Rick Warren, the author of Purpose Driven Life,posted the following article that you might find interesting:
But if we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then the blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from every sin. If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:7-8 NCV)
In Christian fellowship people should experience authenticity.
Authentic fellowship is not superficial, surface-level chit-chat. It’s genuine, heart-to-heart, sometimes gut-level, sharing.
It happens when people get honest about who they are and what is happening in their lives. They share their hurts, reveal their feelings, confess their failures, disclose their doubts, admit their fears, acknowledge their weaknesses, and ask for help and prayer.
Authenticity is the exact opposite of what you find in many churches. Instead of an atmosphere of honesty and humility, there is pretending, role-playing, politicking and superficial politeness, but shallow conversation.
People wear masks, keep their guards up, and act as if everything is rosy in their lives. These attitudes are the death of real friendship.
It’s only as we become open about our lives that we experience authentic fellowship. The Bible says, “If we live in the light, as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other.… If we say we have no sin, we are fooling ourselves” (1 John 1:7–8, NCV).
The world thinks intimacy occurs in the dark, but God says it happens in the light. We tend to use darkness to hide our hurts, faults, fears, failures and flaws. But in the light, we bring them all out into the open and admit who we really are.
Of course, being authentic requires both courage and humility. It means facing our fear of exposure, rejection and being hurt again.
Why would anyone take such a risk?
Because it’s the only way to grow spiritually and be emotionally healthy. The Bible says, “Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed” ( James 5:16a, Msg).
You raise a very interesting point. I would go a bit further and say that a lack of authenticity can be found in all churches (to some extent).
ReplyDeleteI think it's just human for me to "put my church face on," - to present only a positive version of myself.
But I've found there is no safer place to let my guard down. Church friends have held me accountable and loved me through some tough times, and if followers of Jesus Christ can do that, just imagine what He can do.
Okay this may offend someone,if you are easily offended don't read this.
ReplyDeleteIn my personal experiences I've discovered the root of the problem with a growing number of our modern Churches is Apostasy right in the Church building resulting from following Programs, Traditions of Men & Celebrity Pastors, Priest etc. more so than following after Christ (Jesus)wholeheartedly.
It may sound like an oxymoron or paradox but daily Christian television is partly to blame for this falling away from the Gospel. Just tune into Christian networks on a day to day basis, esp. during the week. You may hear various strange teachings and this has adversely infected mainstream Churches. In my opinion it's destroying the very foundation built by Jesus and his real Apostles.
Strange teaching is making Christians weak & ineffective. God has left some of our Church buildings. Tares have replaced Wheat with self-centered, seekers in search of ear ticklers with messages on how to get power, wealth or fame. e Satan tried to tempt Jesus by offering these very things in Matthew 4:8, (only proves not all fame & fortune is from God)! The devil can make you rich too but his riches leave you cursed and emotionally broken.
I dare anyone reading my opinion to take a personal poll & ask every Christian you meet have they read their whole bible from Genesis to Revelation word for word? Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion and Public Life quizzed mainstream Christians on the Bible and they not only failed but scored worst than Atheist, (if you don't believe it goggle it).
How can Christians grow & bare good fruit if they are not reading their bibles but eating junk food from Prosperity Teachers who daily appear on Christian television?
Evangelist Mike Murdock is becoming quite famous for his "7 Wisdom Keys" (to Prosperity). Murdock promotes his 7 Wisdom Keys more than Jesus & His Cross. His message is basically Motivational talk with a promise to get rich by sowing (specific dollar amounts to his Ministry).
To his credit he does throw in a few bible verses for his Christian audience some of which is out of context to his discredit. The man actually said that God does not respond to tears or prayers but he only respond to faith, as if Murdock knows everyone God has responded to since the creation of the universe. He must have never read Ezekiel 16:6 where God described Israel as an infant laying helpless, and polluted in its own blood till God walked by and said "LIVE." News flash for Murdock-even ones faith is a gift from God.
If these Prosperity groupies read their whole bibles esp. 2nd Corinthian 11:24 they would discover unlike these Prosperity teachers the original (real) followers of Christ obeyed Jesus and denied themselves, took up their crosses and followed Jesus as he required in Luke 9:23
The real Gospel will not just cost you a $58 dollar seed or a 111 dollar seed that may be too easy for a person of means but following Jesus may cost everything in terms of sacrifice and suffering but if people were told this it may not pack out churches or football Stadiums!
Paul described what spreading the (real) Gospel message cost him:
Second Corinthians 11:24-26.
"Five times he was given 39 lashes by the Jewish authorities, once he was stoned, and three times he was shipwrecked and he spent a night and day in the open sea." Hebrews 11:36-39 is more of the same kind of pain, suffering & sacrifice that the early church experienced.
The most tragic thing the Prosperity Gospel has produced are proud unmerciful people that blame you for not having faith if you suffer loss or a season of lack.
If you think this was harsh Jesus rebuked the Laodicea Church in Revelation chapter 3 verse 14 for being lukewarm, pitiful, poor, naked and blind Even though they said like most Prosperity name it and claim it people they were rich and did not lack anything.
I forgot to conclude:
ReplyDeleteThe Prosperity Gospel going around in various churches with its Positive confession & Word Of Fake, (oops) Faith groupies does not lend itself to open authenticity, or sharing trials with others. You'd be viewed as lacking faith or too negative!
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