Is the Church Year Biblical?

This post is primarily for you Pops! A short while ago, you and I had a discussion regarding whether or not observing the church calendar is Biblical. I came across this "Parking Lot Parable" by Jeff Meyers and found that it sums up my thinking regarding the matter perfectly. It is in story form so very easy to read. Let me know what you think!

Is the Church Year Biblical?
A Parking Lot Parable
By Jeff Meyers
Copyright © 1997, All rights reserved.
Once upon a time, Jeff Meyers and Tony Rollins–old friends who had not seen each other for a few years–met in the parking lot of a neighborhood church. They were dropping off their pre-school children at the church for Mother’s Day Out. They were such conscientious and helpful fathers. As they were walking into the church, Tony pointed at church’s sign with a grimace and a confident wag of his head: "Is that biblical?"
"What?" Jeff asked. "The sign?".
"No," Tony replied. "The sign says that this church has Lenten services every Wednesday evening. Is that biblical?"
It was early in the day and Jeff was feeling frisky, so he answered with a few of his own questions. Somewhere in the middle of this conversation, the two fathers remembered to sign-in their children. They continued their friendly debate once they were outside again.
JM: Is there something unbiblical about having church services on Wednesday?
TR: No, no, that’s not what I mean. I mean Lenten services. Is that biblical?
JM: What makes meeting on Wednesday evenings for a month or so to commemorate the sufferings of Jesus unbiblical?
TR: It’s not the Wednesday meetings that I’m concerned about. Let’s leave that out of it. It’s the celebration of the season of Lent. The Bible says nothing about such an annual event. Presumably the church celebrates Lent for a period of time on Sunday’s too. Right?
JM: Sure. So, let me get this straight. Because the Bible doesn’t explicitly say anything about a yearly observance of Lent (that is, meeting together to commemorate Jesus’ suffering and death), therefore it is unbiblical?
TR: Yeah, that’s what I mean. The Bible does not command that kind of worship. It’s unbiblical for a church to think it is pleasing God by observing Lent, or for that matter, Advent, Christmas, or Easter services. God has commanded no such thing.
JM: Wait a minute, let’s not muddy the waters. It’s not the "kind of worship" that is under discussion, but the time and theme of worship. This church does not get together on Lent to engage in a different kind of worship. Rather, the people gather to hear the Word, meditate, pray, sing–all the normal activities of worship. Lent does not actually change the worship, but the theme of the worship, especially the Scriptures that are read, the Psalms and hymns that are sung, and the content of the prayers that are offered up.
TR: That may be true. I don’t have a lot of experience with these kinds of worship services.
JM: Well, let’s assume for the sake of the discussion that no new elements of worship are introduced. What if I frame the issue this way: during Lent some Christians focus their meditations, Scripture readings, and prayers on the sufferings and death of Jesus. Is that unbiblical?
TR: But that’s the problem–the Bible does not command the church to celebrate a season of Lent.
JM: Granted. But does that make it wrong to observe such a season?
TR: Yes. When it comes to worship, whatever is not commanded in Scripture is forbidden. Lent is not commanded, therefore it is forbidden. When church leaders invent man-made seasons like this and impose them on congregations, they are binding their people’s consciences where God has not bound them.
JM: That’s interesting. Tell me about your church, won’t you? What has your pastor been preaching on.
TR: I’m a member of Calvin Reformed Memorial Church. My pastor is Rev. Reg Ulative. He’s been preaching through the book of Romans for quite some time. We’ve been in chapter 9 for a few months.
JM: How long has he been preaching from Romans?
TR: For about three years now. We believe in preaching straight through books of the Bible.
JM: Wow! How much longer till he finishes Romans?
TR: He estimates that it will take him about two more years–five years total.
JM: Does the pastor choose hymns and compose his prayers each Sunday such that they support whatever theme he is preaching from Romans?
TR: Yes, that’s the general practice.
JM: Is that biblical? Where in the Bible has God commanded that pastors preach through entire books of the Bible like that?
TR: Oh, I see! You were trying to set me up, weren’t you!
JM: I confess. You got me. But, let’s not get side-tracked. I asked you whether your church’s way of ordering it’s worship was biblical. Where does God command that the pastor order the Scripture readings, sermons, hymns, and prayers according to this method of continuous preaching?
TR: Off the top of my head, I don’t know. But this has been the Reformed way since the Reformation. Our church is being true to a venerable Reformed legacy when we follow the lectio continua method of preaching.
JM: A venerable legacy, huh? Isn’t that kind of like an "old tradition"?
TR: It’s more than just a tradition. We believe that it’s the best way of teaching people the Bible.
JM: Maybe so, but my point is that it is nowhere commanded in the Scriptures. There is no evidence to suggest that either Peter or Paul preached verse by verse through entire Old Testament books. My bottom-line question to you is: what really differentiates your church’s way of ordering Scripture readings, hymns, and prayers from one that uses the traditional church year? Your pastor "forces" five years of Romans on his congregation’s worship and this church’s pastor "forces" a year of the life of Christ on his. What’s the essential difference?
TR: When you put it like that, you make it sound like the church year is primarily a way for the church to order its readings, prayers, and hymns over time. Are you suggesting that it’s not all that different than what Reformed pastors do when they choose themes for their worship service based on their preaching texts?
JM: Exactly.
TR: I guess that makes sense to me, but I’m not so sure that you haven’t tricked me somehow. I’ve always been suspicious of the church year because Catholics and Episcopals do it. Don’t they force the churches to keep the church calendar? I don’t think I would appreciate being mandated to celebrate something that the Bible doesn’t command.
JM: Whoa, do we have go through the Bible-doesn’t-command-it routine again?
TR: No, I don’t think so. But I am concerned about binding people’s consciences with extra-biblical requirements.
JM: You mean imposing Romans on people for five years?
TR: Ha, ha, very funny.
JM: I’m serious. Why do you submit to such an imposition on your conscience? The Bible does not command pastors to preach through Romans for five years. Your pastor has chosen to order your church’s services according to a man-made, extra-biblical scheme. The people are subjected to a five-year diet of Romans. Is that biblical? What makes this scheme more biblical than Lent? Why couldn’t your pastor choose to preach through the life of Christ in a year and lead the congregation through meditations, Scripture readings, and prayers keyed into the life of Christ? Why do you object to Lent and not to Romans? What’s the difference?
TR: Hey, aren’t you doing graduate work at that Lutheran seminary?
JM: You mean Concordia? Yeah, why?
TR: That’s where you’re getting all of these liturgical ideas! They’d never teach this kind of thing at a Reformed seminary, would they?
JM: Look, Tony, sometimes you need to step outside of your own tradition so that you can think objectively about it. Besides, why do you think Reformed Christians have such divergent liturgical practices? It may have something to do with the fact that Reformed seminaries don’t teach students to think about worship and liturgy at all. I don’t need to convert to Lutheranism to appreciate many of their insights into corporate worship. We seem to have forgotten that the Reformation itself was a liturgical renewal as much as anything else.
TR: Well . . . I’ve got to run. My wife’s helping plan our church’s Vacation Bible School this week.
JM: Is that biblical?
TR: What?
JM: VBS?
TR: Get outa here!
JM: See you later, Tony.
TR: Much later!

Snowed In

Today has been one of those great and glorious days when God forces a whole entire city to be put on halt and everybody has to stay home because of the snow! Today church was cancelled and we've been holed up in our house all day while it continues to pile up snow upon snow! Ben and the kids had a fantastic time burying each other in the snow and helping cars get unstuck (4 of them to be exact) on the street in front of our house. Ben replanted our Christmas tree in the snow too. He says he never knew how easy it was to replant a tree. I put on boots and trudged to Walmart to buy ice cream for the fam (Walmart is one of those few places that refuses to be put on halt!) It's been so fantastic to be together, and have long times reading and eating and sewing. Today I finished an apron that I had started for a wedding gift...but did not have time to finish...sorry Lindsay. Now it's a gift to me!

The forecast for the next five days...more snow...with a high of 15 degrees tomorrow! So no telling how long we'll be holed up together!

A Wild Ride of a Week

This past week (or maybe three) has been a bit hairy. Our schedules have been super busy as we try to adjust to a new "career" in the ministry, but that hasn't been the half of it. Firist, our van has been having issues. A few weeks ago it starting shimmying, so we got the allignment fixed and new tires in the rear, and then just two days after we fixed that, our transmition has been having issues...such as smoking and smelling...both not good signs. So we took it into the transmition shop where they gave the car a nice transmision flush, but then told us that it's basically just a time bomb, and eventually we'll need to get the transmission replaced. Yikes! Thankfully, somebody in the church was nice enough to give us an 80's white car. It's name is "The Dynasty"...as if it's royalty or something. So our family has been looking like a poor, trashy family all stuffed into this 80's white "Dynasty" car that's smothered in bumper stickers, three car seats in the back, one car seat in the center front, and two grown ups stuffed into the front too! All we need to do next is crank up the bass and we'll be set!
So on top of all that, Julia got immunizations and some sort of infection or such on her bottom, I got a yeast infection and a plugged milk duct, and we got in a minor accident on the freeway in snowy conditions...yes, while driving the Dynasty! I took Julia to the Dr. yesterday for her problem...with all 4 kiddos...then to McDonald's...and then to Super Walmart. I was gone the entire day. While at Super Walmart, Elijah was having stomach issues...probably the McDonald's, so we spent a good chunk of time in the bathroom where the kids were getting quite a kick out of the automatic flushing toilet that kept flushing while Elijah was still sitting on it! It was funny. And then I always get these comments from people while out-and-about with my whole gang. My favorite from yesterday was, "Lady, you know what you need? You need about 3 or more 4 kids! Ha Ha Ha!" My Mom told me that I should have said, "You know what I need? About 3 or 4 fewer comments!"
Well I say all this while laughing...it really is quite humurous! Through all things the Lord's blessings have ouweighed it all! I'm amazed at His care for us. I'm typing with one hand now while holding the baby...and Miss H needs math help...so I'll close for now!

Fish Chowder....WOW!

Last night I made this fish chowder that was amazing!!!! It's from Allrecipes.com, and 149 people there gave it high ratings, so I thought it must be good, and boy was it! So if you want a chowder that doesn't taste like it came out of a Progresso can, than try this...I think you'll like it. Or if you've never been brave enough to have fish chowder, than you try this too! It's easy to make!

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups chopped onion
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups diced potatoes
1 1/2 pounds cod or Polluck, diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1/8 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM, or to taste
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 cup clam juice
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans evaporated milk

DIRECTIONS
In a large stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Saute onions, mushrooms and celery in butter until tender.
Add chicken stock and potatoes; simmer for 10 minutes.
Add fish, and simmer another 10 minutes.
Season to taste with Old Bay seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix together clam juice and flour until smooth; stir into soup. Remove from heat, and stir in evaporated milk. Serve.

Abbyism

Here is another one from Abby:

At the breakfast table, Hannah informed us that she had had bad dreams last night. So Abby pipes in with, "I used to have bad dreams too. But then I prayed to God that He would give me dreams about monkeys wearing purple tutus with polka dots, and now that's what I dream about all the time!"

I wasn't sure that I heard her right the first time, so I had her repeat it. Sure enough, that's what she said!

A Recipe for Contentment

E.B. Pusey (1800-1882) wrote this "recipe" for contentment. I find it quite helpful!

1. Allow thyself to complain of nothing, not even the weather.
2. Never picture thyself to thyself under any circumstances in which thou are not.
3. Never compare thine own lot with that of another.
4. Never allow thyself to dwell on the wish that this or that had been, or were, otherwise than it was, or it. God Almighty loves thee better and more wisely than thou doest thyself.
5. Never dwell on the morrow. Remember that it is God's not thine. The heaviest part of sorrow often is to look forward to it. "The Lord will provide."

From Elisabeth Elliot's book "Secure in the Everlasting Arms"

So Happy Together!

Ben and I just celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary on Jan. 7. It has been 8 years of wedded bliss! It's been a thick 8 years though...four moves and four kids later! Ben has been an excellent husband to me and led me along in the love and knowledge of our Lord so carefully and wonderfully. All praise to the Lord for this great mystery! We celebrated this year by going out to eat two nights in a row (my Mom is here to babysit!) Ben also bought me this fantastic bowl and watchamacallit from William's Sonoma. I love it! Anne Bradstreet's poem rings so true of how I think towards Ben, so I'll quote it here.

To My Dear and Loving Husband
Anne Bradstreet
If ever two were one, then surely we.

If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;

If ever wife was happy in a man,

Compare with me ye women if you can.

I prize thy love more that whole mines of gold,

Or all the riches that the East doth hold.

My love is such that rivers cannot quench,

Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.

Thy love is such I can no way repay,

The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.

Then while we live, in love let’s so persever,

That when we live no more, we may live ever.

Epiphany

Over the last few years, our family has been trying to incorporate the church calendar into our family culture. This year we added Epiphany to our celebrations. So we had a fancy meal, Ben led us in an Epiphany liturgy that focused on Christ's Kingship over all the earth, and we had a king's cake for dessert with a coin hidden inside. Abby got the slice of cake with the coin, which she gave to our church's Epiphany offering for our sister church in Russia. This is a picture of our King's cake. On Epiphany Sunday (Jan .6) Ben preached the sermon at our church and did a glorious job of showing how that great Dragon Satan has been thrown down, and how Christ reigns supremely now! All the kings of the earth will bow the knee before Him and bring Him their gifts! Amen and amen!

Julia Hope's 7 Month Accomplishments

Julia has had many firsts over the last couple of months, including wearing her first pair of jeans (as shown in this picture)...thanks Aunt Carol! She eats solid foods now and is a good little eater, with a bottomless pit for mashed potatoes and peas (she gets that from her Pops I suppose :-) and cheerios. Among her other accomplishments, she can wave Hi and clap. She is also sitting up on her own too (when her sister's let her that is). Oh...and her biggest one yet is that last night she never woke up until 6:30 AM. YEAH!!!! So she has finally slept through the night for the first time in her seventh-month-old little life! Julia is the happiest little baby...she just loves her sisters and daddy so much! This next picture shows Julia in her Christmas dress...Hannah wore this dress six years ago!