08.09.10
What the Evangelical Small Group World can Learn from Anne Rice
This week, Anne Rice, author of 28 books including Interview with a Vampire, one of the best-selling novels of all time announced, "For those who care, and I understand if you don't: Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out." Before you declare her once again an atheist, an ideology she once embraced but set aside in 1998 but then returned to the Catholic Church, read another statement made this week, "I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else." She goes on to cite her reasons for exiting the church, "In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control. I refuse to be anti-Democrat. I refuse to be anti-secular humanism. I refuse to be anti-science. I refuse to be anti-life. In the name of Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen."
Anne's statements reveal what many people's perception of today's church is.
- She is made up of a quarrelsome people.
- She is hostile to those whose moral values differ from her own.
- She is prone to argue and debate.
- She is an infamous group having a poor reputation with those outside of her ranks.
- Due to the reputation noted in the four points above many people's conscience will not allow them to continue to be associated with her.
Anne's statements also unmask some misunderstandings concerning those who are being the church as Jesus designed her to be.
- The church is not anti-Democrat (although I must confess, way too many followers of Christ equate being a Christian with being a Republican). She does find it her obligation to be a conscience to the community and will contradict either party when they espouse legislation contradicting God's expectations found in the Bible.
- The church is not anti-women. She embraces gender equality and the roles of each gender as they believe God designed them to be.
- The church is not anti-artificial birth. In fact, most denominations have no regulations against artificial birth control.
- The church is not anti-gay. She loves those who are gay and is willing to walk alongside anyone held captive by any sin as they journey towards freedom from that sin. Jesus-like followers of Christ embrace meaningful relationship with those who are living a gay lifestyle even if they are not striving to find the freedom Christ offers.
- The church is anti-secular humanism as secular humanism is a world-view that contradicts a biblical world-view. A biblical world-view is God's design so that humankind can be reunited with Him and so that humankind can exist in a safe environment as laws are built around the values found in the bible, values unveiled by God for the benefit of all people.
- The church is not anti-science as science proves the existence of God.
- The church is not anti-life, in fact she is pro-life for the unborn, for those who are in the process of dying, and exists so that everyone on planet earth has an opportunity to experience eternal life.
What Anne Rice is Telling the Evangelical Small Group World:
- Welcome those far from God into your inner circle/small group/home. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Matthew 9:10-13
- When inviting not-yet-followers-of Christ to your group, welcome them into your home to discuss spiritual matters, don't mention the name of your church or that your church sponsors the group.
- Be careful to speak more of Jesus than you do your church. Those far from God or those who have been spiritually abused by the church will shut down the conversation if they think you represent the organized church.
- Utilize the spiritual gifts of both men and women in group life. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
- Exhibit humility and think more highly of others than yourself when hosting a conversational Bible study. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philip. 2:3-4
- Don't allow foolish debates during group gatherings. "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels." 2 Tim. 2:23
- Don't allow discussions on political matters during group gatherings.
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