Style or Substance?

"(Experts) predict that in the next few years, we'll see local congregations closing their doors because of an unwillingness to make the necessary changes to survive, most of which have little to do with theology, but deal primarily with philosophy and style. When you think about it, the (best) reason to change is theological."

I read the above observation from Alan Nelson in Rev. magazine and was immediately struck by how 'sad but true' it is. Most churches make stylistic changes based on opinion issues rather than making theological changes based on Biblical issues.

Why is this? Could it be because the church has gotten away from teaching solid theology and doctrine? Could it be because the church has fallen short in teaching solid Biblical hermeneutic? I just recently read that more than 50% of Christians do not believe that there is a hell... nor do they believe that Satan exists. These are not some fringe-type debatable issues, these are fundamental doctrinal issues that are solidly supported by scripture! I was stunned when I read that statistic.

When there is no solid biblical / theological ground work laid in a church, it becomes easier for petty arguments to come to the forefront. People become more concerned with the color of the carpet than they are with how many people are going to hell. (Afterall, there IS no hell, right?) People become more concerned with whether or not the church yard is mowed than they are about how many people are growing in their faith. We would rather have a nice sound system than a solid (biblical) theological system.

I'm just as guilty as anyone. It is much easier for me to plan and organize a church fantasy football league than it is to make the decision to disciple another believer. I am much more comfortable putting together an informational flyer than I am at putting together a Sunday School class that would help people grow and learn about what we believe.

I was thinking about this recently: Why am I so afraid to begin discipling? One thing I struggle with is trying to convince people that they need it. Last spring, I taught a 'Christianity 101' type class for Sunday School and promoted it pretty hard. Only three people (out of a congregation of 175) responded by attending. I was one of them and my wife, Melissa, was another. So, only one person responded.

After that, I thought that maybe the best way to get people into a discipleship relationship is by personally approaching them... but, I struggle with that too, because I am a firm believer in this fact: People tend to only take things seriously when they are the ones to make the decision to start it or try it.

Anyway, all I know is that the church that I am working for now is like many churches in America: There is very little discipleship happening and most attenders are concerned with opinion issues rather than important issues. I am praying and working towards changing this. I want this church to be concerned with things of substance. I want this church to care about the things that God cares about. And it is going to have to start with me.

"And a person who is living on milk isn't very far along in the Christian life and doesn't know much about doing what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right." (Hebrews 5:13-14)