I know what I have to say is not going to be popular on many levels.
As people, we don't like being told that we are wrong. We don't like being told that we are messed up and need correction. That's human nature.
As Christians, we especially don't like being told that we are wrong. Much of this can be justified. There is so much in the Bible that seems to be negative. At least, it can be taken this way.
Being a Christian is not unlike that episode in Star Wars where Luke has just found out that his father is Darth Vader. He asks Obi Wan why he didnt tell him and why he told him that his father was dead.
ObiWan told him that what he said about his father was true. He told him that much of what the Jedi Knights believed was true from a certain point of view.
So basically ObiWan was telling Luke that he had to choose what he wanted to believe. Same thing in the movie The Matrix. The Oracle tells Neo that he has to make up his own mind what he wants to believe.
As a Christian, you need to choose what you want to believe. You can choose to see the good and positive in the Bible, or you can choose to see bad and negative.
As a Pastor, or leader in the Church, we dont want to be told that we are wrong either. In fact, Id say that this is one of the worst and toughest to overcome.
Its as if the Church thinks its untouchable and perfect. Nothing that the Church does can possibly be wrong or need fixing? And the larger the Church, the more difficult this is.
In large Churches, the senior Pastor is just about untouchable and unapproachable.
To stand up and speak out about something that the Church is doing wrong is...paramount to sacrilege.
On a side note, I tried a few years ago to get out the idea that Churches needed evaluating, just like any other business. Someone would go into a Church and submit a report of what the Church was doing right and what it was doing wrong. The idea was not well received at all. But I digress.
There are many examples in the Bible where people spoke out when things had gone awry in the Church, or with its leaders or even kings. They were called prophets. They were less than popular.
Prophets were not really known for giving much in the way of good news.
Then there is the ultimate example that we have of correction. Jesus himself!
We love to listen to all the "cute" things that Jesus had to say. Things like Love thy neighbor, and things like that. Mainly the stuff that tickles our ears.
But Jesus had some very scathing words to say about the religious leaders of the day. In our current day vernacular; He tore them a new one.
We don't like that part much because we don't want to think that the Church, even in that day, was wrong.
Now, Im not saying that I am a prophet. So don't mishear me. If anything, Id say that I am a watchman that stands on the wall and sounds the alarm when I see trouble coming.
The problem is that the Church in our day is also broken. In fact, id go so far as to say that the Church has reverted to the same problems that it had back in Jesus day.
That's a pretty bad indictment I know. But its one that our Churches need to hear.
So just what is the problem, you might ask. Or hopefully you are asking.
Well, Church has become a place where Christians go to be entertained.
We go into a Church service, which with minor differences, is pretty much the same wherever you go. We sing a few songs. Then we listen to a sermon. Then take up an offering and go home.
Maybe there are a few announcements, maybe a time for prayer, maybe a call to go down to the alter for prayer, maybe communion is held. But that's about it.
A pretty dead service if you ask me.
• When did Church Services become so dry and boring?
• Where in the Bible do we find this formula for what a Church service should be?
• Where do we find the top down structure that our modern day Churches have?
• When did our faith die?
• When did Church become just a place of Christian entertainment?
• Why are there so many ministries out there?
• What should we be doing in Church?
I didnt want to get this too long, so I decided to continue this on Part 2
No comments:
Post a Comment