More than once I have visited a church where the leaders were successful in creating a county club (anything goes) atmosphere, where the emphasis on Jesus appears to have been lost in the shuffle. Too often these country club churches seek to please the membership rather than fulfill their mission of reaching the lost. They have developed multiple programs for everything under the sun, except reaching the lost.
Country club churches dot the landscape all over our fair country, and bear little resemblance to the church depicted in the Bible. If the church is the earthly body of Christ (and it is) then we need to follow after Jesus rather than attending a church where the emphasis is placed on our entertainment instead of preparing us to live Godly lives and harvest lost souls.
Your church might be a country club, if:
Your entire weeks contribution is used to buy ice cream for the weekly Sasquatch Admiration Society meeting in room #304.
The elders proudly announce the new Martha Stewart, Spitfire Self-igniting, radically engineered, atom fueled cook stove has been installed right next to the matching refrigerator in the "church" kitchen.
You always have Sunday lunch with the IN group, and never have occasion to invite visitors-- especially the poor, ill dressed, and un-churched --to share your table. You do have a Christian image to uphold, you just can't be seen with the un-churched!
You are asked to reach deep into your pocket to embellish the fellowship hall by adding an NBA (National Basketball Association) type wood floor, and increase the size of the playing field to a full court so a few of the members can have some fun. Of course it can also be used for sock hops.
You are a member of six clubs in the church; the Boy Scouts Boosters, Camp XIII Bonfire Extinguishers, Boar Hunters of America, Yellow Primrose Association, Chicago Bear Tailgaters, and the Blue Boys '73 Corvette Club, but can't locate the verse in the bible where "Jesus Wept."
Everyone during the worship service is wearing their favorite NFL T-shirt while munching on popcorn, eating hot dogs, and sipping cokes.
The church leaders turn their heads when you are sinful, and go out of their way to remove any possible guilt that just might harm your psyche.
Enough!
I prefer a small church with a big heart, using the Lord's money wisely to feed the poor, care for the sick, and save the lost; not pampering the in-house membership.
2 comments:
You wanna do something about Jesus at church??? Come on...
Just kidding..your point is very well made!
There was a Church of Christ in Okla.that was loosing members so they borrowed the money to build a gym, and health club with a nursery
The membership has risen enormously but is it the Church membership or the health club?
when we accent this world instead of the next,I don't know if we have accompliced what we set out to do.
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