Spontaneity Spontaneity is highly prized among lots of organic/simple/house church folks as a key ingredient to organic church life. The idea is that any planning is inherently tainted by humanity and therefore a hindrance to the flow of the Holy Spirit. IOW, to truly have the unfettered move of the Spirit, we must be spontaneous, with nothing at all planned when we gather as far as songs, readings, teaching. I disagree. 1. Spontaneity is not mandated in Scripture. 2. Spontaneity is not exemplified in Scripture. 3. Direction for gatherings is exemplified in Scripture. 4. Participation by all is exemplified in Scripture. 5. Variety of gifting and respect for those gifts is exemplified in Scripture. 6. Being led by the Holy Spirit is exemplified in Scripture. 7. Being filled with the Spirit is mandated in Scripture. Can the Holy Spirit lead us into a plan? Sure. “Because I was confident of this, I planned t visit you first so that you might benefit twice. I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and to come back to you from Macedonia, and then to have you send me on my way to Judea. When I planned this, did I do it lightly? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say, “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?” (2 Corinthians 1:15–17 NIV) “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.” (3 John 1:9–10 NIV) “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.” (2 Peter 1:12–15 NIV) “This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.” (2 Corinthians 13:1–3 NIV) “That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions.” (1 Corinthians 11:30–34 NIV) * Note: Paul was helping the Corinthians to understand why people were weak, sick and dying... and why there was discord among them. He was helping them understand spiritual realities, he was training them as a good father would, for their benefit. Pitfalls of “spontaneity”: 1. Rut where vocal ones consistently direct gatherings; less-vocal ones don’t get opportunity to share what is in them. 2. God speaks things through us in a gathering and they are ignored for future gatherings, because referring back to what God said by his Spirit to the group 3 months ago isn’t… spontaneous. God HAS SPOKEN to all humanity through Scripture. Do we really think that we should insist the Holy Spirit personally reiterate those truths to us individually? God has given us a buffet and we demand room service? God has given us abundant direction for every day of our lives and we cry for “personalized destiny maps”? God calls us to serve in his army and we demand to be coddled like a rock star? Are we really such brats? That’s it... bratty, inflated self-importance being at the root of spontaneity is what bugs me. If we are truly seeking to be led by the Spirit, great. But if the pretense of being led is a cover for moody self-interest, I’m out. I have experienced being led by the Spirit in a group setting multiple times. What bothers me is when people wallow in the flesh, feelings and bad theology and just want to vent and spew their ... flesh and feelings and bad theology on everyone all the time... that bugs me. The gathering becomes like a big, giant black couch and we all get to spew our feelings in the moment. Me, my feelings, my interests, my ambitions. BOTTOM LINE: I want to be among folks who want the leading and working of the Holy Spirt when we come together. I won’t settle for less. “Spontaneity” as a cloak for self-interest and laziness is not the same thing. Let’s resolve that we want the Lord to have HIS way in all things at all times!
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 18:32:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015