Wake Up!! Ever hear these words before? Perhaps growing up your mom, dad, or a sibling would yell this and you would slowly roll out of your bed and start your day.
Well today, right now I am yelling these words – WAKE UP – CHRISTIAN CHURCH!

I have been involved in many levels of ministry over the past 25 years, from cleaning the sanctuary and bathrooms, working with children to teenagers. I have served as an administrator, counselor, elder and now Executive Pastor. Through all of this there have always been a few common themes that pop up either in the church I am at or I read about it in an article. They are the themes of complacency, comfortably and consumerism.

 

Yes, I just shared all three of those and some of you are in disbelief. Some of you are saying “not in my church.” Yet a few more of you are saying “amen”, but don’t even realize that describes you. Ouch! I know that is painful to hear, its painful to watch too. God has so much for us and this world around us, yet some how we keep stepping in His way trying to do things ourselves and before you know it these 3 “c’s” have made their way in the front door and are sitting all over in our churches today!
Let’s see if I can break this down, starting with complacency, the dictionary describes this as: self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies. Self-satisfaction? So, it is saying you might be pleased with things you have done or achieved. Maybe you are a volunteer and you recently have been recognized as a “doer.” Appreciated, but you then start to slow down, you decide you have done enough and don’t have to do more. You are satisfied. How does this hurt the chruch? Well, being self-satisfied will open you up to the sins of PRIDE, GREED, LAZINESS.
Luke 12:19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”! This is the opposite of humility. Luke 12:15 Then he said to them, “Watch out Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” Luke 12:18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. These are the opposite of giving. Finally, laziness will impact the work of the church. Laziness will cause you to become inward focused and stop reaching the lost. It will stop you from going outside your four walls into your community!

I hate to see complacency prevail in our lives when it’s so directly contrary to the teaching of Christ.
–Jimmy Carter

What about comfortably? The dictionary describes this as: affording or enjoying contentment and security. Is your church experience, your faith comfortable? When waking up on Monday morning do you even remember the sermon from Sunday? Do you ever question the Trinity or other tenets of the faith? Do your friends see you as different, meaning you speak differently, act differently because you know and represent Christ? Or do you act like everyone else? Think about this statement: If your Christian faith never confronts your idols and challenges your sinful habits—but only ever affirms you as you are—this is a sure sign of a too-comfortable faith. Church – are you comfortable? Perhaps too comfortable?

Healthy faith doesn’t just celebrate you as you are, but relentlessly molds and refines you into the likeness of Christ. B. McCracken

The Last one I want to address is consumerism. The dictionary describes this as: the promotion of the consumer’s interests. I believe this ONE is becoming a silent killer in our churches today and I know that some will read this and will see themselves in this category – don’t feel guilt or shame, just shift how you view your church. What does consumerism look like in a church?

It begins with your coming through the front doors, being warmly welcomed. Then you go over and check your kiddos in chidlrens ministry (where they will worship, be taught the Word and have fun – all in a loving safe and protected environment.) Then you grab a complimentary coffee and bagel and head into the sanctuary. Here you will have the opportunity to worship with everyone else along with talented musicians and singers and then finally you will hear the Word presented by a pastor who loves you and His God so much that he is willing to give you all he’s got for the next 35-45 minutes. Then, you are up, picking up your kiddos and out the door you go!
Doesn’t sound bad does it? Well in many ways its not. Except I left out a few points:
• You are taking it all in at zero “cost”
• No fees for childcare
• No fees for coffee, bagels, etc.
• Music is very good
• Pastor is a great teacher
• Many volunteers made this morning possible for you and your family

HOWEVER
• You do not volunteer
• You do not donate / tithe
• You do not help with anything
You are not plugged into the church at all, you are just taking and not giving. You are a consumer!

Church is not for your entertainment, as a consumer, but for you and others to find encouragement, as a contributor.

Proverbs 13:4 The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing,
while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied.
Genesis 2:15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

“We need to stop presenting community as just another option for the religious consumer and start presenting it as God’s will for everyone. It should be seen as the reality of those within the church and the refuge for those without.”
― Ed Stetzer

Christian Church – WAKE UP, don’t let these “c’s” settle into your building. Don’t settle for the mediocrity of the world. Go out and CHANGE this world, one life at a time!