Another Hopeless Sunday

Our time so far this month in Florida has been so rejuvenating and refreshing. I am so thankful for what God is doing in our lives! And if I have never mentioned it before, I am madly in love with my husband.

I thought I would spend some time sharing a reflection from my heart today. Over the past two years I have written a few posts about this that I didn't make public. I did not want to become another keyboard ninja touting opinions, pointing fingers or placing blame. That is not my intention. My intention is to share my heart. It has been torn and broken over this. I have cried, stayed up wrestling with thoughts, challenged my views, and tried to have peace about this all to no avail. 

During the past two years Johnny and I have been to so many different churches and unfortunately that is what has torn my heart. You see, there seems to be a common thread throughout churches and Christianity these days to focus on man/people--what attracts a crowd, what makes them feel comfortable, what makes them get excited, what makes them feel like they are a part of something, what entertains, what is relevant to their lives....Oh the list is long. We have been showered with smiles, greeted at the door by many, gifted candles and coffee mugs just for walking in the doors, shaken the germy hands of hundreds during the appointed greeting time. Some have even waved signs at us as we approached the parking lot. Many have impressed us with excellent sound and grabbed our kids attention with quality video, junk food and even gaming systems. Some have had well planned out services...some used printed, eloquent words to define the order of what was to come, others invested lots of time in the creative development and flow, and some simply followed a predetermined order based on what has always been done.

Inside at most, I find myself yearning, feeling anger, deep grief, and if I am honest--a strong sense of disgust. I have tried to chalk it up to a generation gap, to preferences, and even tried to convince myself I was being self righteous internally. All of this changed a week ago at a church we attended here in Florida. It was a great and motivating service to all in attendance I am sure. I mean, I even left pondering of what changes and direction I should move. But here was the game changer for me. Upon arrival we were handed a bulletin with the expected order of service, announcements, and service opportunities. It included the nice worksheet for taking notes that followed the sermon points and there was even an additional sheet. My heart exploded when I read over the sheet. A wellness assessment, right out of a graduate school textbook. As a mater of fact, I just finished teaching the course and used the exact same assessment in an assignment. "What a great resource for people to use to facilitate communication and direction," I thought. But as the service unfolded I quickly discovered the tool was the main focus of the day. With each bullet, a point was made and scripture thrown in to drive it home! It was an great presentation that could inspire hundreds to set goals and reach to attain great victories "for Christ" of course. But I will never forget the words...the words he instructed us to write down for point #5. "Goals give hope."

It all became so clear. People crave methodology, steps, goals, to-do lists, personal life application, feelings and clever/motivating quotes. All of these things have been wrapped up by the church and presented to people as sources of hope and truth. They have been used to draw and keep a crowd. But oh, how empty. Do you need proof? Go look at current trends of suicide and mental health disorders or read the news. We are a society who has lost its sense of hope and purpose and it is destroying the inside of our souls.

We were created with purpose and we do have hope. But it will never be found in man's cleverness or creativity, in smiles and kind greetings, in goal setting, or inspiring words that create great feelings or brokenness. What happens when all of the goals are checked off or that person no longer is kind to you, or the comforts of the seat and building no longer exist? What happens when it requires something of you? What happens when you don't get your way or it just isn't exciting or fun any longer. You lose hope. You leave. You go search for "more" or something new or walk away altogether because of "those people". 

Oh how I long for simplicity inside of the church walls--a clear proclamation of the only source of hope. A focus on the Bible without all of the flash and gimmicks. Pastors who don't seek to impress by their impressive vocabulary or well laid out plans; People who genuinely discipline themselves daily and are hungering/thirsting for His (Christ) truths. And when churches are standing and teaching the right things, they aren't patting themselves on the back for it and puffing their chest out in pride because of their superiority. It seems there is a trend among churches, especially of the reformed movement that pride themselves on being doctrinally sound. They feel the need to study man's interpretation of scripture and fill their shelves with books they deem as superior to use a backdrops for their memes, quotes of themselves, and inviting scenery as they create video. How how quickly man likes to take credit. 

I am grateful God has gifted us with great minds, creativity, and passion for things. I know he uses all of this. But those things in themselves will never be sufficient and will always leave a person without hope in the end.

Hope is found in Christ and in Him alone. Pastors, please love your people enough not to compromise and try to wrap up and present other things as a replacement. The other things may be more appealing, feel better, and attract a larger crowd...but in the end, those things will be tossed aside and the people will still be left searching.

I am sick of hopeless Sundays. 

Live a Meaningful Life!