The Church has Lost Its Soul

Misrepresenting Jesus' call to the 12, the church has redefined discipleship, compromised Christianity, and lost its soul. We inadvertently, unknowingly, and unintentionally became entangled in the web of consumerism and the pursuit of the American Dream, not realizing that they are incompatible with biblical discipleship. We aren't living the exemplary lives of compassion, sacrifice, and service to which our Lord calls us. Since we look pretty much like everybody else, we will never inspire the world such that they look at us in amazement, and are moved to find out what it is that we believe and why we live the way we do. The church has lost its soul, and it's not going to get it back. Not ever? No, not ever! Then why write? Until we accept it, we're not going to be able to move forward. We will not experience the joy and peace that accompany the life of sacrifice that follows the assurance of grace. We will never find the encouragement and support needed by those who are frustrated and discouraged because they don't understand why the church and their congregation are declining. We love to hear about the forgiveness, comfort, and peace that are ours in Christ. We are not at all enthusiastic about what a life of joyful, willing obedience looks like. We're not ready to commit to a life where the operative principles are self-denial and service. Any hope for the degree of change needed for the church to make an effective witness is no more than wishful thinking. The best we can hope for is change in the lives of a few individuals, groups, and congregations. The church has lost its soul, but we still have a calling.