Why Are We So Scared?
 

I apologize in advance if this post comes across as unorganized. I just have a few thoughts on my mind that I have to get out. Also, I'm posting from my phone.

I was sitting in service a few Sundays ago, and it just hit me that we have become so scared of offending unbelievers. Services have taken on a more "contemporary" feel, disposing of any gospel roots, and replacing them with the most modern worship songs possible. We dont ever want anyone to feel "uncomfortable."

We preach light, airy messages about the goodness of life, and the possibility of prosperity. In my opinion, we've made Jesus out to be weak, when that is the furthest thing from the truth.

Have we forgotten about the Jesus that got so fed up that he ran te merchants out of the temple with a whip?

Jesus wasn't about people pleasing. Following Jesus isn't the "cool" thing to do, so stop making it that way. People want to see Jesus, so please give them the undiluted version.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

One thing that has influenced churches is the desire to be "seeker friendly." We want visitors to feel welcome. We don't want to run them off or scare them off. All of those can be good things when used with wisdom.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

Jesus appealed to sinners. They loved Him and He was accused of being a "friend of sinners." The folks that Jesus had to get pretty strong with were the church folks, the "holiness" folks, the ones that judged everyone who was not just like them, the ones who were always measuring folks, the established religionists.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

#1. I would wager that changing the worship songs has absolutely nothing to do with trying to please unbelievers.

#2. There is nothing wrong if following Jesus becomes the "cool" thing to do. In fact, I would think that would be a time to rejoice. However, instead of rejoicing you seem to have a mindset that something must be wrong if more than a few people are doing something involving Jesus.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

It has nothing to do with being scared, my friend, and everything to do with creating the best possible environment so that the Holy Spirit can be as effective as possible.

Yes, Jesus ran the moneychangers out of the Temple. But those were religious people. His character to those that were broken was extremely soft and gentle.

Jesus was VERY MUCH about people pleasing. Look at what he repeatedly did to those that were broken and when questioned he said, "The whole need not a physician but those that are sick." Jesus was THE most seeker-sensitive person that ever walked the earth.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

Perhaps some churches and their leaders are scared. Maybe they are scared of losing people, losing money, etc. Maybe they are scared because they realized that the way that they have been "doing church" for the past how-ever-long has been oh-so-wrong.

I would not claim to be scared, but perhaps repentant for who I once was. Not a sinner so much as who I was as a saint. Judgemental, demanding too much of others and not enough from myself or perhaps demanding too much of myself without allowing room for Grace to exist in my life.

I can only speak for JT, but I could imagine that there are others that feel like I do. Saddend by my past "christian life" and not as much as my sinful past; we all have one of those. There is something about when things you used to trust in you no longer trust in anymore because you realize your trust was misplaced. It wasn't placed on God, but more on the "religion" or the "faking-it". After too much pressure we break. Sometimes the break is deadly. But the break can also make you into a usable vessel where as once you were a beautiful vessel, but you were so beautiful that you were not usable.

Just a few thoughts.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

"Come unto me, all you that are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest, My yoke is EASY and My burden is LIGHT." said Jesus.

You got it right, religious and self-righteous always seemed to get under His skin. Almost all of His rebukes were for such.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

This bang your head rockin out stuff seen in churches scares me.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

Because most churches have bills to pay girl! If a Pastor preached and offended as often as perhaps they should... they'd be like the first and second century Christians or the OT prophets. You'd see them working with their hands to feed themselves and preaching under bridges and in town squares. When the church's survival is dependent upon paying bills and sustaining the pastor's salary... people pleasing becomes the order of the day.

Re: Why Are We So Scared?
 

This is one reason why I love house churching. I was present when a brother actually followed the biblical command to approach an offending saint, his approach was rejected, and so he took it before the gathering. There was open rebuke and a call for the individual to repent from the elders. It was very intense... but I saw biblical discipline in action.

One of the house church elders named Scott was a prophet (I'm convinced). The man would sit silently while you talked and just stare at you. Sometimes he'd whisper, "Thank you Jesus." Suddenly he'd sit forward and begin to speak as though you said nothing, addressing something he couldn't have known unless God revealed it. He hadn't attended a traditional church in years. He was a pastor on Tennesee before resigning and moving to Ohio. Here he's operated in the house church circles.

You'll almost always find a "John the Baptist" in the wilderness.