An Evangelical Epidemic: Supermodel Christianity

Recently, a few things have made me quite sensitive to the state of Christianity among most (especially in the USA). Last night I was reading Why Churches Die (I don't necessarily recommend the book, but it has many very good and necessary insights) on "Anorexia and Bulimia: Eating Disorders of the Word of God" (ch. 11), and I was reminded of how the church is generally starved today for the Word of God. Feed My Sheep is now a must read for all who desire to be teachers in the church, because the mandate given to Peter in John 21 is not being fulfilled.

Many people today no longer feel "fulfilled" or they feel "restless" (often the key word here is "feel," since that is generally what current, postmodern Christians rely upon) in their churches. This sends them out looking for a church that gives them the spiritual 'fix' they so crave. Since the Christian experience becomes 'how I feel' or the 'high I get from the service' (due to the praise songs, etc), once they get used to the routine, they have to find another church.

(2 things: 1) I am in no way discounting the need for proper religious affections in the Christian life. Emotions are necessary, but they are not the controlling factor. Dead orthodoxy is not Christianity, but neither is a feelings-based spirituality. 2) This is actually a sign and in line with the absolute epidemic that is occurring today. There is a lack of covenant-love commitment, and a lack of REAL depth. This is at least part of the reason why we see divorce running rampant today. People are looking for quick emotional/feeling highs, and when they stop--that is, the 'honey-moon' period ends, and difficulties arise that require real depth of character--people leave their marriages and churches to look for the excitement and rush of another--this is as heinous as drug addictions, which are the same thing except a foreign substance is involved.)

As Caner and Brunson point out, pastors need to stop giving in to this--which is probably what is often behind the 'Megachurch' mentatility. Brothers in pastoral roles, we need to stand up to the people whom we shepherd and give them what they need, not what they want. We need to stop feeding Snickers bars (hungry? why wait? Get a quick sugar high and go about life) and Pepsis to our people and start feeding them steak and whole milk. They need the spiritual food that has substance--the Word of God--though it will taste like broccoli, it will have as much nutrients.

Caner and Brunson point out that because our people are anorexic and bulemic (spiritually), they are slowly starving to death (175). They have become 'lactose intolerant' to even the milk of God's Word. Because they satiate themselves on sensory-experiences (like eating a bunch of Snickers bars), they seek "sensory-satisfying worship," such as "Does the song make me cry? Does the meolody make me jump up and down? Is it a catchy tune?" etc (179). These things aren't necessarily bad, but with no substance (in most of these things) comes no nourishment. If people keep on living like this and rejecting depth (such as sermons that help them to truly know God's character, expositional messages from Paul's epistles, etc, rather than messages such as "How to have a good marriage," or even cliche sermons on taboo topics, i.e. sex, drinking, etc), then they will continue to feel unfulfilled and restless in their churches. If we keep on feeding them like this, they will starve to death, and yes, many will be lost eternally in Hell because Christianity never went beyond skin-deep--they may have "Decided to Follow Jesus," but they never put their faith in Him.

People today are becoming supermodel Christians--the church may look good on the outside (nice buildings, emotional praise choruses, Bible studies with 50 people in them, full auditoriums, hands raised to heaven, crying, people coming out of discipleship by the dozens), but on the inside, emaciation is occurring. Like supermodels what is occurring is trendy and popular (superficially, what guy wouldn't date a woman who looks good enough to be a center-fold, or what girl wouldn't want to look like a swim-suit model), but in the end, this way that seems right to man leads only to death. The Bible commends the eating of 'fat-things,' and those who are made to be fat. But to get this way, we must devour what has substance--the Word, Jesus Christ (cf. John 6).

So what do you do if you are feeling unfulfilled and restless in your church? Well, if they are preaching the Word of God faithfully, stay there--living by covenant love will only make you stronger. You will be fed, and that is what matters. If your church is not preaching the Word expositionally, then either confront (first step of action) or find somewhere that is (last resort). Do not just rely on feelings. God does not necessarily work through your feelings, for your heart is extremely deceitful. The feast of the Lamb is before you, in the Scriptures, for the Lamb Himself is the feast. Don't settle for hot dogs, eat the Filet Mingon--Christ, and every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.