Casual Christianity: The Death of the Church

But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you. May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “The LORD is great!” [Psalm 40.16]

This verse really stood out to me today.

Earlier, in my time of prayer, I wrote these words down as if it were the title to a book: CASUAL CHRISTIANITY The Death of the Church.

It is my conviction that the Church, in general, is NOT searching for God. Certainly, the Church is "keeping the doors open" and people are "attending," however, little of the magnificent power of God is seen. The apostle Pail described it this way:

They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! [2 Timothy 3.5]

A brother at church the night before I wrote this, expressed to me the problem of people basically "thinking" they are Christians, but without real evidence of Christianity in their lives. Until the Church, "en masse" begins to question this condition, casual Christianity will go on unchallenged. It appears a great "falling away" has taken place entirely unnoticed!

It should cause great alarm in the Church to consider all its members who do not search for God with any regularity, let alone conviction. The absence of God's power (as taught, modeled, and advocated by Jesus) is not even questioned. Consequently, the Church suffers the effects of sin no differently than the world - that indistinction all the while indicting them by the very Bible they claim allegiance to. And still, no one questions the obvious inconsistency (hypocrisy).

With all the complexities of the problem as I have described it here, Jesus' words stand eternally:

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]

Yet, we suffer "need" without even the foggiest idea or conclusion that we might actually not be seeking God first! Except on Sunday mornings (or whenever we meet corporately with believers), our lives are not filled with joy and gladness in our God - our lips are void of His praises, "the LORD is great!"

God help us!

Father, may I be found faithful to seek You. And, may I be found, in Your love, faithful to decry the casual Christianity of the Church. So be it.