I have had many thoughts lately on the current status of the church in the United States. I have watched over the last few decades as over-all memberships have changed very little. One church grows at the expense of another as people move around to find the right fit for them and their family. I do understand this. There are certainly situations where that is a necessity. I found myself there a time or two, so there is no judgement on that issue from me.
What concerns me more is the attitude and thought process of so many church members currently in the USA. Now this post is not about politics. I just think that, as Christians, we are looking for a speck in someone else's eye without noticing the obvious plank in our own eye, as we rave on and on about the sins of people outside the church while never noticing ours.
What I want you to think about is how the church has changed due to a very "I" centric, worldly point of view of its members. I would also note that churches aren't the only organizations dealing with this specific problem. Our society has become so self centered, there is little thought of how our noncommittal attitude affects everything around us. We only commit if nothing else better comes along. As the church we have become so worldly in our noncommittal that it is hard to tell if we belong to Christ.
During my childhood, youth, and young adulthood, families who were faithful to God would not plan anything that interfered with church. Christians were committed to God and church above all else. Oh yes, there were always those on the fringe who might be there or might not, but they were the exception rather than the rule. Over the past 20 years there has been a shift away from a ride or die philosophy toward a more nonchalant approach to God and church.
We want our children to be involved in anything and everything except the one thing they need most, God and His Word. Let me preface what I am about to say with this, I am not against being involved in community activities at all! BUT, as Christians we need to learn when and where to draw a line. Our entire society is exhausted, eating unhealthy food several nights a week due to time constraints, and running ourselves ragged so we and our children can "do" all the things. It is not only weeknights, but every weekend as well. If we have a Sunday off from their events, we are so tired we simply cannot get out of bed to go to church. And do you know what most children really want? They want to be at home being children! They want a mom and dad that aren't stressed to the max.
The trend for the last 20 years hasn't been to cut out some extracurricular activities, but rather to cut out church. For many people church used to be Sunday School, Sunday morning Church service, Sunday evening service, and Wednesday evening service and children's learning. Many, many churches are now down to a one hour service on Sunday morning. Children's church for the young ones while everyone else sings a few songs and listens to a sermon is it. There is no discipleship, no training, no teaching. Just let me go for an hour on Sunday morning to fill my little cup that will be dry before the day is over. It is noticeable that some Sundays the pews are packed and the next week they are less than half filled.
This is a subject that has bothered me for several years, but the thing that prompted this post was a meme on social media showing a copy of Da Vinci's painting, The Last Supper. There were several frames showing each of the disciples giving an excuse as to why they weren't able to attend as Jesus was left alone during His last night on earth. The main caption said something on the order of, If the disciples had been as committed to Christ as many are today.
I began to ask myself how committed am I to Jesus. I try to always begin with the hard questions for myself. What is my commitment level? Am I willing to go to death with Him or will I take the easy road out? What about you? What is your level of commitment to Jesus? Have you, like me, let the world come into your life too much? What will it take for the Church to get serious about their walk with Him? We found out a global pandemic wasn't the answer. Will it be severe persecution? I pray not, but in other parts of the world the Church is growing immensely, with absolute life and death commitment, due to persecution.
Have we forgotten that Jesus said we must take up our cross and follow Him? A cross equates death. Perhaps not physical death, but death to oneself. Death to our way of thinking about our life and instead taking up life in Him which is absolute abundant life. Have we forgotten that eternal life begins the moment we give our life to Him? Without Him our life is perishable. Nothing this world offers can even begin to compare to the life He gives.
"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." John 10:10-11 NKJ
Jesus gave His life for us. How can we ever be so flippant toward His sacrifice as to not be all in with Him? So, would you classify your spiritual life as an "all about me" cat or as a faithful, determined dog? Until next time, Shalom my friends.
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