I'm Tired of Us

I'll be the first one to say that change in the church is needed. I am all for a revolution that puts away old irrelevant rituals and religion. It's way past time for an "Extreme Makeover". But while that is going on I think we are missing the real reason people don't go to church.

The reason that people don't go to or leave the church is Christians. Yep, you and I and everyone else who professes Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We have become "world repellant". We are hypocritical, judgmental, hyper-conservative, non-inclusive, closed minded, incredibly insincere and every other Pharisee laden characteristic that Christ points out.

It amazes me that we are ready to give financial advice when our finances are in disarray. We want to tell people how to love their spouse and parent their children when our homes are in shambles. We want to paint broad strokes like working mom's don't love their kids as much as women who stay at home or if a woman gets an epidural during delivery she is less of a woman. Oh, you’re a Christian, you must be a republican. Here is common thought, "oh, you’re a Christian, so you'll be my friend until I tell you that I'm not going to your Bible study or your church. I know that's what you care about, another notch in your; "I got someone saved belt." This is what the world thinks of us. From where I stand, they're right.

Now am I not assuming that sin will not permeate the church. What I am saying is that it's not Jesus, church buildings or the Gospel that prevents the world from hearing the message. It's those of us who unwilling to live a transparent life. We need to seek to be open with our lives or our sin. Be willing to say "hey, I know what you’re going through, my husband and I went through the same thing and here is how we made it". Here is where the difference should take place. Instead of saying "Oh that's too bad, I'll pray you." You have nothing to lose by living a transparent life because you only have to be accountable to God.

We also need to be better in loving each other. Jesus says "They will know you are my disciples by your love for one another". Not our pride driven theological or doctrinal debates. Not our pride driven "our church is cool" mentality. Not our pride in the "our church is bigger than your church" mentality but our LOVE for one another.

Lastly we need to be real in our relationships with non-Christians. We need to show that we are representatives of Jesus who never compromised who he was but loved tax collectors, prostitutes, people who were so full of sin that the Pharisees wouldn't even touch them (literally). Non-Christians need to know that we genially care for them the way Christ cares for us not just waiting for the inevitable "invitation". Effective evangelism takes place when your life shows the benefits of a life in Christ; peace, patience, love, joy, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Right now, we have image problems and I’m tired of us.

Zephaniah 3:17 Part 2

2. Mighty - The God of creation, the Red Sea, the Great I Am, the God of Abraham, the God of Resurrection and the God of Revelation. This all powerful creator and sustainer of all thngs is the God that Zephaniah's prophesy speaks. This God is always present and uses his might for saving souls. Imagine, a God with everything at his disposal and he chooses to use his power for saving sinners from distruction and seperation. I am broken and taken aback by this very thought.

Zephaniah 3:17 part 1

Zephhaniah 3:17 speaks to the very heart of God. Specifically to 8 characteristics.

1. Present - "The Lord God is in your midst". God is ever present you can't hide from Him. We could view this in 2 different ways. Either this makes us nervous because when you sin he is there or when the world has let you down and you're desperate, he is there. How is it then that we have times when we feel distant from God? Why do I have "dry" times? If God is omnipresent the problem must lie within us. Maybe it's condemnation or persistant sin natures. Could be both as a result of unrepentance. Either way the distance is created by our own heart condition not because God has abandoned you or has taken vacation