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Dear
Friends,
In
this, my last correspondence to you in 2000, (and
I do wish you a wonderful Christmas and a blessed
New Year) I want to continue with the theme of
the "Reformation of the Heart" as I have throughout
the year. It is now time for us to work together
on the vital issue of the coming structures for
renewal. This matter invariably comes up when
people ask me questions like: "What do you see
in the Church today?", or "Where is the new life
springing up?", or "Where will such renewal or
reformation come from?"
This
issue has a genuine urgency about it because frankly
we are witnessing the old structures and the old
ways of social cohesion crumbling about us. It
is, however, a difficult issue to answer because
at present we are in an "in-between" time: clearly
the old ways of doing church are passing but the
new structures have not yet fully emerged. It
will be some time–-perhaps two or three decades–-before
they become clear. Nevertheless, I will do what
I can to respond to this issue, and my response
may surprise you. I would like to discuss with
you:
•
two structures from which renewal is unlikely
though not impossible,
• two structures from which renewal is possible
though not yet realized,
•
and five structures from which renewal is now
emerging.
My
criterion for evaluating these structures is to
always ask, "Are these places where it is possible
for the very core of the human personality to
be genuinely and increasingly transformed into
the nature of Jesus Christ?" I'm looking for those
structures where transformation into Christlikeness
is no mere accident; rather it is placed intentionally
at their very center.
Renewal
Unlikely—I begin with the two structures
from which renewal is unlikely though certainly
not impossible, for nothing is impossible with
God. The first is the mega-churches. These
have burst onto the scene in recent decades with
great fanfare. And they are, in their way, most
impressive, with enormous budgets and masses of
people and huge buildings. But they simply are
not centers of substantial renewal because they
have within them the seeds of perpetual superficiality.
The mega-church by its very nature must gravitate
toward an "entertainment religion" which turns
worship into a constant effort to keep people
occupied and happy. It must focus on a single
charismatic leader, which up to this point has
always been male. And it must pour the bulk of
its time and energy into the ABCs of church success:
Attendance, Buildings, and Cash.
In this regard we must recognize that nothing
will fail us like success. To be sure, people
are attracted to "success". But this is precisely
the problem: they are attracted to success, not
to Jesus. And the addictive character of a success
mentality effectively hinders any real progress
in the spiritual life. With "success" as our constant
appeal it becomes impossible for us to become
serious about self-denial or the cross-life or
the Sahara of the heart or the dark night of the
soul or other like matters, without which there
simply is no substantial spiritual growth.
Now,
the mega-churches do many good things, serving
most importantly to turn the thoroughgoing secular
mind toward things of the spirit. But we must
not expect the renewal, the Reformation of the
Heart, to come from this direction.
The
second group from which renewal is unlikely to
emerge is the Denominational Centers. The
reason is that these centers by their very nature
are captives to agendas and organizations that
they must maintain regardless of whether or not
they work for renewal in the hearts and minds
of people. They are captives to the political
maneuvering that comes with the territory of wealth
and position. And they are captives to old doctrinal
battles that have pretty well expended their capital.
I
wish it could be otherwise, but it is not. The
mainline denominations are at the mercy of political
infighting over various social agendas, and the
evangelicals are at the mercy of vested interests
seeking power and prestige.
And
once the specific issues of the moment are exhausted,
other issues will replace them. Now, Denominational
Centers have value in holding forth particular
distinctives: vital doctrines that others tend
to pass over or de-emphasize, a social cohesion
for groupings of churches, a history that needs
to be remembered, and more. But the renewal we
seek will not come from this quarter.
Renewal
Possible—Now to the two structures from
which renewal is possible though not yet realized.
The first of these is the local congregation.
Here opportunities abound, the main problem being
one of distraction. Pastoral leaders need to keep
their focus on the enduring work of the cure of
souls and refuse to be distracted by all the religious
fads which come their way. They need to help their
congregations overcome the inferiority complex
that comes from not being "mega", and not being
flashy, and not being on TV. Pastors themselves
must come to believe that to pour themselves into
a hundred or so people growing their souls into
Christlikeness is a ministry of immense value.
And
people must come to believe that they are called
into a life of growing discipleship which, by
its very nature, will move them beyond the trivial
and superficial. This is serious, demanding, life-transforming
work. Here again our main problem is one of distraction:
running after trivial and unproductive activities
that distract us from the essential work of formation
into the image of Christ. We need to see that
apprenticeship to Jesus Christ is our work, and
that it is a work worth it all for in it we discover
a faith that can see everything in the light of
God's overriding governance for good, a hope that
can carry us through the most difficult of circumstances,
and the power to overcome evil and do what is
right.
The
second structure which holds great promise, along
with serious obstacles, is Christian colleges
and seminaries. Here the great promise is
to take seriously the twin mandate of training
the mind and growing the soul. Faith and
learning, the life of study and the life
of devotion, academic rigor and passionate faith,
a tough mind and a tender heart, this is a high
vision worthy of our best thinking and most sustained
labor. We need to hold both sides of this vision
in a delicate balance. Neither can be diminished.
Neither can take the upper hand.
The
obstacles to this high vision are many: academics
merely for the sake of academics, turning the
work of spiritual formation into merely an intellectual
exercise, trying so hard to become acceptable
to the elite centers of academia that we lose
our vision for Christian education, and more.
Renewal
Emerging—I must turn my attention to
those structures where I do indeed see renewal
now emerging. The first of these is the small
Retreat Centers that are popping up everywhere.
I am thinking of The Inn of the Shepherd in Maryland
where Carolynn and I have just finished spending
a week of prayerful rest. I am thinking of The
Little Portion Retreat Center in Arkansas where
we did retreat together last summer. I am thinking
of Christian Prayer Retreat House in Colorado
where I did retreat last spring. And there are
thousands more, others popping up almost weekly.
Unlike the "conference-in-the-woods" that we all
know about these are centers where actual retreat
happens. They are characterized by silence, prayer,
study, worship, rest.
Now,
why would I view these as centers of renewal?
Well, to begin with they are centers of white
hot love for Jesus that do not blink at intense
formation and discipleship. It is for this that
they came into being. They are the one place where
I consistently see the pastoral work of the cure
of souls actually practiced. They all have an
ongoing core fellowship of loving accountability
and are able to minister life to retreatants out
of that core experience.
These
centers are functioning for us much like Thomas
Cahill described the preserving role of the Irish
monasteries in How the Irish Saved Civilization.
They preserve the best in the tradition of soul
care, practicing it with love and passion, showing
us how it can be done. And, when the time is right,
perhaps they can reintroduce this way of life
back into our churches where it belongs.
Similar
to the retreat centers is face-to-face groups
which provide a loving, nurturing accountability.
These are not groups focused upon "getting out
the stuff" or "dealing with addictions" or even
study of the Bible as important as those things
are. No, they are small groups which give specific
and sustained attention to spiritual growth in
the individual and the group. (And when I say
"small group," I really mean small: two to five
people. Anything larger is no longer a small group.)
These groups are simple in their format, practical
in their outlook, and intentional in their spiritual
formation. They gather together with a single
purpose in mind–to become better disciples of
Jesus Christ. Through the grace of mutual accountability
they seek to inspire one another to love and good
works.
The
small group structure which comes after the Walk
to Emmaus retreat experience is an example of
what I am suggesting. And, of course, our Spiritual
Formation Group structure is our contribution
to this effort.
House
Churches constitute another structure for
renewal. These have not taken hold in a major
way in the U.S. except for the Pacific Northwest
where the desire to avoid institutional structures
is unusually high. But in places where the political
climate make it necessary or economic needs make
it desirable house churches are growing rapidly.
China, India, many places in Africa, even England
and Canada have powerful house church movements.
(The foursquare Gospel Church in Canada recently
appointed national coordinators for "the planting
of home-based churches.")
What
can we say about the house church movement? On
the plus side they provide intense accountability
and growth, and they are a natural and effective
means of church multiplication. On the minus side
they often lack effective biblical teaching, and
providing good pastoral oversight is a constant
challenge.
Most
effective house church efforts are in two-thirds
world countries which leads me to mention the
renewal that is springing up from Two-thirds
world Christians. They bring us renewal by
teaching us to return to our first love; showing
us how to once again love the Lord our God with
all our heart and with all our soul and with all
our mind and with all our strength. I am speaking
of the witness of disciples of Jesus in Africa
and South America and Asia. These are people of
"the order of the burning heart" and they have
much to teach us. For them suffering is a way
of life and signs and wonders reflect the normal
Christian life.
It is a good investment of the wealth that we
in the West possess to use it to travel to two-thirds
world settings, not to preach to them but to learn
from them. We can go to many South Korean prayer
mountains and learn how to pray. We can go to
Brazilian street meetings and learn how to evangelize.
We can go to Ugandan churches and learn how to
suffer.
In
addition we can use our wealth to bring leaders
from two-thirds world countries to teach us. And
in doing so we should humbly receive their witness.
In some cases the witness will be unpolished,
even poorly stated. But remember, a thing can
be unrefined and profound at the same time. And
if anything, these brothers and sisters in the
faith have the most profound of spiritual lives.
A
fifth structure that has genuine potential is
the many Infra-church efforts who periodically
gather the people of God into city-wide and regional-wide
worship and teaching settings. The RENOVARÉ
Regional Conferences is our contribution to this
emphasis. Others are doing similar events. We
need times when the people of God gather in larger,
more public venues. They are a celebration of
our life together. They are a witness to the watching
world of the intensity of our love for one another.
Two
counsels here. First, these need to be intently
Christ-centered events and so they are not gatherings
that can or should be attempted by the various
inter-faith councils. Their role is in other matters.
Second, these are efforts that must do the hard
work of moving across and including all Christian
communions. Lutherans, Baptists, Catholics, Pentecostals,
Orthodox, Methodists, Episcopalians, and many,
many more. Asian, Latino, Anglo, African-American,
Native-American, and many, many more. All are
included.
I
could say more but I think I've already gone over
my word allotment. God's very best to you as you
celebrate the birth of our Savior and prepare
to step into the new year.
Peace and joy,
Richard J. Foster
P.S.
How we thank God for the exceedingly generous
support you gave as a result of our Heart-to-Heart
appeal last May. Your gifts have put us right
where we should be for solid fiscal responsibility.
Thank you! Our needs, of course, continue and
recently five couples, all friends of RENOVARÉ,
have put together a challenge gift of $33,000.00.
They have promised to match dollar for dollar
any monies given from now to the end of the year
up to $33,000.00. This is a wonderful opportunity
and a genuine challenge. Will you help us? Thank
you. — RJF
The
purist will tell you that January 1, 2001 is technically
the beginning of the third millennium and the
twenty-first century. It's not an issue I care
to debate one way or the other, but it does give
me an opportunity one year after all the media
hype to do my list of the "100 Enduring Spiritual
Classics." Actually it's not "my list" as several
on the Renovaré team have been working on it and
we have consulted with others as well.
The
idea for the list that follows came after reflecting
on the "Christian Classics" list that John Wesley
put together to help those who were pouring into
the young Methodist societies. Likewise here,
we want to give you a basic list in the field
of Christian Spirituality that you can work with
in the years to come. These are all books that
we believe can help you grow in grace. They all
have intrinsic merit. They all have stood the
test of time. And most of them have had a substantial
impact on Christians throughout the centuries.
You
can buy the books with an asterisk beside the
author from our office–simply call Marian at 303-792-0152
or use the Resources
Catalog Order Form on the web site and
fax it in. Many others can be secured through
a book store or from a .com service. Those that
are out of print you can find in any good library.
Happy reading.
—Richard J. Foster
100
Enduring Spiritual Classics
Andews,
Lancelot (16th Century) . . . Private Devotions
Anonymous (13th Century) . . . A Mirror for
Simple Souls
Anonymous (14th Century) . . . The Cloud of
Unknowing
Anonymous (19th Century) . . . The Way of a
Pilgrim /The Pilgrim Continues His Way
Aquinas, Thomas (13th Century) . . . The Aquinas
Prayer Book: The Prayers and Hymns of St. Thomas
Aquinas
Athanasius (4th Century) . . . The Life of
Antony
*Augustine of Hippo (4th/5th Centuries) . . .
The Confessions ($13.00)
Baillie, John (20th Century) . . . A Diary
of Private Prayer
Bernard of Clairvaux (12th Century) . . . On
the Love of God
Bloom, Anthony (20th Century) . . . Beginning
to Pray
Boehme, Jacob (17th Century) . . . The Way
of Christ
*Bonhoeffer, Dietrich (20th Century) . . . The
Cost of Discipleship ($12.00) /Life Together
Bounds, E. M. (19th Century) . . . Power Through
Prayer
Brother Lawrence (17th Century) . . . The Practice
of the Presence of God
*Brother Ugolino (13th Century) . . . The Little
Flowers of St. Francis ($10.00)
Bunyan, John (17th Century) . . . The Pilgrim's
Progress
Buttrick, George (20th Century) . . . Prayer
Calvin, John (16th Century) . . . Golden Booklet
of the True Christian Life
Catherine of Genoa (15th Century) . . . The
Spiritual Dialogue
Catherine of Siena (14th Century) . . . The
Dialogue
Chesterton, G. K. (20th Century) . . . Orthodoxy
Church Councils (4th/5th Centuries) . . . The
Apostles' Creed/The Nicene Creed
Dante Alighieri (13th/14th Centuries) . . . The
Divine Comedy
Day, Dorothy (20th Century) . . . The Long
Loneliness
*de Caussade, Jean-Pierre (18th Century) . . .
The Sacrament of the Present Moment ($12.00)
de Sales, Francis (16th/17th Centuries) . . .
Introduction to the Devout Life
Desert Fathers (4th Century) . . . Sayings
of the Desert Fathers
Doherty, Catherine de Hueck (20th Century) . .
. Poustinia
Dostoyevsky, Fyodor (19th Century) . . . The
Brothers Karamazov
Eckart, Meister (13th/14th Centuries) . . . Collected
Works
Edwards, Jonathan (18th Century) . . . A Treatise
on Religious Affections
Faber, Frederick William (19th Century) . . .
Growth in Holiness
Fénelon, François (17th Century) . . . Christian
Perfection
Fox, George (17th Century) . . . The Journal
of George Fox
Gregory of Nyssa (4th Century ) . . . The Life
of Moses
Grou, Jean-Nicholas (18th Century) . . . How
to Pray
*Guyon, Madame (17th Century) . . . Experiencing
the Depths of Jesus Christ ($9.00)
Hadewijch of Antwerp (13th Century) . . . The
Complete Works (Letters, Visions, Poems)
Hallesby, Ole (20th Century) . . . Prayer
Hammerskjöld, Dag (20th Century) . . . Markings
Hildegard of Bingen (12th Century) . . . The
Book of Divine Works
Hopkins, Gerard Manley (19th Century) . . . Poems
Ignatius of Loyola (16th Century) . . . The
Spiritual Exercises
John Climacus (7th Century) . . . The Ladder
of Paradise
John of the Cross (16th Century) . . . The
Dark Night of the Soul
Johnson, Samuel (18th Century) . . . Prayers
and Meditations/Ascent of Mount Carmel
Jones, E. Stanley (20th Century) . . . The
Christ of Every Road
*Julian of Norwich (14th Century) . . . Showings
($20.00)
Kagawa, Toyohiko (20th Century) . . . Meditations
on the Cross
*Kelly, Thomas (20th Century) . . . A Testament
of Devotion ($12.00)
*Kempis, Thomas à (15th Century) . . . The
Imitation of Christ ($10.00)
Kierkegaard, Søren (19th Century) . . . Purity
of Heart Is to Will One Thing
King, Martin Luther Jr.(20th Century) . . . Letter
from a Birmingham Jail
Kuyper, Abraham (19th Century) . . . Near Unto
God
Laubach, Frank (20th Century) . . . Letters
by a Modern Mystic
*Law, William (18th Century) . . . A Serious
Call to a Devout and Holy Life ($7.00)
*Lewis, C.S. (20th Century) . . . Mere Christianity
($8.00) /The Screwtape Letters
Luther, Martin (16th Century) . . . The Bondage
of the Will
MacDonald, George (19th Century) . . . Creation
in Christ
Marshall, Catherine (20th Century) . . . Something
More
Merton, Thomas (20th Century) . . . The Seven
Storey Mountain
Milton, John (17th Century) . . . Paradise
Lost/Paradise Regained
*Murray, Andrew (19th/20th Centuries) . . . With
Christ in the School of Prayer ($6.00)
Nee, Watchman (20th Century) . . . The Normal
Christian Life
Newman, John Henry (19th Century) . . . Apologia
Pro Vita Sua
Nicodemus the Hagiorite (18th/19th Centuries)
. . . Philokalia
*Nouwen, Henri J. M. (20th Century) . . . The
Return of the Prodigal Son ($16.00)
Palmer, Pheobe (19th Century) . . . Pheobe
Palmer: Selected Writings
Pascal, Blaise (17th Century) . . . Pensées
Paton, Alan (20th Century) . . . Cry the Beloved
Country
Penington, Isaac (17th Century) . . . Letters
on Spiritual Virtue
Penn, William (17th/18th Centuries) . . . No
Cross, No Crown
Phillips, J. B. (20th Century) . . . Your God
is Too Small
Rolle, Richard (14th Century) . . . The Fire
of Love
Ruusbroec, John (14th Century) . . . The Spiritual
Espousals
Sanford, Agnes (20th Century) . . . The Healing
Light
Schaeffer, Francis A. (20th Century) . . . True
Spirituality
Smith, Hannah Whitall (19th Century) . . . The
Christians Secret of a Happy Life
Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr (20th Century) . . . One
Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Steere, Douglas V. (20th Century) . . . On
Beginning from Within
Sundar Singh (20th Century) . . . At the Feet
of the Master
Taylor, Jeremy (17th Century) . . . Holy Living
and Holy Dying
Temple, William (20th Century) . . . Christianity
and Social Order
Teresa of Ávila (16th Century) . . . The Interior
Castle
Thérèsa of Lisieux (16th Century) . . . The Story
of a Soul
Thompson, Francis (19th/20th Centuries) . . .
The Hound of Heaven
Tolstoy, Leo (19th Century) . . . The Confession
*Tozer, A.W. (20th Century) . . . The Pursuit
of God ($10.00)
Trueblood, D. Elton (20th Century) . . . Company
of the Committed
Underhill, Evelyn (20th Century) . . . The
Spiritual Life
Vanauken, Sheldon (20th Century) . . . A Severe
Mercy
Vanier, Jean (20th Century) . . . Community
and Change
von Hügel, Friedrich (19th/20th Centuries) . .
. Selected Letters
Wallis, Arthur (20th Century) . . . God's Chosen
Fast
Weil, Simone (20th Century) . . . Waiting for
God
Wesley, Charles (18th Century) . . . A Song
for the Poor: Hymns by Charles Wesley
*Wesley, John (18th Century) . . . The Journal
of John Wesley ($23.00)
*Woolman, John (18th Century) . . . The Journal
of John Woolman ($15.00)
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