The Wrong Way, and the Right

When we look at the church in America, we sense that there’s something horribly broken about it, but most of us can’t put our finger upon what that “something” actually is. The ones who are the most sensitive to it are teens (and ’tweens). They realize that there is a huge disconnect between what is being taught about Christian community and what they are seeing in their church, especially the leaders. But don’t you just love it when the Lord sends a prophet to tell you what is wrong.

Yes, the symptom is hypocrisy, but Eugene Peterson tells us what is causing the condition; it is a rejection of a foundational component to Christian life, acceptance of the way of Jesus. You see, in the typical church in America, we believe that a certain set of truths, if understood and accepted, will lead to eternal life. Now, consider that statement and tell me that you disagree with it. Isn’t that what we have been taught from the beginning, especially in conservative churches?

But is that what Jesus taught? Did Jesus come onto the scene with an evangelistic gun filled with apologetic bullets? Or did He rather invite people to walk with Him, to follow in His ways, and in the process, to come into a robust understanding of gospel truth? Notice what He told Thomas when asked about the way to eternity with the Father:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

And Peterson points out that we have lost Christian life because we have not accepted the first step, accepting the Jesus way. At best, we have skipped it and started with truth statements from the Epistles. At worst, he claims that we have substituted the American way for the Jesus way. We have taken Jesus truth and married it to the American way of managing an organization. Disciples have become Guests. Rather than a call to die to self we invite people to consume. So people pick a church based upon the music in the “worship set” and the entire gathering ceases to be a sacred moment in the presence of our Lord. And the Children’s program has to be exciting so that kids will want to not only come back but hang out with complete strangers while parents get a little “me/us time.” And when leaders realize that the programs are not making Disciples, they hire a Discipleship Pastor and give him measurable goals, like any top-notch corporation would. And Discipleship is redefined from a life fully committed to the Lord and His mission to making sure that the programs have volunteers and the money keeps flowing into the machine. Glorifying God is replaced by making sure the organization survives. It’s the epitome of idolatry and self-worship!

It’s time that the church took another look at Jesus. Not the Jesus of our own making, the idol we have created, but the Jesus of Scripture. And we need to resist starting with truth claims about Him and look deeply at how He calls us to be. I’m not suggesting that we reject truth, but truth is the second step. First, Jesus is the way, and the Jesus way leads us into the truth in a way that creates Jesus life in us and in our churches.

The good news is that Jesus doesn’t call the religious leaders first. You don’t have to wait for your church to “get it.” Jesus rebukes the leaders who have created their kingdom where His should reign. And He calls the people. The Jesus way has always been a people movement. He is the head, and we are all members of His body. So why are we waiting for a new head? It’s not too late. Listen to His call. Hear His voice. And commit to His way. And He will lead you into truth and life. He said so.