“And
I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the
gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Matt. 16:1
Scene 1: I am on staff at a
Presbyterian church that follows a formal Presbyterian liturgy. I am taking a
respite from the service this week to help out another very traditional church
where I will preach from behind a pulpit in a full robe and stole. It is a church
that sings hymns accompanied by no more than a piano. It is a church that recites
creeds and written prayers. And it is a church that has lost their former pastor because of his moral failures. I believe in the value of such liturgically strong churches , but they are not free of sin.
Scene 2: Several years ago my wife
and I planted a church in a bar. I preached in a hoodie and flip-flops and the
music was so loud I couldn’t hear my own voice. There was no liturgy, no
reciting of creeds and no traditional symbols of Christianity. Our sound guy
was an alcoholic and one of my worship leaders abandoned the church after a few
months and headed back to the streets as a male prostitute. I believe in the value of such missionally driven churches, but they are not free from sin.
I share these two stories by way of introduction to a
discussion I have been eager to have for some time now. Recently there has been
an influx of people who are zealous to diagnose the perceived sickness of the
American church where attendance is dropping at noticeable rates. Their
articles, blogs, Facebook posts and tweets have become, by and large, predictable.
Here
is just one example that exploded on Facebook earlier this week. In these articles
there are almost always references to researchers like Christian Smith and David
Kinnamon, these stats or this poll, and nearly the same list of usual suspects to
blame for the crisis.
These include (with some variation) laments over the fact
that sanctuaries today look more like concerts and dance clubs than holy
temples. That worship is more passive, and less participatory. That churches
are more focused on entertainment than education or spiritual formation. That
youth groups are soft-pedaling the cost of discipleship in order to boost
numbers and create a “fun,” “relevant,” or…(pick your condescending word)
atmosphere that mimics our culture of consumerism and materialism. There are other problems too, but these are
the constants that show up routinely.
Here are several of the problems I have with all of these laments:
First, they are so centered on the Western church that they
ignore the larger story of God’s redemptive purposes. The truth it that while
the Western church might be in decline numerically, God’s global church is
exploding at unprecedented rates around the world, particularly in the Southern
hemisphere among the poor. For far too long now Americans (and sadly, much of
the world) has equated Christianity with the United States. For this reason,
when the church begins to crumble under U.S. soil there is a subtle suggestion
made by some that is proof-positive that God’s plan is failing and the world is
coming to an end. Not so.
Second, there is an insidious, systemic issue in the
evangelical church that tends to emphasize a pragmatic and utilitarian approach
to spiritual formation. The way this comes through most often is that the
solution to a declining church is almost always to change the program. It is a constant focus on the external. Get rid of smoke machines and
add the liturgy. Stand, or sit, at certain times, have communion (or the Lords
supper or Eucharist) more often, or less often. Wear, or don’t wear certain
clothes, robes, costumes or suites. You must use, or don’t use, certain translations
and sing, or don’t sing, certain songs accompanied, or not accompanied, but
certain styles of music. If colored lights and skinny jeans are honestly
killing peoples souls, we are all absolutely screwed.
Let’s be honest, historically it has been mainline
denominations, whose services are much more High-Church than Low, who were
first to cast aside biblical authority, sexual purity and the exclusiveness of
Christ. I attend a highly confessional and liturgical church myself, but even I
can see that any arguments that center on High vs. Low only devolve into more
and more attempts to reshuffle the deck chairs. Like my anecdotes in the
introduction illustrate, sin destroys
churches, programs don't. The scriptures remind us that our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, but against the powers of darkness who do not seem to
be particularly partial to loud music. They feel equally at home around a
church that uses confessions, creeds and celebrates the Eucharist every week. The
outer form of our worship does not, will not, and cannot protect the church
from sin, apathy, selfishness, arrogance, worldliness or pride. Only Jesus can.
Might I suggest instead that what is wrong with the church in America is that our country has created a space in which nominal Christianity can thrive
like bacteria in a petri dish, and the petri dish is starting to crack. What I
mean is that our religious freedom has enabled those on the fence about
following Jesus to live fairly undetected in our communities. If there is no cost,
why not agree to follow Jesus? On the other hand in places where your family
will, quite literally, be the same people who will have you arrested,
imprisoned, beaten or bludgeon to death for becoming a Christian, the act of
following Jesus takes on a whole new level of commitment.
I believe that we are beginning to witness the very
beginning of such an age to come in America. Already, it is becoming less and
less confortable for people to call themselves Christians. Increasingly, anyone
who takes the Bible remotely seriously runs the risk of being viewed by many as
close-minded, judgmental, ignorant, homophobic, anti-intellectual,
anti-scientific, racist, bigots who are out of touch with reality and only vote
republican. Honestly, I think it is causing many people to reconsider whether
or not to join the movement. I think less people want to be seen at church on
Sunday. And I really don’t think they would find it any more attractive even if pastors were wearing a robe.
It has been said repeatedly that the blood of the martyrs is
the seed of the church. That has certainly been the case on the global stage in
the last century. Wherever following Christ has proven to be most costly, the
church thrives. Where it has cost the least, largely in the West, it has
suffered great collapse.
Into such difficult times I am constantly held afloat by
God’s declaration that nothing will be able to stop his Bride. No amount of
darkness can extinguish her light. But maybe I am wrong. Maybe the futurists
and prognosticators have gotten it right this time. Notwithstanding God’s promise to
the contrary, maybe the church really has finally met its match. Despite having
stood against the very gates of Hell, perhaps we are now forced to watch its demise
at the hand of hipsters.
