How did we get backed into the corner that we’re in?
What scares me more than asking that question is realizing that many, if not most, don’t think we’re in a corner! Denial can be a very dangerous thing to embrace. Denial doesn’t usually go to the party alone: pride most usually rides along as well. It both scares me and saddens me as to how little I know about God, His Word, the history of my heritage. God forgive me!
Christianity in America (primarily) is shaping up as two extremes. At the top we have the mega churches, which are those with 2,000+ weekly attendance. The 2002 survey found that there are now 1,210 such churches in America with a combined annual income over $7,000,000,000.00 with two of the largest are in Houston. Lakewood claims a weekly attendance of 38,000 and Second Baptist 41,000. At the other end of the spectrum is the average church in America with 75 members.
While both ends of the spectrum operate vastly differently than the other, there is something they have in common. Both have staked out doctrinal positions that cause them to be defensive in the public arena and spotlight. And what history has clearly shown is that any change, radical or moderate, is not welcomed. And so the church in America continues doing today what it did yesterday.
And very little growth comes from new converts: most comes from people moving from church to church. In fact, in 2002 there was LESS than one new convert per church in America. The Immigration Act of 1965 has forever changed America. And we are becoming more and more diversified, which means that our staunch rigidity, when it comes to history and doctrine, is going to further enhance the gap between Christianity and the others.
We are a people who are supposed to adhere to and support truth, yet, we seemingly do all we can to deny the truth when it comes to destroying some idol we’ve bowed to all our life. In my life as a Christian, it seems that every year has been one of having to die to something I once thought was gospel (no pun intended). And in the last fifteen months, that process has accelerated.
Who cares if Peter didn’t write either book that bears his name in the New Testament. Who cares if there are actually seven books of Peter with only two being canonized: the other five being the Gospel of Peter, The Acts Of Peter, The Teaching Of Peter, the Revelation Of Peter, and The Preaching Of Peter. Who cares if Erasmus was conned and intimidated into adding verse seven of I John 5 by the Catholic scholars. So what if Mark didn’t quote Jesus right on Chapter 2 and verse 26. What’s the difference if Paul wrote only 7, and not 14 books of the New Testament? How does it affect your love for Christ becuase Matthew didn’t quote Jesus correctly in chapter 23 and verse 35?
But, unfortunately, the church has felt a need to defend the undefensible! We’ve majored on minors and forgot to see to it that the main thing is the main thing. Ego? Pride? Who cares! What I am praying is that the church will once again, turn to it’s savior- Jesus Christ. Let us embrace Him once more. May He be the focus or our passions. May He be the name that comes from our lips, and not our denomination or our doctrinaldemands.
When He is the topic and the focus of our life, LIFE CHANGES!”
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