7.) God wants me to be happy.
Really? Where do you find that in Scripture? The word “happy” appears six times in the Bible, none of those in reference to God’s intention for your life. This is not a bad thing, though. Let’s be real … if God valued our happiness, He is a terrible God. Why? Happiness is more fleeting than a relationship on The Bachelor.
Right now, I am in a great mood. How quickly can that change? Let me pull out of this Starbucks and be t-boned at a red light by a granny who is too old to be driving anyway (sorry, I am bitter … forgive me). The other thing about happiness? It is almost always tied to the present. If we constantly lived for the present and our current happiness, what a miserable life most of us would have. How many times has something awesome been birthed from something not so awesome?
The good news for you and me … God is much more concerned with lasting qualities like joy and peace. Those qualities that are unaffected by the fragility of life. Let’s all take a deep breath and say it together … God does not value my happiness. Now, doesn’t that feel good?
8.) We are growing! … Two families from across the road just joined our church.
Of all the lies, this one might be the most crippling to the church today. We have lost our purpose. We have forgotten our calling. We have neglected the Great Commission. Is it great to have a family from across the road join our church? Sure, but to view this as growth is dangerous. It is not growth. It is one Christian family moving from one church to another.
When will the church start looking at growth in terms of people that do not know Jesus? How many people have we baptized this year? How many people are in our buildings every Sunday that are searching? Is this not our mission?!
It is madness. There are people in this world that need Jesus. He is the ONLY source of life. Without a relationship with Jesus, there is no hope. None. And we arrogantly sit back week after week, lifting our chins high because two new families from down the road were tired of one church so they decided to give ours a try. “We are doing good … the church gained eight people today.” No, the church gained those eight people 20 years ago when they were baptized.
C’mon on church. Surely we are better than this?! It is time to run full speed toward the mission.
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Join the conversation! What do you think? Are there other lies the church needs to squash? I love the church, and I want to see her become the unstoppable force Jesus Christ died to establish. By the power of God, we can do this. I believe we can!
I love you all! To God be the glory forever. Amen!
