Part 2: Believe

Seeing is believing, and this week Todd presents the idea that through teaching and doing Jesus showed people the reasons they should believe. Todd suggests that this is the direction members of the New Church need to go in order to demonstrate why it is a church that changes lives. This is the second article of a three part series from Todd originally published in the Hurstville New Church newsletter. -Editor.

Last week I led with the idea that, as a church, we need to ask people to follow us. We don't need to offer them Swedenborg's life story, or a 500 page book, but rather just invite them to see what the teachings are by seeing our lives for themselves. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus called His first disciples by simply saying, “Come, follow me”(Matt 4:19).

Okay, but what happens next?

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. (Matt 4:23)

He's teaching and doing. He goes from there to give the sermon on the mount, followed by healing a man with leprosy, the servant of the centurion, and many more. Then He calms the storm, and goes back to healing two demon possessed men, a paralytic, a dead girl, and more blind men. He is teaching, but He is also doing, and doing quite a lot. It is this combination of teaching and doing that leads to belief.

The Gospel of Mark follows a similar storyline. After all the aforementioned miracles, Jesus then asks Peter,

“Who do you say I am?” Peter then answers, “You are the Christ” (Mark 8:29).

Jesus doesn't “sell” Himself and his mission to Peter and the disciples. He shows it to them. He knew that if they followed for a while, saw who He was, they would know for themselves that Jesus was the Christ. Seeing is believing. Sure, we have to take some things on faith, but there's no denying the power of seeing. The disciples and followers of Jesus saw that not only did Jesus offer healing words, but His actions were in line with His teachings. Anybody can claim to have authority, to be God's messenger, but as Jesus Himself taught us, you know a prophet by their fruit. If they bear no fruit, they're not likely to be who they claim.

What kind of fruit are you bearing? What fruit has the church born in your life? What kind of fruit does this church bear? Sometimes it can feel like we are an engineering organisation, not a religious one. We have an incredible theology, but what do we do with it that makes it compelling to believe in? It wasn't too many years ago that I was in Las Vegas at a huge automotive show called SEMA. It was an enormous event, and anybody who had anything to do with the automotive world was there. In one spot you had the Subaru folks telling us the technological wonders of their all-wheel-drive system. They made a great argument as to why their technology was superior. But then you had Lexus right down the way. They had several of their newest sports sedan there with the opportunity for us to drive it. As we waited in line they told us about the new V8 engine, and the sport tuned suspension. So we got our “truth” about the car. But they'd also set up a small test-track for us to drive that Lexus like we stole it. It was incredible to experience the wonderfulness that was that engine and sport suspension! Guess which company's cars people were talking about?

In my experience, the General Church has been long on technical expertise like the good folks at the Subaru display, but we've failed to offer the experiential component like Lexus did. It is true, we do want to lead with the intellect, but it doesn't mean we have to deny that we do have emotions. We are a religious organisation, and if we cannot be passionate about our church, if we cannot show something worth believing in, who else is going to believe? Jesus healed. Can we heal the problems in our own lives? Can we use our teachings to heal the lives of others? Let me rephrase that: We can use the teachings for the New Church to heal ourselves and others. We've been wanting people to believe that the New Church is the crown of all churches based on an ability to provide more answers, and to offer a religion that “makes sense.” Instead, we need to offer a church that “Changed my life.” There's power in that.

When you go through your week, are you showing people the cross you're carrying, or are you showing them that you are resurrected? That even though the world may be coming after you, chasing you down and mocking you, you still have inward and outward peace, that there is still a smile on your face and love in your heart. Can you imagine all your complaining co-workers saying, “You know, Joe, you never complain. You don't make any more money, don't have a better car or house, but you're always happy and content. What's your secret?” People can believe in a transformed person. The reason AA and its derivatives are successful is not because of the 12 steps, but because people who followed the 12 steps were resurrected like the phoenix!

This is not to say that nobody is looking for a church, a way of living, that does make more sense than what they are currently exposed to. Jesus did teach, so part of his appeal was to reason. However, think about the New Jerusalem. It is said to be as wide as it is long, which is to say that in it there is as much good as there is truth. People are led by both. There are twelve gates to the city. You can come in via a “truth” gate, but you can also come in through a “good” gate, and there are gates that offer a balance of both.

That's an incredible message. Most churches offer one gate. The “believe this and you're saved” gate, or the “do these rituals and you're saved” gate. What we're offering is a bunch of gates. Ideally we're showing people the gates we've entered, and we're showing them the other gates available. We're showing them the healing. Instead of telling them we are a New Christianity, we ask, “Who do you think we are?”

Todd Beiswenger

Todd is currently serving as Pastor to the Hurstville New Church, in Sydney Australia. The emphasis of his ministry has been promoting practical teachings for everyday living that combine compassion with personal responsibility to help people be at peace within their own head.