We accept preconceived notions as gospel too quickly, and there are no exceptions. I am no exception. There is no area of contemporary ministry left untouched by our cultural biases. We place God inside a box of our preconceptions and perceptions of what authentic faith should look like in the twenty-first century. Three of the most evident areas impacted include ministry qualifications, biblical interpretation, and the gospel.
Ministry Qualifications
There are two extremes to this essential element of ministry. On the one hand, some evangelical circles operate with such stringency that they would disqualify Peter, Paul, and Jesus. Conversely, some have such a nebulous view of Scripture that they subjectively dismiss principles of qualification or disqualification. The boxed mindset becomes a factor in applying those qualifying/disqualifying factors. There are valid questions to be asked, a process to follow, and the word of God sets forth qualifications for ministry.
Protestants tout the priesthood of all believers and then resign themselves to chastising anyone whose life record is less than sterling. We fail to realize that we ironically disqualify ourselves by vehemently insisting on the disqualification of others with postures of pride and condemnation. We disqualify men for being divorced fifteen years in the past. At the same time, there is no issue with Paul being a former church persecutor or a current pastor epitomizing pride, arrogance, and a haughty spirit. There is a disconnect. There are lines to be drawn, but those lines are more like the ones Jesus traced in the sand than the barricades we erect in His name.
Biblical Interpretation
The Baptists interpret the Bible from a Baptist perspective. Calvinists interpret the Bible from a Calvinistic perspective. Those who advocate liberation theology interpret the Bible from a liberation perspective. You can fill in the “blanks” for any other view, including your own. Of course, all interpretations shouldn’t cease. It calls us to deeper thought and discernment in the Spirit that pushes us beyond the “boxes” of our preconceptions.
Where are the followers of Christ who meditate, engage, ponder, and dare to be wrong? Where are the theologians with enough faith to look beyond their theological camps for answers? Is it possible we have valued our biblical perspectives more than the very words of God? After all, there is a significant difference between holding the Bible in high regard and holding our interpretations in high regard.
The Gospel
The power of the gospel explodes the old wineskins of our heritage and tradition. The gospel is not carried forth in Republican, Baptist, cessationist, or seminary graduate vessels. It is brought forth in broken vessels. How many times have we dismissed the beliefs of others as we categorized them as liberal or simply immature? How many conversations have we missed? How much grace have we withheld? The boundary lines we draw around the potency of the good news in the name of pristine theology are utter nonsense. Are there elements of the gospel that must be preserved? Absolutely! Can the weight of glory be contained in the casks of contemporary church dogma? Absolutely not.
The gospel bursts forth from our boxed ideas of Christianity. Repeatedly in the gospels, the Son of God defies the religious expectations of His day and our own. It’s just like God to choose the loser, not the winner. It’s just like God to come not for the saint but for the sinner. It’s just like God to save the world through the greater strength of incarnate weakness. It’s just like God to confound the wise and let the redemption story go forth on the lips of rebels like you and me.
This line of thought could easily be mistaken as a call to throw orthodoxy out the window. It most certainly is not. I aim to spark consideration and discernment regarding the scribbled lines we draw from our myopic view, which are not to be mistaken for the masterpiece of redemption God is painting from an eternally panoramic view. This is a call to think outside the boxed Christianity of our creation.