What’s one of the biggest issues facing the church, and how are you addressing it?
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jessie1 on November 17, 2014 at 2:37 pm
I think one of the biggest issues facing the Church today is the “mega-church”. It seems people are building these structures as monuments to themselves as an indication of their affluence rather than a tribute to God. I have been to a few of these monstrosities containing bookstores and coffee shops where money is exchanged for goods and services. Don’t these people remember the story of Jesus and the moneychangers? I have a relative who attends one of these churches and when she relates stories about her church life, they are filled with tales of financial concerns and congregational in-fighting, rarely mentioning the beauty of a service or a kind word about another member of her church.. All I hear are stories about how the church is trying to improve it’s physical appearance and promote it’s desire to make it’s ventures more profitable. I attend a small Church and I also understand that a Church must engage in secular activities in order to function properly. But in the case of my relatives’ church, it seems God has become lost in the shuffle. I address this situation by remaining in a small Church that has it’s core understanding in the teachings of the Bible. It indicates in the Bible we should be aware of false teachings, and some of these “mega churches” seem guikty of just that.
gillian on November 18, 2014 at 3:19 am
I think the biggest challenge for each local Church is to engage, be relevant to and serve the community it is situated in. The real strength is when a number of Churches of different denominations and traditions work together to make a difference. Our motive for this can come from the Parable of the Good Samaritan where the Priest and Levite passed by the man in extreme pain and need but it was only the despised Samaritan who stopped to help but not only offering immediate help but arranging long term support. Jesus’ concluding words are, “Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10 v37) I feel the role of the Church in the 21st century is for Christians to follow Jesus’ great example and to reach out to the marginalised and disadvantaged individuals and groups where God has placed us in this world. For each Church it is finding out what is needed in their community and for Christians to move out of the comfort zone of their Churches into having a real vision and heart for really getting alongside people often when they are at their most vulnerable and living out practically the message of Jesus.
Tom Felten on November 18, 2014 at 10:56 am
gillian, what you wrote truly hits home. In our local church we’re seeking to be used by God to “reach out and restore lives.” Wouldn’t it be amazing to see all the believers around the world reaching with His love, compassion, and grace?
barbsie on November 18, 2014 at 8:18 am
One of the biggest issues facing the church today is the watering down of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Many church leaders now, in their quest for great numbers and popularity, have stopped addressing the depravity of man and his need of salvation through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. In stead, a prosperity gospel is preached, striving for your best life now. As true believers we know that our best life is laid up in heaven for us. Nothing here on earth could be compared with the glory that shall be revealed to us,in heaven. The word prosperity has been attached to material things, forgetting all the other areas of our lives the we need to prosper in. Some churches have become so tolerant that they no longer call sin , sin any more. It is now referred to as a slip up or a mistake that God understands because He knows that we are weak. I think it is time for us to speak out against sin. Call it what it is and deal with it in the only way it could be dealt with, through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ, by confessing and forsaking our sins through faith in Christ. The Lord has promised to supply ALL our needs, and He is faithful to do as He says. He said,”in this world we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” May God help us to strive for holiness and not worldliness.
Tom Felten on November 18, 2014 at 11:01 am
So true, barbsie. Yes, may we follow the apostle Paul’s instruction and truly “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). If we choose to water down the gospel and to not present the reality of sin and the need for us to repent and believe in Jesus, we are not truly loving. May we learn to lovingly share God’s truth!
gary1schelvan on November 23, 2014 at 7:10 am
This question is very relevant to my living situation right now. I am living in Tianjin, China, a major city with a population of some 10 to 12 million people. I lived in Tianjin in 2012, returned to the USA in 2013 to help my dad with his cancer, came back to Tianjin in 2014 for 2 months, returned to the USA for 2 months when my dad passed away, now back in Tianjin for the last 3 months. I had the opportunity to attend an international fellowship in Tianjin, then upon my return to the USA after my dad died, attended both morning services at 2 different churches for 2 months. What I saw as a major problem for the church in the USA, is a complacency setting in to both bodies at the churches I attended. I feel this is a problem in many churches in the USA, people feeling that it is just good enough to attend church on Sunday, go to Sunday school, do their social gatherings and feel content that they are “good” Christians. There seemed to me, to be a lack of passion and being fired up for service to the Lord. Right now, being in China again I can only pray for my family, and brothers/sisters in both churches. Pray for them to be fired up to serve the Lord in outreach to much less fortunate members of society as well as making sacrifices to be able to serve the international body of believers. I’m afraid that the bodies I saw in the USA were tending to take church attendance/service work for granted. I write/email/call as many people as I can and offer encouragement to be more active and participate with more passion. So that is it.
Tom Felten on November 24, 2014 at 11:17 am
Gary, thanks so much for sharing this observation. Complacency is so easy to fall into, and it negatively affects those around us. Instead, may we passionately love God and others, living new-creational lives that touch others’ lives and bring God glory!
gary1schelvan on November 26, 2014 at 12:53 am
Hello Brother Tom,
Thanks for the email follow up. You are so right about negative effects from complacency. I am especially aware of that living as a foreigner here in Tianjin, China. The language is a barrier of course, but I know that my actions in all areas are being closely observed, so it is incumbent upon me to live a life that openly acknowledges the presence of Jesus Christ in my life. First of all, I represent Jesus Christ, but also at the same time, I represent my Chinese wife and my American homeland. I want to simply bring glory to the name of our Lord, to be a light unto the world. So very important in a country that is openly agnostic and materialistic. Shalom.