Happy Church Goers
A Mirage?
Q. People seem so “happy” in church. I feel like the only one who is such a mess. Any advice to get past all the “happy people” in church when I feel so broken? What’s there for me?
Answer:
Broken, Isolated & Alone
This is an excellent question and one that applies to many of us in our American “feel-good” churches. When church goers appear to be so “happy,” singing their rock tunes and praise songs and gurgling to each other, “How are you? Hey, I’m fine…how about you,?” what does this do to those who feel broken, isolated, and alone?
Let’s give this some attention. Let’s look at it through the lens of Scripture with a healthy sprinkling of reality added to our thoughts.
Feel-Good Churches
In the recent past churches in America seemed to be filled with wealthy, good-looking happy people who don’t want to hear anything negative about themselves or their lives. Extreme examples are followers of Joel Osteen or Robert Schuller. Listen to this excerpt from an article about Schuller’s church:
“Schuller called himself a ‘possibility thinker’ and exhorted his followers to take control of their destinies with God’s help and a positive outlook. …The elder Schuller also did something few other pastors had done so successfully: He studied marketing tactics to lure worshippers from other congregations and built an enormous ministry focused on a generic, feel-good Christianity. That approach, now known as the ‘church seeker movement,’ heavily influenced today’s most famous pastors, including Bill Hybels, Rick Warren and Joel Osteen…”
Skagit Valley Herald, Feb. 25, 2006
CHANGE AT THE TOP
By Gillian Flaccus
Dose of Reality
This newspaper article particularly caught my eye because I used to perform with the Hour of Power Orchestra at Crystal Cathedral. But, this is the same musical group whose talented conductor tragically shot himself to death in his church office just a few years ago! I know firsthand the effects of watering down the gospel of a Savior who died for our sins and rose from the dead.
Unmatched Wealth & Talent
Think of it. This orchestra conductor had the most prestigious church music job in the world. He was an unsurpassed talent – the best church arranger and composer worldwide. His arrangement of “Amazing Grace” is the most beautiful composition performed today – without qualification. Johnnie had it all.
Yet, he was miserable! His mood swings and depression kept him trapped in an illness he couldn’t climb out of. His church’s focus upon psychology and a narcissistic worldview probably never allowed him to see past his own sense of self worth. Still, even then he was a kind, generous man whose life touched mine.
Turning Scars to Stars
But hey…forget sin, conviction or repentance! It doesn’t exist. Forget salvation. It’s irrelevant. What matters is ME and my self-esteem. What matters is how much money I can rake in with my positive mental outlook and by hobnobbing with the rich and famous in church services. Networking. That’s what counts. Use the church to broaden your business contacts. What matters is my sense of self-worth and the psychological theories to support it.
“Turn your SCARS to STARS” is the catchy, feel-good refrain of Crystal Cathedral’s senior pastor.
Nevertheless, as of late 2010 Crystal Cathedral was in severe financial trouble. Many vendors and workers continue to be unpaid and salaries have been cut in half from the top. So much for turning “scars to stars.”
Origin of Positive Affirmations
Looking back, just where did we get the idea that we should hear “positive affirmations,” but never negative, convicting warnings about ourselves? Where did we get the idea that we are entitled to a sanitized gospel, wordly riches, fancy homes, good paying jobs, all the benefits and paid vacations, expensive cars, and healthy happy lives? Where do we find that in the Bible?
This is Joy?
Furthermore, what do we do with verses such as, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2).
How can we rejoice when we are “distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7).
Self Esteem?
How do we justify our search for a positive mental outlook and “happiness” when the Bible plainly tells us:
“Blessed are you when men cast insults at you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great… (Matthew 5:11).
Good grief! Somewhere we missed the point of many New Testament writings, didn’t we?
To be made Holy – not Happy
I suspect that many of us need to come to grips with the fact that perhaps we are not entitled to be happy in the world we live in. That doesn’t seem to be the reason we are here.
We aren’t here to be “happy.” Rather, we are here to be made “holy.” We are here to live in a life-school while we go through the long process of sanctification – being made separate from the world so that we can become conformed to Christ (Ro. 8:29).
The world’s definition of “happiness” may lead to a reckless, irresponsible life. In contrast, God’s goal is to help us to become “holy” and bring us to know and live for Christ. That may include a painful, unhappy process and education throughout our lives.
Persecution
In fact, Jesus never said we would be happy or successful in a worldly way. Instead, He said we would be rejected or even killed by unsaved friends or family members or evil people. He said we would be hated, insulted, persecuted, gossiped about, falsely accused, abused, or worse.
A World Controlled by Evil
He told us that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one (1 Jn 5:19). He told us that Satan is the “ruler” of this world and the “prince of the power of the air” (Jn 14:30, Eph. 2:2). It’s an ugly, broken, tragic world, ruled by the most evil power in the universe. That’s reality!
Families Upside Down
Jesus warned us that He did not come to bring peace on the earth. He said so. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household” (Matt. 10:34-36).
Repenting from Lying Delusions
In other words, we Christians must repent from our delusions of prosperity, perfect health and beauty, and the carnal, happy “positive-thinking” and “possibility thinking” of many current Laodicean churches and their smooth-talking pastors (Rev. 3:17-19). Instead, we are to take up our crosses and follow Jesus (Matt. 10:38).
We must learn that trials – including our feelings of loneliness, isolation and despair – produce endurance, faith, and holiness. If we refuse to learn our lessons, God may have to resort to stronger tactics to get our attention.
Could this be a reason why our economy is failing?
Worthy to Suffer for Him?
“Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill treated, since you yourselves also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3).
Examples of Martyred
Think about our worldwide brothers and sisters in Christ. After all, we are a universal body of believers. The church does not only exist in America.
For example, we ask you not to forget the teenager whose uncle beat and raped her repeatedly. He finally forced her to marry his Moslem son and allows her to have only one bowl of rice daily. She risks her life to attend one bible study weekly.
Don’t forget the woman whose husband was brutally killed in Turkey – his killers cannibalized him as he died. Unspeakable, gruesome horror! His crime? He led a bible study group in the city. Now she struggles alone to survive and feed her four sons.
Don’t forget the Vietnamese widows who risk their lives to own, read, and study a worn-out, torn bible in their small housechurch hidden away in the jungle. They have only one bible and they share it.
These brave souls, these suffering Christians, tell us to “rejoice that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).
God bless them all. That is the key to a good life and promise of future glory in heaven – not here – but in Heaven. We’re preparing for it now.
The Lord’s Sanctification Work in Us
So with this new insight, remember to go to church, pray, study your bible, seek Christian fellowship with those who have an understanding of suffering with Christ, and keep your mind focused on the things above.
The sanctification work God is performing in us will make us holy – not “happy.” That is the goal. After all, we are training for reigning with the King of the universe (2 Tim. 2:12).
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References:
Voice of the Martyrs. Available from: www.persecution.com.
Author: Valorie Mays Emilio received her MA in History from UCLA in 1987 and holds a Certificate in Persecuted Church Ministries from Oklahoma Wesleyan University.