While I was out praying tonight I was thinking of how can the western church get it’s power back. I’ve often heard people ask the question, “Why do we see miracles take place so much in other countries but not as much here in the States?” I’ve heard some pretty good answers, and I think there are multiple factors, but I think one of the major reasons is the overall luke-warm atmosphere of the western church. There is a major lack of purity, lack of devotion, and lack of understanding which has led to a lack of love for the Lord. You can’t be in love with someone you don’t intimately know. What most of the nation considers Christianity is nothing more than a joke. It seems to me that most of the western church defines Christianity as trying to be a good person. Which is not at all what Christianity is about.
I’m starting to not jive with the church’s constant pursuit to be relevant. (I’m not talking about my church btw, or any specific church for that matter, just the overall western mindset) I feel like the constant pursuit to be relevant is what is making us irrelevant. At least in the sense that being relevant is starting to feel more and more like blending in. Parts of the church are starting to embrace blatantly anti-Biblical practices – like homosexuality and premarital sex – in an effort to be relevant. This does nothing but weaken the church and render it powerless to impact a dying world. I still believe that God knows best and that if I want to truly help people then guiding them to His ways is the ONLY way to do that. Not by trying to make them feel comfortable.
What’s truly relevant is being able to lay hands on someone with cancer and watch it fall off into your hands. Or to be able to see someone possessed or oppressed by an evil spirit and fearlessly and boldly deliver that person. Too many of the people sitting in pews on Sunday morning know nothing about spiritual warfare.
There is power in purity. Some of the people I like being around the most, and that carry life and joy with them everywhere they go, are also not what the world would consider “cool” or “hip”. There’s a church mother I know who is so powerful and full of joy that I get excited any time I’m going to get to hang out with her, yet she is not cool, and she certainly doesn’t fit in, but in my opinion, she is the epitome of relevant.
My heart is grieved when I see my peers in church on Sunday, but in the club on Friday. Or hear stories of them getting wasted Saturday night, but leading Bible study Sunday night. That is an empty and shallow Christianity void of power. I know many would consider me boring, or a prude, and probably irrelevant because I don’t watch movies or shows with sex, or listen to music that makes light of behaviors that dishonor Christ, They may think I’m out of touch because I don’t go clubbing or partying on weekends. Even in many noteworthy churches I would be considered legalistic and out of touch with their congregation, but I can guarantee you I am one of the happiest and satisfied people you’ll ever meet. I wish people could experience what I feel on a daily basis. I’m not missing out on anything, but I feel like I’ve actually tapped into something.
Part of the reason for this luke-warm culture is people have been confused into thinking that being a Christian is about cutting bad or sinful things out of your life, but what it’s actually about is filling your life with something that is so much better! If all I attempted to do was removing anything sinful from my life then I would be so empty and bored. But I’m not empty or bored because I’ve found something so much more enjoyable than all of the pleasures of this world. And there is so much FREEDOM. I don’t feel the need to impress anyone, or to try and make anyone notice me, or to force my way to into anything. There’s nothing to fear. Not even death! Christianity is freedom! Not bondage.
I want the world to experience what intimacy with Christ feels like. I want to watch them trade in their sandboxes in the backyard for vacations at sea. I want them to realize that the trinkets the world offers them are no comparison to the priceless treasure that Heaven offers. THEN we will be relevant. THEN we will be attractive and have something to offer worth having. THEN we will be truly relevant.
Living to touch God’s heart,
Chris Ulery
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