Renegotiating Church Priorities

Without overt pessimism regarding the “state of churches in America” I begin by suggesting that the time is long overdue for a reevaluation of what priorities should be the central interest of congregations.

Via media, it is implied that the critical issues are the endorsement of influential political candidates in order to sustain “Christian” views in the political arenas of our time. Likewise, of interest are the widespread popularity of “success gospel messages” relating a light touch in regard to the witness of scripture and a “spoon full of sugar” to get the masses interested in what the church might have to say. In the meantime, what is often suggested is in contradiction to the witness of the scriptures, but an idea that has the enraptured interest of the masses because it is what they have been looking for…religion without sacrifice, success in the eyes of the world without accountability to God, and an easy does it frame of relationship that doesn’t ask too much, expect to much, or get too personal in terms of God speaking and leading. After all…we are busy.

On the other hand, we live in a time when encroaching secularization has ruled the day. Every other priority claims the allegiance of time and energy before Christ and the church. Leadership searches among congregations find the pool of prepared and willing workers drying up in the face of overload in the entertainment industry…Too much TV, too much radio, too much telephone, too much internet, too much of the time. The distractions to faith and practice are just too easy to embrace at the expense of everything. Families are lost in the mesmerizing agendas of our society. We are told that to be successful we must achieve in ways that the masses will understand. Bigger is always better. Bigger pocketbooks, bigger net worth, bigger stuff. It means success!

Those ideas carryover into the ideas propagated within the household of faith.
Bigger barns win out over sharing with the needy...bigger buildings with bigger crowds, with bigger bands and bigger screens make for bigger and better worship. Where in the New Testament is that idea? Should we honor God with our best…absolutely, but the reality of our commitment and relationship to Christ is measured by our hearts and actions in obedience to his commands.

When was the last time you heard of churches setting the first priority of ministry as sharing the good news of Jesus? When was the last time you saw a congregation prioritizing loving others in the name of Christ? When was it set in gold that the church should love God and neighbor as the basis for all their ministry? Rarely do we find such priorities in actual use of time and resources and capacities. We have lost a sense of congregational worship, congregational ministry, congregational evangelism, and congregational service. Instead, we have instituted a clergy-based, specialist-led, ministry-by-professional mentality. Christ calls every believer to invest themselves in the kingdom of God. Christ calls every believer to know the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. Christ calls every believer to use their God-given gifts in service to Him. Christ calls his church to bear witness to the nations…all of them…to people everywhere of every culture-group and language. Christ calls the church to use every resource to carry out a divine mission. It is a mission that requires all of us engaged and sharing and working and witnessing and living in Christ as His people. The priorities of the church require a movement away from “churchianity” and toward Christ. We must reconnect to the model of Christ as the basis for what we do and say and how we live. It is the need of this hour…of this generation…and of this world that so desperately is starving for direction and purpose and meaning and truth and a Savior. We must point to Christ. We must share His good news. The church must reclaim its identity in the world as people of faith…following Jesus.