Introduction: I sat down and wrote this the other day, not specifically about you, but to you as an outlet to address some thoughts I was having–a conversation with myself, but not to myself. The Lord has been blessing my study and I am seeking to grow deeper in my contemplation of Godly things. My contemplation is often stirred through writing. You were the logical choice in which to address my writings to.
Brother,
We indulge our appetites because we have not found something that truly satisfies. I am speaking in large part, first about the Christian. I confess I have been inebriated, I have been a glutton, and I could list more, but it might hinder you, so my claim is as one who has been both indulgent and released himself to excess. None of the faculties of the flesh have ever given me the satisfaction that comes through the nourishment that comes from the Scriptures or the Spirit—that is Christ.
As I examine the state of the Church in the land we inhabit and contrast it with the Church in Western Europe, I am appalled to see that we are headed down the same path. What is that path? It is a path that I observed at Notre Dame in Paris.
Notre Dame is a marvelous building. The stone, mortar and glass are over 1, 000 years old and stands sentinel silent over the masses that no longer attend Mass. Upon my visit I discovered a sadly non-vexing yet telling illustration of the status of many of our churches—thousands of visitors were pouring through, in one door and out the other to gasp, wonder, and investigate an edifice of ancient relics. There was very little light there, in fact, my pathetic, little camera could not penetrate the vast chasm of darkness that fills the swaths of space that were once filled with worshipers, but sadly now are only filled with gawkers. I wanted to turn some lights on. My soul wanted to cry out, Christians where are you? Christians what happened?
It is this way all over Western Europe from what my missionary friends tell me. Somewhere along the way whether through substitution, indulgence or indifference the Church lost its voice and lost its way. Well, the True Church can never loose its way, because the remnant, the smoking flax, the bruised reed do hold fast and keep their eyes on Christ. They seek to be lead and not led. They seek to loose life in order to gain life. They drop the arguments with men and take them up against those rebels who are unseen. They cast down strongholds through soul-wrought prayer and because they have become weak, so they can be made strong.
The Church, the people of Jesus Christ, don’t have to seek or project relevance. There is far too much concern about cultural relevance. This is the wrong approach. The fact, from the inception two millennia ago, the Church was relevant since the moments of its birth. When, the Church functions as the grace-filled, redeemed Body of Jesus Christ on earth there is a cosmic relevance that is transcendent of both culture and the quest for identity.
I think relevance could be a code-word for popularity. As our culture shifted away from a Biblical framework for reasoning, justice, etc. the tenants, practices, and principles from the Bible have become increasingly less popular. In fact, what is becoming increasingly popular is to revile the Bible, its Truth and the Christ it proclaims. So, Christianity, in either its truest or most hypocritical form, becomes culturally un-popular. This lack of popularity has caused a multitude of methodologies to try to “attract” people back to the Church. See, one might argue that they are trying to attract people to Jesus, but Jesus has been unattractive to the popular crowd since He appeared in Bethlehem both in physical form and in proclamation and preaching. He was unpopular with the elite, the religious, and those in power. He has remained unpopular, because His call is one of total surrender, not duplicitous and ambiguous thought of mind, heart or soul.
The Church of Jesus Christ doesn’t need to attract people to church facilities, functions, or fellowships. The Church needs to proclaim Christ. Christ will either offend or attract. See, Biblically, there are two responses to Christ: He is either a stumbling block or chief cornerstone. But in the edifice which is your life, He cannot be both, He will not be both.