They Do Not Find Jesus in the Church
Many of us wonder why people of today’s generation have less appealing in attending church services. According to the Report from CCN, many of the churchgoers leave the church because they don't find Jesus in the Church.
If
we think logically, this phrase "we cannot find Jesus in the church"
is none sense. When was the last time we saw or somebody saw Jesus in the church
after that he ascended to heaven? However, this is not what the statement meant
about. The statement of "Jesus cannot be found in church" was
addressed to the Church as a Body of Christ. This supposedly for the Children
of God to behave like Jesus even inside the Church. We are challenged to behave
like Jesus, not like a religious one. Most of us behave as a religious or
devoted to Christianity by showing a public prayer, putting stickers on the
bumpers, playing loud Christian songs with in the neighbors, carrying Bible but
not living like Jesus. We miss the true calling and purpose why we are called a
Body of Christ. The line of a song from Casting Crown goes like this
"...
But if we are the body
Why
aren't His arms reaching?
Why
aren't His hands healing?
Why
aren't His words teaching?
And
if we are the body
Why
aren't His feet going?
Why
is His love not showing them...".
This line of a song does not even
challenge us, we did not pay attention to this. However, one indicator why we
are not performing as what we are expected (Body of Christ), is when people
start leaving the church silently or aggressively. If we are honest
to investigate what was the reason, they will not let us know until we
will realize the same sting of the poison in our own lives cause by
fellow brethren in the church. Some left the church because they were offended
to the leaders whom supposedly be a channel of Christ love.
If the theology of the Word of God is
less prioritize, and the leadership and congregation starting to focus on
practical applications and morality; then for me, this will make Word of God
powerless. The church need pastors and preachers that is skilled in
expository, hermeneutics and rich in theological perfective of the
Word of God. If the church focuses on practicality and morality in their church
teachings and doctrines, maximizing on how to apply the Word without even
engaging the person of the Word "Jesus", then we missed the point of
studying Bible. In our Bible study we will not force people to apply point one
to five, or point A,B to D in our church doctrines. The main purpose of Bible
study is we need to search Jesus, "the Word who became flesh that dwelt
among us". This is the challenged to our teaching. We need
to resurrect Jesus in our studies. Unless our students in the Bible
study do not feel Jesus' convictions, leading and comforting, then it
is nonsense. We need people to known that in our study, they see,
feel and hear Jesus. No wonder why some people left the church, because if we
talk about practicality and morality, Buddhist are expert on this, Roman
Catholic are maximizing on this, and Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres and etc. acted
and publicize on this. If we talk about discipline and respect, military,
schools, circus and even cultic churches are experts in this matter. Who are we
to compete with them? Our main responsibility is to make Jesus (WORD became
Flesh) true to us, and to them with convictions and power; not to form another
school of discipline and applications. The teaching of discipleship
without curriculum of being a martyr is incomplete. The disciples of
Jesus did remain as disciples, they became martyrs. The challenge of the
leaders is to make the Word of Christ visible in our lifestyle and the way we
live outside and inside the church. Without embracing a concept of martyrdom,
the disciples of Jesus cannot be Apostles. For us, without embracing the
martyrdom, we cannot make the Word of Christ visible in our life, much more on
making Jesus alive in our lives.
Observe that cultic church that knew also about
this, they fake to look like Jesus in their way of life. We accused them of
peddling the Gospel in buses and streets. One thing I like them, they don't
feel ashamed and fearless in preaching the Gospel in midst of
dangerous crowds. They cannot preach the word with performing powers and wonders;
even some of them use manipulations and sciences. Yet indeed, they preached for
the conviction of doing it for their faith. Now, I will ask, who has a right
doctrine, them or we? If they are persistent in preaching the Word, then guess
what happened in next twenty years about our theology.
I would like to admire Dating Daan and
Eglesia ni Christo that which focuses on the theology of the word, though many
of us agree that it is contradicting yet for them it is the truth and
preserving. Their church packed with people who are hunger to know the
"truth" in the Bible. The teaching of the doctrines of the Word is
essential in our lives being a child of God.
However, we Christians became seldom and
insensitive in paying attention to this; the study the Word thoroughly, the
focus on the incarnation of the Word of Christ in our studies. We don't have an
appetite to deeply study the Word of God; we don't have patience to wait on Him
while we meditate on his Word. We became selective in our topics to read and
study His Word. We do not handle the Word of God as God. We handle it
lightly as a printed word, same as dictionaries, books in libraries. If
this is our behavior to handle the Word of God, then we should not wonder
if Jesus does not make sense in the Church anymore.
We should handle the Word with reverend and awe, we
should be intentionally threat this a God, the resurrected one, not
just a historical God or assumption God. This is the only way we can make Jesus
true to our church. If we learn to apply his Word not because it is a doctrine
but it is rather the Word of God, and it is God. This Word of God, God will
become flesh and dwelt among us now and today if we will treat his Word as God
not just as a printed history of the Word of God.
Sad to know those people in the church discouraging some
brothers who want to go to seminary for deep study of the Word. Some people,
went to seminary just to scape the responsibility of the Word, others
was deprive in preaching the Word because of discriminations. What
happened to our church today? Why we are less attracted to the Word of God, Why
we are less appealing in delighting the Word of God. I guess the answer to this
is, it is because our leaders discourage us to do so unintentionally by
repeatedly hearing them, going to seminary is nonsense.
I personally encounter people, who questioned my studies,
but I compelled to say, "I am not studying in Seminary for the credentials
but for fellowship to our Savior King. I want to know him and in his power
of resurrection Psa 24. Unless that power cannot be seen in my life,
I will not stop to study his Word until I become His Word. I would like to hear
people say about me, I don't hear him preaching the Word, but I see the Word of
God in his life. In this attitude, I hope I can be the body of Christ, to be
his arms that reach, to be his hands that heal, to be his heart showing love.
Look at those people in the church that failed to prioritize the Word of God,
they acted like wolves, cause of discouragement and stumbling block in the
church, possessed a harsh attitude and insensitive to the needs of the needy.
They always think of what they can take for their advantages; but the true
Child of God in the church is martyr who is willing to sacrifice for God’s sake.
Which one you belong here?
You
will know you belong to Jesus, if people finds Jesus charter embedded in your
lifestyle, the people will start seeing you as Jesus. Be his hand, heart or
arms in the church so that people may not depart in the church.
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