Why has the church lost its capacity and power?

The church has modernized itself and in the process has lost something very valuable. It has lost its capacity to be personable. The way we reach lost souls is by seeing them, by getting to know them, and by recognizing them, but people are getting lost in the church. The church has become a busy place and is also becoming a less holy place. To make disciples we have to get to know people, and technology in the church is depersonalizing souls, and depersonalizing God for them. Faith becomes a marketable commodity, whereas in the past, churches and their leaders nourished and valued personal faith. While faith is still valued, it’s becoming something that is marketable, which reminds me of the story of Jesus in the temple turning over tables (Matthew 21:12-17).

The problem isn’t that the church doesn’t work or doesn’t want to share the gospel, it could be how we are doing it. The church is currently being run like a business, and each Christian metaphorically speaking has a profit value to offer to the church, if their profit value diminishes, then the church no longer needs that kind of Christian. Instead of valuing the intrinsic God given worth of a human being, and the necessity of seeing that person in Heaven, the church has commercialized salvation, and it’s the wealthy that are profiting from the sale of the gospel. The gospel should be free, this is what drew me to salvation as a young man, and in times of desperation, this is what gives me hope:

Isaiah 55:1-2

Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the waters;

And you who have no money come, buy and eat.

Come, buy wine and milk

Without money and without cost.

Why do you spend money for what is not bread,

And your wages for what does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,

And delight yourself in abundance.

We really should know better as Christians, we received our salvation freely so we should be offering it freely to others. Less machine church folks, and more compassionate community church. This is Mike.

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