Theological algebra...

In church this morning I did some theological algebra. If you have been reading my blog you will know three things about me.

1. That I have a love/hate relationship with the church. I feel that it is a distortion of what it should be and that new priorities and new forms of Church community need to be explored.
2. That I have a similar love/hate relationship with being a minister. I am essentially a shy guy and it is not easy for me to be up front and trying to do the religious stuff. I know I do it well but I only know the stresses involved in doing it. I find myself chaffing at many of the expectations of a minister, and have spent the last 30 years wanting and sometimes trying to get out of ministry.
3. That my theological perspectives are (and I hate the term) liberal and that I do not always hold to traditional understandings of scripture, and church doctrines.

Given these three things, why do I stay in ministry?

I was talking with a colleague and asked her if she had her time again, would she be a minister? We both wondered if we would because we both struggle with the above three issues. "But" she asked, "where else would you be and do the sorts of things you do?" 

Last Sunday the sound system at the church was not functioning as it should, the music was not to my taste and I felt I was waffling about stuff my congregation was not willing to grapple with. At one point I was so frustrated that I felt like saying, "Stuff all of you!" and walking off the platform and going home. Again I asked myself, "Why am I doing this?"

I came up with a short algebraic theorem to explain what keeps me in there trying to do ministry... I shared it in church this morning.

In spite of all the distortions, the theological questions, the off track church systems and priorities, I still believe that;

1P + J = BP

(That is that one person, plus Jesus in their life makes one better person.)

or... that 1C + J = BC with "C" being "Community"

or... that 1W + J = BW with "W" being "World".

I believe that the way, the spirit, the flow and attitudes that Jesus showed can make a powerful difference in people's lives when they are built into their lifestyle.  I believe the world needs more of "Jesus' way" expressed and lived out. I remain a reluctant minister because I want to try to build a church community that expresses and lives out that sort of spirit and way.

Photo: My son and bride signing their life away at the wedding last week, with me doing my ministerial duties.