My wife and I have reached the point where we feel it's time to find a new church. She's discovered that a bunch of social activities doesn't make a community. For various reasons, we haven't been there is 4 weeks and no body from the senior pastor down has contacted us. I'm worn out from how shallow the theology is. We're both tired that everything is labeled "Bible Study" yet the Bible is never studied.
We want to be long-term, committed members. We've been so in the past. Unfortunately those churches are now closed. It's so frustrating and disappointing that we can't find anything.
I think the issue is we both take being Christian seriously. We know being a disciple takes work. I think too many churches teach an easy Christianity that makes you feel good but doesn't impact your life. Probably this is a relative of cheap grace. Churches know programs but don't know what to do with people that don't fit into the program. Maybe put them into leadership but that's not always the answer.
Frankly I think this is part of the reason church attendance is declining. The people who have a shallow commitment are moving on. (I'll admit there is also a significant number leaving because of the various scandals that have emerged. That is something that needs serious repentance.) The church leadership is too busy trying to hold their numbers so church gets more and more spiritually meaningless.
Now believe it or not, I think long-term, say 10 to 20 years from now, this is a good thing. I think as more and more shallowly committed people leave, the churches will slow return to the community, discipleship, and ministry they were meant to be. It's just going to be painful to live through.
We want to be long-term, committed members. We've been so in the past. Unfortunately those churches are now closed. It's so frustrating and disappointing that we can't find anything.
I think the issue is we both take being Christian seriously. We know being a disciple takes work. I think too many churches teach an easy Christianity that makes you feel good but doesn't impact your life. Probably this is a relative of cheap grace. Churches know programs but don't know what to do with people that don't fit into the program. Maybe put them into leadership but that's not always the answer.
Frankly I think this is part of the reason church attendance is declining. The people who have a shallow commitment are moving on. (I'll admit there is also a significant number leaving because of the various scandals that have emerged. That is something that needs serious repentance.) The church leadership is too busy trying to hold their numbers so church gets more and more spiritually meaningless.
Now believe it or not, I think long-term, say 10 to 20 years from now, this is a good thing. I think as more and more shallowly committed people leave, the churches will slow return to the community, discipleship, and ministry they were meant to be. It's just going to be painful to live through.
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