Language Problems

I received a complaint that followed Sunday's 10:25 message, one that I had heard in a completely unrelated context recently. It seems that some of my language left some people confused and frustrated. I apologized, of course, and tried to explain my use of the terms. But the person who complained was having none of it. She turned and stormed away.

The terms in question were 'discipleship" and "apostleship." The complaint was, "Why do you use terms that no one understands and that, for all anyone knows, mean exactly the same thing?" The other recent complaint was voiced over my use of the term "evangelism" to refer to everything the church does beyond its own doors. I used the term in a proposed judicatory organizational structure. One of my colleagues suggested that the term was too "churchy" and did not carry any connotation of mission or outreach.

Wait. What? Since when does "evangelism" fail to refer to mission or outreach? And since when do "discipleship" and "apostleship" mean the same thing? I work hard to use words carefully, to which even the most ardent protectors of the language can attest. In each case, I believe that I used the terms correctly and with distinct purpose.

Evangelism is everything that those who are called and equipped by God's Holy Spirit do to share the "good news" of Jesus Christ. It includes mission ministries, foreign and domestic, work for justice and peace, prophetic declarations, simple acts of service and assistance, even advertising and marketing. The Church's evangelical work is simply to articulate Christ Jesus in whatever context one finds one's self.

Discipleship is the act of sitting, figuratively at least, at the feet of Jesus, learning, listening, adhering to his teachings. It is letting Jesus care for and about us. It is to be an object of his sacrifice, understanding ourselves as saved by him, led by him, and ever faithful to his example. Through faithful discipleship, we tie ourselves to the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ. It is the Christian indicative. We are disciples of Jesus Christ.

Apostleship is distinct from discipleship. Whereas discipleship is indicative to the Christian identity, apostleship is its imperative. With discipleship, we sit at the feet of Jesus and learn. In our faithful apostleship, we are compelled outward, through the power of God's Holy Spirit, to represent Jesus Christ in what we say and do. We are sent ones, empowered ones, equipped ones, called ones. As communities of called and equipped persons, we represent Jesus Christ in the world.

There is a deeper issue here, however. Religious language, even in its proper and concise usage, is a tremendous problem. The language has been usurped by those who have used the terms as bludgeons or bayonets, to divide the good from the bad, those who are going to Heaven from those who are going to Hell. To use the terms today is risky and open to pretty wide misunderstanding. I find this both sad and challenging. It is sad because we, meaning the alternative Church movement, have allowed some to use our language as weapons against others. It is a challenge because we, again the Progressive Church of Jesus Christ, need to locate and use new terms, in new ways, for very old purposes.

This past Sunday, I attempted to equate discipleship with belief. It remains vital to the practice of the Christian faith. Apostleship, I attempted to say, is the set of actions to which we are called and for which we are empowered. Ironically, perhaps, one can perform faithful apostleship without ever having been a faithful disciples. Discipleship that takes place without an accompanying apostleship is simply philosophy or metaphysics, and accomplishes nothing in the world.

So, what are we called to do in the world? Evangelism, of course.

Rats! There I go again.

We are called to represent Jesus Christ in all that we say and do. I am sorry that the language was confusing. I will continue to work at stating the faith in a more concrete and secular set of terms.