More Than a Sunday Seat
Gallup polls indicate that roughly 33% of adults go to church or religious services at least once a month. There is some research that suggests that the data indicates that there has been a slight uptick in the last couple of years. There are examples of churches that are growing, but in general the trend doesn't look good for the church. To a person who does not follow Jesus, I suspect the modern church looks odd. Who are those people who gather in church buildings every week, and what do they do when they gather? Depending on which building an outsider peaks in on Sunday, what do they see? A concert? A social gathering? A public speaker weaving a good story? A giant coffee shop? If you are on the outside, you have to admit some of our behavior seems both odd and maybe benign.
If you read the pages of the Acts of the Apostles and follow the growing church, it doesn't seem weak or boring. The church gatherings aren't really described all that much. We read that churches gathered to pray, hear the apostles teach, and remember the Lord's supper and eat together. But the real stories of the church happen between the gatherings. And those stories suggest that the early church was turning the world upside down. Pick almost any chapter in the book of Acts and you will find adventure, controversy, disruption, and transformation as the teachings of Jesus fill the public space. And that is one of the keys to the growth of the early church. Followers of Jesus lived out their faith daily and not just on Sunday.
In Acts 19, we read of the Holy Spirit's powerful work through the hands of Paul as people were healed and evil spirits were cast out. A group of brothers saw this and without faith in Jesus tried to do what Paul did and had the whole thing backfire on them. The evil spirit told the boys, "Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?" The result of these brothers’ feeble attempt left them roughed up by the possessed man. And this incident caused many to get serious about their lifestyles, so they decided to destroy the things that kept them from seriously following Jesus and get their act together.
A few verses later, a silversmith realized that if people starting following Jesus, then they wouldn't be buying and worshiping his silver gods anymore. If this continued, then his pocketbook would be a little lighter. The silversmith decided to stir up the crowd so much that local leaders had to break up the event that had turned into a riot and suggested the whole matter be settled in court.
To truly follow Jesus is more than attending a Sunday school party. To follow Jesus requires risk taking and action. To follow Jesus means you have to take your faith to the streets and to the marketplace, and when you do, Jesus shows his power and lives are transformed. But transformation and changed lives will always threaten some. And as I mentioned yesterday, Satan does not like to lose ground.
There is nothing wrong with Christians gathering for coffee and worship, but if we want to see the church grow again, we will have to get serious about following Jesus out in the open. That might be when we will see church attendance on the rise again.
Your Time with God’s Word
Acts 19:11-20, 23-27 ESV
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