THE CHURCH. . . . . . . .TO GO, OR NOT TO GO

Are we losing interest? by Rick A. Crigger      There are countless numbers of people withdrawing their memberships and leaving the churches across the country daily . Why?    In our travels across the USA, we have come into contact with many such people. We have asked them that very question, why? You might be amazed at some of the answers.    Many responded with the traditional answer; “too much hypocrisy”. The simplest definition of hypocrisy is: saying one thing and doing another.    Yes, there is much hypocrisy within the church. This alone is not really the problem, in my opinion: “too much hypocrisy” Some we have talked with have responded that there is not much excitement, or exciting things happening within the church they attend. Some have even described their church as “dead”.

Some churches, in efforts to bring excitement have made this excitement seems to be a pre-requisite to salvation; if you don’t behave a certain way, you must not be a good Christian. So, people pretend to be excited, or they are excited during the services and don’t  understand the “crash” that occurs after they leave the environment of “excitement”.      Truly, we have much to get excited about. However, if the excitement is man-made and not Spirit given, then the excitement will not last. This is why many are robbed of their joy when they go back into the “real world”. Only true Spirit-given joy will continue. The Scripture says: “The joy of the Lord is my strength”. Without joy, it is no wonder that many are asking what is different about a Christian?  If the excitement is man-made and not Spirit given, then the excitement will not last.    Another question often asked is: “What is different about a Christian if that Christians cannot go through trials of life any better than the non-Christian, and at times, not as well.    The Scripture also tells us to be a peculiar people, to come apart and be separate. Why then, does it seem, that the church is implementing so many of the tactics of the non-Christian world?    The music is beginning to sound the same. Very few of today’s “Christian” Lyrics tell us of the blood of Jesus, or about being born again.  No words about sacrifice, or dedication, or  hardship, or trials, or persecution.    If there is no difference between the Christian world and the non-Christian world, then why indeed should we bother going to church?    Why? Because the Word of God tells us not to fellowship with anyone else.                (2CO 6:14) The Word of God tells us to confess our faults to one another.                (James 5:16) The Word of God tells us that a house divided shall not stand.                 (Mat 12:25) So much is like the world.  We fight, like the world. We hate, like the world. We get depressed, like the                 world. We are powerless, like the world. So much is like the world, why then should we bother   becoming separate?                    We should become separate because there is no other choice.    CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE