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Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Post-Restoration Hope #13: My affair with the supermodel is over

"I used to love her, but I had to kill her." - Wise words sung by the forlorn, but liberated lyrical genius, Axl Rose.

These words matter to me. You see, I've been in love for some time with a supermodel. In fact, I've, up until recently, given myself to her. But I knew something was not quite right with this situation. She never was my true love. She was exciting at times, the envy of many once upon a time, and it even felt like she WAS the one for me.

But all that has ended. It's over. I'm done with her and I'm not going back. Don't get me wrong, she's not of Satan, but she is not worth giving my heart to. Maybe we can be friends, but I'm not so sure she'll accept it that way. I hope she does not reject me.

Are you wondering why I am blogging this to the universe? You probably want to know her name. You're probably really curious. You probably think I'm lying. You might be thinking, "Is she available?"

What I ended was not an affair with a runway model, but an affair with a model of doing church. The Restoration model of church is done being the one and only way to "do it right." In fact, all models of doing church must be dropped like a bad affair. Denominational allegiance is an affair.

You may be tempted to think that this is hyperbole, but it is not. Jesus formed zero denominations.

"Yeah, but..."

I know, so now what do I do? Everything is a denomination, either expressed or accidental. Well, I think that a friendship with a denominatrion is fine, but not an affair. I want to continue a friendship with my restoration heritage, perhaps attend restoration churches over the course of my days, or post-restoration churches, if there is such an animal. What I no longer want to do is to place a movement, an organization, a denomination, a fellowship, a brotherhood, leader, a person, or any other thing in place of my first love - Jesus.

But Fajita, you talk of emergent churches, aren't they another denomination? Well, they better not be. If emergent becomes a denomination, it will no longer be emergent. I would do well not to be seduced by the sexy supermodel of emergent. The paradox is that if I do attach to emergent like I did to Restorationism, then my very way of connecting to emergent is unemergent, but denominational. Emergent will become a denomination if idiots like me treat it like a sexy supermodel and not a friend.

5 comments:

Greg Brooks said...

There you go.

Greg Brooks said...

There you go.

David U said...

Chris, the supermodel you fell in love with must have had a LOT of different lovers, because a LOT of us have been in love with her at different times in our lives.....I know I have. I think you communicate much wisdom to express concern that we don't make this same mistake with "emergent" churches or any other type of church we connect with!

The only church I want to identify with is HIS church. DUH!

believingthomas said...

My Mama has a word for girls like that! A good analogy, one I remember God using many times. The problem is that she doesn't take the lets be friends thing very well. She is a jealous lover. I feel like I need a CofC anonomous meeting. Hi, my name is Tommy. (Hi Tommy) I am addicted to the supermodel. I need help.

TCS said...

My Mama has a word for girls like that! A good analogy, one I remember God using many times. The problem is that she doesn't take the lets be friends thing very well. She is a jealous lover. I feel like I need a CofC anonomous meeting. Hi, my name is Tommy. (Hi Tommy) I am addicted to the supermodel. I need help.