This week I have been blogging about the spiritual death that is happening within the church and culture especially in the North-East United States.
As a final part of this theme I want to share what I believe is the answer to this spiritual decline and what you can do to start a movement that will buck this trend and help people to see the real church and hear a message of hope and life-change without their view of ‘religion’ closing their ears to words that will give them complete purpose and satisfaction.
Before I say what I believe the answer is, here are a few things that it is not:
- It’s not a rocking band in church – I love rocking bands, if my heart is pumping out of my chest it’s not loud enough, but this isn’t the answer
- It’s not more ministries and programs – They make a church less focused, stretches resources and burns out staff and leaders!
- It’s not a kicking kids ministry – Kids ministries are vital, the more kicking the better, but still not the answer
- It’s not an awesome youth ministry – Once again vital, but not the answer
- It’s not a women’s ministry – Sorry ladies! (If I’m wrong I’m going to get a whole lot of ladies making me eat some humble pie!)
- It’s not creative communication – I get bored at my own voice, so imagine others? While creative communication is a good thing, it’s not the missing piece
- It’s not a style – Not seeker-sensitive, not emergent, not traditional, not contemporary, not charismatic, not liturgical, not a style (nor philosophy)
- It’s not the latest fad – Fads come and go, the church is here to stay!
So here is my answer to what the church needs to do to show this world what Christ is all about:
‘The church needs to strip down all the layers of church stuff and expose a true, authentic and real love for Jesus Christ. We are told in Mark 12: 30 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” This means everything we do is done with our love for Christ in mind.’
The problem for many is that we do not know what loving God is all about. We like God, we entertain God, we even speak to God and sometimes let God speak to us, but many of us do not love God. The difference is simple: Loving God means you will give your life for God. Everything you do in life is through the eyes of love for an awesome savior. As you love God your heart starts to break for the things that breaks his heart. You reach out to others with love and compassion, to tell others of the great news of the Kingdom of God, you suffer so others can find life, you look at others with potential not condemnation, you place boundaries and margin in your life, you become focused, you feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, heal the broken-hearted, bring hope and joy to the downcast and depressed and be willing to do whatever it takes to show people life not death!
So I believe the church needs to start loving God! Are you willing to be a radical and love God? Are you read to choose faith and not religion? Are you ready to be part of a movement of Christ lovers?
Leave a comment | tags: Break your heart, Church, Derth, First commandment, Hope, Jesus Christ, Joy, Life Changing, Life-giving, Love, Mark 12:30, Ministries, North East, Programs, Real love, Religion, spiritual, Strip Down | posted in Christianity, Church, Church Planting, Leadership, Worship
When I moved to the North East United States three years ago I was excited that I was going to get to live in a place where people were progressive and innovative. When I thought of the North East I thought of big cities, fashion, the worlds best leaders, commerce and things being on the cutting edge. However, when I arrived I noticed that while this was mostly true for the world of business, TV and fashion, the world of the church was largely different.
I was told that the North East was more traditional when it came to church. Well I’ve been here three years and while it is true that most churches are a little more traditional, I don’t think the vast majority of Christians are traditional. I see church attendance decreasing by the day and it isn’t tradition that is doing it. I would say most people attending churches on a Sunday morning in the North East are religious!
There is a difference between being religious and being a person of faith. Some of you may say, well I’m not religious! I’ll put you to the challenge. Below are a list of differences between religion and faith. I pray this challenges you to seek faith not religion!
- Religion is a weekly duty – Faith is a daily passion
- Religion burns you out – Faith gives you energy and vitality
- Religion remains with the status quo – Faith challenges the status quo
- Religion is going to church- Faith is being the church
- Religion fills a void – Faith fills a whole life
- Religion empties a church – Faith fills a church
- Religion is controllable – Faith is uncontrollable
- Religion is all about numbers and finances – Faith is about life-change
- Religion is boring and unattractive – Faith a fun, exciting and appealing
- Religion helps you make decisions – Faith is your decision
And finally religion is what Jesus stood against – Faith is what Jesus died for!
I don’t know if you’re a religious person or a person of faith, but I don’t believe you can be both! I challenge you to choose to seek a life of faith.
So are you ready to journey down the path to seek a life-giving faith that will not only transform your life but also the lives of the people you meet everyday!
3 comments | tags: Attendance, business, Church, faith, Fashion, Goig to church, Innovative, Leaders, Life of faith, North East, Progressive, Religion, Traditional, TV | posted in Christianity, Church, Church Planting, Worship
I live a county just north-east of Baltimore, MD. While Maryland is historically a democratic state, the county I live in, Harford County is traditionally very conservative.
Over the last few months I have done an extensive amount of demographic research on this county. I have asked numberous amounts of people their view of the county and analysed the trends over the last ten years. Without a doubt everything points to the fact that Harford County was once very conservative. However, over the last several years it has become more liberal as more people have moved into the county from the City.
People automatically think conservative means Christian! However, it is evident from statistics to walking inside one of the many churches and seeing the empty seats in this county that this is not a Christian county. I was thinking the other day what would it take to actually get people to sit in all those empty church seats. I came to the conclusion that we don’t a return to conservatism, nor do we need rush of liberal thoughts. What I think we need is a group of people who are willing to stand against the status quo and become radicals who are not afraid to pioneer into new places and seek something new even against all the odds.
When a group of Europeans came to a new land over 300 years ago they weren’t conservative, nor were they liberal, but a group of individuals who rebelled against the institutions of the day and sort to find a better more promising way of life. Imagine if people in the churches of Harford County would get a glimpse of the courage and bravery of their forefathers, this place would be out of control…and I know lives would be changed, transformed and fulfilled beyond peoples wildest imaginations!
So who’s up to push back the boundaries and fight against the odds?
4 comments | tags: Baltimore, Boundaries, Church, Church Planting, Conservatism, Democratic, Empty Seats, Forefathers, Harford County, Institutions, Liberal, Maryland, Pioneer, Radicals, Status Quo | posted in Church Planting, Leadership
