Being Very Serious (Part 23)

We label churches today just like we label groceries. Some are conservative, some are liberal. Some are exciting, some are boring. Some emphasize the outward manifestations, some are more seeker sensitive. It's a shame we just can't be the church that Jesus intended that would touch lost humanity with the gospel of salvation and deliverance. We either have to improve on the way we do church or it no longer appeals to the masses has become our thinking. You can have the best facilities, the best music, even the best programs, but if you don't have a pastor or people that are hungry for God nothing will matter.

I am sick of labels and experts telling us that church as we know it is doomed. I have already stated in a blog that many of our small town churches are in trouble because of the shrinkage of their community and their economy, but that doesn't apply everywhere. I am convinced that this generation is wanting to get back to just the simple gospel. The fads of lighting, technological effects, and other gimmicks will one day fade away. People will still  be searching for truth and the church, large or small, should be the one that provides it.

Denominational walls will never really go away in my lifetime and probably not yours. Some people will affiliate with the church just because that's the ideology of their family, yet that mentality has changed dramatically in the past 2 decades. Some of the same issues that have been around forever have now come to the forefront because many churches refused to address them thinking they would go away. Because of this almost two generations have walked away from the religious affiliation of their youth and wandered into other areas of spirituality foreign to their former faith. That is why the church spiritualized other venues and incorporated them into what we now call worship to try and bring them back in.

I will soon have two teenage grandchildren and I believe you need a ministry for young people that is up to date. I also have three under the age of 10 so children's ministry is important as well. Yet what I've seen over the past three decades has been more emphasis on worship and a lack of teaching the fundamentals about living holy for God. Our children and grands need to know about worship and understand it's purpose, but  they also need to know how to live for God every day.

It was godly parents and the church that helped me learn the difference about how I should live if I'm going to worship God. It was the church that prayed for me when I was in need and helped me when I didn't know what to do. It was the church that helped provide my spiritual covering. Everything isn't perfect in the church and disguising those imperfections doesn't help her credibility. We must acknowledge that we are sinners saved by grace and the only way we can keep doing right is to keep our hearts sanctified by the blood of Jesus. We are to be a shining light in an otherwise darkened world. That's why we need the church and the church needs us.

The power of God birthed the church and is what keeps the church alive today. There will be those who have the spirit of Demos and walk away. There will be hypocrites in church just there are on your job and in your community. However, in spite of her flaws, the church of Jesus Christ is alive and well. Let's keep her that way.