You probably don’t want to admit it, but we all carry with us an invisible tally sheet. Nobody really talks about it, but it’s definitely there. It’s how we tend to make decisions; simply tally away.
Don’t believe me? Remember the last time you began the search for a new church? You swaggered through the door with your mental tally sheet holstered to your side…evaluating every last detail.
- Did the minister’s talk connect with me? – check!
- Did the worship engage me? – check!
- Was there something for the kids? – check!
- Was I comfortable? – check!
- Is the time and location convenient for me? – check!
- Did anybody talk to me? – check!
- Could I relate to the people who attend there? – check!
- Is there a place for me? – check!
Come on. We’ve all done it. Every question based on the church’s perceived impacted on ME.
So, what ever happened to that mental list of expectations? Did the tally sheet immediately evaporate the moment you decided to join? Probably not. Maybe it’s still there. Maybe the decision to join and stay at a church rests solely upon the data; and moment the church’s tally rolls into the negative, you’re out!
I’ll admit, the church can be incredibly helpful. The blessing we get from attending are no less than amazing. The friendships, the support, the care – all wonderful.
Yet, nothing made Jesus more angry then when people began using the church for personal gain; when the church became about them instead of Him. When the jews began to believe that the church existed to meet their individual needs, God got pissed.
It was the only time that we see Jesus rage; turning over tables and whipping the self-centered. I can hear Jesus’ words now: “how dare you use my church to serve your own needs.”
The Church (as God created it) is intended to serve His purposes, not mine.
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