So I was on this site this morning… An I-hate-church-site. I was wondering what it was about. I wondered if it had been started by a Christian to examine some of the problems of why people are leaving the church, or was it a I hate Church folks place to hang out and complain about anyone who believes in anything. It was the latter. I read some of their questions and remarks, and found they are a bitter bunch. They were asking some interesting questions though about faith and God. Things that would set most of us on fire.
But I was stuck by the hopelessness of their position. I was stuck by their conclusions about what they read in the bible. On one side I could see where they were coming from. But they fail to address the real question…..
Why is the world in such a mess or why are we humans in such a mess.
We know something is wrong with the world. We know something is wrong with us. We don't have to look far. We just know some things are wrong. Theft, murder, unfaithfulness, child-molestation, hate, war, drug abuse etc.
We of the religious community (an honor I am dubious about) claim to have the answers, but yet when the world around us looks at us, we are no better. We point our fingers at the world and say you are the problem. We say things like Jesus is that answer, yet do our actions really show.
Okay back to the main point here. How do we engage these people in discussion or address their concerns; do we even consider trying? Their remarks are inflammatory and often send us off the deep end. Yet if I have faith in God above through our Lord Jesus, should anything really shake me? Can I lead them back to God, or are they a lost cause. If I engage in discussions with them will I be led into the same pit that they have fallen into?
I am convinced that one of the major reason these people have turned their backs on God and his Church is Christians themselves. When Gandhi was asked what it would take for him to become a Christian he answered.. "For Christians to act like Christ!" I don't see a lot of Christ-likeness in many Christians.
But all this does is make me ask more questions… Why are Christians so bad at living like Christ? Do they have any real faith, or are they/we just selling fire insurance? Is it a life transforming experience or a dead philosophy? I think we tend say it's the first, then sell the latter; the ultimate bait and switch. We claim to believe, we say we have the Bible, but we explain all the greater truths away. We make God powerless, even though we claim He is all powerful, then we say the Bible is supreme truth and explain away anything we do not like. We point our fingers at other Christians and say they are wrong. We say they are heretics, deceived, liberals, legalists or fundamentalists. Basically anything that keeps us from being in dialog with them, or allowing them to question our position. I really surprised Christ, hasn't just thrown up his hands and said, "I quit, they can all go to hell." But He loves us and died for us, now he is stuck with us. Not the best picture I can paint. We are His bride and He is not done with us.
I heard a sermon that touched on it part of the problem. We don't live by faith in God. We live by faith in the strength of our arm, or faith in our riches or faith in our intellect. We refuse to move into a realm where we might not be in control. We don't even have the faith of a mustard seed. I haven't seen to many mountains moved as of late. That is why His church has become so impotent and why so many are turning their backs on it. We are reminded in God's word about a time when men will become God haters… I think we have entered that age. The website I visited may just be the tip of the iceberg.
Have you ever heard of the burning man festival they have in the US. Basically a bunch of neo-pagans having this huge pagan feast and festival. I don't really want to got into to it here, but I read a comment in Christianity today that really struck me. They sent a reporter to it to find out why people go and what they think about Christians. Well the reported noted that most of the people attending this thing has been hurt by church folk, and had turned their backs on God because of those wounds.
So if you're still with me… I have to ask, "What are we doing to make the church more like what Jesus wants it to be?" In the beginning, most people liked Jesus, except the super religious types. If Jesus was at work in our churches wouldn't we see people flocking to them/us? Wake up church… Its not about the Sunday service! Its not about the building! It about us living out the principles that Jesus and his disciples laid down in the Gospels and the Epistles of the New Testament in our daily lives. If we aren't loving each other and loving our neighbors, how will anyone see "Christ in us the Hope of Glory?" If we are living lives of faith in God, were are the miracles to follow, where is the proof?
So why don't you tell me, "What are we to do?"
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