Response to neformalai

Here is the English response I posted in Lithuanian on neformalai. I am sorry that it took so long to post in both locations!

Hello!

My name is David. I am the pastor of Kelyje. Thank you for you suggestions and comments. It seems that there are 47 already. I am shocked!

First I want say that the coffee is not the point! Understand it is clear that our form is different but we think that the form must fulfill some function. This means that we must first talk about the function of the church gathering.

The church’s primary functions (we can’t separate them) are to worship God, encourage one another, participate in the Lord’s Supper, etc. We need to understand that if we would be in Africa or China the forms would be even more different, right?

Of course we have only begun and are ready to change and to readjust. As it is written in the subtitle of one book, we are an “experimental church.”

I am sure that many of you doubt that we can worship God while drinking coffee. But this is a fundamental misunderstanding. Too often we separate “holy things” from “worldly things.”

Can we only worship God on our knees, or lifting hands in prayer? What is reverence? Is silence reverence? Is God so boring that to be in his presence we must be uncomfortable? Perhaps the traditional (Evangelical, Charismatic, Pentecostal, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, or other) church’s form actually does prevent the church from growing as Dangis has written?

There is no doubt value in tradition; one cannot escape its influence. Yet, we must be conscious of our context and seek to make our gatherings meaningful. For example, the Lord’s supper was instituted by Christ himself and we are reminded in a small way of what “form” that is supposed to take by Paul. But sill that is not completely clear. In order to keep it understandable in today’s context we must review and remind people about the meaningfulness of the bread and wine and its primary context within the Passover story of Judaism. We must keep this story alive.

However, when it comes to other traditions, standing, kneeling, sitting, singing, reading responsively, listening or discussing, lifting hands, lighting candles, burning incense, or other things that I can’t think of, I think God doesn’t really care. What God cares about is that our heart is right. Remember, the Pharisees were meticulous in their keeping of the law (religious gatherings forms) but their hearts were not right. Jesus on the other hand got into all sorts of trouble because he ate with the tax collectors, prostitutes, and enjoyed a good party! He was even accused of being a glutton and a drunkard! Yet, Jesus lived a sinless life.

There is meaning in the form of worship and the form of the gatherings. However, that meaning is not fixed. That is, it can change over time or in different places. Meanings are derived to the meaning we assign to them as a culture, community or church. It is possible to assign new meanings, reinterpret old meanings, or revitalize meanings in an effort to make them more meaningful or relevant to our day.

The modern age is passing and the postmodern age is arriving. Too often we have, without thinking fully about the implications, just accepted the modern traditional “forms” as “normal” and “acceptable” for our postmodern time. Is it possible that during this transitional time there will be a lot of trial and error? Of this possibility I am sure. We at “Kelyje” are experimenting with new forms and new meanings, redefining and revitalizing the old traditions and traditional concepts. Basically, everything is on the table for discussion in terms of forms and meanings, even our traditional theological understandings. While we realize that this will bring up a lot of questions and doubts about our “orthodoxy” we are open to talking about all of this. I think God can handle the questioning. Actually, I think it is quite good for us.

I hope that this is the first of many conversations. I have started my own blog here and Kelyje has a blog here. The best way to get acquainted with what is going on at Kelyje is to join us at one of our Sunday gatherings at 16:00. Please do not misinterpret this as “sheep stealing!” This is not my desire or my intent! If you are going to a church keep going! That doesn’t mean you can’t stop in and check us out and see for yourself what we are doing. If you don’t attend anywhere or if you are not a follower of Jesus, I personally want to invite you to check us out.