Fake Churches, Phony Christs, and Blind Guides: Beware the Big Ol' Jesus Guy

      It wouldn't be hard to convince people that the church in America is in decline. It wouldn't be hard to show people that the church in America is losing its influence in culture. It also wouldn't be difficult to see that much of the church's ineffectiveness and decline is its own fault.

   We don't have enough fingers to point to all the problems of the modern church. After all, almost from the beginning, the Church fell under attack from within and without. So it remains today.

   Like the early church, we moderns are susceptible to heresy and foolishness. So much so that now after thousands of forgotten years of church history and a vague understanding of something called, The Reformation, we Americans find nothing wrong with our neighbor, upon deciding he no longer likes the preaching, teaching, music, or carpet color of his church, starting 'his own' church. That's freedom! That's democracy! Don't worry that he has no calling, no training, no apostolic connection, no unifying creed. He loves Jesus! Isn't that enough? As one such self-proclaimed 'preacher' I know likes to crow, "I'm a big ol' Jesus guy!". And to far too many, that's a qualifying confession of faith. 

   So it's no wonder the church is in decline when we no longer understand what the Church is and we no longer care about its history. To American Christians, the church is just a building. In fact, preachers like the big ol' Jesus guy preach against the church! In their ignorance of the Church they tell their listeners (poor souls) that the church doesn't matter. Its just a building to gather in, but the REAL action is outside handing out verses and doing street evangelism. One preacher even goes so far as to chide his congregation to NEVER mention the name of his church. Is this what Christ had in mind as he prayed for His Bride and said the gates of hell would not prevail against it?[Matthew 16:18]

   I believe if we learn about and understand the Church Christ birthed at Pentecost, we will not tolerate the silliness and 'easy believism' we find in so many churches today. It's time for those who call themselves Christian to get their act together. It's time to work. Time to learn what Jesus really did, not only for us, but TO US! We must get our Christology right. Find out how Jesus' earthly ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection impacted ALL of humanity. 

    If you're in a church in your cut offs and flip-flops jumping up and down in front of a jumbotron every Saturday night or (if you're really holy) Sunday, and you think that's God prescribed worship, you're dead wrong and so is your 'worship'. Get your ecclesiology right. And if you don't know what that is--learn. It's time to be solid about what you believe. Are you sitting in front of a 'big ol' Jesus guy' sipping on a latte every Sunday? Well, there's good news and bad news. Bad news is, that's NOT worship and that's NOT Church. Good news is God has preserved His worship and His Church and He desires you to participate.

    Churches that make up worship or seek to entertain their audiences are deceiving Christians into thinking worship is simply singing emotional songs with your hands raised. 

   "But", says the big ol' Jesus guy, "I love Jesus so deeply!". We should tremble at the thought of Christ telling such a one, "Depart from Me, I never knew you."

   If our culture is to improve, the Church must repent. [1 Peter 4:17] We have lost our way and lost the true gospel. We want to sit and be fed on the sugary snacks of lively tunes and entertaining lectures. We want Christotainment, not Christ. We've distilled Christ's purposes down to, "Let me tell you about my Jesus." He no longer is our Creator God who has given Himself for us and has shown us how to live, how to worship, and how to love His people. We hunger to know Him and yet we suffer because knowing Him requires us to learn of him, lean into Him, depend upon Him, listen to Him. We'd rather listen to ourselves come up with our versions of Christ and our versions of how He should be worshipped. If we don't discern His Body rightly, how can we worship Him rightly? Isn't it worth looking into? Shouldn't this be our goal as Christians--to know and to obey the purposes of God? [2 Timothy 2:15]

   If I constantly played music in my house that I alone enjoyed and every time a family member complained I responded by saying, "Well, THIS is how I want to show you my love!", would that appease my family? Would they feel loved? Why do we think our novel ideas of worship trumps what God has already prescribed and His Church has been practicing for centuries? [Acts 2:42-47]

  It's time, Christians, to set ourselves to study. Our brothers and sisters in the early Church would have been catechized and instructed in the Church, its traditions, and worship. Sadly, today's Christian must take it upon himself to learn about the Church-the Bride of Christ. We Christians have a beautiful history and a glorious future. If we would only take the time to diligently learn about who Christ is, the purpose and function of His Church, and His calling on our lives, we would never settle for the jumbotrons or silly nonsense from a 'big ol' Jesus guy'. We, like Paul, would put away childish things [1Cor. 13:11] and seek to be mature in Christ.