There’s a dangerous mindset that’s been creeping into the Church for some time. It’s takes many forms, and can at times seem rather spiritual. But it is undermining some of the core foundations upon which the Church should be built. Things like community, discipleship, and worship.
Image Credit: flickr/Creative Commons/Donald Macleod
Individualism.
The idea that my desires and my priorities are most important. That what I like and what I want are more significant that what you want and like. The whole consumer mentality that a church exists for the benefit of the individual.
This is not a good thing.
The Bible describes the church as a body made up of many parts. The parts fade into the background, and the whole becomes greater than the sum of the parts. When I look at a person, I don’t necessarily take stock of the individual parts: an arm, a leg, some fingers, the nose. I see them as a whole person.
It is true that each of us has an individual responsibility in maintaining and pursuing our relationship with God. But, I think there is a greater role found in being part of the body by living, belonging, embracing, and loving together. Jesus said that the world would know we are Christians if we love one another. We can’t love one another if we are alone.
Community is a huge biblical theme. It was a huge part of the Jewish Old Testament culture, and a defining aspect of the New Testament early church. We’re told they met and ate together regularly – at times daily. Yet we (at least in North America) have developed this individualistic type of Christianity. It says that what I do doesn’t affect anyone else and that I don’t need to engage if I don’t want to.
And the funny this is, many seem to find “Christian living success” when going it alone. It’s possible to grow alone and to do good things that show love and mercy alone.
But, how much more could be if we were together?
I wonder if there is a correlation between when the Church began to lose impact in the culture and when she stopped functioning as a whole.
The implications are huge for senior pastors, for worship leaders, for church elders, for teachers and small group leaders. For if we are not together, then we are not effective. We are not being true to God’s Word. We are not the Body of Christ.
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Have you experienced this? Have you been or are you part of local church that is working intentionally to combat this? What are you doing? How is it going?
I’m curious. Let’s share for the good of the community. And for the Church.
