8 May 2005

Transformation

Romans 12:1-2

Darren Ethier wrote, "A woman was testifying to the transformation in her life that had resulted through her experience in conversion. She declared, 'I'm so glad I got religion. I have an uncle I used to hate so much I vowed I would never go to his funeral. But now, why, I would be happy to go to it any time'."

Hum, I wonder about her spiritual transformation, don't you?

You know? The more I think about the proposed Vision Statement for Houston Mennonite Church, the more I like it: Being Transformed by God to Transform the World. You see, the more I think about the Christian churches of North America, the more I am convinced that what we need is transformation. I am not talking about a revival. I am not talking about yet another spiritual experience. I am talking about transforming the church, changing it.

We, the Christian churches of North America- including Mennonite Church USA- are good at expressing our faith in theological terms. We know how to say all the right things. This has labeled or categorized the North American Church. We like to say we have the correct interpretation of Scriptures. For example, we say that we are Liberals or Evangelicals or Conservatives and then we defend what we believe. We can clearly state what we believe and how we are theologically different from other Christians. Every denomination can clearly state what they believe and how it makes them distinct from others. The problem is, we assume that believing in the right and correct theology is what is important. We say to ourselves, "as long as I know that what I believe is right and true, everything is OK." In other words, believing in what we consider to be the true and right biblical interpretation is all that we think we need. We have convinced ourselves that what God wants from us is to have the right theology. This is why we find a lot of theological debates among North American denominations.

This, of course, is different than what we see other Christians around the world doing. Why is it that we see Christians in China meeting and praising God together, in spite of their theological differences? In many Chinese cities and towns, we know of Christians meeting together, breaking bread together, and praising God together, with different theological backgrounds. By the way, some of their backgrounds would include Methodist, Mennonite and Catholic backgrounds. Why is it that in many parts of the world we would see different denominations coming together when an evangelist comes to town? Their theological differences do not prevent them from working and living together. Not until "The Promise Keepers" movement have we seen denominations really come together in recent years in America. And, even that movement was short-lived. Most denominations are now doing their own thing in terms of men's ministry and discipleship.

If you say the answer to these questions is context, you are right! Context makes a big different. Many Christians around the world would not survive unless they joined efforts with other denominations. For example, in China where Christian persecution is high, joining efforts with brothers and sisters from other Christian backgrounds is a necessity. However, some have said that in our North American context, where we have freedom of religion and joining efforts with other brothers and sisters in not a necessity for our survival, we have time to think and argue about what we believe. And, in fact, we do think too much about theology.

However, we are sadly finding out that although we might have the right theology, our theology makes little difference on how we live our lives. Let me give you a few examples. You probably have heard that in the USA more than 50% of marriages end in divorce and that statistic is just as true among Christian couples as it is among the general society. Another example has to do with racism. The Sunday morning hour is the most segregated time in America. Our so-called "right theology" has not resolved our problems with race and racism in the church, let alone in society. The last example I would like to cite to you relates to money. More and more Christians have become richer and richer, however, contributions to denominations and other Christian organizations has dropped continuously for the past 20 years. Our so-called "right theology" has not touched our checkbooks; it has not challenged our love for money.

No, we must read the Scriptures and struggle with them. We must think clearly what we believe, and know why we believe what we believe. In other words, we must wrestle with God and theology. This has to be done. However, I suspect that our North American practices would change if our context changes. If we find our selves in the same predicament that the Christian Church in China does, our practices would have to change. This tells me that there is more to our faith than having the "right theology." I think most of us agree that Christianity is more than a list of biblical beliefs; it is more than creeds, whether they are right or wrong. Christianity, the religious faith that we have chosen to follow, seeks change, to transform our hearts, body, mind and soul. We are to love God with all that we are, and love our neighbor as our selves, whoever they might be. This is basic Christianity. All Christian denominations around the world embrace this basic belief.

Okay then, how do we become transformed? Paul wrote to a very diverse group of believers in Rome and said to them, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you discern what is the will of God- what is good and acceptable and perfect."

The first rule of transformation is: be willing to change. We must believe change is needed. If we are not convinced that change needs to happen, we will not be transformed. Listen to Paul, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God..." Paul was making an appeal to his brothers and sisters in Rome to change. Paul wanted his brothers and sisters to see the importance of change. Therefore, in order for transformation to take place, we must be convinced change is needed. We must ask our selves: do I need to change? Do we, as a congregation, need to change? Is change needed at Houston Mennonite Church? Nothing else will happen until we first recognize change is needed. How do we live-up to the proposed Vision Statement: Being Transformed by God to Transform the World? By first recognizing change is needed. By recognizing that we all need transformation!

However, let me say a few words about our congregation. When Noel Santiago came to us to help us with our Vision and Mission statements, he told us that wanting to "envision a preferred outcome" does not mean labeling what we have done in the past as wrong. There are obviously a lot of great things here at Houston Mennonite Church. People have joined this congregation through the years because they have seen in us a greater desire to walk with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We have done great things, and we should celebrate what God has been able to do through us all these years, since 1967.

We should see transformation, not as a desire to diminish the work that has been done, but as a desire to continue to better ourselves, to continue to seek God's renewing power, to continue to grow in every way possible as we seek, together, to walk closer with our God.

Second, to be transformed, we must give ourselves to God. Paul said, "...present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." The combination of physical bodies and spiritual worship is an interesting one. Some scholars believe that for Paul to present our flesh, our physical bodies, submitting our physical needs and desires to God is a spiritual act of worship. I read this as saying, "put yourself on the Altar." Dedicate yourself to God as an animal would have been dedicated to God just before sacrificing it. We are not called to literally die on the Alter. But we seemed to be called to be dedicated to God. In a symbolic gesture, we are saying to God, "here I am. I am yours." Then we can say to God, "I know I need to change. I know I need transformation. God transformed me." Of course this implies that we must be open for God to challenge and to change our hearts, body, mind and soul. We must be open for God to challenge and to change the way we think and the way we do things. We must be open to God's leading. Therefore, the second step for transformation to take place, is putting ourselves in a place where God can transform us. Surrendering all that we are to God is the second step. How do we live-up to the proposed Vision Statement: Being Transformed by God to Transform the World? By second, allowing God to transform us. By putting ourselves, all that we are, on God's Holy Altar. By putting ourselves in a place where we can be transformed.

Finally, in order to be transformed, we must begin to have the mind of Christ. Paul said, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God- what is good and acceptable and perfect." The J. B. Phillips's translation reads, "Don't let the world around you squeeze you into its own mold." In other words, we must recognize that God is calling us to be different than the world. Transformation, renewing of our minds, must include a detachment from the philosophies of this world. It must include a detachment from what the world would want us to become. We are in this world, but we are not of this world. So, we must begin to detach ourselves from the world, its philosophies and all that it would want us to become. Then, we can begin to fill our minds with the things of God. Paul wrote in 1Co 2:16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." Those who are in Christ, those who seek to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, will begin to have the mind of Christ. Those who begin to be transformed will begin to discern "what is the will of God- what is good and acceptable and perfect." And then, we will begin to see transformation take place. We will begin to see a different type of people, with different values, who do different things, than what the rest of the world believes and does.

Transformation is always needed. We all need to continue to grow, to continue to change, to perhaps walk closer with our God. I say to you, the North American Church needs to be transformed. It needs to talk less about theology, and begin to be transformed by God.

In order for transformation to take place we need to first, believe we need change. We need first to want to change, to want to be transformed. Second, we need to put ourselves in a place where transformation can take place. We need to surrender our hearts, body, mind and soul to our God. We must put ourselves on top of God's Altar as living sacrifices. Then we must begin to take from our lives the things that do not belong to us. We must begin to detach ourselves from this world, its philosophies and what it would want us to become. In doing so, we can be free to open our hearts, body, mind and soul to what God would want us to be and to do. Then, we can be transformed, changed into people who have the mind of Christ. Then we will see a different type of people, with different values, who do different things, than what the rest of the world believes and does.