THE DEADENING OF AMERICA

America is in trouble.  In my opinion the fault does not lie at the feet of Washington nor of the media as Christians would like to think.  No, it is squarely a matter of enormous failure at the hands of Christianity itself. 

We are the culprits.

We should not be surprised.  In every parable where Jesus presents a religious and a non-religious person, the shock is that 100% of the time the non-religious were accepted by God and the religious (devoted, committed, sacrificial) one was rejected.

We must awaken to this truth.

We share blanketed guilt.  All of us within the Christian framework are guilty of creating deadening effects that has put society-at-large to sleep regarding the earth-shaking truth of His Word and His Kingdom.

We have fought religious battles; mainly of doctrines, and mainly within our own walls.  We have waged theoretical wars in writings and debates and even simply (but meaningless and boring) Bible classes.  The result is each generation of standing for the faith has produced a worshipless product of crystallizing habit rather than moldable and flexible life in Jesus.

The solution begins by admitting the problem.  Stained glass, organ music, a Capella, Bible lessons, fundraisers, and mission trips are deadening if the goal isn't giving robust glory to God coupled with a hunger for experience with the Holy Spirit of Jesus the Lamb within and among us.

The use of instruments or not has never been the real issue.  In spite of preference, is God being truly admired and discussed and honored?  Which version of the Bible is not the issue.  Is the God of that Word dearly loved by the owners of the Bibles? 

Every generation among us peels away quietly raising little disturbance.  People courteously walk away from us without realizing the something not right at church wasn't them.  They simply needed to find Life somewhere somehow; yet the church was often engaged in preserving herself rather than honoring Jesus. 

This must change.  Another method will not be the church's savior.  Our Savior is.  Hope is the appetite of the world.  None greater is found anywhere like that known to be of the Son of God.

The cure for what ails America isn't better government nor is it that America would start going to church.  The cure is to be found in existing churches as we toss our preconceived traditions which have kept us ear-tickled-pink.  We can and must awaken to the fact many of the parables of Jesus squarely mark us and our habits as rejectable. 

Then...then maybe we will awaken to our grave need of experiencing and loving and adoring the real true Living Lord.