As I prepare to move away from my Spiritual children there has been a very clear picture sitting in my brain. I am going to speak very frankly about occurances in ministry because the only person I feel like I might offend is the wolf himself. As I'll point out I think we've been too kind for too long to this sneaky pack.
In ministry, lots of people want to tell you what you should be doing to do ministry "right". Many of the ideas that people brought to us had very little to do with reaching the lost and much to do with creating an appearance of success. One particular person made our lives miserable for a short time. So as we prepared to "go home" to my little country church to minister, I began to worry about who would take care of our sheep.
This person repeatedly came up to Nic and told him exactly how to reach people as if we could have never done ministry without him. He started treating his suggestions as nonnegotiables. He began using speech such as, "I'm part of the church so that means you work for me." He would frequently exert power and authority that he didn't actually have. Wolf Red Flag #1: Assigning himself/herself power.
We responded saying that we'd pray over his suggestions and seek the Lord as to whether or not he would have us to start any of those things. In the meanwhile, we asked he and his wife (who had a lot to say as well) to pray about whether they should volunteer their time to be a part of making a difference in the lives of teenagers and see first hand what the ministry might need. After praying we added a few more game/hang out nights since we tend to focus on the more serious side of things. We definitely did fun things but adding more would only build relationships as long as we didn't sacrifice Gospel-centeredness to do so. We tried to follow up with this couple to no avail.
Soon after, we heard from our head Pastor that they had met with him to bring their complaints. (Keep in mind that this couple has no children old enough to be in the youth group.) After hearing their issues with our "performance" our Pastor just told us to make sure we were meeting the congregants needs and assumed they'd go away. Wolf Red Flag #2: A wolf will not stop until he/she has caused distruction.
We noticed this person still acting suspiciously but we weren't sure what he was up to. We would soon find out that he had contacted several board members to complain about the same performance inadequacies he felt we had and tacked on some issues he had with our appearance and (are you ready for this) that he didn't like one of my facebook posts! We would have never known, except that several board members in he hit one that had the courage to come to us. He boldly (and clearly, YAYYY!) listed all of the things the wolf was unhappy with. We explained our process of praying over things, that we'd tried to follow up and of course easily dismissed his other nitpicky issues. That conversation took place on a friday. When we showed up for church on Sunday he shook Nic's hand and simply said, "You're good to go, thank you for serving." Wolf Red Flag #3: Kill or be killed.
Since this couple would no longer be a problem for us, I had kind of forgotten about them. But as we prepared to leave God game me the MOST CLEAR IMAGE, it's amazing. I'm not really an artist but I finally told my husband I was going to have to draw it just to get it out of my head. All I could see was that same guy with the hide of a sheep draped over his body like a Native hunter would wear a wolf hide to scare buffalo. God was reminding me that although someone was strong of to subdue the wolf, no one had the leadership skills and strength it took to shoot him.
Often in today's church culture, we can't even shoot the wolves without a disguise. So when they are clever enough to come in sheep's clothing, maybe even with lambs in tow, we feed, water and strengthen them to our own injury. The longer they hang around, the more people trust and accept them and the more damage is does to the flock with they eventually do either get shot or destroy it all together.
Why am I sharing this with all of you? This is why:
Have you ever had someone surprise you as deceptive after you'd known them for a long time? What might you do now to remain aware that the enemy wants to use people you know to seek, kill and destroy?
And will you join me in praying for our Spiritual leaders to have discernment and strength to see and shoot the wolves that would try and trap their sheep?
Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discipleship. Show all posts
Friday, March 9, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
The Shepherd and the Sheep; Who's Failing Who?
Have you ever moved? As an adult, has your career or other circumstance ever required you to pack up and start over somewhere else? My husband and I bought another house (in the same city as our old house) last year. Being a military brat, it was my first household move without a (paid-for) truck full of guys who come and stuff your junk into boxes, load it on a truck and reverse the process at the other end. I look back and chuckle, but it was mildly traumatic for me when my well-meaning father-in-law unexpectedly backed his truck up to my house and announced that he and his employees were there to help.
Well, here we ago again.
My husband and I are in the middle of an interesting transition (which you can read about here) to another church. I have to mention that this isn't just any church, it's the church I grew up in (or the closest thing to it for a moving military kid). One of the many (many, many) things on my mind through this whole process is the "career" of pastor. I've written about the responsibilities of the pastor before, but the way the job plays out in the life of todays clergymen (and women) and in our culture gives rise to concerns in my insides.
Several years ago, when my husband was offered the job as youth pastor at our current church, one of his mentors told him (who knows where he got this stat) that the average youth pastor stays at a church for only three years. That's not even long enough to see the freshmen graduate much less mentor junior high students successfully into adulthood. Nic and I have always been appalled by the frequent church-hopping that happens in our city, but pastors only staying for three years?
Nic and I have always considered ourselves "lifers" - we assume that we will be at the church God has brought us to for life unless God very clearly tells us otherwise. Attendance in any given body of believers should be considered carefully and faithfully. If conflict arises, resolve it. If sin arises, deal with it in grace and repentance. If you're "not happy with" some of the goings on, you remind yourself that church isn't about you and do what you think you need to to ensure that Jesus' body is honoring Him. I don't say this from a position of a perfect track-record, but I do say it from experience.
While the average Western Christian's view on commitment to a particular church is saddening, the cultural effect on the Western Pastor is even more disheartening. With the development of denominational networks and church job websites, a seminary graduate can climb the ladder in no time. Wait. What?
Therein lies our problem. Let's play a little fill in the blanks game here... Most young people graduate from Bible School and make their ___ (5, 10, 20) year career plan. [problem #1: needing a plan. As Francis Chan puts it, God didn't give Abraham a 5 year, much less a 20 year plan when he told him to pack up and move to a new land and that he'd become the father of nations.] Said student might think to themselves, I'll put applications in to be a/an ________ (children's, worship, youth, associate, small groups, interim, other?) pastor at a _________ (smaller, rural, less known, average, springboard) type church. [problems #2 & #3: The position and body one serves in cannot be seen as mere stepping stones on the path to career success] After I get some experience under my belt, I'll start looking at ______ (bigger, cooler, more trendy, more relevant, more Biblical, well-known, higher-paying) churches or a/an ______ (preaching pastor, head pastor, evangelist, traveling speaker) job that I really want. [problem #4: a pastor seriously wrongs their sheep when he even subconsciously considers them a bullet point on his resumé.]
First of all, pastoring is a calling. And no body of believers is a mere springboard for one person's career success. If a pastor doesn't think he is called to minister to young people, why would he think he has the right to take a job doing just that "in the meantime"? Doing a job God didn't design you for seems like a really quick way to get burnt out fast to me! Similarly, I find it interesting that exponentially more pastors are apparently "called" to wealthier and urban churches. If we measure by the number of clergy and their calling, it would appear that God cares very little about the communities and churches in less-hip or poorer areas. Thankfully, the Bible shows us that God's heart is for the marginalized. In fact, most of Jesus' ministry on this earth was focused on the blue-collar, poor and marginalized. It looks to me as if we need to reevaluate the term calling.
Secondly, I think we have shorted both pastors and congregations in the way we have defined their roles. Burn out often happens when a pastor doesn't pastor his family. This is his first ministry. Every pastor's wife and child knows their are time when we have to wait. But ensuring that he has time to spiritually attend to his family is the duty of the pastor. So where does the congregation fit it? Expectations. A church should expect their pastor to take time for his family in order for him to qualify to be their minister (see 1 Tim 2). Their expectations of him should be his best in home and ministry and the give-and-take (aka hard work and grace) that this entails. Also, the congregation should be expected to do their part. A great many pastors and youth pastors tucker out because they run like mad trying to fulfill all of the duties of the church. Instead, each believer should serve and grow in the unique gifts that God has given them. When we all pitch in, a pastor can help us grow (his job as shepherd) and ensure that we (the church as a whole) function to glorify God and further His Kingdom. (Eph 4 & 5, Rom 12, 1 Cor 12)
So now I ask you...how do you view commitment to a church? Why do you think Pastors move to new jobs (in or out of ministry) so quickly?
Well, here we ago again.
My husband and I are in the middle of an interesting transition (which you can read about here) to another church. I have to mention that this isn't just any church, it's the church I grew up in (or the closest thing to it for a moving military kid). One of the many (many, many) things on my mind through this whole process is the "career" of pastor. I've written about the responsibilities of the pastor before, but the way the job plays out in the life of todays clergymen (and women) and in our culture gives rise to concerns in my insides.
Several years ago, when my husband was offered the job as youth pastor at our current church, one of his mentors told him (who knows where he got this stat) that the average youth pastor stays at a church for only three years. That's not even long enough to see the freshmen graduate much less mentor junior high students successfully into adulthood. Nic and I have always been appalled by the frequent church-hopping that happens in our city, but pastors only staying for three years?
Nic and I have always considered ourselves "lifers" - we assume that we will be at the church God has brought us to for life unless God very clearly tells us otherwise. Attendance in any given body of believers should be considered carefully and faithfully. If conflict arises, resolve it. If sin arises, deal with it in grace and repentance. If you're "not happy with" some of the goings on, you remind yourself that church isn't about you and do what you think you need to to ensure that Jesus' body is honoring Him. I don't say this from a position of a perfect track-record, but I do say it from experience.
While the average Western Christian's view on commitment to a particular church is saddening, the cultural effect on the Western Pastor is even more disheartening. With the development of denominational networks and church job websites, a seminary graduate can climb the ladder in no time. Wait. What?
Therein lies our problem. Let's play a little fill in the blanks game here... Most young people graduate from Bible School and make their ___ (5, 10, 20) year career plan. [problem #1: needing a plan. As Francis Chan puts it, God didn't give Abraham a 5 year, much less a 20 year plan when he told him to pack up and move to a new land and that he'd become the father of nations.] Said student might think to themselves, I'll put applications in to be a/an ________ (children's, worship, youth, associate, small groups, interim, other?) pastor at a _________ (smaller, rural, less known, average, springboard) type church. [problems #2 & #3: The position and body one serves in cannot be seen as mere stepping stones on the path to career success] After I get some experience under my belt, I'll start looking at ______ (bigger, cooler, more trendy, more relevant, more Biblical, well-known, higher-paying) churches or a/an ______ (preaching pastor, head pastor, evangelist, traveling speaker) job that I really want. [problem #4: a pastor seriously wrongs their sheep when he even subconsciously considers them a bullet point on his resumé.]
First of all, pastoring is a calling. And no body of believers is a mere springboard for one person's career success. If a pastor doesn't think he is called to minister to young people, why would he think he has the right to take a job doing just that "in the meantime"? Doing a job God didn't design you for seems like a really quick way to get burnt out fast to me! Similarly, I find it interesting that exponentially more pastors are apparently "called" to wealthier and urban churches. If we measure by the number of clergy and their calling, it would appear that God cares very little about the communities and churches in less-hip or poorer areas. Thankfully, the Bible shows us that God's heart is for the marginalized. In fact, most of Jesus' ministry on this earth was focused on the blue-collar, poor and marginalized. It looks to me as if we need to reevaluate the term calling.
Secondly, I think we have shorted both pastors and congregations in the way we have defined their roles. Burn out often happens when a pastor doesn't pastor his family. This is his first ministry. Every pastor's wife and child knows their are time when we have to wait. But ensuring that he has time to spiritually attend to his family is the duty of the pastor. So where does the congregation fit it? Expectations. A church should expect their pastor to take time for his family in order for him to qualify to be their minister (see 1 Tim 2). Their expectations of him should be his best in home and ministry and the give-and-take (aka hard work and grace) that this entails. Also, the congregation should be expected to do their part. A great many pastors and youth pastors tucker out because they run like mad trying to fulfill all of the duties of the church. Instead, each believer should serve and grow in the unique gifts that God has given them. When we all pitch in, a pastor can help us grow (his job as shepherd) and ensure that we (the church as a whole) function to glorify God and further His Kingdom. (Eph 4 & 5, Rom 12, 1 Cor 12)
So now I ask you...how do you view commitment to a church? Why do you think Pastors move to new jobs (in or out of ministry) so quickly?
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Dear Daughters of Eve,
My spirit is grieved and my heart is heavy.
Where do I start?
The place that I fellowship has plenty of good things going on. My favorite is the mens group. I obviously haven't attended it, but by it's fruit I know great things are happening! It started as a small group and began to grow almost uncontrollably. Somehow it has maintained the same atmosphere and accountability as it did when it was a fraction of the size. They have seen multiple marriages restored, souls saved and best of all their leaders teach the Word with boldness.
The "womens ministry" on the other hand, consists of a few separate groups meeting through out the week. Three out of four have had an issue of doctrinal inconsistencies within their leaders' teaching. Invitation to one of those groups is almost like being recruited for a pyramid scheme. It's as if the women afraid that if they don't get you another group will. Two out of four choose to go through book studies and have hit a very low plateau regarding the depth of their Biblical knowledge. To summarize, scripture is not being studied the way it should and healthy relationships are DEFINITELY not growing.
So why such a vast difference? Honestly, I'm still churning it all around in my brain. So far, this is what I've come up with,
1. Insecurities.
2. Insecurities.
3. Pride
4. Insecurities.
5. Selfish Ambition
When women don't embrace the person God has made them to be and the role He's asked them to fill, they get uncomfortable. And rightly so! Unfortunately they don't use that itch to spur them on to better things. Instead they begin to compare themselves to other women. This can lead to tearing each other down through gossip and so many other malicious female activities this world often glamorizes. Pride somehow stops us from serving in the areas God has gifted us to serve in, the places we would succeed. I want to know how the female brain (my own included) rationalizes this; "I'd benefit the kingdom greatly by doing this, but it's just not really what I had pictured. I'm sure God won't mind if I slip into this leadership role instead." Does it really require more faith to do what He made us to do rather then attempt something He didn't? It shouldn't, but what it does generally require is humility and submission. Ick, nasty little words.
When we stop consulting God for our next step, we can no longer assume we're on board with His vision. And that point, we have to take it upon ourselves to ensure that the program is a hit Que the feeling of competition, its her turn. Making a plan (asking God to bless it as a side note) and then relying on our own efforts to make it work forces us to compete with others for attendance, coolness and even spiritual growth. After all, failure is not an option, because that would be humiliating.
One of these days, I pray that women all over, but specifically the women in my congregation will stop attempting to fill roles they aren't supposed to (those of men, people with other gifts and those occupied just for the sake of doing good stuff) I pray that they will serve and attend to strengthen and purify the body. They will not seek validation from their situation within the Body because they will feel confident in the love of their Father and Maker. If the women of God in my community (and everywhere) would begin to humbly approach the Throne for their assignments and band together as a big beautiful army of graceful, unique, individual soldiers...I'm emotional as words fail to adequately describe the devastation the enemy would experience.
Where do I start?
The place that I fellowship has plenty of good things going on. My favorite is the mens group. I obviously haven't attended it, but by it's fruit I know great things are happening! It started as a small group and began to grow almost uncontrollably. Somehow it has maintained the same atmosphere and accountability as it did when it was a fraction of the size. They have seen multiple marriages restored, souls saved and best of all their leaders teach the Word with boldness.
The "womens ministry" on the other hand, consists of a few separate groups meeting through out the week. Three out of four have had an issue of doctrinal inconsistencies within their leaders' teaching. Invitation to one of those groups is almost like being recruited for a pyramid scheme. It's as if the women afraid that if they don't get you another group will. Two out of four choose to go through book studies and have hit a very low plateau regarding the depth of their Biblical knowledge. To summarize, scripture is not being studied the way it should and healthy relationships are DEFINITELY not growing.
So why such a vast difference? Honestly, I'm still churning it all around in my brain. So far, this is what I've come up with,
1. Insecurities.
2. Insecurities.
3. Pride
4. Insecurities.
5. Selfish Ambition
When women don't embrace the person God has made them to be and the role He's asked them to fill, they get uncomfortable. And rightly so! Unfortunately they don't use that itch to spur them on to better things. Instead they begin to compare themselves to other women. This can lead to tearing each other down through gossip and so many other malicious female activities this world often glamorizes. Pride somehow stops us from serving in the areas God has gifted us to serve in, the places we would succeed. I want to know how the female brain (my own included) rationalizes this; "I'd benefit the kingdom greatly by doing this, but it's just not really what I had pictured. I'm sure God won't mind if I slip into this leadership role instead." Does it really require more faith to do what He made us to do rather then attempt something He didn't? It shouldn't, but what it does generally require is humility and submission. Ick, nasty little words.
When we stop consulting God for our next step, we can no longer assume we're on board with His vision. And that point, we have to take it upon ourselves to ensure that the program is a hit Que the feeling of competition, its her turn. Making a plan (asking God to bless it as a side note) and then relying on our own efforts to make it work forces us to compete with others for attendance, coolness and even spiritual growth. After all, failure is not an option, because that would be humiliating.
One of these days, I pray that women all over, but specifically the women in my congregation will stop attempting to fill roles they aren't supposed to (those of men, people with other gifts and those occupied just for the sake of doing good stuff) I pray that they will serve and attend to strengthen and purify the body. They will not seek validation from their situation within the Body because they will feel confident in the love of their Father and Maker. If the women of God in my community (and everywhere) would begin to humbly approach the Throne for their assignments and band together as a big beautiful army of graceful, unique, individual soldiers...I'm emotional as words fail to adequately describe the devastation the enemy would experience.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
The Word IS Beautiful
In our attempts to draw on the u saved, today's Western Church has spent a large percentage of their resources on presentation. I don't mean presentation in an evangelistic sense. I'm talking about aesthetics, promotion and other additional elements to preaching the Word.
As the years go by, the amount of money spent on such things has grown and continues to grow like crazy. I'm very alarmed by the results of these efforts. The number of Bible-believing Christians in American is plummeting. I took broadly accepted statistics on the success rate of youth ministry and applied it to the city I live in. In our town of 60,000 people, based on the number of students in youth groups at evangelical churches: we will statistically only make a lifelong change in the lives of fifty of them, at most.
What happens when this generation of young people are the parents, community leaders and the ones responsible for the religious beliefs of the following generation? Even if there are one hundred people in that generation that believe and try to pass the Gogspel on to their kids, what will this city look like in several decades. Frightening.
My point is, obiously dressing up the the Word of God doesn't work; neither does dulling it down or fluffing it up.
I will not settle for spreading less than the True Word which is as sharp as any two edged sword. I feel uncomfortable at the thought of being responsible for trying to reach a generation with lights, a rock-band worship team that sings poetic but unmeaningful words and trendy graphics. I dread the thought of telling Him at His throne, "but I attracted hundreds of kids to the church building." Only to hear His answer, "but how many of them received My grace?" When I stand before my Judge, I long to see a row of my purple-haired peeps there with me and hear, "Well done."
In the scope of eternity, I cannot help but challenge people, including myself, to drop the act. In the book of Acts, the Lord added to their numbers. Can we please, I beg you, begin to truly rely on the Spirit to guide our steps in furthering the Kingdom?
As the years go by, the amount of money spent on such things has grown and continues to grow like crazy. I'm very alarmed by the results of these efforts. The number of Bible-believing Christians in American is plummeting. I took broadly accepted statistics on the success rate of youth ministry and applied it to the city I live in. In our town of 60,000 people, based on the number of students in youth groups at evangelical churches: we will statistically only make a lifelong change in the lives of fifty of them, at most.
What happens when this generation of young people are the parents, community leaders and the ones responsible for the religious beliefs of the following generation? Even if there are one hundred people in that generation that believe and try to pass the Gogspel on to their kids, what will this city look like in several decades. Frightening.
My point is, obiously dressing up the the Word of God doesn't work; neither does dulling it down or fluffing it up.
I will not settle for spreading less than the True Word which is as sharp as any two edged sword. I feel uncomfortable at the thought of being responsible for trying to reach a generation with lights, a rock-band worship team that sings poetic but unmeaningful words and trendy graphics. I dread the thought of telling Him at His throne, "but I attracted hundreds of kids to the church building." Only to hear His answer, "but how many of them received My grace?" When I stand before my Judge, I long to see a row of my purple-haired peeps there with me and hear, "Well done."
In the scope of eternity, I cannot help but challenge people, including myself, to drop the act. In the book of Acts, the Lord added to their numbers. Can we please, I beg you, begin to truly rely on the Spirit to guide our steps in furthering the Kingdom?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Jesus Was Culturally Relevant
Everyone wants everyone else to do church their way. If this weren't the case, we wouldn't have thousands upon thousands of denominations within the Christian church. There are divisions and subgroups within those denominations. Young people wouldn't be running off and planting unbalanced churches because the elders don't disciple or even seem to care about them and old churches wouldn't be dying off because they refuse to change the changeables to relate to the culture. We wouldn't have five churches on one block and still have unchurched, de-churched and hungry people across the street.
Doesn't anyone want to do church Jesus' way? As the Christ, Jesus was able to prune the functions of the church while He was on earth. I think He addressed each group's habits with one of three attitudes.
The first is toward those with a lazy form of religion that I like to call Checkmark Christanity. Because of the religious leaders of the time (which I address in the second category) many followers became adjusted to simply checking the requirements of being a good Jew off of their list. Giving? Check. Attending? Check. Eating correctly? Check. Cleanliness? Check. I see Checkmark Christians everywhere I look. This is why people shop for a church like it's their Friday night movie. Does it look good? Does it have people I'm attracted to in it? Will I feel good when I walk out? Will I get home at a reasonable hour? Will my kids like it? How much is it going to cost me? Are there food and drinks available? It's because they just need to check church off their list and they want it to be comfortable. Checkmark Christians want to pull up to the window to be served their God for the week so they can go back to their busy lives and give up as little of their time and energy as possible. A prime Bilical example is that if the Rich Ruler. In Luke 18 he asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. After establishing that he has a check in all of the boxes, Jesus asks him to make a sacrifice a show people some love. Unfortunately he is sad and unwilling. He was raised as a Checkmark Jew and the transition, or transformation rather into authentic Christian is to much for him.
The second addresses laws that God the Father had set up for good reasons, but leaders had elaborated on them and over prioritized them to a point of making the rules themselves a religion. 'And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."' You can spot these overzealous modern day Pharisees most often doing great things. These people get anxious because in their pride they rely on themselves and their gifts to grow God's kingdom, and they're right! They can't do it! You'll find them frequently looking at attendance in their services and groups because they must "measure success". They have the hardest time relying on the grace of God and trusting for future grace! Pharisees however, are great accountability partners: they never let anyone get away with anything. Another way rules religiosity surfaces is through an unwillingness to separate the changeables from the non-negotiables. Compromise is not and should not be an option in areas that deal with Truth. Unfortunately, like the original pharisees, many of today's church members get stuck on how things are supposed to be done simply because that's the way it's been. Jesus Himself managed to be culturally relevant and we know He didn't distort the Word. Why can't today's leaders imitate that?! This encompasses a good portion of today's leaders and "devout" Christians. Sadly they breed a good number of baby Pharisees and even more Checkmark Christians who've been taught to just keep the overzealous "rules people" happy. When I struggle, I admit it's in this direction. I guess I'm one of those lucky people who had my fair share of influence by Pharisees. My frustration is always directed, however, at other Pharisees.
I think the third group and habit that Jesus addressed was the group who loved God and tried to do religion right but in their humanity still needed some guidance. Jesus' disciples had to grow in many areas: shame, pride, materialism, forgiveness and faith; just to name a few. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
No matter how we approach living out our faith, we'll never "do church" perfectly. But we put ourselves in a good spot when we remain humble and teachable. This way when the Spirit speaks to us, we are free to follow no matter what He asks. As long as we are loving God with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves, we can be confident that we are following the Law! Do church the way God asks you to. Hold to the Scriptures and then don't worry about anything else!
Doesn't anyone want to do church Jesus' way? As the Christ, Jesus was able to prune the functions of the church while He was on earth. I think He addressed each group's habits with one of three attitudes.
The first is toward those with a lazy form of religion that I like to call Checkmark Christanity. Because of the religious leaders of the time (which I address in the second category) many followers became adjusted to simply checking the requirements of being a good Jew off of their list. Giving? Check. Attending? Check. Eating correctly? Check. Cleanliness? Check. I see Checkmark Christians everywhere I look. This is why people shop for a church like it's their Friday night movie. Does it look good? Does it have people I'm attracted to in it? Will I feel good when I walk out? Will I get home at a reasonable hour? Will my kids like it? How much is it going to cost me? Are there food and drinks available? It's because they just need to check church off their list and they want it to be comfortable. Checkmark Christians want to pull up to the window to be served their God for the week so they can go back to their busy lives and give up as little of their time and energy as possible. A prime Bilical example is that if the Rich Ruler. In Luke 18 he asks Jesus what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. After establishing that he has a check in all of the boxes, Jesus asks him to make a sacrifice a show people some love. Unfortunately he is sad and unwilling. He was raised as a Checkmark Jew and the transition, or transformation rather into authentic Christian is to much for him.
The second addresses laws that God the Father had set up for good reasons, but leaders had elaborated on them and over prioritized them to a point of making the rules themselves a religion. 'And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."' You can spot these overzealous modern day Pharisees most often doing great things. These people get anxious because in their pride they rely on themselves and their gifts to grow God's kingdom, and they're right! They can't do it! You'll find them frequently looking at attendance in their services and groups because they must "measure success". They have the hardest time relying on the grace of God and trusting for future grace! Pharisees however, are great accountability partners: they never let anyone get away with anything. Another way rules religiosity surfaces is through an unwillingness to separate the changeables from the non-negotiables. Compromise is not and should not be an option in areas that deal with Truth. Unfortunately, like the original pharisees, many of today's church members get stuck on how things are supposed to be done simply because that's the way it's been. Jesus Himself managed to be culturally relevant and we know He didn't distort the Word. Why can't today's leaders imitate that?! This encompasses a good portion of today's leaders and "devout" Christians. Sadly they breed a good number of baby Pharisees and even more Checkmark Christians who've been taught to just keep the overzealous "rules people" happy. When I struggle, I admit it's in this direction. I guess I'm one of those lucky people who had my fair share of influence by Pharisees. My frustration is always directed, however, at other Pharisees.
I think the third group and habit that Jesus addressed was the group who loved God and tried to do religion right but in their humanity still needed some guidance. Jesus' disciples had to grow in many areas: shame, pride, materialism, forgiveness and faith; just to name a few. "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
No matter how we approach living out our faith, we'll never "do church" perfectly. But we put ourselves in a good spot when we remain humble and teachable. This way when the Spirit speaks to us, we are free to follow no matter what He asks. As long as we are loving God with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength and loving our neighbor as ourselves, we can be confident that we are following the Law! Do church the way God asks you to. Hold to the Scriptures and then don't worry about anything else!
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