sermon excerpts: "Life in the Fishbowl"

One of the hallmarks of living in community is the fact everyone knows everyone, their stories and their histories. Like it or not, we are surrounded by people who know us.

When Shelley and I worked in Queen’s University student residences as dons, there was frequent mention of the fishbowl effect. That as leaders in the community, people were looking to us all the time for cues on appropriate behaviour. They looked to us to see what kinds of posters we’d allow people to put up, the kinds of jokes we’d laugh at, the way we treated each other.

In this place that is the church community, the same phenomenon is at work. In every church I’ve been part of, people have secretly (or not) asked a very “important” question: “Do you drink?” as in alcohol. I know the stern Protestant traditions of our heritage have influenced the way we regard consumption of brewed and fermented drinks, I know that alcoholism is a denigrating and destructive addiction, but please pardon me for thinking there are more important issues to someone’s ministry than beverage selection. What do I believe the future of the church is, what is my vision for ministry, how might we get there?

My point being that what we do with all aspects of our lives are up for scrutiny. Not just ministers in churches. Truth be told, I’m watching you folks too, to see what your sense of faith is, how it is lived out, if there is a vision for hope. The fishbowl looks both ways.

The false prophets and apostles cajoled, badgered, threatened and bribed people into faith and belief. Paul knows of what he speaks, because as a Pharisee, those were some of the techniques he used. He was one of them. And as much as I try to stay away from “us vs. them” language, it certainly seemed unavoidable to use those terms in regard to the early Church. Whether the “us” and “them” was between Jews and Gentiles, men and women, rich people or slaves, the differences were large and near impossible to bridge.

Showcasing a different way, of humility and private devotion, Paul, Silas and Timothy, worked alongside the people "urging and encouraging and pleading" so they might come to know Christ. Paul was being watched by his supporters and critics alike. They looked to him for direction, confirmation and affirmation. So as he worked among them, he tried to live a life that was pure, upright and blameless.
Mostly this was because he was trying to model the life and ministry of Christ, because he cared so deeply for the people of this community he could not bear to do them harm. But also, in a very practical and calculating way, because if he made one slip, the entire community would have heard about it and his ministry, tenuous as it was at that time – just newly formed and facing constant opposition – would not have survived.

And as much as these verses speak to the role of community as witnesses, that what we say and do is observed and noted by our neighbours (for good and bad), it also contains some pride and satisfaction on the part of Paul, that God was able to work through him in spite of his human weaknesses. He tells the Thessalonians, “...when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God's word...” They were able to find themselves in what he was teaching them, and they could find ways of connecting to God’s glory and to God’s purpose.

For us, the task and role of identifying God’s purpose for us seems to be most pressing in our churches. How might we discover what God's hope and vision might be for our congregations in our present time and place? And also, what is feasible, given financial constraint and dwindling volunteer base?

How then, do we know if what is coming from the pulpit, or the pews, is from God or merely human misunderstanding? That too is the role of community, many voices, many opinions, many experiences can work together to reinforce truth, challenge misled thoughts and offer caring discernment. We can work with each other to find the truth that is ours to claim and proclaim.

That is life in the fishbowl, open to everyone, hiding nothing and living the best way we know how. In true community, this is a wonderful and rare gift. We are directed to live in this fashion, called by Christ, reinforced by Paul, challenged by one another, we go forth seeking truth and vision. Together.