“I love Jesus but not the church” … means you DON’T love Jesus
As Christians living in the prosperous west, sometimes our consumerist ideas extend deep within us and enable us to justify almost any behaviour.
Consumerism (see my previous post) is not simply about “shopping”. It’s the idea that “everything revolves around me”, I can choose anything I like. I can choose where to send my kids to school, what labels I am seen wearing, and of course I can choose a church where they sing songs that I like and teach in the style I prefer. Today we see Christian folk who continually shop around from church to church, and some who choose not to attend any church at all. No church is right for them.
Writing on the Patheos Religious Blog, Grayson Gilbert’s post makes it clear that the entire New Testament pre-supposes that as a Christian you have committed to a local church, and you will remain there.
What I am speaking against is the underwhelming opinion that you can somehow be part of the universal church and reject the local church, or that the local church is made up of you and your family on a Sunday morning as you lay in bed and reject communion with the saints …
It’s a bit of a rant … but sometimes a rant is needed! Read the article:
Orrrr… perhaps what “church” is supposed to be has become consumerist business and is no longer what the Bible spoke of. And people are desperate for real church but it’s hard to find the in the west. Telling people they don’t love Jesus is EXACTLY the type of judgmental and dogmatic ideology that people are trying to get away from. Just because you write words on a page doesn’t mean your narrow minded opinion is truth. Are some people doing what you’re saying? Yes. But most aren’t. Most people are struggling to find a true church in our western society.… Read more »
Thx for reading and commenting
No doubt many churches have become consumerist, I agree. Nevertheless the Bible does presuppose that we will find a way to come together and belong together as folloers of Jesus. That usually menas a church where there are also people we .… dont like / dont get on with / dont agree with etc. I think that can make us work out our differences in a healthy manner that also shapes us as Jesus’ followers. However it could equally mean, say an online church.