redirecting the church’s drama

8/11/2019 Redirecting the Churchs Drama

1/11

59JBC 28:2 (2014): 5969

Redirecting the Churchs Drama

by WILLIAM R. EDWARDS

William R. (Rob) Edwards (M.Div.) is pastor of Mercy Presbyterian Church in Forest, Virginia. He is theauthor of the Banner Booklet, Study Guide for John Owens Te Mortification of Sin.

Second Corinthians is Pauls most personal letter. To be personal, of course, there

must be history. And Pauls difficult history with the church in Corinth makes

it all the more personal. When Paul first arrived in Corinth, he remained for a

year and a half, teaching and preaching (Acts 18:11). He returned on at least two

more occasions (2 Cor 13:1) and at times sent others when there were troubling

reports (1 Cor 4:17; 2 Cor 12:18). Tese visits were not happy ones. Divisions,

idolatry, and deep patterns of sin abounded.

Some in Corinth had openly questioned Pauls intentions and mischaracter-

ized the motives of his ministry. Tey felt wronged by him. In response, they

reviled him. But Paul persevered, reminded of Jesus words, I have many in this

city who are my people (Acts 18:10). In 2 Corinthians, he appeals to them once

again.Tis article will focus on chapter 7, verses 216 of that letter, which reflectsthe depth of Pauls relationship with the Corinthians and demonstrates how he

ministers to a difficult church.

In this passage, Paul writes with words that are full of emotions: comfort,

affliction, joy, grief, fear, longing, affectionnot mentioned once but repeat-

edly. Reading it brings the word drama to mind. Many ups and downs, highs

and lows, appear in quick succession. Many people have lives that are full of

drama. You may be one of those people. Or, you may be one of those peoplewho try to avoid drama. But if you are part of the church, then youre part of a

drama whether you want to be or not. In the New Testament, surely the church


2/11

60 REDIRECTING THE CHURCHS DRAMA | EDWARDS

in Corinth is the best example of such drama. I want to call attention to the way

Paul addresses ithow he participates in the drama. We will benefit from observ-

ing his approach and considering what we might learn about entering the drama

of the church.

To do that, I am going to explore how Pauls interaction with the Corinthian

church shares a resemblance with improv, an exercise in theater that operateswithout a set script. Te storys direction depends on improvisation. Te actors

carry the story forward by their immediate responses to one another. Lines are

not written out. You never know for sure how the story will progress. It relies on

how each performer replies to the other.

In order to make this comparison between Pauls approach to the Corinthi-

ans and improv, let me first provide a brief description of three kinds of responses

that performers can offer as the drama unfolds. Tey are: blocking, accepting,

and overaccepting. Blockingis a response that threatens to shut down the story

by killing the action. For instance, if one actor says, Come see my new car!

and the response is, No, Ive got other things to do.thats a block. It refuses

to take up the action offered by the other.

Accepting, on the other hand, goes along with the story line that has been

initiated. Te response allows the story to proceed. Come see my new car!

Wow.Te new Subaru BRZ! I cant imagine how you could afford it. Te story

continues to play out and move forward in the direction offered by the other.Overaccepting, as the descriptor suggests, accomplishes something greater.

Rather than simply accepting the action as offered, overaccepting moves the

drama in a different direction. When you overaccept, you take the lead. Come

see my new car!Wonderful! Give me the keys. Lets go to the beach! Tis

response takes control of the story line and introduces new possibilities as the

drama continues. Te story is now about something greater.

As we consider Pauls interaction with the church in Corinth, the term over-

acceptingcaptures his approach. Tere is drama in Corinth. But in his response,

he sets a new trajectory. He doesnt block, nor does he simply accept. Paul over-

Overaccepting moves the drama in adifferent direction.


3/11

61REDIRECTING THE CHURCHS DRAMA | EDWARDS

accepts.1His response redirects the drama toward something greaterGod and

his grace. Tis allows the gospel to enter the story. It is how he ministers to a

difficult church. And we, too, can learn from Paul how to act in the drama of

our churches todaynever blocking, and not simply accepting, but always over-accepting.Tis is the role we must learn to play so that, like Corinth, our churches

will be directed toward God and his grace.

Redirecting Requires the Awareness of Gods Presence

Lets review what happened in Corinth. Pauls words in 2 Corinthians 7 make

it easy to see the drama. In verse 2, Paul counters charges from the Corinthians.

He writes: We have wronged no one; we have corrupted no one; we have taken

advantage of no one.Drama.

Further down, Paul refers to another letter hed recently written (one we

dont have) that caused grief (v.8). Paul even admits he initially regretted this

earlier letter, probably concerned he made things worse.

More drama.

Ten in verse 12, we see what likely instigated the most recent emotional ex-

change: one individual had wronged another with a personal aff

ront (most likelyPaul himself had suffered the wrong).

Drama!

But again, Pauls response to the drama is all-important. He doesnt block

by refusing further involvement or by becoming defensive. Nor does he simply

accept, allowing their affront to control their relationship. He overaccepts. He

redirects the drama. Pauls response shows how this drama in the Corinthian

church is to be the setting for something much greater.

Lets examine how he does this.

Tere are several places where Paul takes control of the discourse and steers

it in a new direction. He talks about the affliction he and his ministry compan-

ions have experienced: fighting without and fears within (v.5). Hard things.

However, he quickly breaks in a different direction in verse 6: But God But

God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us. Its important to note how Paul

experienced this comfort. He had sent Titus to Corinth and Paul was anxiously

awaiting his return. When he did not find Titus in Troas, Paul went further to1 Others have recently applied the category of overaccepting in various ways to Christian thoughtand practice. For theology, see Kevin J. Vanhoozer,Te Drama of Doctrine: A Canonical-linguistic

Approach to ChristianTeology(Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2005), 340. For ethics, seeSamuel Wells, Improvisation:Te Drama of Christian Ethics(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2004), 131-40.For ministry, see L. Gregory Jones and Kevin R. Armstrong, Resurrecting Excellence(Grand Rapids, MI:Eerdmans, 2006), 138.


4/11


Macedonia, where Titus finally arrived with news of events in Corinth (2 Cor

2:1213; 7:7). Te coming of Titus comforted Paul. But notice something im-

portant: Paul credits God for the comfort. While Paul rejoiced still more at

Tituss encouraging report from Corinth (v.7), he recognizes it is all Gods doing(v.6). Paul expands the narrative outward from the human drama to where we are

able to see Gods involvement.

Gods presence is vital at every point as Paul participates in the churchs

drama. Paul has received comfort from God and goes on to say that God is also

present in grief. Pauls previous letter grieved the Corinthians. It caused deep

hurt. Well discuss this in greater detail later, but Paul calls their grief godly

grief (v.9).T

e point here is that God is present in the dramatic highs as wellas the deep lows.

Tis is further seen when Paul mentions the wrong done: one is guilty of a

wrong, and another suffered the wrong (v.12). But Paul directs attention away

from both persons because there is something greater to see. Te drama must

never narrowly focus on the offender or the victim in such wrongs. Again, Paul

overaccepts. He draws their attention to Gods presence. Te greater drama is

revealed when Paul describes this wrong as an opportunity that your earnestness

for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. More significant than the

immediate hurt that has their attention is how their relationship plays out in the

sight of God.Te same is true for the drama that occurs in our day. Its never simply about

you and me or the hurt between us. Te drama draws us into something much

larger. Can you see the drama in your life this waywhether its drama in the

church, drama among family or friends, or the inner drama of your soul? Do you

see it unfolding in the sight of God, as part of a drama he is directing to display

his grace? Can you discern how he is present? Or is God absent as you look upon

the drama playing out in your life?

Let me come at these questions in a slightly different way. In your responses

to others, whats the controlling story? Do wrongs, hard feelings, and worldly

grief (in other words, grief that has nothing to do with God) direct the course of

your relationships? Or, aware of Gods presence, will you overaccept as Paul does,

Gods presence is vital at every point as Paulparticipates in the churchs drama.


5/11


and learn to respond in ways that direct the drama toward God and his grace?

Te Old Testaments account of Joseph provides a powerful example of over-

accepting. Josephs father favors him. Because of this, Josephs brothers hate him

and they sell him into slavery. Away to Egypt, gone forever.Familydrama. Butwhat happens when his brothers come before him again, and Joseph has the up-

per hand? Tis is what Joseph says to his brothers once his identity is revealed:

And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me

here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. Te drama is redirected. He

says, So it was not you who sent me here, but God (Gen 45:5, 8). He overac-

cepts, aware of Gods presence even in great wrongs.

Later he tells them, You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good(Gen 50:20).Tere is a larger story directed by God. Joseph envisions all of the

grief that he experiencedand surely it was great griefin the sight of God.Tis

drama is not directed by the wrongs done, but by God and his grace.

Similar to Pauls correspondence with the Corinthians, Josephs response to

his brothers models how we must engage the drama in our lives in view of the

larger story of Gods redeeming work. Lets now return to the account of the

Corinthian church and consider how overaccepting also relates to our emotions.

Redirecting the Emotions, Too

As Paul participates in the drama of the church in Corinth, he does not merely

seek reconciliation. He also aims to redirect the emotions experienced by the

Corinthians as a result of their conflict. To do this, he connects his emotions and

theirs to what God is doing in the midst of the drama.

As weve seen, Pauls words to the Corinthians are full of emotion. Teres

affliction, joy, and grief, together with longing, mourning, and zeal (v.7). We

should not overlook the importance of this full range of emotions. Each of them

has a place in the church.

Returning to our theater analogy, performers need to know more than the

correct lines. Skilled performers also express the correct emotions. Its possible to

memorize a script but fail to convey the emotions that correspond with whats

said. For instance, as we think about the church gathered for worship, our litur-

gies may include an affirmation of faith from a historic creed, confession, or cat-

echism. Tese are valuable, and wonderful to have memorized. But they shouldengage more than our minds.Te lines from our liturgies should also elicit emo-

tions that match what we state in our words.

Heres an illustration to help us consider this further. When my wife and I

are watching a movie and there is an emotional scene, I may look over at her and


6/11


jokingly ask, Are you crying? I dont want to admit that I may have a tear in

my eye as well! Tey may be tears of joy because of something wonderful or tears

of grief produced by something terrible. We can be filled with emotion, even

through a fictional script. Why does that happen? Because we get wrapped up in

the story. We believe into it. Te drama captures our hearts and emotions follow.

Surely the reality of Gods grace must likewise capture us. Paul tells the Cor-

inthians that God made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might

become the righteousness of God (2 Cor 5:21). We must not merely compre-

hend these lines as script. As we believe into the dramawrapped up in the com-

pelling account of God and his grace shown in Christit must be expressed in

our emotions as well. Te love of Christ must control usour thoughts, words,actions, andemotions (2 Cor 5:14).

So we should always ask whether our emotions are in keeping with Gods

grace. Its not enough to feel; feelings should fit with what God is doing.

We see this by reflecting further on what Paul says about grief. Remember

that Paul initially regretted the letter he had sent, because he feared how it would

be received. But he no longer regretted it because he saw that their experience of

griefa powerful emotionwas in keeping with what God was doing. It was

godlygrief.

Lets briefly consider what Paul means by godly grief and worldly grief.

Whats the difference? Tey probably feel quite similar. However, we see the pri-

mary difference in the outcome. Godly grief produces repentance that leads tosalvation without regret (v.10). In other words, godly grief turns us to God. He

uses it to direct us to him in repentance as we examine ourselves before him. But

worldly grief produces death. It has no reference to God. Its a feeling from

which God is absent. It may lead to anger, self-pity, or despair, but it wont lead

to repentance and will never lead you to God. Te difference is great. One form

of grief is experienced in relation to God. But in the other he is not present, so

it can never lead to an experience of Gods grace; it will never lead to salvation.

Paul admits to causing grief and he, himself, had suffered wrong. Tere were

hard feelings all around. Even so, he says, make room in your hearts for us

(v.2). Tat asks a lot given their difficult history. But it is an imperative. Paul

tellsthem to do it. Despite hard feelings in difficult relationships, were not to be

Godly grief turns us to God.


7/11


slaves to our emotions. While affirming that emotions matter, they are not to be

our masters. So Paul redirects their emotions. He relates both the highs and the

lows to God and his grace, and then calls on the Corinthians to make room in

their heartsto warmly receive Paul once again. It may take some work though.It reminds me of a situation I find myself in occasionally. My wife and I have

a three-bedroom house. With three children, all of our rooms are full. We have

to make room if visitors spend the night. We could say, We dont have room

for you. But that is an excuse. We can make room, usually by moving our son,

William, out of his room and into ours, cleaning up, and changing the sheets.

We make room.

Will the Corinthians make room in their hearts for Paul? Maybe things haveto be moved around. Maybe something has to be moved out or cleaned up.

Maybe its pride, a sense of being wronged, or unwillingness to forgive. We must

first address these things in our hearts if were to make room for others. Again,

the love of Christ must control usnot our emotions (2 Cor 5:14). We must

consider how God made room for us at great sacrifice as we consider how we are

to make room in our hearts. Are we rehearsing Gods grace or are we replaying the

pain we felt because of someones words, what the person did or did not do? Are

our hearts closed, or is there room as we look upon the drama of our own lives in

relation to what God has done for us in Christ?

Tink of Joseph once again. He could have rehearsed a long history of hurt

and pain. He could have wallowed in his experience of rejection and betrayal, the

many ways he had been wronged, beginning with his brothers great sin against

him. But he acted on something much greater, confident of something larger that

God was accomplishing.Tus despite all he had endured, Joseph still had room

for his brothers in his heart.Paul wants this for the Corinthians. He focuses on the opportunity the

wrong creates to draw out a response that is fully shaped by Gods grace, out-

wardly and inwardly, in their actions as well as in their emotions.

Confidence in Gods Drama

Finally, in the midst of lifes dramaincluding drama in the churchwe can live

with great confidence. Paul did. Even as he talks about grief, he expresses complete

confidence in the Corinthians despite the many problems and recent wrongs.Te opening verses of 1 Corinthians provide a great example of this. In Pauls

salutation, he addresses them as the church of God . . . those sanctified in Christ

Jesus, called to be saints (1 Cor 1:2). He does not identify a precious few in

Corinth with this greeting, but designates the entire congregation as saints, sanc-


8/11


tified, those who are set apart, despite significant patterns of sin in the church.

Do you see what Paul is doing? He is overaccepting. He is not accepting them

for who they are. Much needs to change. He is not overlooking their sin. In fact,

2 Corinthians ends with strong warnings. Paul says, Examine yourselves, to see

whether you are in the faith (2 Cor 13:5). But we see that from the beginning,

Paul accepts them for who they now are in Christ. He calls them to greater faith

by reminding them of their new identity in Gods dramaas sinners who are

sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints.2

Many in the Corinthian church are not acting like saints, yet it is who they

truly are in Christ. Paul, therefore, calls them to a life together that expresses this

new identity. Paul relates to them based on who they are in Christ, not who they

are in themselves. And we must do the same in the church. We overaccept. We

respond to one another based on the confident hope of what God has done for

us in Christ, assured that God is continuing to work out his salvation in the lives

of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Lets return to our passage. In 2 Cor 7:4, Paul speaks with great boldness,

and tells the Corinthians, I have great pride in you. Paul boasts about them

to Titus, speaking gracious words with great hope, even before this most recent

wrong was resolved (v.14). And finally he says, I have complete confidence in

you (v.16). Teir personal history did not give Paul reason for such confidence.But his certainty was in the power of Gods grace. He knew Gods great plan for

the church to be a people gathered in Christ who triumph over sin through the

gospel. His confidence in the Corinthians expresses his confidence in Jesus Christ

dwelling among and within them (2 Cor 13:3, 5). God will surely lead his people

to greater faith and repentance in his sight as he conforms them to the image of

his Son.

We must express this same confidence with one another in the church. We

cannot allow the human drama to set the boundaries of our hopes and expecta-

2 Paul takes this same approach in Romans 6:111 and Colossians 3:117. Our identity in Christ,and our union with him in his death and resurrection, is the basis of our further progress in sanctifica-tion. Before our lives will change, we need to see who we are in relation to Christ. Similarly, in Hebrews10:14, the writer states, For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sancti-fied. Already perfectedsaintsyet with much sanctification still to take place.

Our reactions and responses to one anothershould reflect our certainty that God is

present and full of grace.


9/11


tions in our relationships. Our reactions and responses to one another should

reflect our certainty that God is present and full of grace. Without this larger

story of redemption guiding our relationships, we may withdraw from others

because of hurt and grief. Or, on the other hand, we may lay down ultimatums to

immediately rectify wrongs. Paul, however, models something entirely different.

Following him, we can relate to others with the assurance that he who began a

good work in us will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil 1:6).

Tis is the hope that allows us to boast in one another with complete confidence,

speaking good words with great hope, even as we continue to bear with one an-

other through painful drama.

Closing Scene

Scripture is sufficient, revealing all things necessary for both doctrine and life.

Nonetheless, it does not function as a complete script that provides full and

ready replies for the drama we may immediately face in the church. We must be

prepared to practice improv, with Pauls counsel clearly in mind: Let your speech

always be gracious . . . so that you may know how you ought to answer each

person (Col 4:6). Paul exemplifies this in his relationship with the Corinthian

church, and we must learn the same. Here is why: if God and his grace do notpermeate the churchs drama, then it will be directed by how we wrong and sin

against one another.

What would overaccepting look like in our churches? Pastors frequently deal

with conflict. In many occasions, we may be at the center of the conflict. Perhaps

someone is dissatisfied with our leadership, pastoral care, preaching, or simply

our personalities. We take it personally because, of course, it is personal. Te

temptation, however, is to respond in a way that makes it only about us. We may

block, dismissing the individual as one who causes trouble. Or we may accept,

constantly worried about what the dissatisfied person thinks and always seeking

to please. Such strategies only amplify the human drama.

Paul overaccepts, even as the drama swirls around him due to their dissat-

isfaction with him and his ministry. Yes, its personal, but the drama is about

something greater than Paul. Convinced of this, he continues to minister to them

in the midst of their personal conflict by redirecting the drama toward God and

his grace. Te difficulties in their relationship become an opportunity for min-istry because Paul knows that God is present. And he responds in a way that

makes Gods presence clear to the Corinthians, too. We must be ready for such

opportunities, even when we are thrust toward the center of the drama. Whether

criticisms are unfounded or well deserved, our role is to participate in a way that


10/11


leads the drama toward the greater story of Gods grace, which is always most

clearly displayed in our weakness.

Lets take criticisms directed toward preaching as an example. Paul identifies

preaching as central to his ministry (1 Cor 1:17). Yet he was not immune to criti-

cism and comparisons with others who were more skilled in speaking (1 Cor 2:2

5; 4:6; 2 Cor 8:18). Paul alone is on record as lulling someone to sleep through

his preaching (Acts 20:9)! Of course, pastors are often their own worst critics, so

criticism from others magnifies insecurities already present. Overaccepting must

begin with our own personal assessment. When we experience feelings of failure,

we must first remind ourselves of Gods presence and the larger story of his grace.

Are my emotions of dejection, insecurity, and failure in keeping with what Godis doing? Likely such feelings demonstrate that Ive placed myself at the center of

the drama. God, however, works through my weakness so others are led to rely

on him and not upon me, or on my performance in ministry.

So what should the response be to those who are dissatisfied with our preach-

ing? How are we to address their criticisms? First, where weakness is evident it

should be admitted. Overaccepting is not a maneuver to avoid self-examination

by shifting all attention away from ourselves. Instead, our weakness and failure

becomes the starting point to talk about the larger story of Gods grace. With

this recognition, rather than responding defensively (which would only serve toaccept the drama as initiated),we overaccept by exploring with the dissatisfied

person, how God works through his Word. I must graciously inquire as to how

I, the person preaching, am the focus of concern rather than Christ, the per-

son Gods Word points to. Have I contributed to this in some way? Or has the

person taken issue with the preaching because of matters related to personality,

preference, or style? In exploring these questions, we also avoid blocking as we

seek input. And as we place preaching in the larger setting of Gods work of re-

demption, we can also enlist the persons prayers, not only for ourselves, but also

that others would clearly hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed through the

preaching of Gods Word.

Of course, all of the drama in the church doesnt revolve around the pastor.

If God and his grace do not permeate thechurchs drama, then it will be directed by

how we wrong and sin against one another.


11/11


Every participant in the churchs drama must learn to overaccept. And leaders in

the church must help others learn to play this role.Te church is full of many sub-

plots, at times competing with what should be the primary story thats centered

on Christ. In our relationships within the church, others may seek to enlist us

to play a role in their personal dramas. Tey may share private struggles, or their

side of conflicts in marriage or with other church members, or their disappoint-

ment and frustration with decisions by leaders or the direction of the church. As

they share, what they may be asking is, Will you be a part of my story? We may

be tempted to block and avoid their drama altogether. Or we may be tempted

to accept and play along, offering sympathetic responses that merely affirm their

plot line. Or we can minister effectively through overaccepting: responding in away that recasts the drama in view of Gods presence and Gods grace in Christ,

both for them as well as for any antagonists in their personal drama.

Dramatic events, domineering personalities, and scandalous sins can set a

course that has little to do with Gods grace and his purpose for the church in

Christ. If the church in Corinth serves as an example of such things, Paul like-

wise serves as an example for how we are to speak into the drama. Ministry that

builds on the foundation of the apostles will not block, nor simply accept, but

always overaccepts, confidently stepping into the drama with wise and winsome,

gracious and bold words that redirect all of the various plot lines to Gods grace

in Christ. Such responses are rooted in the sure hope that Gods purpose for the

church will be fulfilled in his sight.

redirecting the church’s drama

Documents