Friday, 09 November 2007
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AA as Gospel Community?
When things get stressful do you think to yourself, "I really need to double up on church services!"? That's what I heard from this girl who became a drug addict and is now going to Alcoholics Anonymous. In fact, she says that AA changed her life. Many have commented that AA provides the best community experience in America, where as churches provide one of the worst.
In AA, everyone openly admits that they are seriously in trouble, and in need. They gather together as "sinners," who will have to continue to seek help for the rest of their lives. They freely confess to one another, graciously accept each other, and humbly seek God (Higher Power in AA lingo) together.
In most churches (of course, there are many gospel churches out there) you are considered "a saint" presently. Maybe you've struggle with sin in the past, but transformed by the power of God, you are now in a position to minister to others, not seek help yourself. Unlike Paul, who thought of himself as a great sinner to his last days, modern churches thinks of sinners as people "out there" or people that we once were. Many simply become very good at hiding their sin. Therefore, when an occurence of real and present sin is revealed in the church, everyone is shocked.
If the church desires to grow as a Gospel community, it would benefit from AA's lessons: We gather as sinners in need, not as saints who are beyond that. We never outgrow the basic Gospel message of sin, Christ and forgiveness, even in "maturity." We are real sinners with real sins. Of course, God transforms, but we are still always and ever in desperate need of Christ. This was the great insight of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in Life Together, when he talked about the Cross and confession being a breakthrough to Gospel community. Unlike AA, however, the church should be Sinners Onymous because we are not afraid to be sinners and public witnesses to the grace that we receive.
Currently Reading
Life Together: The Classic Exploration of Faith in Community
By Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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Comments (7)
True true... It reminds me of one small group meeting when a Christian Counselor shared something similar.
She was a counselor sitting in on a spousal abuse support group. Each member of the group shares about their week, each member has to confess if they struck their spouse or thought about it. Through their confessions of weakness they share and try to encourage and pray for one another. She then said "shouldn't that be what church community should be, where we can be honest and share all of our struggles without fear? Aren't we all sinners after all?". I got excited, cuz that led into a conversation about grace.
Unfortunantly, in our Confucian influenced faith, we always try to make sure we look good and not bring shame to our "Father". Trying to bring Him Glory through our actions and not realizing that "the Gospel is very light of the glory of God." - Tim Kellar.
While saving face, we miss out on grace.
http://www.urbana.org/_articles.cfm?RecordId=1147
in Him, peace
Hello Mr. Lee,
You worked hard to make your site simple yet elegant. I see that you have a strong desire to serve God. Now is a good time! I recommend the one true God, Jehovah.
I like to write articles about God and religion on my site to help people to really get to know God, especially in these troubled times: 14 "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world. It will be a witness to all nations. Then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14) (NIRV) I hope you get a chance to look at them.