Leaving church

Video found here.



After my last experience, I am ready to leave the church, at least the one that I am attending. I listened to most of the sermon I missed this week. It is taken from Acts 5, the story of Ananias and Sapphira. Of course, he takes the easy road, the surface road, and makes it about me and my giving. He even brings in the concept of tithing. But don't worry, the elders have assured me that they believe in grace and not works. After listening, I find myself asking, "Is it no wonder that people are leaving the church left and right, when all we have to offer is a prescription for behavior? While money is involved in this story, I don't think this was included in the books of Acts to get us to fork over a few more bucks. I see more of a story about how God still wants to be taken seriously in all areas, and he doesn't want us coming to Him with a false sense of confidence in ourselves, thinking we can fool him or thinking that he owes us because of what we have done. Kind of a "works without faith" attitude. But if they preached that at University Christian Church of Muncie, Indiana, then they would have to take a closer look in the mirror. And I don't think that they are ready to do that.

This video talks about the dechurched and unchurched. He states how the unchurched are hostile to the church. Why shouldn't they be, when so many churches preach themselves and their glory rather than God's glory. He also talks about how this will probably turn into an indifference in the future. Isn't that what happens when one hears the same baloney over and over, we just reach a point where we want to turn and say, "Whatever!"

I appreciate the ministries of men like Matt Chandler, Tim Keller and others who are gospel centered preachers. I hope to find such a church someday. But like Bono, I still haven't found what I'm looking for.