OUR FAVORITE SPORT

The whistle had already blown and the game had started, then the referee in my head called for a "time out."   I was involved in what has become "a favorite sport."   By the way, I love watching UFC.  Of course I get to do it alone in my house because no one else appreciates or shares my passion.   But there is something about MMA fighting that is good.  When an opponent cannot defend themselves the ref calls the bout. 

Yesterday I got into a favorite sport.  It's called "criticize the church."   But guess what?  It's worse than the fights on Saturday night!  My opponent cannot defend herself.  Nope.  I can just beat her and pummel her into submission.  Thankfully the "Referee" jumped in and convicted me of my atrocity. 

I also was reading a book by an outstanding New Testament expositor, Dr. D.A. Carson.  I soon learned that my favorite sport was also the favorite sport of missionaries and those involved in cross-cultural work.  People actually travel to other lands and then enjoy the sport of beating up on the North American church.  Carson writes,

"This sort of disorientation also accounts, in part, for the frequency and intensity of the criticism of Western institutions and churches uttered by many “Third World” leaders. God knows there is enough to criticize in the West. Nevertheless, in my experience, very few “Third World” leaders spend much time criticizing the West and stressing the need for properly contextualized theology until they have spent a few years studying in the West. Many, many of them no longer quite fit back home. Meanwhile, where have they learned their criticisms of the West? In the West, of course! To criticize the West is an extremely Western thing to do. In fact, to criticize wherever we are is an extremely Western thing to do. Very few of these leaders, for whatever reason, actually engage in much contextualized theology. Instead, they make their reputations criticizing the West." [1]

Do you want to be known for criticizing the Church, or being the means of help and encouragement?

 

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1.  Carson, D. A. (2004-02-01). Cross and Christian Ministry, The: An Exposition of Passages from 1 Corinthians (p. 133-144). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.