Churches Are Dying Because Christians Aren’t
In order to embrace Christ you have to first empty self by dying to life as you knew it. If you don’t teach that expect to develop Christians who can have one foot in the world and one foot in Christianity. It is hard to step out of faith if you have two feet with Jesus rather than just one. It is easier to step back into the world from on top of the fence than on the other side of it. Inadvertently, our lack of teaching has communicated that fence sitting isn’t all that bad.
Yet, the majority of the church is not compelled to live a life on mission. You would think that if we have accepted the gospel and received forgiveness, we would run to a lost world and share the hope we have found. However, this is often not the case. We talk a good game, but we are not missional.
Trends in the Religious Unaffiliated, the “Nones,” by Age
There is some lagged effect, as the elderly are catching up the middle-aged in the past decade, but overall, the rise of the religious nones is something that spans all age groups. Thus it’s a societal-wide change more than just an age or generational change.
Over the past few years, my now 12-year-old daughter has been exposed to some rather uncomfortable subjects. Prostitution, homosexuality, whoring, menstrual cycles, bodily emissions, and rape have all been discussed in her presence.
You might wonder what type of parents we are. Do we let her watch too much TV? Allow her to listen to the wrong radio stations? Surf the internet without guidance? Actually my husband and I are fairly strict about the influences we allow into our home. It’s been one particular outside influence that has reached our daughter.
We take her to church.
The Christian – the biblical – view of Israel has nothing to do with Palestine, politics or parentage. Rather, it has to do with the landscape of the heart, the politics of heaven, and the lineage of faith (cf. Gal. 3:26-29).
The one who follows Christ without hypocrisy is, with Nathaniel, an Israelite indeed.
I Resign From The Church’s Compliance Office
But, I’ve had enough now. I’m ready to refocus outward. I’m tired of dissecting what is wrong with every other church or ministry out there. I’m even tired of the self-critique. I’m ready to focus on what I’m for and spend my time encouraging what is good in my own heritage and others. I’m old enough now to feel my mortality, and I know I only have so much time and energy left. I’d like to spend it focusing on promoting what I believe in rather than fighting what I’m against.
When Christ is the focus of our joy and worship, we are able to put food, sex and our careers in their appropriate place in our lives. Since we have everything we need in Christ, we have no reason to pursue lesser gods. As Paul teaches, “We are not our own, we have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your body.” The Gospel, then, changes the way we eat because it puts Christ as our first priority, and everyone else falls second. It requires us to eat healthfully, and so fuel our bodies for the mission of God.
The Day of Atonement was a Copy of Christ’s Atonement
It is common to think of the Old Testament ritual as providing the model that Jesus’ priesthood subsequently copied and fulfilled. But Hebrews sees things differently. The Old Testament ritual of the high priest moving through the tabernacle—with its various rooms and furniture, especially the Holy of Holies and the ark with the mercy seat—is not the model but the copy (Heb. 8:5).
Remember the Battle of Havana. Remember Juan de Prado and his failure to get ready. The king told him exactly what he needed to do, yet when the time came, de Prado didn’t do what he was told.
Identidades II
A photographer takes old portraits, locates the original subjects, and photographs them in the same pose. The results are fascinating.
Retratos