“I wonder if churches do to people what zoos do to animals? We try to tame people, in the name of Christ. . . . We think we’re discipling people, but all we’re doing is domesticating them. It’s more behavior modification than it is true transformation. When did we start believing that God has called us to safe places to do easy things with nice people? Part of taking up our cross is taking risks for the right reasons.”- Mark Batterson
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.”- Matthew 10:16 (NIV)
Mark Batterson continues in Chapter 1 of A Million Little Miracles as he talks about a concept in ecology called rewilding. The concept involves letting nature take care of itself. One accomplishes that goal by not overcontrolling or overprotecting nature.
Consequently, Pastor Batterson views God’s will as a dangerous plan. Not an insurance plan. Therefore, he stresses, Jesus didn’t just die to keep us safe. Jesus also died to make us dangerous. Hence, Mark describes discipleship as a form of rewilding.
Thus, Mark posits, we could afford some religious rewilding. Because our original trauma dates back to the Garden of Eden. It’s detachment from the presence of God. Alienation from Creator and creation. Above all, the process amputated part of our soul.
The solution? Walk beaches, climb mountains, and withdraw to the wilderness with a degree of regularity — as Jesus did. And many of God’s greatest miracles are displayed in the wilderness.
Yet, when we stare at two-dimensional screens all day, we lose sensual knowledge. Mark explains:
“Most of us can’t get anywhere without GPS because we’ve lost our internal sense of direction. The result is a feeling of homelessness. We aren’t at home in our bodies . . . our homes . . . in nature. Honestly, we aren’t at home anywhere. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, ‘We know not where we are.’ ”
So, Pastor Batterson adds, when we lose touch with nature, we also lose touch with human nature.
Today’s question: Do you see churches trending toward domesticating people or discipling them? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Different outcome? Change the input!”