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11

Members keen to engage with church’s Way Forward

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LCANZ members are ‘reflecting deeply’ on the church’s future and are keen to engage with and contribute to its Way Forward project.

The Way Forward project team of Stella Thredgold, Tim Niewand and Tony Vong have been impressed with the engagement of the LCANZ community in developing a positive future. The project team is charged with ensuring project disciplines and management help to deliver a proposal to the next General Synod outlining how the LCANZ could operate as ‘one church with two different practices of ordination’.

After a churchwide call for ‘one church, two practices’ models in June, members made more than 100 submissions to the Way Forward. The project team asked for models that reflected our synodical commitment of ‘walking together’ and that aspire to maintain the unity of the church.

While submissions ranged in detail from fully formulated models to suggestions and ideas, it was clear to the project team that great time, thought, and effort had been invested into each of them. Submissions were received from across the LCA, including lay people, active and emeriti pastors, and congregational teams.

‘As expected, we received submissions representing a wide range of opinions about ordination and about the Synod resolution to explore a framework for “one church, two practices”’, Tim Niewand said. ‘Without exception, however, every submission was proffered with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

‘Every voice across the LCA is valuable and every person has the opportunity to be heard. We are grateful to every person and group of people who made a submission, including those who shared their heartfelt thoughts.’ Regardless of the position people hold on ordination, there is a commitment to grappling with God’s word and earnestly listening to what the Holy Spirit is saying to the church at this time, the project team said.

They said the number of responses received indicates that members of the church are ‘reflecting deeply’ about the way forward. ‘People are having conversations – in their congregations, among their family and friends, and in their social networks’, the project team said. ‘They recognise that the LCA is at a critical juncture, and they are contemplating what the future might look like.’

Criteria for assessing the models are in the process of being developed with input from the broader team supporting the project, including the eight Way Forward working groups and other subject matter experts supporting the project in coordinating the Way Forward response.

The broader team collectively bring broad experience and expertise to the project. As well as providing advice and guidance to the project team on churchwide processes, emerging issues and conflict resolution, they will work with the team and working groups to develop the evaluation framework to guide the selection of a Way Forward model.

The project team has been responding to every submission to acknowledge receipt and offer this in a body of work for assessment and submission to the General Church Board and College of Bishops for consideration. ‘We want the model put to the 2024 General Synod to be one that most people in the church can support in good conscience’, Project Director Stella Thredgold said. ‘We are looking for models that address the General Synod resolution intent and that honours God and respects every person in the church regardless of the position they hold on ordination.’

13

New church child safety resources

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The LCANZ’s Child Protection Project Team recently released two new congregational resources supporting the church’s Child Safety Standards (CSS).

The new resources back up Child Safety Standard 2 – ‘We value, respect and listen to children’. CSS Implementation Support Officer Nicole Hall says children are safer when they are valued, respected, and listened to. ‘When children feel comfortable and informed, they are more likely to speak up about their safety concerns’, Nicole says.

She says the new Speak Up poster is designed to encourage children to speak up and to provide them with information about safe people and safe places they can approach for support or assistance.

The second new resource is called ‘Who keeps me safe at church?’ and is an activity-based resource to help children to identify their ‘safe people’ – ‘adults they would feel comfortable approaching if they felt scared or unsafe’, Nicole says.

FREE TO DOWNLOAD

You will find the Speak Up poster and ‘Who keeps me safe at church?’ resource on the LCA Child Safety page at www.lca.org.au/governance/child-safety-standards Just look for the ‘Resources’ section on the right-hand side of your screen and scroll down.

Any questions? Please contact your District Professional Standards Officer (details are at www.lca.org.au/professional-standards) or Nicole Hall from the Churchwide Child Safety Standards team, by emailing css@lca.org.au or phoning 08 8267 7372 or 0491 011 643.

14

Church to address deficit

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Meeting in Melbourne for the in-person sessions of the 20th General Convention of Synod, delegates were informed in a presentation by GCB member Mel Zerner that the church’s headquarters in North Adelaide is operating with an annual shortfall of approximately $1.5m.

While the deficit can be addressed in the short term by drawing on reserves, ‘naturally, this position is not sustainable’, Mr Zerner said. He said that, while the financial situation for the Churchwide Office is concerning, it is not unique across the church.

‘We are seeing reduced income across the entire church. Congregations are facing a range of pressures from several directions. Many are battling to stay afloat, let alone contribute to the District and Churchwide office budgets’.

But reduced congregational giving, particularly post-COVID, is only one reason for the Churchwide Office’s bleak financial situation, Mr Zerner said. The LLL, a major contributor to LCANZ ministries, is facing its own challenges, with low-interest rates over a number of years, coupled with limited lending opportunities as churches stagnate rather than expand as they have in past decades. The flow-on impact is that the LLL has needed to reduce its distribution to the LCANZ to support its work.

Brett Hausler, Executive Officer of the Church, thanked the GCB for the opportunity for the Churchwide Office to achieve a target of break-even for the 2025 budget.

‘This provides time to address the financial shortfall in a sustainable way, but also to consider how the structure and services can be designed to support the future needs of the LCANZ’, he told delegates.

‘Importantly, it gives us the opportunity to undertake broad engagement across the church, so that we understand what sorts of support our congregations want from us. We do not want to stop doing something you value and retain something you don’t value.’

Mr Hausler stressed that, while no-one can predict exactly how the changes will impact on our churchwide community, ‘we are in this together, and we will be seeking the views of the wider church as we plan the way forward’. ‘One thing we can be sure of, the status quo is simply not feasible’, he said. ‘We will be moving forwards through these challenges in an open and considered way, and regularly seeking your input.’

15

Church@Home December 2022

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Nurturing our spiritual life

We can all benefit from reading or hearing some encouraging words and experiencing a sense of God’s closeness during the week, as well as at Sunday worship. Therefore, we include these devotional pages for every reader – not just for those who are unable to attend church services regularly. Nurturing our faith at home through regular devotions strengthens our relationship with God. We pray that you will be blessed by these reflections. You will find further prayer, devotional and Bible study resources through the Worship Planning Page from the LCANZ’s Commission on Worship at www.lca.org.au/worship/wpp/prayers-devotions/ and online worship links at www.lca.org.au/worship/wpp/churchhome/

Lisa

ISAIAH 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

DEVOTIONS FOR HOME WORSHIP

These reflections are from a collection of devotions written for our LCANZ family and friends to help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus no matter what we face. You can find these and many others on the LCA website at www.lca.org.au/daily-devotion and you can subscribe to receive them daily via email by clicking on the link on that same page.

Our lament and God’s help by Pastor Fraser Pearce

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands to God in heaven (Lamentations 3:40,41).

Read Lamentations 3:34–60.

God’s people know that all things are under God’s rule, and whatever happens in our world (and our lives) happens because God permits it.

This does not mean it is easy to bear suffering, or we should simply keep our mouths shut and take whatever hardship we face without any words of lament. In fact, God gives us his word so that we may take our cares to him, knowing that when we do so, we speak with the voice of his faithful people, and he will hear us in his grace and mercy.

In the Book of Lamentations, the prophet pours out his lament over the destruction of Jerusalem and his intense suffering at the hands of his enemies. More than this, the prophet also acknowledges that his own sin and the sins of the people have led to punishment from God.

But this does not lead to despair, but hope. God allows his people to suffer in this world, including the suffering that comes from our own foolish and sinful thoughts, words and actions. But God gives us his name so that we may call on him in our need and receive the forgiveness and healing only he can provide.

The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘the Lord saves’. Our Lord Jesus bore the punishment for our sins, taking on himself the suffering and abandonment we could not stand. Jesus’ love for us is stronger than death, and his life gives us hope so that we may take our lament to God, knowing he will save us as we call on him.

Have the courage to pour out your lament to God and confess when you have sinned. Put your trust in the Lord Jesus, who saves you from sin, death and hell.

Lord Jesus, you took on the burden of my sin and suffering and pray to the Father for me. Take my words of lament, and give me the joy of your Spirit so I may live life to the fullest. Amen.

A living, growing faith by Pastor Mark Lieschke

The apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ (Luke 17:5).

Read Luke 17:5–10.

‘If only I had a stronger faith, then I could serve God better. Then I’d be able to give a better witness to Jesus Christ in my life!’

When we speak like that, we can think that before we can do anything worthwhile for God, our faith in him has to reach a certain level.

We may also think that only a person with a strong faith can ever be really used powerfully by God. We may even go as far as to say that only a person with a strong faith in God can really be sure of eternal life.

But none of those things is true. While we might think that measuring the strength of our faith is important, what is essential is that it is faith in Jesus Christ.

We’re saved by God’s grace through Jesus Christ. So even what we might consider a weak or faltering faith, when it’s focused on Jesus Christ, is a saving faith and a potential power for good. That’s because Jesus Christ connects us to the almighty transforming power of God himself.

God invites us to have a living, growing faith so we can be confident and cheerful about who we are. So, he invites us to look to him for strength so that we can give a good witness to others about our relationship with him.

So, we pray, ‘Lord, increase our faith’ so that we are not misled by doubts, fears, selfishness and lovelessness. And we also pray that God would move us now, as weak as our faith may be, to place ourselves at his disposal and let his power work in our lives for the sake of others.

Because of God’s work in our lives, we can say right now: ‘Lord, fill me with your power, and use me as I am and where I am to bring glory to you always’.

Lord God, thank you for the faith you have enabled us to have in your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Increase our faith in him so that we can reflect his love and grace in our lives. Transform and renew us daily into the people you still want us to become. Amen.

PRAYERS                                                                                 – Sourced from justprayer.org

CHRISTMAS PRAYER – ST AUGUSTINE              

Let the just rejoice,
for their Justifier is born.
Let the sick and infirm rejoice,
For their Saviour is born.
Let the captives rejoice,
For their Redeemer is born.
Let slaves rejoice,
for their Master is born.
Let free men rejoice,
For their Liberator is born.
Let All Christians rejoice,
For Jesus Christ is born.

JESU JOY         

Well for me that I have Jesus,
O how strong I hold to him
That he might refresh my heart
when so sick and sad am I.
Jesus have I, he who loves me,
he who takes me as his own!
Ah, therefore I don’t leave Jesus,
Lest I should break my heart.

– A Celtic translation of ‘Jesu, Joy of
Man’s Desiring’ by J S Bach

LUKE 1:46–49
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour … for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.

Hypocrisy! by Sal Huckel

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? (James 2:14).

Read James 2:1–17.

In some circles, we are so sensitive as Christians to the idea of ‘works-based faith’, aren’t we? There has got to be a point, though, where our belief, faith and salvation move us to ‘put legs’ on our faith and love others practically.

Perhaps some criticism of Christianity – the calling out of hypocrisy – is grounded in some truth. Yes, the whole of Christianity can be judged by the attributes of Christ’s people. We still battle the selfish desires of our earthly nature.

Jesus’ words here warn against showing favouritism to those with the money, smart clothes, good car … whatever our modern-day equivalent might be. Bought the pew, made a generous donation and worked the hardest at …

Let’s remember that Jesus has no favourites. Let’s also remember that faith without action (and without love) is dead. The workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20 also remind us that the longest and most hardworking workers are not favoured over those who came late to the party (or the field).

While we know that Christians are not perfect, just saved, let us also remember that hypocrisy has no place in our faith walk, and we need to back ourselves and our claim to Jesus’ promises with a little bit of action and a whole lot of love for others.

Lord, thank you for the promise of eternal life for those who believe in you. Help me to continue to live out my faith with actions that honour you and bring glory to your name and others to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Repentance releases new vision by Kathy Matuschka

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time (1 Peter 5:6).

Read 1 Peter 5:5–11.

At times in my life, I have hoped for something special from God. I have had a bit of a vision of what God might do and have charged after it as if I could grasp it if I just tried a bit harder. But it has only been when I got to the point of saying, ‘I give up. Just do whatever you want, God’ that I have seen a breakthrough according to God’s ways and terms.

Do you think that repentance releases new vision and hope? It’s not that God requires that we repent before blessing us, but more that we seem to keep ourselves as individuals and communities bound by our limited imagination for the new things God will do.

So, when the writer of 1 Peter encourages us to humble ourselves so God may lift us up, it’s not about manipulating God but rather about learning to face the limitations of our humanity and turning to God for our vision and hope.

The National Church Life Survey, in which many Lutheran churches from Australia take part, tells us that there are three core qualities most indicative of the health of a congregation: faith sharing, empowering leadership and vision.

Through my work, I see many congregations realising the sense of vision they had in the past is no longer bearing the fruit it once was. Might growing in a culture of repentance help these three qualities to become stronger?

Are you waiting for a new vision in your circles? Do you think that repentance might help? It doesn’t matter whether we think of repentance as naming specific sins or admitting our preference for self-reliance – repentance is all about our orientation.

Dear Holy Spirit, keep reorienting me toward the love and hope you have planted within me, and expand my vision of what you will make of this hope. For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

16

‘The church has left the building’: Mission forum told

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‘The church has left the building.’ That was the message – and challenge – from Pastor Nathan Hedt to those at the LCANZ’s inaugural online Digital Mission and Ministry Forum (DMMF) last month.

The LCANZ’s New and Renewing Churches pastor told those who attended the forum held on the Zoom platform that technological advancements, combined with the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic, presented new mission opportunities. ‘We don’t just go to church; we are the church. We are the body of Christ’, Pastor Nathan, who presented at the day-long conference, said. ‘Thanks to the possibilities of the digital world, and the pandemic, the church has left the building.’

There were 125 registrations for the forum from across Australia and New Zealand and from as far away as Japan and Africa. Session topics included online worship, online evangelism, and online discipleship.

Lutheran Media Director Richard Fox said the digital world enabled God’s love to reach millions who may never walk into a church building. ‘To hear how we can connect and build relationships in Jesus Christ with millions of people through the latest technologies is inspiring’, he said. ‘What an amazing opportunity we have been given to reach people with the hope of Jesus Christ.’

LCANZ Local Mission Executive Officer Dr Tania Nelson said forum participants were encouraged to ‘keep adapting’, which reminded her of a quote from US theologian Tod Bolsinger. ‘He said: “To live up to their name, local churches must be continually moving out, extending themselves into the world, being the missional, witnessing community we were called … to be: the manifestation of God’s going into the world.”’

The DMMF planning team will review forum feedback and consider future digital mission events and opportunities.

17

How can our churches be more inclusive?

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by Bianca Dubois

Inclusion often begins with understanding the diversity of disability; that it can be in how we communicate, our mobility or the way we process the world around us.

People and families who experience disability can at times feel isolated because community spaces are not always designed for their needs.

Most people and families report that community spaces that allow them to feel like they can be themselves can support them in feeling accepted and connected to their community.

Some practical steps to make your space inclusive can be:

  • having a quiet area for a person to access if they are feeling overwhelmed
  • including visual aids (basic and clear pictures) with your service information to help individuals with communication challenges
  • having a space in your church building where a person can walk or stand if they require more sensory input (your five senses that require stimuli)
  • providing a printed order of service (with visual aids) to share with attendees the different parts of the service and what happens at each point. This can include items such as times to sing or when everyone will sit and listen.

If ever you are in doubt as to how to support someone in your congregation, asking respectfully how you can make your communal space more accessible for them will always be a welcoming gesture of inclusion and support.

Bianca Dubois Is Principal Clinical Lead for Lutheran Care’s Positive Behaviour Support service, which is offered through its Elcies Disability Care branch.

HOW CAN ELCIES HELP?

Elcies Disability Care’s Positive Behaviour Support services can assist with:

  • Reducing Behaviours of Concern to minimise impact on home, education and community settings
  • Educating the client’s support team on Positive Behaviour Support approaches and interventions, to ensure positive outcomes and consistency for the person
  • Supporting and empowering clients, caregivers and support teams to manage Behaviours of Concern as they arise and improve quality of life for individuals
18

Church@Home November 2022

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Nurturing our spiritual life

We can all benefit from reading or hearing some encouraging words and experiencing a sense of God’s closeness during the week, as well as at Sunday worship. Therefore, we include these devotional pages for every reader – not just for those who are unable to attend church services regularly. Nurturing our faith at home through regular devotions strengthens our relationship with God. We pray that you will be blessed by these reflections. You will find further prayer, devotional and Bible study resources through the Worship Planning Page from the LCANZ’s Commission on Worship at www.lca.org.au/worship/wpp/prayers-devotions/ and online worship links at www.lca.org.au/worship/wpp/churchhome/

Lisa 

Psalm 145:18
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

DEVOTIONS FOR HOME WORSHIP

These reflections are from a collection of devotions written for our LCANZ family and friends to help us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus no matter what we face. You can find these and many others on the LCA website at www.lca.org.au/daily-devotion and you can subscribe to receive them daily via email by clicking on the link on that same page.

Worth everything by Pastor Jim Strelan

In his joy [he] went and sold all he had and bought the field (Matthew 13:44b).

Read Matthew 13:44–46.

What does it mean to you to know you have a God who loves you unconditionally, promises to be with you always, willingly forgives you and lets you start again, and only has open arms for you? What value do you put on that compared to many other things you might have that are of worth?

If your heart is set on something, then nothing will get in the way of you achieving it. You will make sacrifices, forego things, and persevere because you have put value on that thing, and it’s worth everything.

The man in Jesus’ parable who finds a treasure is so overwhelmed and so excited at his discovery that he willingly, with great joy, sells everything to gain it. The treasure for this man and the exquisite pearl for the second man in Jesus’ parable is worth everything.

Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is like this. Where Christ is king, there is a shift in mindset. All the things in life we enjoy, all the things that are precious to us, all the things we consider to be of great value, all those things we don’t hold onto so tightly that we’re not prepared to let them go. They have great value, but when we are in the kingdom – where Christ rules – that connection means more than anything. Many things bring us joy, but there is no greater joy than being in the kingdom.

The great thing is that the treasure is already in the field, and the pearl is already there. Neither man created the treasure. Neither man actually earned it nor deserved it. But on finding it, both men recognised the value. It was worth everything.

Spend a moment reflecting on the value of the gift you have been given. Acknowledge how much poorer you would be without it. And thank God. What he gives is worth everything.

Thank you, God, for giving me the greatest gift of all and for the joy it brings. Amen.

Rejected to accepted by Sonia Hulme

Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no-one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? (Luke 17:17,18)

Read Luke 17:11–19.

In our house, we have a rule. When dinner is over, everyone who ate should stick around and help clean up. That’s how we show gratitude to the cook. It’s amazing, then, how many nights the cook can identify with Jesus’ question in today’s story of the healing of the ten lepers. In our family, it translates to ‘Were not all seven fed? Where are the other six??’. Yes, despite the rule and without us noticing, children seem to slip away and must be retrieved from all over the house to wash, dry and put away the mess of the day. The very act of coming back shows gratitude, especially if they do it without being forced (we’re still working on that!).

The leper who returned to give thanks after receiving miraculous healing from Jesus was an outsider on not one but two counts. Firstly, he was from Samaria. According to the Jews, he was not included in God’s family. Secondly, he had an illness that resulted in complete social rejection. So, he really did know about life on the edge of society, and his gratitude is correspondingly heartfelt.

Over and over, Jesus specialises in going to the margins, to the outsider and drawing them in, including them, making them whole. In response, those who have been healed of much, forgiven much and loved much respond with great gratitude. I, too, was an outsider before Jesus came to me. Perhaps I still feel on the edge, rejected by others, invisible, unlovely in my own – or others’ – eyes. I am exactly the one he comes to touch and heal and love. He is not afraid of my wounds, sins, and shame. He embraces me, makes me whole and delights in my grateful response. My gratitude is a gift to him and a witness to the world of just how much he has done for me. I truly am a recipient of amazing grace!

Before you came along, I, too, was an outsider in your kingdom. Help me look with eyes of compassion on those who are still lingering on the edge of your love. Let my gratitude show itself in my love for those who are unwelcome because they are different. Amen.

PRAYER

LORD OF LIGHT & DARKNESS      

Jesus,
Lord of light and darkness,
Find us in the darkness,
Find us in the light.

Jesus,
Lord of work and stillness,
Make our work of worth,
Make our stillness yours.

Jesus,
Lord of our past and future,
Cover our anxiety with love,
Cover our hopes with grace.

Jesus,
Lord of everything,
Fill those who have nothing,
Fill us with the right longing.

Jesus,
We are your people,
In darkness and light,
In work and stillness,
In anxiety and hope,
Having nothing,
Yet possessing everything.
Amen.
Sourced from justprayer.org

John 16:22
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

Justice requires wisdom by Pastor Glenn Crouch

… they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice (1 Kings 3:28b).

Read 1 Kings 3:16–28.

We often mistakenly equate wisdom and knowledge. Of course, knowledge is very valuable and useful, but just because you know a lot, it doesn’t mean you make good decisions. Wisdom in Scripture refers to practical skills (including decision-making) that lead to living a life that glorifies God. This includes making decisions that promote justice.

In our reading, we see Solomon has no knowledge about who the true mother is, so he devises a test to discover the truth. We may gasp in horror at his proposal, as surely most did within Solomon’s court. This was not something that Israel’s king should propose! But without shedding a drop of blood, Solomon discovers who the mother really is, and she is reunited with her child.

How do you fare when it comes to making wise decisions? How much thought do you give when posting a social media post or sending an email? Do you consider whether some item you want to share is actually true and what effect it may have on those who read or hear it?

I know there are times when my decisions have lacked wisdom. I am so thankful that our Lord Jesus died for all my sins and that through my baptism, I can receive forgiveness – not just today, but every day! Forgiveness is available not only when we make poor decisions but also when we don’t listen to wise advice.

Almighty God, please forgive me for the thoughtless ways I have acted or spoken. Through your Holy Spirit, grant me your wisdom so that I make good decisions and that my words and deeds glorify your name. I ask this through your precious Son. Amen.

At the table by Dianne Eckermann

For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:11).

Read Luke 14:1,7–14.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus dined with many different people in various places. Jesus ate with a tax collector and a Pharisee, as in the reading today. He fed a crowd with a couple of fish and some loaves of bread and dined with his friends Lazarus, Mary and Martha. He attended wedding feasts and ate more privately with his disciples at the Last Supper.

These settings have one common feature: Jesus uses these mealtimes to teach others. When he went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, we are told that he was carefully watched. Perhaps some of the other guests were interested in seeing where it was that Jesus chose to sit at the table. However, Jesus also observed that guests picked seats of honour at the table. Jesus chose this moment to talk about humility.

Our modern society generally sets little store by where we sit at a dinner table, so we are unlikely to suffer the humiliation of being moved to a less important place. However, Jesus’ words still hold a message for today, encouraging us to not overestimate our own importance but humbly accept who we are, and we know we are beloved children of God.

While Jesus understands the social hierarchy of his time, in the second part of this reading, he encourages his host to consider those in greatest need, the poor or those with disabilities, and invite them to dine. Unlike close friends and relatives, it is unlikely they can return the favour; however, humbly inviting them will provide happiness for those in need as well as their host.

This is exactly how God receives us. We will never be able to repay the grace and mercy offered to us. Humbly and thankfully, we accept.

Heavenly Father, we humbly thank you for the way in which you know us in all our imperfections yet receive us as your children. Amen.

20

The idol of the self … in our church and our world

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by Pastor Michael Lockwood

Years ago, when I first began reflecting seriously on the idolatry of contemporary society, my goal was to understand the beliefs of those outside the church so I could bring them the gospel.

Yet the more I reflected on the idolatry of the world, the more I realised that the same idolatry had infected the church and my own heart too. Just as the ancient Israelites were tempted to worship the Lord and Baal as well, so we easily slip into thinking we can serve Christ without relinquishing the idolatrous agendas of our society.

In past ages, people worshipped gods of wood and stone. In the West today, we mostly just worship ourselves. This problem is as old as Adam and Eve, who wanted to be like God. Nevertheless, our society has sunk to new lows with its dedication to the worship of human beings, and all too often we Christians fall into the same trap. I therefore will explore three ways in which this idol is evident in us and our world and how the true and living God can set us free.

THE PROBLEM

  1. Who do we love? We love ourselves.

Our secular world can propose nothing greater to live for than individual happiness and equates happiness with the fulfilment of our desires. Thus, the goal of life is to get the world around us to give us what we want.

This idolatrous self-interest is not restricted to those outside the church. The reality is that we all love ourselves too much. We may not always like ourselves, but we are self-interested and want the world and even God to revolve around us and give us what we crave. Often, we put a religious spin on this. We slip into thinking that if we are sufficiently virtuous or pious, God and those around us should reward us by bending to our will. We are then inclined to get angry with God or lash out at others when this strategy fails.

Furthermore, the church often panders to this idolatry. Pastors become people-pleasers. Churches try to cater to people’s felt needs, hoping to be rewarded with popularity. In the process they lose sight of giving people what they really need, the Bread of Life.

Paradoxically, this pursuit of our own happiness does not bring happiness. We were not created to be at the centre of the universe, and neither God nor the world around us will allow us to pull them into our orbit. Such efforts just lead to frustration. It is God’s will that will finally be done, not ours, whether we like it or not.

  1. Who do we trust? We trust ourselves.

Our society repeatedly tells us to believe in ourselves and its fundamental assumption is that there must be a human answer to every problem. No matter what confronts us, we are told that human work and ingenuity can engineer a solution. This appeals to our sinful pride, which wants to be able to say, ‘We can do it’, rather than giving glory to God as the one who provides.

People in the church are not immune. All too often we say we trust in the Lord when our behaviour shows that we are really trusting in ourselves or other human beings. For example, what do we do in a crisis? Often, we call a meeting, in which we pray for two minutes and then plan and strategise for three hours. We never dream of calling on the church to pray all night as we see in Scripture, and as I have witnessed among Christians in Nepal. This pattern reveals the extent to which our faith is really in ourselves and not in the God who answers prayer.

This idolatrous self-reliance is expressed in how we relate to all three members of the Trinity. For example:

  • Our Heavenly Father promises to care for our earthly needs. Yet often our prayerlessness, workaholism and desperate groping after earthly things reveal that we are really trusting in ourselves to provide.
  • Our Lord Jesus Christ is the one who justifies us. He alone makes us acceptable in God’s sight and worthy to hold our heads up high. Yet too often we seek to justify ourselves instead and turn our own righteousness into an idol we put in his place. We make excuses, point the finger, pass the buck, exaggerate our virtues, downplay our vices, go fishing for praise and try to claim that the wrong we have done is really right, instead of confessing our sins and glorifying Christ as the one who forgives and saves us.
  • The Holy Spirit is the one who enlightens us through his word, works faith and its fruits in our hearts, and so builds God’s church. Yet all too often we seek to enlighten ourselves and turn our own wisdom into an idol. We neglect God’s word as if we are too clever to need it or set it aside for the sake of human opinions. Then we try to build the church or reform our own lives through our own efforts.

These efforts inevitably fail. Like all idols, the idol of the self demands great sacrifices from us, but then it lets us down since we have neither the strength, virtue, nor wisdom to take God’s place. Whether we like it or not, we are totally dependent on him. When we act like we do not need him, we guarantee that we will end up sinking exhausted under the weight of our foolishness, failure and sin.

  1. What do we fear? We fear everything.

Our humanistic society is an anxious place. This is the hallmark of idolatry. When we turn to idols, trusting them to provide for us and take our fears away, they inevitably fail us, so the fears remain. The same is true when we trust in ourselves or other people. The more we do so, the more anxious we will be about our performance and the things we cannot control.

The COVID crisis did not create this anxiety, but it has revealed it. In this crisis, our society has fractured into two camps, both of which are driven by fear. One side has been fearful of COVID and has trusted in human measures like masks, lockdowns, and vaccines to manage this fear. The other side is more fearful of things like censorship and creeping authoritarianism and has fought these fears with social and political activism. Whatever the merits of these respective actions, both sides would be less frantic if we spent more time looking to Jesus.

THE SOLUTION:

The God who gives us every good thing by grace.

The good news in this situation is that the true and living God wants to give us by grace all the things we have vainly tried to supply for ourselves.

This true God has come to break us out of our narcissistic self-focus. He wants what is best for us and is able to deliver. Yet he knows that this involves us dying to our destructive self-centred desires.

True joy is not found in getting whatever we want, but in learning to want what God wants. The blessed life is one that revolves around him and his will for us, which is always gracious and good. We are free to live this way, since he has promised to give us everything we need by grace, apart from our self-centred striving.

God has got our backs, so we can forget about ourselves, and instead focus on serving him and those around us as he calls us to do.

This same God now calls to us: ‘Trust in me. I will give you by grace what you have failed to provide for yourselves. I will feed you, clothe you, protect you, heal you, forgive you, honour you, empower you, delight you, instruct you with true heavenly wisdom, and welcome you into my kingdom.’

Furthermore, this God has come to calm our fears. The most frequently repeated command in the Bible is ‘fear not’.

Fear the Lord and him alone and then you will have nothing to fear, since he is gracious and he is mighty, and he has conquered everything that can bring you harm.

When Peter took his eyes off Jesus, he became afraid and started to sink.

How often have we not done the same? Yet while his eyes were on Jesus he could walk on the waves. The same is true with us.

By ourselves we can do nothing. We cannot provide for our earthly needs, save ourselves from death and hell, still our fears or fill the aching void in our souls.

Yet the true God is calling to us and saying: ‘Look to me, and me alone, in every dimension of your lives, so that your cup runs over with what my grace supplies.’

Rev Dr Michael Lockwood serves as a theological educator for LCA International Mission and has recently been called to teach in Taiwan. He is the author of The Unholy Trinity: Martin Luther Against the Idol of Me, Myself, and I.