UNHOOKED OR STILL TETHERED IN CHANGING TIMES

In both a transcendent universal sense and a locally accessible sense, followers of Christ are called by God to be Church, sometimes called the Bride of Christ. While the transcendent version influences academic and logical conversations, the local church is boots on the ground, the operational model. Lately I have spoken understandingly about believers who unhook themselves from the organized church. Unhooking is an option but know this, a person who abnegates commitment to a local church is not exempt from Christian responsibility. What might such responsibility be?

Look, if you either wish to start your own church with a few friends or you want to continue the existing local church, this is what you can expect. You live within a global network of systems that affect all of our lives, climate, culture, economy, education, politics and religion too. Change is inevitable in our system. Change happens without our consent. Christians whether associated or disassociated with a local organized church have a duty to Jesus to make disciples so let's be realistic about the challenges.

Consumer prices affect church finances so are you making reasonable cost decisions at church? What was purchased for $100 in 2000, now costs $130. Families have doublewide driveways for two or more vehicles, dictating how much land local churches must pave to accommodate the traffic. If you are not caring for the orphan and the hungry (or things comparable) but prioritizing buildings and salaries some Christians should object. When doing church, do we consider that people's lives are significantly impacted by technologies, need for convenience, hectic schedules, weary adults, parents both of whom work, daycare children, catch-up Saturdays, and the demand for a breath of air? Women have spiritual needs but how can these be addressed when 80% of women aged 25-44 are employed outside the home, as compared with 50% in 1970 and 75% in 1990? We have such complicated family schedules and 25% of adults eat breakfast on their way to work. Music has replaced doctrine as the most divisive issue in churches since music has become a dominant force. Juvenile (aged 10-17) arrest rate has tripled in 25 years and the drug culture become prevalent, so what choices should Christians make about ministries and even security. And you and I can be as cynical as we choose about an organized church, but outside it, no one is any different or better when sitting on their hands.

ROAST THE CHURCH

It bothers me. I have friends who are avid and unquestioning church supporters. They are uncomfortable with conversation that is critical of church. I also have friends who express cynicism about church, skepticism with which I do not altogether disagree. So I’ll tell you what I am thinking. People are disappointed with church. The church should want to hear about that, yet because it is a closed subject in church, articles, books, and blogs poke at the church, deride the church. There have always been jokes about religion. This is different. This is a preoccupation, even a movement. Knock the church. Roast the church. That’s partially explained by the failure of church leaders and members to listen and to discuss the reasons why a growing percentage of Christians are dissatisfied. So the disappointed withdraw and possibly become this vocal resistance to which I refer. The crazy thing is, both positions argue from the conviction that the church belongs to Jesus, and he loves the church. One side queries, “how can you dare to be cynical about Christ’s bride?” The other side charges, “the way you are doing church, is losing credibility, confidence and relevance.”