Choosing a Tent in the Wilderness

[HKHaugan]

In our last segment we looked at the scriptural understanding of our physical bodies being ‘tents’ in which believers live temporarily in this world.  Just as the Hebrews moved through the wilderness in caravans and set up tents so today we are mobile tents set up in a secular wilderness in which the tent is not only the individual body but also our relationships with God and one another.  “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them (Mt.18:20 NIV).”

When the bodies of believers assemble for worship and prayer they are in this larger tent.  In Moses’ time it was the ‘Tent of Meeting (Ex.27:21).’  Today they are congregations, house churches and prayer groups made up of believers who identify with each other specifically because they are Jesus centered, in Jesus’ words, in the Spirit of Jesus, consciously yielding to the Father’s direct command to see Jesus “…is my Son whom I have chosen.  Listen to Him (Lk.17:2 NIV).” 

 

The structure of this tent is the Bible, Holy Scripture.  In Scripture we find the poles that hold up the tent and the ropes and pegs that stretch it out into the world.  The material, the fabric of this tent is the fruit and gifts of the Spirit. And each ‘tent of meeting’ is different, unique.

 

This tent is quite different from denominational structures that are man-made with man-made rules and culturally influenced politics.  While they struggle to approximate Scripture they never quite make it and the result can be pharisaic denominational stand-offs in doctrine, practice and worship.  Leadership assumes power apart and above their believers to direct what the believers believe.  In our postmodern context we see denominational leadership bending to conform to the changing norms of contemporary culture and accommodating anti-biblical belief and practice.  They remind us of the old wineskins that can’t handle the always-new wine of the biblical Gospel.  We need to be cautious in the selection of the caravan ‘tents’ we choose to cover us in the market place of option in an option delicious wilderness.

 

Who can deny the rejection of biblical authority assumed in the highest levels of denominational leadership?  They change the biblical rules regarding homosexuality, employing liberation theology, promoting abortion, accepting ‘everyone’s-going-to-heaven’ ideas, affirming anti-Israel policies, letting the ‘social’ gospel replace the Cross, allowing anti-Christian religious groups to worship in Christian churches, falsely interpreting inclusivism, rejecting the virgin birth and the bodily resurrection of Jesus and politically lifting up multi-culturalism as a substitute for interpersonal acceptance and, of all things, opposing evangelism. All of these being embraced by many holding positions in denominational leadership.  They are the substance of modern and postmodern idolatry fueled by the same spirits that pushed the multi-religious atmosphere of the Roman Empire.  No wonder believers leave denominational churches in droves.  They are not rejecting Jesus but those who water down the Gospel.  The problem is not that denominations are bad.  The problem is culturally compromised leadership and the training they receive both of which have not been held biblically accountable.

 

The edge in denominations is given to tradition, history and theology presented in intellectual formularies and dogma devoid of the Holy Spirit and Scripture.  Worship is cold, formal and protected by hierarchies protecting ‘the way we’ve always done it.’  They move in a spectrum ranging from heavy institutional molds to freewheeling ecstatic expression. 

 

The saving dynamic in the midst of denominationalism is the Holy Spirit.  We find denominations themselves are made up of vastly unique individual congregations who recognize the need for a structure allowing the Holy Spirit to guide them through the Scripture.  “We are a bit different than others in our denomination” may be the cover for heavy charismatic involvement while the ‘others’ are so-called traditionalists.  This is a cross-denominational dynamic. It infers that the Gospel of salvation in Jesus alone is being preached, taught, practiced and spread in their location. 

 

For some of those denominational congregations the cultural walls of separation from God may be so strongly built that they are led to move into those tents where they are biblically freed and fed to live Jesus as He taught and continues to teach through the Spirit.  To remain behind those towers of Babel is to not only accommodate and affirm their idolatry but also to become vulnerable to the spiritual contagion they carry. Point to ponder is this.  Is the leadership more concerned about conformity to their rules and canon laws or is the Scripture their criteria for discussion and mediation?

 

The choice of a ‘tent’ we choose to be our ‘Tent of Meeting’ has to be soaked in prayer, led by the Spirit and confirmed by Scripture in the fellowship of the ‘two or three’ gathered in Jesus’ name.  But the real measure of the ‘Tent’ is the larger Tent known as the Body of Christ.  That we explore in the next segment.