God save us from a church that has become indistinguishable from corporations.
Megachurches, Megabusinesses
I've said it before, and I will say it again, and again, and again. If Jesus isn't at the center of a church's teaching; if the cross has faded into the background or does nothing more than prettily decorate the front of a sanctuary; if pastors and church leaders are more interested in getting people into a building than they are in getting people in touch with the living God, then we deserve the scorn of a world that knows deep down that we are supposed to be other than what we show ourselves to be.
We aren't here to tickle people's ears and tell them what they want to hear. Our job isn't to make the Gospel of Christ palatable. If it is the true Gospel, it won't be. It can't be. The Gospel is offensive, frustrating. It gets under your skin and keeps you awake at night. You may try to leave it, but it won't leave you. It is uncompromising and gives no quarter to compromisers. It is beautiful, terrible, rich and devastating all at the same time.
If it is not, it is no Gospel.
Was it palatable in Jesus' time? Did it go down easy like smooth red wine? Did it give people the warm fuzzies? Why certainly. So much so that it led to the crucifixion of Jesus himself. Isn't that cozy, now.
How is it that we keep forgetting?
Maybe because no one tells us anymore. Our leaders are too busy crafting success seminars, writing self-help books, recording blockbuster worship albums, and marketing keychains with the prayer of Jabez inscribed on them.
God forgive and help us.
And yet...I have written all this, knowing it is true. But I would be unfair and a liar if I didn't say that I myself deserve scorn for misrepresenting Christ in my own life, especially when it is wilful (and oh, it so often is). Every time I pass a homeless person without a glance, every time I keep silent when I should speak out, every time I refuse to get close to another person who is hurting because I'm afraid of getting hurt myself, every time I withhold forgiveness from someone who is no more perfect than I am, I make a mockery and worse of my own convictions.
I'm not really any better than those Christian pastor-preneurs I despise so thoroughly. And oh! that is a blow to my arrogance and pride!
But not enough of one, or it wouldn't have cost me so little to write all this.
So at the last, may God forgive and help me too.
"When I fall, I will arise..." Micah 7:7
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15 comments:
It is easy to pick apart churches in today's world. They are so often driven by money and power, just like so many people. But I am coming to learn that we need to be involved in church if we are to have true fellowship.
Sometimes I think our generation uses the sins of the church to keep it at arms length and decide to just do the whole Christian thing on our own. And with that we protect ourselves from the pain of being let down by a whole new group of people. Especially since church people are representative of Christ, meaning that in a way it seems to be Christ letting us down instead. I have been here and done this and I think it's time to stop. Stop villifying the church and get involved! Start trying to see it for the good... there is a little of that, even if it's hard to find at times. There are honest-to-God believers there, who want to change the world with their love for Christ, who live in community because they know that a three strand cord is harder to break.
Even with it's downsides I choose to be involved, and not just with my actions, from those one would assume that I've been involved all of my life. But I am choosing, even with past hurts from church people, rejection of peers that I have never fully recovered from, and what seems to be an unavoidable abuse of my time and my talents, that I will try to involve myself in the life of my church family.
And you know what, it completely frightens me to do it, but I need to stop self-protecting and start self-involving.
Becca
Okay, just to add an addendum... :)
I know you're saying something slightly different from what I commented on, but the constant harping on mega-churches etc is just starting to get to me. And as a general statement to your blog in its entirety also goes along with the sentiment in my response above:
Try to see things for the good that's there, even for yourself.
Becca :)
a good word, becca. thanks for taking the time to share it.
The Christian will have little to do with those who pervert Christ.
oh, but how can I have nothing to do with myself? this is my dilemma.
you know becca, i have been thinking about what you wrote, and i think my criticism is aimed more at the leaders of these churches than simply at the churches themselves. so many people are hungry for the Word of God, and most of them will keep being hungry, because leaders like my good buddy Joel Osteen don't give it to them. and that's what will always make me angry.
but for the rest, i think i agree. and maybe if i were a lot less selfish than i am, i'd start to effect change where i see the need for it. i hope...
and when i can't see good in myself, i am glad that you are there to see it for me. thanks, my friend.
nice post becca, props :)
I've been a Christian for a year now and I can tell you I'm still hungry for the Word of God. As a new believer it breaks my heart when I see people lured into the prosperity gospel. I know there's nothing wrong with wanting to prosper, but to package that and define it as the Christian gospel is a lie. I personally believe this prosperity movement that found it's way into our churches is nothing more than a cult. Christ himself taught us not to judge self-righteously or hypocritically but I can test all things by the Word of God and hold fast to that which is good.
I am amazed to see how many Bible illiterate Christians are out there and how many Christians twist the Bible to suit their needs. I thank God I don't get turned off to Christianity anymore by these false professing Christians. Unfortunately, there are many that do and I'm sad to say that some I know.
I loved your blog gracky and don't be to hard on yourself for we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. We all stumble on the boat but just don't fall off the boat.
There is quite a difference between someone who neglects Christ and someone who perverts him -- although we must never excuse ourselves in the former. That said, if you, Grace, are indeed sure that you act or teach a perversion of Christ, then you are not Christian. A decision must be made.
As to these particular blasphemers -- these institutions of God-is-Mammon -- they would be little more than another source of noise in the world did they not bewilder certain naive but true seekers. To these true seekers I recommend Christ -- his Gospels and his Spirit -- and remind them earnestly that few who say "Christ" are Christian.
(After all, any drunken infidel will say "Christ" when he stubs his toe.)
Wow... I am totally stopped short by your words Porter:
'That said, if you, Grace, are indeed sure that you act or teach a perversion of Christ, then you are not Christian.'
Has anyone ever in the history of man, other than Jesus Christ, never acted in a way that was in some way a perversion of Christ? The new testament takes this all to a whole new level when it speaks of the very act of thinking in a hateful way a sin against Christ. We are imperfect, we are human, that will only change once we are dead.
And to Joseph: I think the GREATEST loss to the church today is the actual teaching of the bible. I have been a churchgoer all of my life and still have not come to a place where I enjoy reading the bible, or understand enough of it when I do. It's quite a hefty piece of literature and we do it a great disservice when we pick out the parts we like (like prosperity) and forget about the elements we don't like (such as judgement).
Becca
Precisely what about being "imperfect", being "human" do you take as a perversion of Christ? Can you tell a difference between failing and "preaching another gospel"? You seem eager to excuse those of whom Paul said "let them be accursed". Here is Christ: e.g. Matthew chapters six through seven. Learn it, do it -- teach it -- or do not sully his name.
if grace does not lie at the heart of the gospel, then there is no hope. so, may God help us all to understand grace.
God, be merciful to me, a sinner! --luke 18:13
beloved, let us love one another... --i john 4:7
hee hee
It all comes back to understanding Grace, eh? Especially since it is your website and all...
;)
I like what Becca has to say about overcoming distaste for "amusement-park churches" and getting in there and doing good and maintaining faith, even in the face of those who don't seem to be very good at it.
Sometimes I wonder if using "amusement-park tactics" to get people into the church is a good thing in the long run. What do you guys think? I mean, if a person is attracted to a particular church for a reason other than spiritual fulfillment, is that okay if they eventually come to believe? That might give me more insight into what the "megachurches" are trying to do and if there's something more behind their aggressive marketing strategies. (Plus, it will keep me from judging megachurches so harshly.)
So many questions go begging in that post: What is "a church"? What makes it "a good thing" to "get people into the church"? What is "spiritual fulfillment"? What does it have to do with "a church"? What is "to believe"? and in what? and how? and to what end?
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