Well, I read the article, and I was overwhelmed with the egocentric whining. Now I have no doubt there’s useful information in that signal, but it might not be what the author thinks is the useful part of that message. What this whole diatribe misses, by miles, is the premise of assembling with other believers is not to demand something for ourselves, but that we have a duty to worship God and serve and love the body of Christ. This is not an option, like adding a new app to one’s ipad. This is an obligation, like eating and breathing. The authentic believer can’t not go to church.
This is a huge difference in the generations. It’s one of the reasons we’re currently losing the political war with the liberals. They’ve turned so many of us into entitlement babies. “I deserve to be heard, I need to feel safe, I I I....” Whatever happened to hey, this guy’s roof is leaking, and he can’t afford to fix it, what can we do about that? Or we’re running short on Sunday school teachers for kindergarteners, any volunteers? Or this young family needs and older couple to mentor them through this difficult time. Where is all that?
And here’s another thing. My dad would have washed my mouth out with soap for even mentioning some of these moral deviancies, let alone making them feel safe in church. Others here have already said it, but church is not safe. If the preacher is walking with God and teaching God’s word faithfully, every single sermon should challenge us to become better servants of Christ, better examples of HIs love, more faithful witnesses to His Gospel.
In short, if the poor millennial is bored, it’s because either the pastor is not preaching from a position of spiritual power, or because he is, but the millennial (or any other such bored person) is not listening to the Spirit of God. Church isn’t an extension of some dry “Bible as literature” education series. It’s about the word of God being activated by the Spirit of God to serve as a mirror to see myself the way God sees me, and a light to show me the way of love and service to Him and to His family, my brothers and sisters in Christ.
And none of that works if the premise is entitlement.
More to say, but it’s late and I must get to bed.
Peace,
SR
*Fantastic* post!! (at #96)
Good questions, and the reason I think churches here in America would do well to intensively study [and apply] James: it's all about practically living out Christianity.