Sunday, September 11, 2011

Getting Enough to Eat????

One of the greatest critiques of the American Church 
today is that it’s malnourished. 
Some would even say it’s our most pressing problem.


When most people voice this complaint, the focus is on the worship experience. From people who leave these churches, you hear, “I wasn’t getting fed.” Or, “I just want some deeper teaching.” From people outside these churches, you hear, “Too much milk, not enough meat.”


In some cases, I’m sure this is true. But I really don’t think that’s the real problem. Yes, American Christians are malnourished. But I don’t believe it has anything to do with milk or meat.


Most American Christians aren’t malnourished because of what they’re getting fed on Sunday. They’re malnourished because they don’t feed themselves Monday through Saturday.

The crisis facing the church today isn’t what people are getting fed on Sundays. It’s what they’re not feeding themselves the rest of the days. Who really cares whether you consume meat or milk on Sunday if it’s the only meal you have all week?


I’m not saying this to get pastors and churches off the hook. It is the shepherd’s job to feed the sheep (John 21). And feed them well based on their needs and faith development.


 But it’s also the sheep’s job to eat:
13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.


Hebrews 5:13-14
Here’s the point. Churches: we have a responsibility. We should serve up the Word, hot and fresh, every single Sunday. As church leaders, it is our job to create and sustain processes and systems that responsibly enable people to grow in their faith after receiving Christ.


People in our churches: you also have a responsibility. If you refuse to study the Word, apply it, pray some during the week, join a small group and dig deeper with others, there’s not much we can do to help you. 


Your malnourishment won’t be cured by anything we give you on Sunday.  It will be, though, by what you eat the rest of the week.  


Hungry yet?

tHINK aBOUT tHESE tHINGS

Adapted from an article by Steven Furtick.

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