NOTE: Jesus said in Matthew 16:18b: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” That is NOT the church I am critiquing in THIS post. Instead, I am critiquing American churchianity, the spectator sport of not participating in disciple-making (Matt. 28:18-20) by speaking the truth in love to others (Eph. 4:15-16) to build the real church: the body of Christ! Jesus’ real church will never be critiqued!
Someone said to me that my blogs critiquing the American way of “doing” church performances (called churchianity) rather than the worship of God in worship gatherings might encourage new believer to walk away from the church of Jesus Christ. Nothing could be farther from the truth since anyone who is TRULY a believer will always be a part of the true church, the body of Christ!
Some may walk away from their local church membership and I hope some do if they are in a performance-oriented church rather than a worship gathering of believers.
One church I know of brings out the smoke machine during worship services. If that’s not a performance, then I don’t know what is!
The same church dims the lights during the sermon discouraging Bible reading, fails to preach the Gospel accurately, and really dishonors God’s Word. Listen, if you dishonor God’s Word, then you dishonore Jesus Himself who was the Word made flesh (John 1:14). I think this church ought to really give thought about who they are seeking to please and honor – God or themselves or even others?
We need to reclaim the worship of Christ alone and I’m thankful for churches like Brook Hills that are doing just that!
-Mark (churchianity is a spectator sport)