One thing in particular that stuck out is this: "People no longer [assume] that the church [has] anything to say on matters of personal faith" (Missional Church, 54) and "[The churches] voice in the United States has been marginalized into a highly personalized and privatized practice of faith..." (Ibid, 60).
It is because of these ideas and beliefs that the church has last validity and relevancy with today's generation and todays culture. Churches and youth groups are struggling to offer anything that makes church more appealing: cotton-candy preaching, game centered youth groups, light shows and productions that rival the secular concert setting, self-helping preaching, the HWP (Health, Wealth Prosperity) "gospel," etc. It appears that churches have been consumed with the "numbers game," and practice a type of religious consumerism.
In a time when the church has promoted "personal faith," and privatized religiosity. When it appears that the church preaches that God is here to grant our every want and need. Do we believe that God rotates around the individual or does the individual rotate around God? Must God please us or must we please God? We have grown so individualized as a culture, the community is almost all but lost. I recently was talking with a pastor and he criticized another pastor by saying that their church focused on social justice too much, every sermon ends by talking about social justice. Two things: Firstly, not all of this persons sermons end with social justice. Secondly, so what if they did all end in social justice. If the preaching of God's Word does not move the believer into action then what good is it?
Jesus did not come and die to offer us heaven. Jesus did not come and die to offer us some disembodied spiritual afterlife. God in the form of Jesus came to earth, lived within and among humanity, shared in its joys, triumphs, struggles, and pain; was persecuted, died, and rose again. Not to bring us the HWP gospel, not to allow us to have this escapist mentality but in order that "we may have life, and life to the fullest" (John 10:10b). As Followers of Christ we must through aside social distinctions (Gal 3:26ff); we must suffer and strive to initiate a "one new humanity" and instill peace in the world (Eph 2:15ff).
Jesus came to be the ultimate servant, he healed the sick and invalids, he cast out demons, he fed (physically and spiritually) thousands upon thousands of people. But yet we call being a Christian going to church on Sundays, something is terrible wrong.
As each day passes I become more thoroughly convinced that we are to imitate Jesus (wow - profound!), that we are to be servants, and daily we must pray and live this: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Every day we must seek the help of our Heavenly Father in ways to bring the peace and joy of heaven to hell (I mean earth).
I think followers of Jesus should pray and live this every single day (I am beginning to try):
"Lord, make us instruments of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let us sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is discord, union;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that we may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen." (Prayer attributed to St. Francis).
I know perhaps I didn't clarify certain aspects of this post but I feel that the church must move from this personalized faith to a community of faith, acting and moving as one to embrace grace, peace and joy and offer it to the nations. To bring heaven to earth and yes this is very much so a social justice style gospel, because not only did Jesus die for our sins but he gave us life and life to share and live with all. Lord help us live like this.
Grace and Peace
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