Did Jesus die for THIS?

Anyone familiar with Bill Hybels has heard it: 'The hope of the world is the local church.' "On dozens of occasions, I heard the phrase and nodded in agreement," says pastor Chad Hall in Leadership Journal. "The phrase led me to commit or recommit myself to serving the local church. The phrase caused me to weep. The phrase gave orientation to my life and to my work. But lately when I hear it, my response is different. No commitment. No tears. No direction. Just a one-word question filled with doubt: 'Really?'

"I'm starting to believe the hope of the world cannot possibly rest with the not-for-profit religious organizations dotting our landscape and holding themselves out to be 'churches'. It just can't be true. It's not that I doubt God or the unique and saving nature of Jesus; I truly believe Jesus is the hope of the world. I do not doubt that God's plan is to empower and inspire ordinary people to carry the life-giving message of salvation. I do not even doubt that communities of believers are the God-ordained means for carrying out this grand plan. What I doubt is that what passes for 'church' these days is the manifestation of Jesus in our world. I even doubt that my own church is a church."

A painfully honest article. More here. Also see pastor Doug Johnson's interesting response to this article.

Comments

[Isaac]

Wow.. that's challengly painful.

"I even doubt that my own church is a church."

I wonder what all Jesus would consider 'church'. He defined it so simply, yet we make it so complicated that we miss that point! lol

[Andrew]

Doug Johnson's response is dead on.

[Eric Blauer]

Chad's logic in his article could as easily be focused on the individual believer until he has us wondering if we are even saved.

Am I an "authentic Christian" or simply a spiritual parasite? Should I leave my spiritual practices to search for something more meaningful in my spiritual faith expression?

Don't we need more than a mere bible, prayer, love and good works? Can I really say I am a Christian when I seem so far from looking like Jesus? I am not good enough therefore I will relinquish the claim that I am a Christian and choose...hummm.

Hooey! Such navel gazing tears at the fabric of our spiritual communities and hemorrhages hope in our callings and leave us with a potentially deadly, slow bleed.

[Marc]

I believe both brothers make a valid point, that we have to hear. Chad observes that many of our churches function as institutionalized Christian organisations rather than dynamic bands of believers that preach and model the good news of the Kingdom. This is a fair, prophetic statement. In many respects the church in the West is far off from the New Testament dna. Doug says that it's also a matter of perspective, of how we look at church. The church is bigger than we think an cannot be limited to an 'authentic expression of church box'. Thanks to God's grace we are part of the Body, despite our imperfectness. And he's also right.

[Bill]

The seeker frindly and purpose driven churchs that have started up here in the USA is a departure from the pure Gospel. The Gospel has been watered down so as to not offend anyone. Non Christians are alowed to share the pulpit in the name of unity. Rick Warren is pastor of Saddleback church.
In Rick Warrens book, "ThePurposeDrivenLife"
The gospel, for example, is presented without mention of repentance, the reason Jesus died on the cross, or the eternal consequences of sin. Instead, the reader is simply asked to “whisper the prayer that will change your eternity: ‘Jesus, I believe in you and I receive you’” (p. 58). Warren continues by writing, “If you sincerely meant that prayer, congratulations! Welcome to the family of God” (p. 59).

An Analysis of Rick Warren's The Purpose-Driven® Life

THE GOSPEL- A MESSAGE OR A METHOD"

http://www.twincityfellowship.com/cic/articles/issue80.htm

SPIRIT LED OR PURPOSE DRIVEN?

http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/2003/1-purpose.htm