Jonathots Daily Blog
(2152)
“Where are all the people?”
It is the pleading question I hear week after week, as ministers, church leaders, secretaries and music directors stare out at the depleted ranks for evidence of the faithful, probing the pews for the chosen “fews.”
Matter of fact, many proclaimers of the gospel find themselves exaggerating the numbers attending the holy sanctuary in order to maintain any shred of purpose or semblance of clerical ego.
There’s no doubt about it–people are leaving the church.
You could assemble a panel of those of a theological bend to discuss the matter for hours, and come up with all sorts of theories, many of which would have grounding in fact without having any footing in solution.
- Yes, it is posh to be agnostic.
- Yes, there is a new indifference masked by the wording of “being busy.”
- Yes, people are more isolated in their homes than they’ve ever been before.
- Yes, the Christian movement has done a lot to shoot itself in the ass by being either too conservative or too liberal
- Yes, we have allowed the “rain makers” to control the message instead of keeping it simple and gently watering the plants that are growing by faith.
- Yes…
You could go on and on. But truthfully, I believe the main problem is that the Sermon on the Mount has hit the valley–because the thrust is now a proclamation of infinity, when mankind is desperately requiring a voice crying in the wilderness for afinity.
Since we are human beings born on Earth, pursuing the promise of heaven, we need to be careful that we don’t “Pinocchio” the gospel–in other words:
- comforting people who are wooden puppets by telling them that “someday they will become little boys and girls.”
- looking at people who have life now and telling them to be overly interested in the life to come.
- addressing human beings who need to be exhorted to excellence, but keeping them weak on a pabulum of their own sinful nature.
Whether it’s Baptist, Catholic, Pentecostal or Lutheran, there is some curriculum teaching that Jesus wants us to focus on “infinity and beyond.” To keep this message in the forefront, you have to emphasize (1) personal weakness so people will be reminded that they need a strong God; and (2) personal salvation, so the elect recognize their weakness and are grateful for a heaven someday.
If you have one ounce of motivation adding up to a pound of desire you will get bored very quickly with this “bad news,” suitable only for the pitiful.
Fortunately, the real message of Jesus of Nazareth was “afinity and be here:”
1. Recognize your personal blessing and do something about it.
- To he whom much is given much is expected.
- Go the second mile.
- You are the salt of the earth.
- Go and do thou likewise.
2. Personal responsibility: “Whenever you’ve done it unto the least of these, my brethren, you’ve done it unto me.”
Yes, there is a second exodus. The people of God are running across the “over-read sea” into the desert of social nothingness, wandering around complaining about the provisions available, dreaming of a Promised Land.
It comes down to this: if the church continues to preach “infinity and beyond” instead of “afinity and be here,“ we will eventually follow the model of the European church, which is now more or less a museum in remembrance of dead ideas.
If you want to stop the exodus, you’re going to have to start preaching the gospel. And the gospel of Jesus is very simple:
As I bask and rejoice in my personal blessing I take up my cross of personal responsibility and go out and make a better life and a better world.
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