Finding God Outside Of Religion

28 posted on July 28, 2010

POSTED IN: Blog Posts, Church, Church Planting

God planted a burden on our hearts several years ago to plant a new church. Exactly why God chose us for a task like this, I don’t know. What I do know, however, is that I’ve had the opportunity to see a lot of the church across the country in my travels and what I see tells me there’s a new type of church rising up that is reaching people in different ways.

As we’ve spent time talking to people who aren’t currently in a church today, I’ve found many reasons for their lack of spiritual development – busyness of life, irrelevant messages, bad experiences. And of course, there’s the age-old turn-off: money.

We in the church have gotten quite good at asking for it. We’ve written books and created consultants to help us ask better and get more of it. We cloak the ask behind Christianese lingo by calling it a “Capital Stewardship Campaign” to make it sound less like what it really is: asking people for money.

Before I get any further, let me emphasize a couple of things. First of all, we need to be generous people in the church and give back to God what He has so richly blessed us with in both tithes and offerings. Second, there is nothing wrong with building church buildings or even stewardship campaigns for that matter.

That being said, I wonder if some churches would be better “stewards” of their “capital” by downsizing instead of upgrading? Do we really need a bigger structure or do we, perhaps, need to multiply to reach our city through multiple smaller communities of faith?

Sadly, many churches, in an attempt to reach more people, built large, elaborate structures that they are now dragging like a ball and chain behind them. Instead of opening up new opportunities for ministry, they have found that their ministry now consists of making desperate appeals on Sunday to bring enough in to pay the utilities.

Steve McSwain, a former minister turned religious skeptic, said in a column in the Huffington Post:

Go into many churches today, and instead of finding an institution interested in saving the world, what you may find is an institution vastlymore interested in saving itself.

Ouch.

While 40 million people died of starvation in the last decade, churches spent $10 billion on campuses. I just have to wonder, is there a better way to be the church today? How can we have built more churches over the last 50 years than any other country in the world and yet still be growing slower than countries where churches where hundreds of thousands of people meet in homes and portable structures?

Again, because I know that this is a sensitive topic let me again make it clear, I am not in any way condemning or pointing fingers at churches with large buildings. Some of my favorite churches to attend while travelling have multi-million dollar structures with projectors that cost more than my house. Some have even found ways of utilizing their building resources throughout the week.

I’m not in any way saying large buildings = bad and small portable churches = good. I just worry that we’ve lost sight of what it takes to reach the unreached here in America. Have we made it difficult it is to find God among our theatrically lit stage and sprawling campuses? Has our need to pay the electric bill overtaken our need to reach the lost in our community? Do the people we’re called to reach come before the programs we build to get them there?

I don’t have the answers but I do know that these are the kinds of questions we need to be asking more of to find them.

Your thoughts?

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10 Comments

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July 28, 2010

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1 Bill (cycleguy) said:

Gotta totally agree with you on this Brad. I was horrified when I heard the price tag of Chelsea Clinton’s wedding-$5-8 million- and yet many churches are doing the same thing to build monuments that are now a ball and chain around the neck (as you already stated). Foreclosures on buildings built that can no longer be afforded. We do need to do some serious rethinking of our priorities. Great post!
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July 28, 2010

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2 shellie (baylormum) said:

Many of these Huge Campuses are also on the “other” side of town. Where the plastic people live. Not where the masses can afford to drive.

One reason I stopped going to the building was I set my expectations too high. I would go back if I can find one without so many plastic people. I know the right place is out there. For now, I am content to do on-line church. I feel like I’m there.

I need to work on my expectations. I am learning in recovery that expectations can turn into resentment. And it’s not against God by any stretch. But, it’s the people inside. The expenditures for the things you stated. Utilities. Also for salaries of 15 different pastor positions. The community outside the building is in need of real help. Not just superficial help.

Now I’m rambling. Hate it when I have all this stuff stirring around in my head & it isn’t coming out just how I want it!
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July 28, 2010

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3 Brad Ruggles said:

I think you represent what a lot of Christians feel Shellie. The challenge is that the message of the gospel is for everyone in every part of the city – urban, suburban and everything in between. It’s challenging sometimes to find a place where you fit and can be used by God.

I challenge people to not wait until you find the perfect place that models everything you think a church should be. You may not find it. In the meantime get involved somewhere and stay busy doing the things that God has called all of us to. I’m not saying you’re not doing that, just reflecting on what you wrote.

Great thoughts. Thanks for sharing so honestly and openly.
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July 28, 2010

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4 Chelan said:

AMEN, Brad.

My husband Ricky, feels exactly the same way We have to fight to not get angry when driving my a HUGE church structure with the wondering, “how many people right here in this little town could have been fed and clothed and given shelter or counselling with the funds that were raised to build that .. THING.”?! It is something we will always prob. ask, bc churches will always be doing it.

We just need to make the choice to not let it affect how we respond to our own personal calling. We cannot let it keep us from engaging within the church body and outside of its walls as well – to serve – impact – walk out what HE has called us to do, for the sake of obedience. After all, are we not all individually responsible for acting on the promptings of the Spirit in our own heart?

Let’s pray for a heart of universal love and servant-hood to supersede the spirit of judgement that can creep up in us all, as the body of Christ Jesus.
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July 28, 2010

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5 Josh said:

I agree that I don’t think buildings are necessarily wrong, but it’s the emphasis that we put on them that’s a bigger issue (IMO).

The Acts 2 church didn’t have power bills or a staff of 50, so we don’t have that to compare to. What I think has happened is that we’ve compared to “successful” buildings/companies to see how to go about supporting ourselves. The ministry, I fear, takes a back seat, which is unfortunate for so many.

Great post, man.
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July 28, 2010

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6 Brad Ruggles said:

Yeah, playing the comparison game can be dangerous. Churches do it too often.
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July 29, 2010

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7 BJ said:

Great points Brad. There is definitely a fine line between all of these topics and through faith and trusting in God’s vision for our specific church is a huge obvious.
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July 30, 2010

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8 Jorin Cowley said:

Ah yes, I remember reading somewhere “The temple of God is within us.”
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August 4, 2010

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9 chad vandervalk said:

I really struggle with this, because it is so easy to condemn the spending of money. Yet there are times when I look at the magnificent cathedrals built all over Europe as an act of devotion to God which cost far more than anything we built today.

It is obvious these buildings did not cause the faith to remain, and I wonder if the money had been spent elsewhere if there would be more faith in Europe.

On the other hand, those buildings have helped me through some very difficult times, especially when trying to figure out what I can give to God (not necessarily financially).

Do we spend too much sometimes? Certainly. Are some of these gifts invaluable as spiritual acts of worship? Most likely.

So where is the balance?
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August 4, 2010

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10 MWorrell said:

Reminds me of a quote (from memory) from Tony Campolo, spoken in church: “25,000 people died of starvation today and nobody gives a s**t. In fact, most of you are more upset right now that I said s**t than that 25,000 people died of starvation today.”