“Where Have All the Christians Gone?”

Posted by Ingrid Schlueter in Circus Church, Featured Articles, Religion on October 8th, 2009 | Comments

Fox News reported this morning that one quarter of the world’s population is now Muslim. Following on the heels of that news is this commentary, “Where Have All the Christians Gone?” that points out the rapid decline of Christianity in America. But why would young Americans be attracted to Christianity when headlines like this appear weekly? The pastor of Liberty Baptist Church pleaded guilty this week to making obscene phone calls to young women baristas at a coffee shop near his home in Firecrest, Washington.

It isn’t just young people from non-Christian homes who are rejecting Christianity. When parents in many Christian homes live out a powerless, cliche-ridden, ultimately meaningless Christianity comprised only of a list of rules, it’s little wonder kids grow up to reject it. Why would they need more of a worthless religion like that? People see little authentic Christianity, so can you blame them for rejecting the Word of Faith scammers, (the entire TBN freak show), the legalists, the pervert pastors, the “soul winners” in cheap suits ringing their doorbell and waving their fistful of Jack Chick tracts at them, the sex churches with porno billboards where they hand out tip cards for a zestier love life, the cussing pastors with rings in their noses, the hula praise dancers, the aging, spray-tanned megachurch Hybels-wannabe’s, the tattooed female pastors offering milk and honey communion, the Episcopal drag queen pastors and bishops with their lavender vestments and elaborate head gear, and all the other fruitcake pastors and churches claiming to offer real Christianity? I can’t blame them.

The truth is that most non-Christians are not going to decide to visit church anyway, for all the above listed reasons. The only Christianity they may ever see is what you live out in front of them. Your second-rate work-ethic on the job will be noticed a lot more by your co-worker than the tracts you keep leaving on his desk. Your non-Christian treatment of your spouse will be noticed a whole lot more by your children than the devotional you slogged through after dinner. Your help of your neighbor in need will make a far greater impression on her than your invitation to your churches latest whiz-bang revival service. Our lives preach louder than our lips do. It’s not that being a good neighbor, co-worker, etc. replaces the need for verbally sharing the Gospel. But don’t try sharing the Gospel if you aren’t living what you claim to believe. Your Christian faith becomes nothing more than a punchline when your life fails to match up. Only a Holy Spirit-empowered, living faith will have any hope of making an impact for eternity on a jaded and cynical non-believer who thinks he has seen it all. Such genuine faith is a rare thing today.

Stacy_Ryan

"It’s not that being a good neighbor, co-worker, etc. replaces the need for verbally sharing the Gospel. But don’t try sharing the Gospel if you aren’t living what you claim to believe."

That sums that article up perfectly. Amen and amen!

Jerimiah1

Remember the word of the Lord. 2 Thesselonians 2 " Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of peridition,"and the word of the Lord Jesus. Matthew 24:12 "and because lawlessness will abound,the love of most will grow cold. We are clearly seeing here is the outward fruits that we are the falling away and hardheartness from the increase of wickedness around us.

Ken Eastburn

To answer the question: all the Christians have gone to those who care. Sadly, that hasn't been the church. But I'm hopeful and think that may be changing.

Dani

The title asked a question but the article answered it's own question very well. Nobody wants powerless lip service.

Aaron Potratz

Wow, what an excellent article. So true. I've really been struck by the importance of living a truth-centered Christianity (I call it "Trutheran" Christianity with a hint of a smile) because all the other forms you mentioned above are lifeless and unbiblical. I think it's because we're all afraid of standing out - of being rejected, disapproved of, unaccepted, and disliked by others. So we water down the truth in favor of our own personal "needs." These are precisely the reasons Jesus became angry and turned over the tables in Luke 19.

The good news is that God is not done yet and (good thing) the story of history is in His hands! Thanks for the motivational article.

shirleybrown

Thank you for saying what a lot of us are thinking. We are so ashamed of the so called "church" that is so out there now. I was so moved when my nine year old grandson told his mother that Mimi was a real Christian. Oh that those who know us best would say that about us.