The church today has become the center for the performing arts. Sermons are slickly crafted, and worship is wonderfully choreographed, while the patrons in the pews are entertained to do the same. Entertained to do what? Perform, of course.
Our breaknecked pace of American culture has put us on a treadmill of "behavioral Christianity"
Evangelical Christianity has slipped into a think and do mentality. We have measured spiritual maturity simply by external behavior. After all, doesn't man look at the outer appearance? It seems to me that we have done a great job reducing Christianity to a series of disciplines. If a person goes to church, studies the Bible, prays, and is involved actively in ministry they are mature in Christ. Why? Because they are "acting" like a Christian should act.
Paul prayed for the church at Ephesus to comprehend the love of Christ, but we find in Revelation, they lost their first love. What happened? Revelation tells us they were doctrinely sound, patiently enduring, and extremely active. From all the externals the church was behaving in a healthy vibrant way. They had behavioral Christianity mastered. They had great knowledge and were busy being obedient but there was one huge problem. Their passion was missing.
Has that happened to you.? You have been so busy thinking and doing that you forgot to "be".
Maybe it is time for you to go backstage, behind the curtain of "behavioral Christianity" and reconnect with the loving intimate Abba Father.
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Thank you for the reminder to not seek "behavioral Christianity" as a measurement for spirituality. I just came back from a conference last week where a speaker exhorted pastors to come up with a method that would quantify personal spiritual growth. Coming back from the conference, my to do list is full! I need to slow down and spend some time this week to check in with what's going on with my own heart.
ReplyDeleteWe call that being to busy doing “ministry” to do “ministry.” Unfortunately it is an easy habit to get into. It is easy because we are goal oriented, not relationally oriented. Does God draw me close because He loves me, or does He want me to be more productive? I don’t think we get it.
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