Too Much Similarity Between Christian and Atheist Gatherings
It's Sunday.
You enter an auditorium with a laser light
show, music with positive lyrics, and a beat you can really move to.
Friendly people introduce themselves to you
and engage in light, warm conversation.
You feel accepted.
A speaker gets
up and shares some light-hearted jokes, gives you a three-point message that is
written to encourage and give you hope to carry you through the week.
A basket is passed around for donations that
are freely and joyfully given because people know it's going to be used for the
good of others.
They have coffee and
donuts to enjoy while everyone gets to know each other better after the
service.
The question is, "Where
are you?"
Yes, it's a church.
But it's an atheist church.
Or is it?
(Atheist churches are on the rise in the U.S. Please read
"Atheist'Mega-Churches Launch in U.S...." to learn more and have the context for
this blog.)
Before I go further, let me say I know there
are many people working very hard to strengthen the church of Christ. They love the God of the Bible and they want
to serve him well. They have my love, gratitude and respect. My concern is that in an effort to serve God,
many of us have moved our focus from God's way of reaching a culture and the individuals
in it to the world's way. Because of
this, we are failing. Some churches are
seeing deep transformational changes in people and communities. If yours is, than this isn't for you. I'm praising the Lord with you over the
fruit! If yours is not, would you consider the thoughts below?
I don't think we're failing
because church attendance/membership is going down. On the contrary. Scripture tells us there will be a falling
away... a remnant... few entering the narrow gate. I wish we wouldn't judge our success by
membership or church attendance numbers, or even giving. Those really are not an indication of a
people being sanctified. Even the
"pagans" attend gatherings and give.
(Planned Parenthood peeps show up and give, for crying out loud.) I
think we're failing because the culture is getting more, not less, sin-sick. I
believe you'll see how effective a church is by the change in the community's
drop-out rate, crime & incarceration rate, abortion rate, how many kids are
in foster care or awaiting adoption...you get the point. Why do we rely on numbers? May I suggest because it's easier than
keeping up with actual people?
Membership & giving numbers are things that businesses look at to
determine success, not the way to determine if a church is Holy Spirit filled
and led. In both the Old and New
Testaments, I find the judgment of a healthy church based on what they were
preaching and how they were living. We would be wise to do the same. We plan events, programs and sermons to make
an environment that is just comfortable enough for people to come in and maybe
come back and just enough gospel to call it a Christian church. More and more stuff and less and less Spirit.
I suggest to you that God's way
is not to get people in the doors by re-packaging the message in culture's
wrapping paper. Jesus didn't bait and
switch anyone into the Kingdom. He was straight forward and upfront. He preached hell. He preached sin. He preached
"denying" yourself, obedience and love as He defines it. And He offered Himself. He doesn't strive to make everyone feel good
about themselves; that would be counter- productive. Souls have to feel the weight of their
sinfulness before they will see their need for the Savior.
Sadly, I believe the modern
atheist is so much more sold out for his cause than many Christians. The atheist is knowledgeable of the
world-views contrary to his. He is
articulate and can defensively as well as offensively state his position. He engages the culture at all levels from the
water cooler to the White House. He has
been incredibly effective without being connected to a "local body of
believers". But now, he will be
connected and I believe much more effective at advancing his belief
system. According to atheist Elijah
Senn, his goal is to change their image: "I'm really excited to be able to
come together and show it's (atheism) not about destruction. It's about making things and making things
better." How is our mission different?
Really?
I don't blame Elijah and many
other atheists who are working hard to free us all from the "restraints and chains" of
Christianity. They don't know any better. I blame the church. I hold those in authority positions who
should have known better and still did not teach the whole counsel of the Word
of God. Those who don't encourage us to do as God said throughout Scripture:
"Remember, Repent, Return". Do
we know our church history? Biblical
history? Nation's history? Apologetics? The cultural context of Scripture? More
importantly, while we learn those things, who's holding us to the standard of
holiness? Obedience? Teaching spiritual disciplines? If the three
"R's" weren't important, why would God tell us to do them? If Scripture
describes our sanctification journey in terms of running a race, agricultural
work, "beating one's body" to make it our slave then why aren't we
bloody, sore and sweaty from our Spirit-led and filled efforts?
What did the last church business
meeting sound like? Having transparency
with how finances are handled is critical and there needs to be time to
dialogue about them. But once that is addressed, how much discussion is on
obedience, holiness, spiritual disciplines? How much on membership
numbers, programs and events? Oh, if we
would focus on obedience, holiness and discipline how the Fire of the Holy
Spirit would spread! Then you'd find
real church effectiveness with changed and changing lives. The unsaved who
would come in would be drawn by the Fire, not the fan-fare. Glory to God alone! Let it be, Lord!
By the way, I blame me, too. I didn't test things before like I do
now. I was comfortable with my
"fire insurance" and first world existence; asleep at the wheel. But I'm awake now and I see the bus I'm on is heading for a
fall over a deadly cliff.
What we can't do is blame the
unbelievers for the state of our culture and nation. It's our fault. I believe God is allowing us
to be disciplined in order to get our attention and to remember, repent and return. The lamp stand has not been removed yet. But I tell you based on the word of God and
his unchanging character, He will remove the lamp stand if we do not turn and
obey. (Rev 2:1-7)
