Let me start off by saying that this is not a slam against any certain church, denomination, doctrine, or person. If I had a personal offense, I would address that specifically according to Matthew 18. This is just my own musings from some things mulling over in my mind and heart for the past year or so.
I am becoming more and more aware/concerned about the lack of significant impact the Church is having on society. I’m not referring to political involvement or social reform, though those things could be addressed. I’m specifically referring to how professing believers are completely missing the boat for what matters in life and are doing great damage to the influence of Christ in the world.
There seem to be two extremes with this, each with equally grievous results. Many of those professing a belief or religious allegiance to Christ are, to put it nicely, pathetic. There is no passion for God in their life. Money, food, pleasure, retirement accounts, sex, education, and religious piety dominate their life and there is little to no zeal for the Gospel, for the glory of God, or for personal sacrifice. For them, their satisfaction with religious experience is defined by how closely their life matches their view of the American Dream. As long as they have enough money to blow on themselves, as long as their 401K is secure, as long as they can eat whatever they want in whatever quantity they choose, as long as their churches and pastors tickle their ears and accommodate (read "enable") their spiritual condition, as long as their television provides them with increasingly lewd but “acceptable” entertainment, and as long as their kids are educated at the finest of institutions – they are happy! And of course, that is what life is all about – making them happy. Except this finds absolutely no basis in the Gospel or any of the rest of Scripture. Not only is this view of Christian faith damaging to our own souls, it is lifeless to the rest of the world. Our apathy kills our message. In the last year, nations around the world have experienced catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. In the last two months, tornadoes have ripped open American communities from coast to coast. And yet, we (and I mean Christians) are concerned for maybe a day or two, a week even perhaps. But not long enough to miss Dancing with The Stars. I mean, we’re concerned and compassionate for the suffering of the world and all, but it’s not going to interfere with the season finale that I have DVR’d or the Christian concert I have tickets for, right?? Enough said – well maybe not, but I'll move on.
Part two: the flip-side of this lazy, apathetic version of Western Christianity is, for lack of better description, the “super-spiritual” wing. They are increasingly concerned with and seeking after signs and wonders of Christianity – continually mystified by the amazing “things of God” that wow them time and again. For them, God is moving – but only in certain places. Certainly, God wouldn’t be moving in my boring little church where we still sing songs from 1994. God is really moving in such-and-such town where the dynamic and charismatic minister so-and-so is preaching. If we could only catch onto the newest wave of God, the world would be saved in an instant. Except, the world isn’t being saved and the world isn’t listening. For the most part, a bunch of Christians are getting together, prophesying to each other, speaking to things, claiming everything they ever wanted – and life doesn’t change. There is no fruit – a lot of leaves, no fruit. Seems like Jesus had a very sharp response to fig trees like that. This also hedges into the age-old “name it, claim it” theology. Let’s establish one thing – God is NOT your genie and is not your butler at your every beckon call, just waiting to give you “your blessing”. Psalms tells us that He sits in heaven and does “whatever He pleases”. We can claim all the financial prosperity and physical health we want, but until we submit to the God of the universe we will never know the fullness of life in Christ. Often our demands to see physical healing or financial prosperity manifested are very much associated with our own convenience more than with our desire for God’s glory. It isn’t convenient for me to be sick or lacking needed funds, therefore I will claim healing and tout my religious “faith” so that I can get what I want – with no acknowledgment that God is sovereign and His plans and ways are much greater and higher than our own. Again, this does severe damage to our witness. Often the Church looks like a select society that runs from revival to revival, or church service to church service – seeking after signs, wonders, prophecies, predictions, manifestations, and blessings; all the while ignoring the next-door neighbor that is going to hell. We don’t have time to just hang out with people who may need to hear the Gospel, because we’re too busy “doing church” and ministry” and completely neglecting the true heart and mission of the Bride of Christ. Where is the salt and light?
Let me balance this by saying that I know and believe God loves me immensely and leads my steps and is interested in the details of my life. But I believe that God owes me absolutely nothing: not a new car, not a better job, not a healthier life, not a spiritual blessing – not my dream, my plan, my desire, or my way. He already gave me infinitely more than I deserve by extending mercy to me and not counting my sins against me; but bearing them on Himself and extending grace which justifies me and calls me His own. I am deeply loved and accepted as a child of God. And to quote the most popular Psalm we all know – The Lord IS my Shepherd, I lack no good thing. If I really believe that and my life reflects it, then it changes my perspective on everything. I realize that God is my Source and Provider, not my genie and Santa Claus. I realize that it is wrong, not sad, but wrong when I apathetically disregard the suffering of the poor at the expense of my every want being met. I realize that it is more important for my children to walk in the truth than for them to bear the distinction of a college degree. I realize that the Gospel and its message are of utmost importance and that every other pursuit pales in comparison. I realize that my own physical healing, my own desires and blessings, and my own financial prosperity are merely wood, hay, and stubble that will one day pass away; and that the Refiner may see my “good things” as dross to be consumed in His all consuming fire. In all this, I acknowledge my own flesh that I fight and war with daily – flesh that would exalt my own interests above God and would even allow me to stand in judgment against those who don’t agree with me or what I have just shared. However, I believe that the solution to these things I have addressed does not lie in a renewed mission statement; more lights, sound, and dry ice; more manifestations and healings; more contemporary music; more Gospel tracts; or more televised broadcasts. The answer, I feel, lies solely in a true understanding of the Gospel – its message, its purpose and most importantly, its Person. I humbly plea with the Church and those who call on the name of Jesus to rediscover the Gospel, to find renewed passion in His Word, and to unashamedly proclaim the hope and freedom of His Kingdom.
