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Let me be clear about this blog: it is from my heart. i believe every word. And some that read it will be upset. With that said, let me begin by simply stating: Something is wrong with the American Church. This is not a newsflash or rocket science stuff, but i might as well be blunt and say it. Something is wrong with the American Church. Before i describe what is wrong, i beg your indulgence for a few moments.
FIrst, every one knows that every company, organization or government has an agenda when it comes to operating. Some call it "a vision statement" while others call it an "identity" for helping this entity "keep the main thing the main thing." However, for some reason, despite having God's ultimate power, the American Church has lost its identity and i will tell why momentarily.
Again, before looking at the American Church today, i want to just look at some government agencies and companies to prove my point that the American Church has lost its identity. When it comes to education in America, i think all will agree, the numbers don't add up and even the "real world" kids live in (one of technology) does not match up to what they learn at school (from books). There is a disconnect and kids aren't learning, that's what we know. How come schools aren't radically altered or more different ideas to learning tried? Because the agenda for public education is no longer about learning. What's it about? It's about money and power. It's about keeping students in a dependent state while an agenda is taught to them for more than 12 years. It doesn't take much to see this, just go to a school. Kids disinterested, sleeping, socializing, etc. They aren't learning, so there is only one thing education is now about: money and power over the lives of others.
Another example of our fine government and its agenda would be our transportation system. We have high "gas taxes" and yet we always have bumpy roads. When we go to DMV, there is always one or two checkers with no one else in sight. When we drive through road construction, there is always one guy working, two "flaggers" standing with the STOP sign, and the rest of the crew standing around talking. They aren't "fixing" the road like a private contractor with a deadline and reputation at stake would. No, they are just there. We can all agree, the agenda about transportation is not about making our lives easier. No, it is agenda that has money and control written all over it. Why else would we have such ridiculous fees for the smallest permits that involve our vehicles? It's about money and control.
I can name numerous other government functions, with Health Care being the next big thing that everyone knows deep down is about controlling Life and Death. It will not be about saving or helping people.
In contrast to those government agencies, there is APPLE. A company that has a clear vision: Making things simple and innovation to make phones/communication/computers more easy on our work flow. This company is now worth more than gas/oil because they keep the main thing the main thing: make portable/flexible items that enhance an individuals work flow. That's it. On top of that, keep the service flowing, the products top notch and the employees excited about their jobs.
These companies and entities gives us the perfect example to compare and contrast the current American Church, and the results and what i'm about to say are not good: The American Church is not about Jesus Christ. I don't think the current church is about money, but i do know, it is not about Christ. We seem to have lost the main thing--Christ. I know that the church is not about CHrist for the simple reason, if it were about Christ, lives would be changed, cultured would be engaged and people would be talking about Christ. I know this because we read it in all of the Gospels and especially the book of Acts. In Acts, we see the apostles, men of little education, transforming literal cities and lives because they kept the "main thing the main thing." Yes, there was the Pentecost, but what these men did was more simple: they preached Christ and repentence while serving others! These men led the charge when it came to Christ changing one's life. Look at 2:38, 3:19, 4:31. These men had no college (which America has plenty of), no marketing skills (which America has plenty of) and no technology which gives users instant access to information (which America has plenty of). These guys, compared with America currently, should have been wiped out if we were to start a church. Instead, many churches look back at this time and sigh, stupefied that God hasn't done something like this for many years. I guess i'm baffled as to why God would do something this great in our generation. Why would He when we have the same divorce rate as unbelievers? Why push for change when "cohabitation" among "Christians" is the same as that of unbelievers? Why yearn for people to turn from their sin when church attendance is declining among all demographics? We have folks in the church that act the same or even worst than unbelievers. Are you kidding me? And we seem to tolerate it. Acts 5 reveals what happens when sin was nearly brought into the church...death was the result. God doesn't tolerate hearts of fake, apathetic "love," which is scary when we think about what the American Church is today. While these are scary numbers, stats, thoughts, etc. what is worst is our response to them: we market, "finding out where they are at," etc. as the means to help change these stats (and i just read these articles today). WOW. Is it me or is that crazy? How about rereading the Gospels and Acts and literally look at Jesus "walking among the people" or the apostles doing the same thing, preaching for "repentence of sins." Our priorities have literally been changed. I will come out and say it: Satan doesn't need to show up in the American Church today. Why would he need to? We fight among ourselves and have no strategy for engaging the lost. We have lost the "main thing: preaching the repentance of sins and actually serving others."
Again, i'm not going to come out and say what our current identity as a church is, but i do know what it is not: it is not about Jesus Christ. We haven't seen this many people come to Christ in years and we have our own issues within the church, mainly unbelievers pretending to be believers. And since repentence (turning one way and going the other in regards to your sin) is not preached in many churches if at all, it is no wonder we have lost our effectiveness.
Francis once said, "The church is a whore, but she is my mother." This is an adequate statement. The American Church is lost, floundering and no one seems to know what to do about it. HELLO, something IS wrong.
-to god be the glory for great things he has done!
