Has the Modern Church Lost Its Relevance?

I rarely read for entertainment any more. Most of the books I choose are some kind of non-fiction: leadership, Christian living, societal issues, etc. This is true of the book I am currently reading. In 1998, Barbara Enrenreich, an author, did some journalistic research on living at or below the poverty level in America and published her experiences in several US cities as an "unskilled laborer" in the book "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. I'm only part way through this book, but something Ms. Enrenreich wrote at the beginning of her second experience stopped me short.

Ms. Enrenreich has just arrived in Portland, ME. Knowing nobody, she notices there is going to be a revival tent meeting, and decided to attend. As a self proclaimed atheist, I'm not entirely sure why she chose this event as her first means of entering the community, but her description of the evening caught my attention.

"The preaching goes on, interrupted with dutiful 'amens.' It would be nice if someone would read this sad-eyed crowd the Sermon on the Mount.... But Jesus makes his appearance here only as a corpse; the living man, the wine-guzzling vagrant and precocious socialist, is never once mentioned, nor anything he ever had to say. Christ crucified rules, and it may be that the true business of modern Christianity is to crucify him again and again so that he can never get a word out of his mouth."*

As a Christ-follower, it often pains me to hear how atheists, agnostics, and other people outside of the church describe Christianity, but I have to admit, Ms. Enrenreich was pretty accurate in her assessment of modern Christianity. Churches today have become more about religion and self-perpetuation and moved away from the actual message of love Jesus brought to earth.

Sure, I can't agree with every word Ms. Enrenreich wrote; I don't consider my Savior to be a wine-guzzler. Vagrant? Yes. Socialist? Certainly.

Jesus came to dispel organized religion. He constantly fought against the Pharisees and teachers of Jewish law, telling them they were too caught up in their religious traditions to see God. If Jesus walked into the modern church, I'm certain His message would be identical to that given to the first century Jews. We have lost the message of Christ.

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," still finds it way into many sermons and churches. Even great motivational speakers like Zig Ziglar tout: "The best way to get what you want is to help someone get what they want," a modernization of the golden rule.

But this is simply because it can be self-serving. You won't hear, "If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same." (Luke 6:33 - NASB) taught from many churches. Why would you when we live in a "What's in it for me?" society?

But that is what Jesus taught. "Love your enemy. Care for the widows and orphans. Do not repay evil with evil. Do not consider yourself better than anyone else. Sell all you have and give to the poor. Pick up your cross and follow me."

In the 21st century, where the wealth and prosperity gospel reigns, is Jesus muted by His church as Ms. Enrenreich suggests? In many congregations, yes. I hope those become fewer as His followers dig deeper on their own, searching for the Jesus that accepted women of ill repute to wash His feet in tears, ate with sinners, touched the unclean lepers, and showed the world women and children are as valued as men in every society.

May that Jesus reign in your life.


* Enrenreich, Barbara: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. Metropolitan Books, 2001, pages 68 - 69.