Herd mentality is a great anomaly of life. Just recently I had the pleasure of taking public transport in the CBD of my local city; as I approached the station, I was confronted by a plethora of “suits” behaving badly. I was amazed to observe the carnality of this group, obviously professionals working for the same team, their camaraderie was a sight to behold -- for all the wrong reasons; I sensed that it had nothing to do with gender or circumstance, but everyone in this group of ten or fifteen well-dressed mature-aged people acted somewhat like children. Wherever we congregate with many others our behaviour often sinks to the lowest common denominator. Well, I suppose that’s human nature.
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And it’s no different whether we’re spiritual or not, we all struggle when our circumstances bring us into the exposure of the crowd; our demeanour changes and we’re often saying and thinking things that (if we’re spiritual) bring us cause for reflection. True godly fellowship abides in truth.
And it’s no different whether we’re spiritual or not, we all struggle when our circumstances bring us into the exposure of the crowd; our demeanour changes and we’re often saying and thinking things that (if we’re spiritual) bring us cause for reflection. True godly fellowship abides in truth.
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Dr. A.W. Tozer, from a Christian’s viewpoint, attacked this sort of herd mentality “fellowship” that is unstructured and in a sense, a free-for-all. He put spiritual ‘communion’ guidelines of engagement in place that would seek to protect the spirituality of disciples. He is quoted:s
Dr. A.W. Tozer, from a Christian’s viewpoint, attacked this sort of herd mentality “fellowship” that is unstructured and in a sense, a free-for-all. He put spiritual ‘communion’ guidelines of engagement in place that would seek to protect the spirituality of disciples. He is quoted:s
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“The nervous desire for ‘contacts’ found everywhere in religious circles is another symptom of the same abject poverty of life. The lonely solitudes seldom hear now the cry of a Moses or an Elijah. These have forsaken the mountain and the desert and are now haunting cafeterias, making contacts for the gospel. Schopenhauer said, “The more a man is in himself, the less he will want from other people -- the less, indeed, other people can be to him. This is why a high degree of intellect tends to make a man unsocial.” If “a high degree of intellect” were changed to “a high degree of spirituality” the saying would still be true. “The greatest saints,” said Thomas à Kempis, “avoided the society of men when they could conveniently, and did rather choose to live to God in secret. He therefore that intends to attain to the more inward and spiritual things of religion must with Jesus depart from the multitude and press of the people.” One of Wesley’s biographers said of him, “He lived habitually with God, and only came down at stated times to speak to the people.” (Bold added later by current author for emphasis.)
“The nervous desire for ‘contacts’ found everywhere in religious circles is another symptom of the same abject poverty of life. The lonely solitudes seldom hear now the cry of a Moses or an Elijah. These have forsaken the mountain and the desert and are now haunting cafeterias, making contacts for the gospel. Schopenhauer said, “The more a man is in himself, the less he will want from other people -- the less, indeed, other people can be to him. This is why a high degree of intellect tends to make a man unsocial.” If “a high degree of intellect” were changed to “a high degree of spirituality” the saying would still be true. “The greatest saints,” said Thomas à Kempis, “avoided the society of men when they could conveniently, and did rather choose to live to God in secret. He therefore that intends to attain to the more inward and spiritual things of religion must with Jesus depart from the multitude and press of the people.” One of Wesley’s biographers said of him, “He lived habitually with God, and only came down at stated times to speak to the people.” (Bold added later by current author for emphasis.)
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“There can be no doubt that most of us talk too much for our own good. We call it ‘fellowship,’ but the results are seldom beneficial, often bad. The usual effect of religion shop talk is to vitiate the spirit and impair the inward life. ‘As often as I have been among men, I have returned home less a man than I was before.’ This has been the testimony of hundreds of earnest Christians. In the dark hours of persecution when the people of God are few and scattered how sweet has been the communion of the saints.”[1]
“There can be no doubt that most of us talk too much for our own good. We call it ‘fellowship,’ but the results are seldom beneficial, often bad. The usual effect of religion shop talk is to vitiate the spirit and impair the inward life. ‘As often as I have been among men, I have returned home less a man than I was before.’ This has been the testimony of hundreds of earnest Christians. In the dark hours of persecution when the people of God are few and scattered how sweet has been the communion of the saints.”[1]
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By using this text of the great 20th Century prophet it is hoped his words gain new breath for a small audience today, as it is as much a penetrating word as anyone spiritual will find. True Christian fellowship is rarely with “men,” as Tozer would put it, in his gender exclusive generation. True fellowship is with God, whether alone with him, or together with others -- holding God centrally in our communion. This is not a popular word, but it is nevertheless true!
By using this text of the great 20th Century prophet it is hoped his words gain new breath for a small audience today, as it is as much a penetrating word as anyone spiritual will find. True Christian fellowship is rarely with “men,” as Tozer would put it, in his gender exclusive generation. True fellowship is with God, whether alone with him, or together with others -- holding God centrally in our communion. This is not a popular word, but it is nevertheless true!
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It is over to Rev. Dr. Tozer to conclude regarding the types of ‘prophets’ the church (and the world) needs today -- as relevant as in 1946:
It is over to Rev. Dr. Tozer to conclude regarding the types of ‘prophets’ the church (and the world) needs today -- as relevant as in 1946:
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“They will be serious men whose eyes look far; and though they may be meek and lowly as the Lord whom they adore, there will be about them a suggestion of royalty, a noble reserve of bearing that cannot be mistaken. And if there is hope for the Church before Christ returns, that how will lie with such men at these.”[2]
“They will be serious men whose eyes look far; and though they may be meek and lowly as the Lord whom they adore, there will be about them a suggestion of royalty, a noble reserve of bearing that cannot be mistaken. And if there is hope for the Church before Christ returns, that how will lie with such men at these.”[2]
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Copyright © 2008, S.J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Copyright © 2008, S.J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
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