Church or Social Club?

Nowadays in the Christian faith the two seem to merge. The focus used to be on prayer, worship, holiness, God’s Word. Now, misled church members flit from one social activity to another like bees to flowers.

The church with some exceptions is like a 40-storey tower in which the higher floors have been sealed off. The church resembles an eagle confined to the valley when it should be atop the mountain.

Instead of the youth group learning how to witness for Christ by watching street evangelists (if one can be found), they are taken on fun excursions – to the beach, the bowling alley, a restaurant. Or the youth might be taken to a Christian rock concert not much different than a worldly one. It’s all done in the name of “fellowship.”

People who should graduate to meat remain on milk. It’s fine to have friends, but this pointless socializing for its own sake has become a way of life.

Then we have men’s breakfasts, women’s luncheons, candlelit dinners, barbecues for older church members which are no different than the world’s, except perhaps for no swearing and alcohol. Where do we read in the Bible about such social activities?

Have fellowship yes, but let it be after prayer meetings, bible studies, a church night of praise. That is how disciples resembling those in the Gospels and Acts will be produced. That is the only way the twenty-first century church will have an impact.

In the affluent west, the Christian life as practised by most of today’s churches has become easy, pleasant, non-challenging and comfortable. A far cry from the persecution that Jesus said true believers would endure.

While Christians huddle and chat in church socials the world slides into hell. Outside the church, people in their ignorance move ever onward to the lake of fire like lemmings to the cliff edge, and for them there is no heaven, nothing but the second death (Revelation 20:15). People cannot respond to a gospel they haven’t heard.

Spreading the Good News is where the church’s money, its members’ time and effort should be spent. “The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).

Christians must tell the world who Jesus is; how important He is. People must hear that He went to the cross to save them, and that they cannot lightly dismiss Him, and they must know the price they will pay for dying in their sins. Let’s focus on what is important!

If we are going to follow Jesus then let us belong to a Holy-Spirit-filled church, not a social club. There are dozens of the latter in the yellow pages.

How is it all going to change? By more articles like this; by much prayer; by the Holy Spirit causing a massive rethink by pastors, ministers and church committees as to what following Jesus is all about.

Then, when realization comes, and a new direction in church programs follows, the result will be spirit-filled believers full-on for Jesus, Again we will see the supernatural events we read of in Acts.