What my church needs to do is TAKE ACTION, STAND UP and PROTEST something!!!

There must be something inherent in the pitiful human psyche that causes us to elevate our personal opinions to an importance roughly equivalent to scripture.

At least, that’s the way we see things.

When it comes to meaningful theological discussions like “Should we allow drums and electric guitars in the worship service?” or “It is OK for pastors to quote non-KJV texts?” or “Should church members buy gas from convenience stores that sell beer?” it’s likely more than a few voices will rise above the background chatter to volunteer profound opinions about “What this church needs to be doing.”

First we ought to ask ourselves if the church is Christ’s body, or is it not?

Then how on earth can we expect any human voice, least of all ours, to fill Christ’s body? Do we really believe that our personal opinions are so important that Christ’s body can’t get up and move until it hears the sound of our voice issuing its marching orders?

What you’re saying is silly. If somebody doesn’t speak up in church, then who’re we gonna listen to?

Uh, the Holy Spirit for one. The pastor for another.

BUT SOMETIMES THE CHURCH CAN’T JUST SIT AROUND AND DO NOTHING. If we’re not boycotting Disney, supporting the Blue Laws or picketing movies and abortion clinics, then what on earth does this church stand for?

“With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem. There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.” – Luke 24:47-48

That’s good for Sunday morning preaching, but how does my church get itself heard and make any kind of difference in this community during the week?

By preaching and witnessing the gospel that Jesus Christ was the only Son of God, that he was born of a virgin, that he lived on the earth for 33 years until he was crucified for our sins, and that he was raised from the dead so that we could be saved from eternal condemnation through placing our faith in him.

Everybody already knows that. It’s all well and good as far as it goes, but what if somebody tried to open a liquor or adult novelty store across the street from our church? What should we do then?

Acknowledging that God is always in control and then inviting the owners, employees and customers to church, being a first-hand witness to Christ’s love, mercy and grace, would be an awfully strong start.

We don’t have time to do all that.

Hmmm, what have you had time to be doing until now?

Angrily thumping our chests (or Bibles) and demanding a knee-jerk reaction because “Churches can’t stand around and hold the door open for sin” is saying something very different from expressing a deep, prayerfully received conviction that the Holy Spirit has called for a specific, Biblically consistent course of action (which can never be confused with a hot-headed reaction ... because our God is the Creator, and knowing all things, our God is a god of action).

Hot button problems like XXX-theaters and adult novelty stores are easy, wide open and public targets for our wrath as believers. We know they’re evil and destructive. We wish there was no need for them to exist.

But when our identity as believers becomes entwined with a self-righteous call for public action, when we express indignant outrage (often a barely disguised lust for cheap publicity) at the conduct of others, or when our successes hint at gloating or smugness (“Look what we did! See how powerful our church is in the political arena?”), then we’ve lost sight of the cross, put humility aside and placed our own self-serving agenda ahead of Christ’s.

We are servants after all, and all glory is God’s. Period.

Well, if we’re not gonna do anything then I’m withholding my tithe until my church comes around to some right thinking, and starts doing things my way.

It’s not your tithe to withhold, nor is it your money to use as a whip to enforce your opinion. God created all things, and all things are His. Withholding (or even reducing) your tithe is stealing from God … and highly un-recommended [Acts 5:1-11 ]

So far as “doing things your way” is concerned, God has a plan for doing things his way that’s not just better, it’s perfect.

BTW it’s not your church, either.

I give up. Religion’s sure not what it used to be, mister.

Not for more than 2000 years. Instead of man-made rules and legalism, now we have a relationship with the living God through Christ. And prayer is an awfully good time to stop yapping about what’s important to you, and try listening instead.