In his Book Revolution George Barna, world renown Pollsters, says:
There is a new breed of Christ-follower in America today. These are people who are more interested in being the Church than in going to church. They are more eager to produce fruit for the kingdom of God than to become comfortable in the Christian subculture
He noted that, 30% of committed believers are no longer attached to a traditional congregation. (a traditional congregation is one that meets in a large group setting, is led by a pastor/board, promotes and leads programs by committee and funds their institution by the gifts of those who attend)
If the same demographic continues, Barna says, in 20 years, 70% of committed believers will no longer be attached to the traditional church.
Please understand what Barna is saying here.
People are not leaving the traditional church because they have lost their faith, they are leaving to protect their faith.
Committed believers are leavingbecause the institutional church didn’t fulfill their
spiritual hunger and wasted too much of their time and energy on programs and activities that did little or nothing to promote a deeper dependence on Jesus or healthy relationships with other believers.
Quotes from the Book.
Here are some of the things I am hearing from committed believers these days:
- We are bored. Sitting through the same old rituals and listening to the same tired voice week after week has dulled our spiritual passion.
- We feel disconnected. Sitting in rooms full of people we hardly know, watching the same people perform on the stage, isn’t building the kind of relationships we long for.
- We are tired of seeing people blasted with guilt and religious obligation. Guilt is a great motivator but it hardly leaves us feeling wanted and needed.
- We are sick of the political games, played behind the scenes, to serve someone’s ego and preserve the institutional priorities over the priorities of Jesus.
- We are frustrated with asking questions and being pushed away and not listened to by leaders who don’t like the questions we are raising.
- We found the performance based gospel being preached by the institution was causing us to spend ourselves serving the institution rather than the Savior.
- We found we were being forced into pretense and hiding rather than led into authenticity and openness in order to create the illusion that all was well in the Family.
We felt like the institutional church had so abandoned the truth of Jesus for some safe program of happy truth that we no longer could experience the reality of God in our lives.
As I noted in my post on 1/27 Enitled ”….the doctrine which accords with godliness, …..
1 Timothy 6:3-6 ” If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, ……… From such withdraw yourself.“
2 Timothy 3:1-5 ”But know this, that in the last days …. For men will be lovers of themselves,……, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”
I think these people are just being obedient to the Lord. They are not being fed the Word, but traditions of men. They want to be challenged to live Holy lives, but in this Post Modern Church Age, we do not get that message. They are frustrated with those who preach “Another Gospel.” Tired of those who “Make the Word of God of no Effect.” They realize they are not going to change an “The Institution.”
If you are a Committed Follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and you are frustrated with the “Institutional Church.” If you feel you are not being fed. If you see the “Dumbing Down” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; I challenge you to find a small home bible study in your area, that will allow you to be fed and be a challenged to live a Holy life.
- If you are tired of hearing “Obedience is Legalism” and “your righteous deeds are filthy rags” and that you are just trying to earn your way to Heaven by “good works’….
- If you are tired of the Re-Defining of Faith, Grace and Righteousness….
- If you are tired of being given the impression you do not need to Abide in Christ…
- If you are tired of RELIGION and Religious Activities….
- If your church is not helping you to be a more dedicated disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ— FLEE! “Go to those who are “Calling upon the Name of the LORD!”
Presented before you is OPPORTUNITY to grow in our Relationship in the Lord, rather than remain in stagnation.
THE CHURCH IS THE OBEDIENT FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, NOT THE INSTITUTION.
For Further Reading I would recommend
Especially David’s 4th Chapter on House Churches.
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