Well, lets take a look at "relationship" with God. I contrast with religion....(i know to the disgust of some "religious", churchie people)...because in the church we can be so caught up in the idea of church that we don't take time to have relationships with each other let alone God. Also, a lot of what we in the church focus on isn't biblical at all, lol... scary. Finally, if Jesus was to walk into any church of any denomination, would he see the church or Pharisees? Wow, good question.
How often do you go into a church and walk in late, you shake a few hands during the "fellowship" time (which is funny cuz in eighteen years of ministry I have been told by several Pastors that is a waste of time and wasn't really worthy of worship time...just get to the preaching of God's word...) don't get me wrong, that is important, but is only one element of corporate worship, then you rush out the door on the last amen, trying not to talk to anyone. Now am I the only one that has witnessed this in church. I think not, in fact many non-Christians and new Christians visiting churches see that. Four years ago, I was pastoring a church in western New York. I wanted to reach unchurched between the ages of twenty and thirty-five. I interviewed those in that demographic for a period of three months. I spoke to them on the street, in McDonald's, wherever. One of many observations they made was that of the indifference of those in the church.
Many in the church are focused on the policies of their church or denomination. Especially if they hold any lay leadership roles, power gone too far. Now this is not true for everyone or in every church. but its fair to say that is true of most. If someone comes into their church and has, lets say for example "divorced", they will most likely say you can be in our church, but don't ever do anything.....Now in my bible it states that all Christians have gifts and God wants us to use those gifts. Charles Stanley states, "if your willing to be used, God will wear you out." But those same churches will complain that no one ever does anything, duh! This I have seen through the years especially in fundamental churches in the south. They get really legalistic about how you look, or what sin you have or what translation of the bible you have, instead of just being happy they have a bible. Don't get me wrong, i am not bashing churches, I'm just trying to bring light into things in churches that we all do that will chase away a visitor, especially an unchurched one.
Now for the "Pharisee Fred", syndrome. Jesus was approached by the lawmakers after he had healed someone on the Sabbath. Now they tried to trip him up by condemning him for this. His answer was to ask them which one of them wouldn't save an oxen if it fell into a pit on the Sabbath. Now his response was to say that they missed the meaning behind the law, that was Christ on earth. They were sooooooo focused on the policies not just of the bible but of the church, they missed God. Walk into any church on any Sunday, or any business meeting, , and the focus is on policy not God. I recently went to a conference, and it was awesome. The next day in a meeting at the church, all I heard was complaints that it was too loud, not how awesome the message was. If they had listened more to the message and less to their own selfish issues they wouldn't have missed the message. They in fact missed God for all the complaining.
Jesus was asked Which is the greatest commandment? Now there were over 600 laws. Jesus answered with one word, "love." Love God with everything you have (which is intimate worship, and love others). He said the entire bible is summed up in that one word. Now Romans 12: 1-2, state that if we present our bodies (which means to be sold out to God completely), then our thinking will change. Scripture states that if we draw closer to God he will draw closer to us. We need to be focused on our relationship with God. If we are madly in love with him then we are going to want to know everything about him, we are going to want to please him, we are going to go out of our way to give praise to him, and we are going to grow with him, and change to relate to him......relationship brings us to Him, and religious apathy, legalism, control pushes us away.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLpK6DLR140
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