The Preaching Life

The writing style of this book is reminiscent of the poetic verses of The King James Bible itself. Taylor delivers a prophetic classical interpretation of her experience of religion and the evolution into a mystical spirituality. She paints us a picture of what faith looks like, what it was, and how it is. The sermon as a communal act intertwines itself with rich language that moves the reader into a state of being that whispers “Be Still.” I was equally surprised that this book was written 8 years ago. When I attended Catalyst East 2009 the word missional was still just a seedling awaiting a more formal doctrinal exposition and application. Most reputable professors and pastors where strongly opposed to this “buzz word.”

However, within the next year I found an exceptionally ecclesiological dissertation by that of a man named Doctor Darrell Gudor Dean of Academic Affairs Princeton that was dated in 2007 Payton Lecture series titled “The Worthy Walk of the Missional Church” and “Formation of the Congregations for Worthy Walking.”. I would have bet money that Barbara Brown Taylor’s book would have came after this man’s work. Then I was moved to the beginning of what is now being tagged the missional renaissance by some. There had been great emphasis put forth in building the church and marketing to get people to come to church throughout scripture. However, I was unprepared for what I unraveled in that quite room I called my study. The scriptures that I had loved so much had been fooling with me. It was a revelation as bright as Saul’s miraculous experience on that dirt road to Damascus. The scriptures spoke of “sent-ness”

Taylor takes us through a journey that includes these 7 themed chapters: A Church in Ruins, Call, Vocation, Imagination, Bible, Worship, and Preaching. I will dabble into the points I found intriguing and disturbing.

In the Chapter entitled vocation Taylor proposes that a true vision of the priesthood of believers means”priests are likely to wear a hundred hats—social worker, chauffeurs, cook, financial advisor, community organizer, babysitter, philanthropist, marriage counselor, cheerleader, friend—but whatever hat they happen to be wearing at the time, priests remember that they wear it as God’s person, for God’s sake, in God’s name. “(Taylor p. 31) When I see a ministry struggling I have to ask myself what’s missing. Sadly usually what is missing is the “good news” of Christ’s redemptive nature. In my experiences as a “Pastor” in a mainline decaying denominational hierarchy I have experienced firsthand what happens when we forget why we are here and what we are charged to do. (Make disciples of all nations.) The hierarchal system is imploding because of a loss of equipping of saints. The Church should empower not dictate. Churches are closing and those who have a bit left of the final fight share a Pastor with another church. This leads to an even greater hat to be worn by the Pastor.

The second chapter I would like to discuss is the chapter concerning “scripture.”

In this chapter we are confronted with one of the most difficult and heart racing elements of the book. It was a walk with mystics such as Buecher rather than theologians such as R.C. Sprouls. She dances with the devil in a sense. She starts the chapter and at first you are hopeful that our journey did not end with the infamous “the Bible isn’t true” claim. Taylor walks with us to the edge of a cliff and just as you feel she is about to jump into the heretical abyss….she stops and recognizes the authority of scripture and also the importance for historical, cultural, and social implications at the time of past and current. She affords us to re-discover our theology.

Let us look at airport theology. If the concourse is full of planes, lines of people, luggage galore, and kids. The airline perception is that they are winning; they are accomplishing their mission. I mean look at all the people!

 Now look at it from your perspective and experience…..lots of planes on the concourse (lay over’s), lines of people (anger), heavy luggage (Exhaustion), and crying kids (Stress). What you have is the same place, issues, and time. What you also have is two perspectives. Cooperate (Church) and Individual (Kingdom) perspectives.

The time has come for us to step forward into the Kingdom based reality and put the Church as the center of the universe away. Nobody is buying it, and soon Church as we know IT will become irrelevant. Most of us deep down know the gig is up. We know that “something isn’t right.” Some will engage in this and others will wait for the storm to pass….It won’t.

The current Church is a Constantine world order Church. It is dominated by clergy-dominated religion and is CENTERED on designated places of worship. This was a complete change from the first three Centuries of Christianity. The movement Jesus founded was a market place phenomenon centered on sacrifice and service. It was organic….Jesus invaded every area of life. Church was not an event…..it was a way of life.”

A similar shift began in the 1400’s. The most gifted and talented artists, writers, mathematicians, and architects collided with the world and jumpstarted a little thing called the Renaissance. One of the many radical changes in the culture was the move from a Ptolemaic view of the universe to a Copernican reality. Everything changed……including the Church.

Once the Renaissance began there was no stopping it. The evolution of literature, art, science, economics, political theory and yes even religion…was never the same.

What about the “now?” Taylor seems to be in the current world we are witnessing a shift in theology that will be the most significant movement since the Reformation. The Reformation gifted us with Doctrine, polity, and more denominations then you could shake a stick at. The Church became….A Church. “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salt again? It is no longer good enough for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. YOU ARE THE LIGHT of the WORLD. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your father in Heaven.” Matthew 5:13-15

Taylor pleads with us to wake up dreamers…..take the bowl off and let your light shine. For wherever you are I am there. Let your light shine for all creation to see the wonderful new thing I am doing.

References:

The Preaching Life, 1993, Taylor, Barbara Brown: Cowley Publications 907 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge MA 02139