I love music, so I thought I'd post some of my favorites for your listening pleasure!
To continue with our thoughts on the church, I want to bring up another consequence of our thoughts toward church as being a destination. It has been mentioned to this point that, while followers of Christ may come up with the correct definition of what the church is, they don't necessarily live like they know it. Yesterday, I mentioned that one of the major consequences of our wrong thinking is that church becomes something where we try make the unsaved world come to us, ignoring our responsibility as the church to go to them. Today, we'll look at what may be an even more devastating consequence: self-centeredness.
If the church is something that I go to, it becomes like everything else I go to. If I go to a baseball game, it's about what I get out of it; namely, entertainment. If I'm not entertained, or my team loses every time I go, I get angry, because I'm not getting out of it what I'm investing into it. The same goes for the grocery store, another destination. I'm going for what I can get out of it, which in this case is food. Hopefully, I find the best food at great prices, but if I don't get out of it what I want, I'll get upset and return things, ask for my money back, etc. It's the same with a trip to the doctor, or the bank, or a vacation destination, or just about any other destination I can think of.
This same mentality has carried over to church. It has become about what I can get out of it. How often do you hear of people, searching for a body of believers to join with, that, in the midst of their search, say that they didn't like the music at the one church, didn't like the preacher's style at the other, and didn't think the children's ministry was good enough at a third? Now, all of these things are not inherently wrong. It's a good thing to know that your children are getting a good, biblically-based education and are not being fed lies. It's good to have a preacher that truly has the gift of preaching. But all of these sorts of things are self-centered. They are all about what I am getting out of my experience. I can't recall the last time I heard someone say, "We were visiting this church and noticed that their children's ministry is hurting, but that's one of my strengths. I think God brought us here to help them build that aspect of the body."
This then, inevitably leads to another problem. Because church becomes about what I can get out of it, false doctrine sets in. Where do we think the "health, wealth and prosperity gospel" has come from? It came from someone wanting to get more out of Scripture than what is really there, most likely in an attempt to justify their sin. This can be said of many of the false principals we see invading the church. Stan, over at his blog, Birds of the Air, has been battling progressive Christianity and its inclusive doctrine (in short, that all religions can get us to heaven). This comes about when we don't like the fact that truth, as stated in Scripture, doesn't make us feel good because our friends who happen to be (insert religion here) would be eternally separated from God if they stayed their present course. It comes in when we start believing things that we want to believe instead of believing what the truth actually is. In fact, Paul states in his first letter to Timothy that,
This is not what the church was created to be. The church, as a destination, is a place that glorifies self. Again, I can see where I could have words put in my mouth, and so I don't want to be misunderstood. We all need to be refreshed. We all need to be taught. But, at what point is our focus changed from self-service to serving others and ultimately, the Lord? At what point do I stop being so concerned about what I'm getting out of it and start looking to others and how I can give to them? What did Jesus tell Peter each time after asking him if he loved Him? Be fed? No! "Feed my sheep." I would argue that it's when we do as the Lord commands, that is, when we serve those around us, it is in that time that we, ourselves, are nourished.
If the church is something that I go to, it becomes like everything else I go to. If I go to a baseball game, it's about what I get out of it; namely, entertainment. If I'm not entertained, or my team loses every time I go, I get angry, because I'm not getting out of it what I'm investing into it. The same goes for the grocery store, another destination. I'm going for what I can get out of it, which in this case is food. Hopefully, I find the best food at great prices, but if I don't get out of it what I want, I'll get upset and return things, ask for my money back, etc. It's the same with a trip to the doctor, or the bank, or a vacation destination, or just about any other destination I can think of.
This same mentality has carried over to church. It has become about what I can get out of it. How often do you hear of people, searching for a body of believers to join with, that, in the midst of their search, say that they didn't like the music at the one church, didn't like the preacher's style at the other, and didn't think the children's ministry was good enough at a third? Now, all of these things are not inherently wrong. It's a good thing to know that your children are getting a good, biblically-based education and are not being fed lies. It's good to have a preacher that truly has the gift of preaching. But all of these sorts of things are self-centered. They are all about what I am getting out of my experience. I can't recall the last time I heard someone say, "We were visiting this church and noticed that their children's ministry is hurting, but that's one of my strengths. I think God brought us here to help them build that aspect of the body."
This then, inevitably leads to another problem. Because church becomes about what I can get out of it, false doctrine sets in. Where do we think the "health, wealth and prosperity gospel" has come from? It came from someone wanting to get more out of Scripture than what is really there, most likely in an attempt to justify their sin. This can be said of many of the false principals we see invading the church. Stan, over at his blog, Birds of the Air, has been battling progressive Christianity and its inclusive doctrine (in short, that all religions can get us to heaven). This comes about when we don't like the fact that truth, as stated in Scripture, doesn't make us feel good because our friends who happen to be (insert religion here) would be eternally separated from God if they stayed their present course. It comes in when we start believing things that we want to believe instead of believing what the truth actually is. In fact, Paul states in his first letter to Timothy that,
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. (I Tim. 6:3-4a)I hope you didn't miss that. What was the first thing Paul said of those who teach false doctrine? "...he is conceited..." In other words, he has an agenda that has 'self' at the top of the list.
This is not what the church was created to be. The church, as a destination, is a place that glorifies self. Again, I can see where I could have words put in my mouth, and so I don't want to be misunderstood. We all need to be refreshed. We all need to be taught. But, at what point is our focus changed from self-service to serving others and ultimately, the Lord? At what point do I stop being so concerned about what I'm getting out of it and start looking to others and how I can give to them? What did Jesus tell Peter each time after asking him if he loved Him? Be fed? No! "Feed my sheep." I would argue that it's when we do as the Lord commands, that is, when we serve those around us, it is in that time that we, ourselves, are nourished.
In my last post I discussed the thought process we go through as Americans when it comes to the church and what it is. One of the effects of this thought process has been poisonous to the church as a whole.
Because we act like church is a destination instead of something that we are, we've advertised church to the lost much like one would advertise a tourist attraction to tourists, or a performance to concert-goers. In those instances, one might have a flashy sign out front of the attraction or concert hall with something catchy on it to capture people's attention, or one might put an advertisement on television. Of course, the most important thing is that you have something at your destination that is worth coming to see. I suppose with a tourist attraction, this comes inherently, but with the concert hall, you try to obtain the best performers with the best programs in order to convince people there is something they need to experience. The goal is to have the most attractive program advertised in the most attractive way to maximize the number of people that will come (and ultimately, to maximize the profit).
How is this all that different from the American Church? How many church bodies have a flashy sign out front of the building they own (or, though it may not be flashy, at least have a sign with some catchy [read as 'cheesy' or 'lame'] phrase on it)? How many churches take out ads in the local newspaper or yellow pages? Numerous church bodies (usually the larger ones that can afford to do so) have advertisements on television, and my church growing up even took out space on a local billboard along a major roadway. And don't forget that there has to be something worth coming to experience, so a flashy rock band is added, only the most charismatic people are found on the stage, and the church programs itself to death with retreats, revivals, children's programs, teen events, concerts, plays, and the list goes on and on and on...
And on top of that, the content needs to be relevant! Otherwise, none of what is done will be worthwhile, so the church needs to work extra hard to make sure that God is helped out by making Him appear relevant. Oh, and it would be awful to offend those that the church has worked so hard at getting to come, because if they do get offended, they might not come back. This may mean compromising which parts of the gospel are shared, and may go so far as to allowing the post-modern mindset to creep in, but it's so that people who are seeking will come to our destination on the weekend. And, of course, God wants us to fill the pews...He'll be so proud!
Last I checked, Christ didn't tell His disciples to "get everyone to come to you so you can preach the gospel to them." He said, "Go and make disciples of all nations..." He didn't say, "Help make me relevant, because I struggle with that." He said, "I am the bread of life," (John 6:35) and "whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst." (John 4:14) If that isn't relevant, I don't know what is. Scripture doesn't say that "there are tons of people seeking God, so help them on the journey." It says that "No one seeks God. All have turned away." (Rom. 3:11-12) It doesn't say, "The message of the cross is attractive if presented a certain way." It says, "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing..."(I Cor. 1:18) and that Christ crucified is "a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles." (I Cor. 1:23)
The church was never intended to be a destination, but because it has become that in the way we live, it has also become an excuse to not do the very things the church was made to do. Church gatherings aren't solely for evangelism. They are for the edification of the believers. They are so that we can be "teaching [disciples] to obey (or do) everything I (Jesus) have commanded you." (Matt. 28:20)
Please don't get me wrong. There is nothing inherently wrong with programs that share the gospel. But we've got the wrong idea. Most of the time, the unbeliever isn't going to come to us. We must be mobilized to go! We need to be the church every day, not just once or twice a week, reflecting Christ to all those we come in contact with.
Because we act like church is a destination instead of something that we are, we've advertised church to the lost much like one would advertise a tourist attraction to tourists, or a performance to concert-goers. In those instances, one might have a flashy sign out front of the attraction or concert hall with something catchy on it to capture people's attention, or one might put an advertisement on television. Of course, the most important thing is that you have something at your destination that is worth coming to see. I suppose with a tourist attraction, this comes inherently, but with the concert hall, you try to obtain the best performers with the best programs in order to convince people there is something they need to experience. The goal is to have the most attractive program advertised in the most attractive way to maximize the number of people that will come (and ultimately, to maximize the profit).
How is this all that different from the American Church? How many church bodies have a flashy sign out front of the building they own (or, though it may not be flashy, at least have a sign with some catchy [read as 'cheesy' or 'lame'] phrase on it)? How many churches take out ads in the local newspaper or yellow pages? Numerous church bodies (usually the larger ones that can afford to do so) have advertisements on television, and my church growing up even took out space on a local billboard along a major roadway. And don't forget that there has to be something worth coming to experience, so a flashy rock band is added, only the most charismatic people are found on the stage, and the church programs itself to death with retreats, revivals, children's programs, teen events, concerts, plays, and the list goes on and on and on...
And on top of that, the content needs to be relevant! Otherwise, none of what is done will be worthwhile, so the church needs to work extra hard to make sure that God is helped out by making Him appear relevant. Oh, and it would be awful to offend those that the church has worked so hard at getting to come, because if they do get offended, they might not come back. This may mean compromising which parts of the gospel are shared, and may go so far as to allowing the post-modern mindset to creep in, but it's so that people who are seeking will come to our destination on the weekend. And, of course, God wants us to fill the pews...He'll be so proud!
Last I checked, Christ didn't tell His disciples to "get everyone to come to you so you can preach the gospel to them." He said, "Go and make disciples of all nations..." He didn't say, "Help make me relevant, because I struggle with that." He said, "I am the bread of life," (John 6:35) and "whoever drinks of the water I give him will never thirst." (John 4:14) If that isn't relevant, I don't know what is. Scripture doesn't say that "there are tons of people seeking God, so help them on the journey." It says that "No one seeks God. All have turned away." (Rom. 3:11-12) It doesn't say, "The message of the cross is attractive if presented a certain way." It says, "the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing..."(I Cor. 1:18) and that Christ crucified is "a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles." (I Cor. 1:23)
The church was never intended to be a destination, but because it has become that in the way we live, it has also become an excuse to not do the very things the church was made to do. Church gatherings aren't solely for evangelism. They are for the edification of the believers. They are so that we can be "teaching [disciples] to obey (or do) everything I (Jesus) have commanded you." (Matt. 28:20)
Please don't get me wrong. There is nothing inherently wrong with programs that share the gospel. But we've got the wrong idea. Most of the time, the unbeliever isn't going to come to us. We must be mobilized to go! We need to be the church every day, not just once or twice a week, reflecting Christ to all those we come in contact with.
