Stations of the Cross

Last night in PNEUMA was our annual Stations of the Cross gathering. We have had this gathering for the past four years, but this year was different. This past February we joined groups with an inner-city ministry that was already in place at our church. I was not sure how students that are bussed in from the projects in Huntsville would take a contemplative prayer service. I was amazingly pleased at the results. We had an incredible time with the gathering, but at the end of the night I went home frustrated.

If you are not familiar, the Stations of the Cross is an experiential service that is put together in many churches chronicling the final hours of Christ's life. Ours this year was a hybrid service that used only 5 prayer stations. What I am frustrated at is the fact that many cannot see the validity of such services from a Pentecostal perspective. You can still be a Christian, even a Pentecostal, and have candles in a worship gathering. Participating in a Stations of the Cross gathering does not negate one's Protestant Christian identity. The Stations of the Cross is not a Catholic thing to do, it is a catholic thing to do. I think that it is time for the Pentecostal church to revisit Christian tradition. Yes, the Pentecostal movement is now 100 years old. (BTW If you would like you can go visit the 100 year anniversary and listen to a bunch of preachers that I, as an emergent Pentecostal Christian, cannot believe are speaking for me and what I represent. Sorry, I guess that's another post.) However, just because we claim Barney Creek and Azusa Street as momentous times for the Pentecostal identity, we still have 2000 years of Christian identity that we must not discard.

I believe that the reformation was needed. I am not Catholic, nor to I agree with Catholic theology. I feel that many of the early Church traditions, especially in relation to the sacraments, etc., were misrepresented and misunderstood by the Catholic Church. However, I do not disregard tradition in order to protest the incorrect use of tradition. My question is this: can we as Pentecostal Christians reaffirm the Christian year? I lament the fact that I have not heard a word mentioned about Lent in many of our Churches. I lament the fact that Easter is primarily a time when we ask people to come into our Churches so that we can evangelize them as they pay their yearly respects. There is a bigger issue at hand here: we have ended up using the holy days that benefit us. We can fill out larger reports on Easter and Christmas because people come to our Churches. Besides, these are happy days, who wouldn't want to celebrate them? What about Good Friday? What about Lent? The issue of death and the cross had to be encountered before the resurrection could happen. Of course, no one is interested in dying, only celebrating victory and life. I feel the ways that many of our churches today are using Easter completely cheapens it as a holy day. If we cannot celebrate the resurrection, and identify with Christ in His death, throughout the year, then we have no business asking people to come into our Churches for one Sunday out of the year.

Please do not misunderstand me, I love Easter Sunday! I wish however, that we could get rid of the marketing that is associated with it and simply let the cross be on display in our churches and our lives. I want to identify with Christ in his death so that I can also identify with him in his resurrection. Please Pastors, consider embracing the Christian year. We are a part of a bigger tradition. I don't want to ever forget that.