Modern Christianity, with its focus on meetings and the church as organization, has moved away from the models of Jesus and the early church as depicted in Acts and Paul's letters. In the Gospels, Jesus left behind an example of a complete dedication to God's mission and selfless service to that mission. In Acts, we see the church focused on worshiping God while being engaged in full fellowship with each other. In the letters, Paul exhorted believers to love and build up and serve one another.
Sadly, we've largely reduced the Christian experience to coming to worship (at the "appointed" times), checking some boxes, checking up on the preacher/teacher, and when serving is involved, most of the service is done for the organization (i.e., meeting the church's needs in teaching and programs).
In the most insidious form of this, some use Christianity for their own purposes. When you let the forms of Christianity serve you, you are the opposite of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. You are saying, in essence, "I'm here to be served, not to serve."
I call this "abusive Christianity," because it abuses not only the gift of the grace of God, but the church itself, and can itself become abusive towards individuals when control is introduced.
Jesus experienced this in one of his battles with the Pharisees in Matthew 15:1-20. The Pharisees were so focused on their religious system that they completely missed the way of God. They had everything reduced to a check-box in this system, down to the tithing of minute amounts of spice! They were using their system of religion to control others and in doing so they were abusive--towards God and towards others.
Likewise, when we reduce the faith to a system of beliefs and actions that we seek to bind on others, we are practicing abusive Christianity. We are using Christianity for our own purposes.
Instead, let's practice the humility described in the Gospels. Let's take on the mind of Christ. Let's focus on having a heart that worships God in sincerity and truth. And let's build others up towards these goals.
Sadly, we've largely reduced the Christian experience to coming to worship (at the "appointed" times), checking some boxes, checking up on the preacher/teacher, and when serving is involved, most of the service is done for the organization (i.e., meeting the church's needs in teaching and programs).
In the most insidious form of this, some use Christianity for their own purposes. When you let the forms of Christianity serve you, you are the opposite of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. You are saying, in essence, "I'm here to be served, not to serve."
I call this "abusive Christianity," because it abuses not only the gift of the grace of God, but the church itself, and can itself become abusive towards individuals when control is introduced.
Jesus experienced this in one of his battles with the Pharisees in Matthew 15:1-20. The Pharisees were so focused on their religious system that they completely missed the way of God. They had everything reduced to a check-box in this system, down to the tithing of minute amounts of spice! They were using their system of religion to control others and in doing so they were abusive--towards God and towards others.
Likewise, when we reduce the faith to a system of beliefs and actions that we seek to bind on others, we are practicing abusive Christianity. We are using Christianity for our own purposes.
Instead, let's practice the humility described in the Gospels. Let's take on the mind of Christ. Let's focus on having a heart that worships God in sincerity and truth. And let's build others up towards these goals.
