but wait there is more
More on how backwards thinking has damaged the church…
Here is another thought that I stumbled upon while reading "Maslow on Management" (given to me by a thoughtful and handsome man). While I believe that it true that we are saved by faith in the grace of God… an emphasis on grace without works has resulted in a gutted religion without a clear enacted identity.
Consider your typical "church going" Christian. What does it take for him/her to be saved? Grace alone. Faith in Christ. The only elements that we encourage are Bible reading, regular prayer, and coming to church at least once a week.
This gives a very narrow non-invasive way to enact a Christian identity that relegates most of the faithful to a closet. We can live and die without our neighbors or co-workers ever knowing what we believe… and STILL be considered a "good" Christian for having lived like this.
Arguable one of the greatest researchers on human motivation, at least within several generations, was Maslow. He dedicated large chunks of his brilliant career to understanding how to motivate people to act. He stated that it was based on needs (we act when we want something) and those needs become more complex as lower level needs are met. Eventually, we are motivated by a sense of self esteem and finally one of self worth.
When this happens, identity becomes everything. Who we believe that we are, and being GOOD at being whomever/whatever we are is a driving force in our lives. For example: a good firefighter is someone who is willing to risk life and limb to run into burning buildings to save others. Good doctors will work long hours slaving to help sick and dying. Why do these people act against their obvious personal self interest? Because they are being "good" at whomever/whatever they have made themselves to be.
Thus, we make a critical error when we define a "good Christian" as something synonymous with a well behaved church going individual. Christians are far more than this. We are called to live transformed lives with a constant process of reform and surrender being active throughout our beings. Enacting a Christian identity requires accountability, humility, discipline, honesty, and selflessness unparalleled by any other calling or vocation. We are supposed to die.
The time has come then, I argue, for the church to cease selling Christianity as "the best choice you'll ever make." We aren't encouraging people to make a selficious choice (get this and live a better more fulfilled life) we are asking them to die to self. In the end, it becomes the best choice… but only after one becomes willing to make the enaction of a Christian identity the most important element of his/her life.
Perhaps this is why the modern church is plagued by hypocrisy. We become saved for selfish reasons why should we change once we are within the confines of the flock? The cost of the decision, the scope of the beliefs, and the importance of surrender are enactions of a Christian identity that would lead to far more effective and sincere believers than these pew filling zombies that we have right now. It would also make the identity far more difficult to hide.
Here is another thought that I stumbled upon while reading "Maslow on Management" (given to me by a thoughtful and handsome man). While I believe that it true that we are saved by faith in the grace of God… an emphasis on grace without works has resulted in a gutted religion without a clear enacted identity.
Consider your typical "church going" Christian. What does it take for him/her to be saved? Grace alone. Faith in Christ. The only elements that we encourage are Bible reading, regular prayer, and coming to church at least once a week.
This gives a very narrow non-invasive way to enact a Christian identity that relegates most of the faithful to a closet. We can live and die without our neighbors or co-workers ever knowing what we believe… and STILL be considered a "good" Christian for having lived like this.
Arguable one of the greatest researchers on human motivation, at least within several generations, was Maslow. He dedicated large chunks of his brilliant career to understanding how to motivate people to act. He stated that it was based on needs (we act when we want something) and those needs become more complex as lower level needs are met. Eventually, we are motivated by a sense of self esteem and finally one of self worth.
When this happens, identity becomes everything. Who we believe that we are, and being GOOD at being whomever/whatever we are is a driving force in our lives. For example: a good firefighter is someone who is willing to risk life and limb to run into burning buildings to save others. Good doctors will work long hours slaving to help sick and dying. Why do these people act against their obvious personal self interest? Because they are being "good" at whomever/whatever they have made themselves to be.
Thus, we make a critical error when we define a "good Christian" as something synonymous with a well behaved church going individual. Christians are far more than this. We are called to live transformed lives with a constant process of reform and surrender being active throughout our beings. Enacting a Christian identity requires accountability, humility, discipline, honesty, and selflessness unparalleled by any other calling or vocation. We are supposed to die.
The time has come then, I argue, for the church to cease selling Christianity as "the best choice you'll ever make." We aren't encouraging people to make a selficious choice (get this and live a better more fulfilled life) we are asking them to die to self. In the end, it becomes the best choice… but only after one becomes willing to make the enaction of a Christian identity the most important element of his/her life.
Perhaps this is why the modern church is plagued by hypocrisy. We become saved for selfish reasons why should we change once we are within the confines of the flock? The cost of the decision, the scope of the beliefs, and the importance of surrender are enactions of a Christian identity that would lead to far more effective and sincere believers than these pew filling zombies that we have right now. It would also make the identity far more difficult to hide.