randzig

I recently heard about a highschool friend of mine. He got married to a girl that we went to school with. They had a baby and I guess he snapped and left his wife and baby. He left because having children was a little difficult. Which it is, but thats another post. I got to thinking about the guy and I remembered that I actually went to a megachurch with him. Then I started recalling how he was a Christian in highschool…well at least he went to church.
This video(below) got me thinking about this guys situation. It reminds me of something I’ve been thinking for a long time. Which is that I suspect that a large majority of people that go to church do so because it is “the thing to do”. Its excellent for job networking, providing activities for the kids, living out good deeds and what not. But its more of a cultural thing for them to go to church. Its not that they truley believe Jesus is God as the Bible says or want to love him with all of their “heart,” “mind”, “soul”, “strength”.

In this video Rob talks about the example of the religious leaders and how they loved to be seen and respected.(This is where I’m making the connection about my friend) These people were basically useless. These were the guys that required people to follow The Law in the most legalistic form. They were spiritually dead and didn’t even realize it. Jesus called them “unmarked graves” and “sons of hell”. This story reminds me that God hates people who see where they should be doing his work but don’t do it(my paraphrase). God can get along fine without you but it is also true that he wants you. Now the title of this post may make a little more sense. God and Cheap Trick are saying the same thing. “I want you…to want me!”

So there Jesus is with people that have “given” their lives to preaching “the law”. People that make sure that the 10% keeps coming in and he doesn’t even want anything to do with them… Do you see where I’m going with this? There has always been this group of people that claim a particular sect of the Christian faith but in actuality do not practice it thus showing their disbelief. I’m not the first to say that these people often times tie up the benefits that gathering of Christ followers are giving. These thoughts lead me to this point…
Is the attractional model of church what is actually making people not want to come?  If ministers are seeking transformation is all of their members what are they looking for and will all members experience this?(post of comment if you need more explanation on that one).  Do we need to make church less friendly? Seriously. It probably sounds like a really stupid question being that your supposed to “love thy neighbor as thyself” and all. But it comes to mind because it seems like we need to get more serious about our way of living and find people who do it not just for cultural reasons. I know it sounds like we have to get all angry and worried…but thats not what I’m saying.  I can’t tell you how many people I talk to on a daily basis that claim to be “Christians”, yet don’t know just the basic Christian doctrines.  Have we let the label “Christian” be spread to thin?  I’m beginning to see that more is required of all of us.

I had embeded a video here but google took it down I guess. It was Rob Bells Nooma video titled “Rich”.

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