I reject pragmatism! I do not want to make decisions (especially decisions about church, ministry, and missions) based exclusively on “what works”. Yes, I admit that sometimes doing what God wants does not yield immediate results. I also admit that doing what God wants may not yield results at all. Church history reminds us that the church throughout history has lived through peaks and valleys. Someone has to live during the “valley years.” Some days I wonder what it would be like to live one’s entire life in the valley–a time characterized by spiritual disinterest, spiritual inactivity, spiritual rejection. That could be the case in our U.S. society and culture today. That is one reason I relish my involvement in mission work which takes me to places in the world where people are hungering and thirsting for spiritual nourishment, for life that feel like life, and something greater and more lasting than this world can offer.
Despite my rejection of pure pragmatism, I feel compelled to note when something isn’t working. Especially if it seems many or most of those involved think it is working!
Sunday morning church attendance is dropping across the nation. Overall, we are not growing; we are shrinking. The rural churches across our nation are generally smaller than they were just a few years ago. It is easy to ignore the bleak reality. It is easy to perceive a glimmer of hope because of congregational transfers, but the reality is that we are not winning our little corner of the world for Jesus. We are not providing a viable voice in our community. We are barely heard. We preach to ourselves. We rejoice when most of our members happen to be in town on a particular weekend. We consider it success when our assemblies are swelled by members from other churches of Christ. It is easy to ignore the fact that much of our “success” in local congregations comes by transfers from “feeder churches” as people move to larger population centers. The feeder churches are about the dry up and blow away–and what will happen next is obvious unless something changes.
The logical question in light of this grim analysis is this: What has gone wrong? Wasn’t there a time when we were among the fastest growing religious groups in the U.S.? (Perhaps so, although some of the statistical methods which led to that conclusion have been questioned more recently.) Let me suggest some of what has gone wrong. I am not writing solely of my local situation, but of the church in general in the U.S. I am generalizing (dangerous). I recognize that there are some genuine bright spots. Nonetheless, we have to ask the hard questions about who we are and what we are doing.
The church has a SELF problem. The church is selfish. We have become fat and lazy. We have fed ourselves and not others. We have spent our resources on ourselves. We have learned to limit “church” to a few (4 or less) hours per week. The church is narcissistic (self-centered). Our message is us. Most places, church is too much about church. We too easily ignore the needs around us…feeding the needy, taking the gospel around the world through missions, reaching lost people next door. Our actions say that we are pretty sure that the church exists primarily for its members.
The church has a SPIRITUAL problem. The church is not spiritually sharp. In many places, the church is in a spiritual malaise, some churches are spiritually dead. We are not “into” spirituality. We live our spiritual lives by physical values. Our lack of spiritual focus is reflected iln our conversations, our priorities, our schedules, our absences, and our attitudes.
The church has a SACRIFICE problem. The church is not into sacrifice, and church without sacrifice is church where the message of cross has been twisted to communicate benefit without responsibility. The typical church is not producing disciples of Christ because it is generally Christless.
The church has a SAFE problem. The church has become safe, comfortable, and predictable. No apple cart upsets here, KISMIF to the extreme (keep it safe, make it fun), my favorite songs (and only songs I know, please), no hard questions, no comfort zone exits. I want it to feel normal and traditional, just like I like it (whether it encourages and helps the non-Christians or not). The typical church doesn’t take any chances or put itself into situations where we would have to grow and depend upon God and each other. By our actions and inactions, we miscommunicate the nature of the Christian faith to our children and our kids drop out in droves.
The church has a STUFF problem. The church is too often a place of materialism, lack of imagination and conformity. Spiritual death is certain; mental death is not far behind. One doesn’t have to look hard to see it: personal materialism and church choices based on external concerns; consumers who come to events to receive rather than to give and church choices based on who offers the most goods and services. The typical church encourages consumerism–making church choices (choose us!), hopping from church to church (try us out!), looking for the best deal (why we’re better!). If the children’s program, youth program, any program, preaching, worship, leadership, membership, or carpeting is imperfect, go to the next church. One seldom hears folks wondering about where they can be used best or where God most needs them.
Next: what is the solution?