Talk Less, Preach More

I just finished preaching five weeks on the book of James, which I wrapped-up not with words from James but from Paul. Familiar words, from his letter to the church at Corinth:

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Paul's words ring with a special resonance for the missional/incarnational church. For people who are products of a post-Enlightenment, postmodern, post-Christendom mindset, the fundamental tenets of Christianity are, well, ridiculous.  But, no--such has been the case since Jesus himself: the message about the cross, Paul writes, is foolishness.

In a world where people increasingly tune out the claims of institutionalized religion even as they scan the cultural soundscape for spiritual frequencies that ring true, followers of Jesus can no longer preach Christ crucified with words alone.  We must, as James would tell us, let the way we live preach for us...be doers of the Word. 

As a church elder said to me last night, we Presbyterians sure like to hear ourselves talk.  Indeed.  Our mission field has tuned out the talk.  They need to see faithful living.