The thoughts I'm about to share started from a message I had heard a couple of months ago from a motivational speaker/financial success coach who is also a faithful believer. She said a lot of really great things, some little things I may not completely agree with, or may question...But she did touch on an incredible truth that I can't get out of my mind: Her thoughts on the modern Church. It caused me to meditate on these truths. To focus on them, to talk to the Lord about them. A lot. And I can't help but feel and believe that these words need repeating.
What I am about to say will be offensive. But I think it's the kick in the head a lot of us need...I know I did, and still do. That said, here goes...
Within the last week, a blog was posted by several Christian peers about why youth are leaving the Church. There were many great truths within that article. Hard core ones. And if you are truly are a believer and follower of Christ...punch you hard in the stomach ones. But if we are to truly be honest about what is going on in our churches, we should say that these truths encompass more then just our youth...it is affecting EVERY age group. They are ALL leaving the Church.
I don't know about you, but I have NEVER heard more about Church splits, people leaving the Church, or people being angry or complaining about things in their church like there has been in the last decade. The Church is falling apart at the seams...the simple yet foundational things like Doctrine and Scripture are getting manipulated and mutilated. We fight over worship music, we fight over how long the sermon should be, we fight over when and how announcements should be announced, we fight with each other about who should lead what ministry...
Hold on....
What is the purpose of the Church...the Body of Christ?
To build a HUGE building with a school, a ministry for infants, for toddlers, for pre teens, for teen girls, for teen boys, for single mothers, for single fathers, for single woman, for single men, for married women, for married men, for married couples, for seniors, for pastor, for dogs, for cats, for bunny rabbits??
Here's your cup of coffee and cookie...you are now redeemed?
That's a lot of work to get people to stay, and they are still leaving.
Yes, I know. There is much to do in Christian work. But what I'm talking about is needless, busybody work. Work that is taking up your time, your commitment, your affections, so you think and feel that you are being HOLY.
I said it. And I said it because I'm just as guilty. Am I saying that it's wrong to fellowship with other Christians? No. We need the support and the prayers of those faithful friends. But if your Christian life is centred around the time you spend with you Christian friends...then yes....it's a HUGE problem.
You see, this is what that motivational speaker I mentioned earlier was talking about. The Church is a mess, and in such a RUKKUS, because the Body of Christ is too self-centered and self-absorbed.
WE ARE SEEKING OUR OWN SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We want to have spiritual identity and vindication among our Christian peers. This has become the #1 goal of the Church. No wonder all we do is fight! We are too busy trying to decide who is holier than he or she is, and once that's decided, we'll listen to what they have to say and follow them...until they do something we don't like, and then we start following someone else...or insist that everyone follow US.
The result of this train of thought is disasterous. Because of it we have done the WORST thing possible as the Body of Christ:
WE HAVE ABANDONED OUR POST.
When was the last time you were at work and someone said to you, "Wow. You seem so happy and your life seems to have meaning, what's your secret?". We should be asked that, you know. People should KNOW that we are different. Are we not referred to in Scripture as a "peculiar people"? That we are to "let our light so shine before men"? That we are not to be "conformed to this world.."? These are just 3 examples of references...JUST 3. There are plenty more (I'm not putting the references so you will be encouraged to look them up!).
When you are at work, are you different from everyone else? Is the only way someone knows that you believe differently is because you told them once that you "go to church"? The way we talk, the way we act... what we do and what we say...this is our testimony. If you think you are being a good Christian simply because you invited someone to church..think again. They see what the church is now. They see who you really are. We go to work to fill in time, to get a pay check, so we can get back to the church that evening and show THEM how righteous we are. It's nothing but a glorified social club, and they want NOTHING to do with us.
NOTHING.
So, we can't get people to stay, and we can't get people to come.
Um...I'm not the only one seeing a problem, am I?
Where did Jesus spend most of His time during His ministry? In the MARKETPLACE. Think about that.
His followers were fishermen, tax collectors, doctors...every day regular working people. Do we realize what our job REALLY is? It's a MISSION field. This is our MINISTRY. How powerful would it be if President Obama's personal assistant was a radical believer in Christ? Someone who prayed everyday for his boss, prayed over his desk, prayed over the documents in his hands that he is about to give to the President? And through that The President got saved, started reading the Scriptures, and sharing with others? The entire nation of the United States of America would be not only influenced, but changed!
Sound far fetched? Not so much...
May I remind you of Daniel. That's right...Daniel. Jewish captive in Babylon. Know for his intelligence and skills. Mostly his interpretation of dreams. Which caused him to be a member of the counsel to the King. And eventually the Chief of Sorcerers. What? You read that right...SORCERERS. The King's counsel, his wise men, were Sorcerers! Daniel was put in the most prestigious, but dangerous positions in Babylon! But he was put there by the hand of God. And Daniel THRIVED at his post because of his faithfulness to his God. Because of his influence of righteousness IN the world. Because He trusted God to do His work through him where God CALLED him to serve. All Daniel did was follow in obedience and what happened?
The King of Babylon came to worship the God of Israel!
I believe that this is the problem. We are ignoring the call of God on our lives because we don't think it is spiritual enough. We are creating our OWN ministry and our OWN calls on our OWN lives. We are either IGNORING God's call on our lives, or allowing others to GUILT us into places and things where we do not belong. We are not being OBEDIENT because we are not where GOD wants us to be.
We are STRIVING when we are suppose to be SUBMITTING.
I do want to make a point here that I do firmly believe that there are some who are called to specific ministry...Pastors, missionaries and the like. But I also believe that there is a specific call on their lives to do so...and there is no doubt in their heart as to what God is calling them to do. The fault lies in the Christian world and our mantle of guilt we lay on those who are "trained" for ministry but do not go into ministry "full time". How is working amongst non-Christian people, being faithful to God, and actually taking the time to care about those people not FULL TIME ministry?
The fighting and arguments within the walls of the church would cease if we got back out into the world where we belong. Caring for people, loving people, bringing hope, THE GOSPEL, to people. But this can't happen if our main goal is ministering to other Christians. Our "ministry" is nothing but petty fights and disagreements amongst ourselves, arguing over how we can be more affective in ministry. Then we wonder why the church isn't growing and why people are leaving.
It's time we get over ourselves.
It's time we get back to our post of influence.
It's time to preach the Gospel. And if necessary...use words.
