when the word moderate is used as an excuse not to take a stand on an issue in order not to offend someone who is more conservative or liberal on the same issue, we need to be reminded of the many biblical admonitions to have convictions and standards. I would not want to use the concept of moderation to excuse the lukewarm condition Jesus rebuked in Revelation 3:16!

What’s my point? In today’s world we must do more than embrace labels or judge others by the labels they embrace. We need to find out what they mean by these terms, if they even know for themselves. And we need to clearly articulate what we mean when using the same terms… as I’ve tried to do here. I sure hope it helps!