Thoreau & The Church: Quiet Desperation

“The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation…”- Henry David Thoreau       

These words were written by a man who retreated to the woods one hundred and sixty years ago to find himself. Now, the axiomatic assumption of Henry David Thoreau is immortalized and becomes obvious in a postmodern culture down on the aftermath of industrialization. A culture that’s also completely disappointed with the church and as a result has totally forsaken Christian principal.

I was first introduced to Walden while in Middle School, but at the time I was not into reading, or the classroom.  If memory serves correctly, the only impression it left on me, was thinking how cool it would be to hang out in the woods by a pond, and fish all day. 

Now, fast forward thirty-eight years. I picked up a copy of Walden while browsing through a bookstore last week and have been pouring myself into what has become a classic contribution to American Literature. This time around--It’s speaking to me.

Make no mistake thinking I have embraced Emersonian Transcendtalism. Or, the philosophy and belief championed in the early part of the 1800’s as a backlash to New England’s Calvinism and the state of intellectualism being taught at Harvard University. 

Like Emerson, Thoreau made the mistake of confusing creation with The Creator and in the process looked to religion as many streams flowing into the same ocean. You will find a little Eastern Religion, mixed with German Idealism and topped off with a few Biblical principles as foundational to a discipline that’s more pagan than Christian.

So, why is a pastor reading a man who is both philosophically and diametrically opposed to everything the church has been teaching and holding onto for the past 2000 years?

The answer is simple. I’m in to literature and am drawn to the classics. I’ve also learned that God is the author of all truth. Where ever it’s found. Sometimes it shows up in the scientific method, other times it’s hammered out on the anvil of time and history. It’s also echoed from the pulpits across the country and around the world. Ultimately, we know His Word is true and everything proposed as truth must be weighed and measured against Scripture. As Christians we are not threatened by science, history or philosophy. And as believers we have an obligation to bring an answer to arguments presented.

However, it was not Christian Apologetics that brought me to Walden. It is the dilemma in which I currently find myself. For the first time in 30 years I am a pastor without a pulpit and it has been more than a little disarming. It has forced me to step back, slow down and bring some very big questions to the only One who knows the end from the beginning.

It has also given me a chance to observe form another point of view something I have been perusing for the greater part of my adult life. And with that, the words of Thoreau ring very loud. Listen to them again: 

“The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation…”

It’s true. I believe more so now than then. Today, the 40 hour work week is a thing of the past and in spite of great technological advances people have less time to focus on what matters most. It’s sad to say, but the majority of people are desperately running a race they can never win. The results of a society given over to materialism are evident.

I have watched young people walking in groups through shopping malls simultaneously talking, texting and listening to music as the world passes by. Texting while driving now kills more people a year than drinking while driving and the technological trend and answer to the law is hands free devices.  Google is working on a first generation prototype of their driverless car. If it works perhaps the death toll from texting related accidents will come down.

It’s impossible to get away these days. Cell phones give people instant access to us where ever we are and whenever we’re needed. I am guilty as the next person. I find myself constantly checking my phone for missed calls, emails and messages. When I’m travelling and need a hotel WIFI is an absolute must. It’s even come to the place that when I’m eating lunch, I usually bring along my laptop to catch up.

Social media is another monster. Corporations are in a constant battle with employees who spend company time on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. Here’s the question, what is it about social media that draws people? I believe it is because we are created for community and it’s not happening at home, or in the real world so the masses seek it out in digital form. Once again and at the risk of being redundant listen to Thoreau: 

“The masses of men lead lives of quiet desperation…” 

Like Thoreau, I am convinced the problem is spiritual. Unlike Thoreau, I believe the church has the answer. The question that keeps me awake at night is, “Why are people no longer drawn to the church?”  It does appear, that as followers of Christ, we have lost influence.

How did it happen? The New Testament tells us that both sinners and pagans were attracted to Christ. So were the hurting. However, it’s simply not the case today.

Do we call it a social trend?  Is it a result of something that began during the enlightenment? Or, do we blame it on the devil?  I’m afraid if we play the blame game we are only avoiding the more painful truth.

I think we should look in the mirror. For if we take an honest inventory we’ll soon discover that we are among the masses leading, “lives of quiet desperation.”  The church in general seems to have lost her most sacred connection. I’m no authority, but I’ve attended church growth conferences all across The North American Continent for the past 30 years and have watched the trends and fads come and go.

While there are glimmers of hope spread out here and there, where some fellowship either has, or is currently experiencing growth, it’s also true that leading social indicators inform us the life style of the church is not much different than the unchurched. And maybe that is where we need to start.

What would happen if the church were to stop and take a breath to seriously connect with The Spirit of God? If we were less competitive and more co-operative would it look more New Testament? If we were less legalistic and more realistic would the desperate masses be more drawn to our fellowship? If we were to actually practice what we preach would the world once again see us as authentic?

Pastors continue to drop out of the ministry at an alarming rate. Many have given up their dream of believing what they do actually makes a difference. Every week churches die and close their doors for the last time.

They once were, A City on a Hill, and a light shining in the darkness. But, something happened. Over a process of time they moved from mission to monument and became a dying testimony to what was. Their end was inevitable.

I’m convinced America is in trouble because the church is in trouble. We, the church, have been on a downward spiral for quite some time. We are going the way of Europe with Cultural Christianity.

Is there hope? Can it be turned around? Can the American Church find new life and revitalization? I think so. In fact I’m convinced. It’s interesting to note that when Thoreau wrote Walden, America was in the midst of something called, The Second Great Awakening. A period of unprecedented church growth and expansion.

When I started reading Walden and committed myself to a blog post I did not intend to write 2000 words, but something happened in the process. My addiction became evident.

You see I am addicted to the church. I used to tell my son that I was an addict and worked to support my habit. I was a bi-vocational pastor and worked 50 hours a week while pastoring a small church on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.

Today, I’m still addicted. Though I do not have a pulpit at the moment, I still find myself preaching to the choir and the readers of this blog, and on You Tube occasionally.

In reading Walden I have been challenged by Thoreau to retreat to The Book. The Book that was written over a period of 1600 years and contributed to by no less than 39 authors. It’s called The Bible. And there I find a verse that speaks to my personal desperation. “Be still and know that I am God.”  (Psalm 46:10)

I know that I am going to receive messages from some Christians who will question why I am preaching Thoreau. Let me go ahead and answer that one.

I’m not preaching Thoreau, I’m simply using a quote from Classic literature to express a point.

I’m also going to hear from some of my newer friends who are also into to literature, but not Scripture, or the church. They will inform me that I lost them when I started preaching. I’m sorry, but like I said, I am addicted to both, The Gospel, and The Bride, of Jesus Christ.
In closing, if I may refer once again to Thoreau. He said:

 “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”

Mr. Thoreau, I get it. I understand what you’re saying. I’m only sorry that you stopped short. You retreated to a solemn place and looked inward. The answer you were looking for required one further step. After inward reflection you should have looked upward. He was there, and waiting.

And to the church, we would do well to retreat from the industry of church to reflect and re-connect to The Vine. Have you noticed how over the course of the last several decades the movements have become industries?

For example: In the 60’s bus ministry was popular, then in the 70’s, door to door ministry, such as Evangelism Explosion became the ticket. After that it was expository preaching. Pastors from across the country tuned in and tried to emulate Chuck Swindoll. In the 90’s John Maxwell introduced the priority of leadership to the church. Pastors, myself included, flocked to his seminars. Following that, Contemporary praise and worship became the hot item and the worship wars broke out!

That synopsis spans five decades of church and it does appear that God was in each and every movement. However, there were times when the movements became multi- billion dollar industries.  God was, is and shall forever be committed to His Movement, which is The Gospel. But, he is not committed to the industry.

His Bride and Body are much more than business as usual. Is it possible that we who hold positions of leadership in the church have become much like the masses of men to whom Thoreau referred?

Could it be that we are guilty of buying into the industry of church?  In the process have we lost intimacy with The Spirit? Have we sat back at conference and longed for the accolades of men when the trophies were being waved and celebrated?

In the words of a Church Growth Guru, “Just a thought.”

For the time being, I have come to a place where I have no other option but to listen and wait. I think I read something about that in a letter that was written to the Churches of Asia Minor once. We call it, The Book of Revelation.

Pray for me, as I will be doing the same for you.

 

Blessings