This week, Leslie shares how to keep from bringing wrong expectations into your church, ministry, or lifestyle by uncovering cultural Christianity’s insatiable desire to be catered to and entertained through gimmicks, impressive media and technology, and the latest, greatest _______. Begin asking a new question, not “What am I getting out of this?” but “What is God getting out of this?” All this and more in this week’s episode!
PODCAST TRANSCRIPT
There’s a big pull to get caught up in the mindset that as Christians we deserve to be served with what will make us comfortable, inspired, and entertained rather than what will make us more like Christ. This dangerous mentality has the potential of tainting our evangelizing efforts and ministry endeavors and goes contrary to Jesus said, “if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all people unto Me” (John 12:32 paraphrased). When Christians expect their whims to be catered to, we are in danger of quelling what God wants to do in our hearts and making His presence known in our midst.
The modern Church has a tremendous amount of pressure to compete with the culture and try to keep Christianity exciting to its parishioners by installing X-boxes in Sunday School classes, offering trendy Biblezines, putting coffee shops in churches, and utilizing social media plans engage the congregation. We rob the Gospel of its beautiful simplicity and diminish the power of God when we employ cultural Christian “bells and whistles” to keep the attention of the public.
However, the wrong way to solve this trend is to look at our leaders with a wary eye. Instead, let’s begin with examining ourselves. Search your heart for ways you could be feeding that mentality. Instead of asking, “What do I want out of this?” ask a new question, “Is God getting glory out of this?”
This subtle shift has the radical ability to change how we approach church, serving others, sharing the Gospel and more – no bells and whistles needed!
While there’s nothing wrong with utilizing modern technology to help creatively deliver truth, we must be careful that artistry, music, media, technology, and other worldly things are not promoting worldly trends or exalting a specific person instead of lifting high the name of Jesus Christ. Remember, it’s not mimicking the culture that will influence the unsaved to Christ, rather it is the pure, undiluted Gospel that has the ability to rivet others’ attention and impact eternity. No one will be able to deny the power of true Christianity when they see the amazing witness of a transformed life!
Key Scriptures
John 12:32
Recommended Resources
Join us at this year’s Set Apart Conference! Learn more here.
Read the article, I’m With Jesus, by Leslie Ludy here and The World-Changing Impact of Set Apart Living, here.
