I have a right!
I'm sure we all wonder why we have so many divisions in the Church. This is one of the reasons of our discussion. You ever wonder why we have so many independent, freewill, and non-denominational churches particularly in America? I have an idea why.
In my last comment on Brannon's last blog, I mentioned the fact that the church in America has bought into the corporate world and the democracy of which we are a part, as citizens of this country. I submit, my friends, that these two factors are major in explaining why we have so many divisions in the church in America. Our corporate, democratic minds seep into the workings of the church, thus fusing them together to the point that in some churches, there is no line dividing America with the Church.
The capitalistic corporate world has infiltrated the church to the point that the only "growing" churches are the megachurches who utilize the corporate style of administration and practice. You learn in the corporate world to "give them what they want", or, "the customer is always right". Basing a church in this form makes the church member a consumer, and the church a producer. Therefore, we have these huge churches who cater to the masses, which yields high numbers and brings in much money. Success in America comes in the form of the dollar. If you give the members what they want, tell them what they wanna hear, and send them away thinking that they have been to church, you will have a church that will come back every Sunday, and a church that will pay big bucks to keep this producer afloat. I am willing to assume that you all are familiar with a large congregation in a Texas city that has bought into this corporate model. With over 20,000 attendees per weekend, this church is successful in the corporate mind, but have you ever listened to a sermon? Wow. I feel like I rule the world and I can do anything I want to and God "owes" it to me because Christ's "champion bloodline" runs through my veins. Who wouldn't want to go to a church where a motivational speaker pats you on the back each and every weekend? I implore you: Boycott Joel Osteen and please tell the Church the truth about Christ and Christianity. It is difficult, it is hard, and we deserve nothing. We don't even deserve to live. It is by the grace of God that I am breathing right this very moment.
Now we turn to the second factor of reasoning: the democratic mind. I just mentioned that people may think that God "owes" them something. I find that mindset in the church many times. Why do we think we deserve anything from the church? Why do we think that if we are not getting what we want from a church, we can just go make our own? Democracy, my friends, democracy.
In America, we live in a democratic society. As citizens of this country we live under the Constitution of the United States of America. Before this document was written, another document declared our independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence makes some assertions that are evident in the American Church,
" We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
For this discussion, we will be most concerned with the phrase, "that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights". According to this government document, we have rights because we are human beings. Not to go down a rabbit trail, but when this was signed, African people were not human. Hmmm. Anyway, this document states that we all are deserving of rights, we all have rights, and we all are owed these rights.
Have you ever been in a church where someone felt owed? Ever heard someone say, "I am a member of this church, and I have a RIGHT to be in the board meeting", or, "I have a RIGHT to stand up in front of everyone and tell them how much I think you are a bad pastor/preacher/teacher", or even, "I don't like this church and I have a right to start my own church!" These are all examples of things that might come out from a member of a church who feels owed.
My friends, we have no rights in the church, save the grace of God that is given at His Will. We are not owed anything, we are to give everything. We gave up our rights when we believed in Jesus Christ and said we would follow Him. It is not our Church, it is His Church. He is the Ruler, and we are His servants willing to do whatever we are asked to do because we love Him because He first loved us.
Just some thoughts on why we have division in this country.
Rightless Servant,
Joseph
In my last comment on Brannon's last blog, I mentioned the fact that the church in America has bought into the corporate world and the democracy of which we are a part, as citizens of this country. I submit, my friends, that these two factors are major in explaining why we have so many divisions in the church in America. Our corporate, democratic minds seep into the workings of the church, thus fusing them together to the point that in some churches, there is no line dividing America with the Church.
The capitalistic corporate world has infiltrated the church to the point that the only "growing" churches are the megachurches who utilize the corporate style of administration and practice. You learn in the corporate world to "give them what they want", or, "the customer is always right". Basing a church in this form makes the church member a consumer, and the church a producer. Therefore, we have these huge churches who cater to the masses, which yields high numbers and brings in much money. Success in America comes in the form of the dollar. If you give the members what they want, tell them what they wanna hear, and send them away thinking that they have been to church, you will have a church that will come back every Sunday, and a church that will pay big bucks to keep this producer afloat. I am willing to assume that you all are familiar with a large congregation in a Texas city that has bought into this corporate model. With over 20,000 attendees per weekend, this church is successful in the corporate mind, but have you ever listened to a sermon? Wow. I feel like I rule the world and I can do anything I want to and God "owes" it to me because Christ's "champion bloodline" runs through my veins. Who wouldn't want to go to a church where a motivational speaker pats you on the back each and every weekend? I implore you: Boycott Joel Osteen and please tell the Church the truth about Christ and Christianity. It is difficult, it is hard, and we deserve nothing. We don't even deserve to live. It is by the grace of God that I am breathing right this very moment.
Now we turn to the second factor of reasoning: the democratic mind. I just mentioned that people may think that God "owes" them something. I find that mindset in the church many times. Why do we think we deserve anything from the church? Why do we think that if we are not getting what we want from a church, we can just go make our own? Democracy, my friends, democracy.
In America, we live in a democratic society. As citizens of this country we live under the Constitution of the United States of America. Before this document was written, another document declared our independence from Britain. The Declaration of Independence makes some assertions that are evident in the American Church,
" We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
For this discussion, we will be most concerned with the phrase, "that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights". According to this government document, we have rights because we are human beings. Not to go down a rabbit trail, but when this was signed, African people were not human. Hmmm. Anyway, this document states that we all are deserving of rights, we all have rights, and we all are owed these rights.
Have you ever been in a church where someone felt owed? Ever heard someone say, "I am a member of this church, and I have a RIGHT to be in the board meeting", or, "I have a RIGHT to stand up in front of everyone and tell them how much I think you are a bad pastor/preacher/teacher", or even, "I don't like this church and I have a right to start my own church!" These are all examples of things that might come out from a member of a church who feels owed.
My friends, we have no rights in the church, save the grace of God that is given at His Will. We are not owed anything, we are to give everything. We gave up our rights when we believed in Jesus Christ and said we would follow Him. It is not our Church, it is His Church. He is the Ruler, and we are His servants willing to do whatever we are asked to do because we love Him because He first loved us.
Just some thoughts on why we have division in this country.
Rightless Servant,
Joseph
posted by Joseph | 3:39 PM
1 Comments:
So Joseph, you're saying that it's not like this video says it is? Or that it shouldn't be? Sheez, man, what gives? *wink*
your post is spot-on, and a wonderfully prophetic call to our churches in america. I think your diagnosis is correct. My most recent post is of course building on this idea. Basically, I think "church-growth" style evangelical christianity has proven itself to be utterly bankrupt and the quicker it sputters and dies, the better for us all. I don't understand how "growing a church" can be reconciled with a Christ that calls us to take up a cross and follow him unto our very death. Plus, I don't understand where we got the idea that anything we do makes a church grow...isn't that the Holy Spirit's job?
Maybe the key to "church growth" is utterly letting go of the idea of growth - fully accepting the terrible risk of taking up the cross, having been baptized as we are into Christ's death - fully understanding that followers of Christ have to, like Christ, "make themselves nothing, less than nothing, and take the form of a slave." Maybe a church that was totally sold out to this ideal, truly willing to shrivel and die if that's what it means to follow Jesus, would be truly blessed by the kind of genuine growth that no marketing plan or business strategy but only the Holy Spirit can bring about.
Post a Comment
<< Home