Implementing a Doctrine
I’ve been discussing essentials of Christianity, as I see them, and emphasizing the doctrine of the incarnation. In the process I’ve mentioned implementing and expressing doctrines. What do I mean by those two terms?
First, I do not regard the expression and the implementation of the doctrine to be part of the essentials. I believe that our implementation and expression of any idea will be limited at best and may be quite flawed. We do not always know best how to express our love, for example. Recently my wife and I were teaching for a weekend at a church, and one of the members recalled an experience. She told us that a woman had visited her church, and that numerous people had gone up to her, greeted her, and done their best to make her feel welcome. At some point, the woman told one of the folks that she really wanted the opportunity to experience the worship service without being bothered so much. Now let’s assume that the visitor was being honest. In this case a number of church members expressed their love sincerely and to the best of their ability, but the message received by the visitor was something different. We aren’t omniscient; things like this will occur.
Let me look briefly at the incarnation, its expression and implementation.
Expression:
I believe the incarnation is expressed in liturgy through the sacrament of communion, and in our daily lives through the practice of hospitality which is closely related to communion. Jesus took a part of daily life–the sharing of bread and wine–and added to it a sacramental quailty. I think that if we are to make the incarnation central to Christian belief, then communion needs to be closer to the center of our liturgy.
This relates not only to how often we celebrate communion, though I believe the New Testament witness would suggest we celebrate frequently, but also to the way in which we do it. In too many churches communion is tacked onto the service monthly or quarterly. We do everything else we do, and then the minister says (in United Methodist congregations), “Turn to page 12 in you hymnal.” Sometimes it’s page 15, but that’s only when we’re really in a hurry. Then we race through the liturgy, eat the stale pita bread or the holy styrofoam wafers, drink the little bit of juice, and on we go. Members experiencing this on a regular basis will have no idea why communion should be celebrated.
If one actually reads the liturgy provided, however, one will notice that this liturgy is designed to be a framework for the whole worship service. In other words, it is a “service of communion.” Words are to be added related to the day and season. The ministry of the word should relate to the celebration of the sacrament. I don’t mean that narrowly; since I see the incarnation at the core of all Christian teaching, it shouldn’t be hard to specifically relate the event to the communion.
If we did this in our churches, we would take a doctrine and express it in worship. That would make the doctrine much more real to the church members, and emphasize it. With appropriate ministry of the word, church members could be opened up to implementing that belief. If it remains just a doctrine, without expression and implementation, people will forget it, and it will become the dead letter, as it has in many churches.
Implementation:
I have also mentioned the implementation of the doctrine of the incarnation through practicing the two laws. God’s willingness to cross the gap between infinite and finite by living amongst us as Jesus defines love. My question would be this: Is your concept of love adequate to the incarnation?
Let me suggest some characteristics of incarnational living:
- Optimism – says “can” where others say can’t. Isn’t it impossible in itself? With God all things are possible.
- Willing to try – looks for a way to accomplish the goal. In the middle east today one can say, “This is impossible! The Arabs and Israelis are too far apart!” Incarnational thinking says that God has already crossed a greater gap than the one between Israel and its neighbors. Can we imagine a way to bring them together? It’s worth working on!
- Doesn’t accept second best or mediocre. Goes all the way
- Sees human differences as small and manageable
- Always looking for new ground to conquer.
I’m not a pastor. I’m a teacher. But let me challenge all of us who lead in the church in any way with this: Is your teaching worthy of the incarnation? Is your worship? Is your life?
