The biggest thing I have learned at the Institute so far is how the Christian church is possibly one of the most unauthentic places in the world. I am now a cynic to the church. I think this is a good thing. I have been taught what the church as whole is doing wrong and how it does not line up with the Bible.
I want a reformation for church in America. Let’s take the book of Acts and model their version of the church. We need to change the methods but not the message. So many churches are trying to change the methods and the message, which is where the emergent church comes in (which I think is on its way out but that’s another post for another time). Other churches are packaging twisted messages in a traditional method gift box, which doesn’t work either.
Do not put the tradition of how the church has been run in the past in front of the people in the church. Let me repeat that. DO NOT PUT THE SPIRITUAL HEALTH OF YOUR CHURCH IN JEPORDY BECAUSE YOU ARE TO FOCUSED ON TRADITION.
Did you hear that? A lot of modern problems in the church are simply because people do not want to change what has worked for the past 30 years. Guess what: it’s 2010, not 1980. The world has changed. The greatest evil in America is not wars, immorality, corruption it is the ineffective church. Let me say that again; The greatest evil in America is the ineffective church. How does that make you feel? I’m so annoyed and frustrated.
Maybe I am to emotionally connected to this issue because I am currently watching a great church fall because tradition has been put at the top of the list when really that spot should be reserved for the people. The greatest commandant was not to love tradition. Read Matthew 22:36-40 It was to “love the Lord you God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind.” Want to know what the second was is? It’s to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Tradition is never mentioned. Imagine that.
Well, I could talk so much on this issue but our morning break is over. So basically: remember the people of your church, not the tradition. Keep the message, not the methods.
