The Electronic Church

Lately I have observed something that may be a good thing. I’m not sure.

In 1955 Robert Schuler started a church in a drive-in theater, so that people could come and have the church experience without getting out of their cars. That developed into the Chrystal Cathedral which was a mega church in the greater Los Angeles area. Their message was very positive but had little to do with Jesus, but the premise remained such that people could come sit in their cars and experience what is commonly called church. There was no community being built.

In recent years, most churches record the morning message and make it available on-line for those who are not able to attend. I am sure that in a lot of cases, this can hinder community.

When I speak of community, I am speaking of the body of Christ building up one another.

More recently I have seen mega churches broadcasting their messages live, with the stated intention of reaching people that may not even be in their area. Others make their messages available on their website or on YouTube. Also with the hope of reaching those who are not in their area with their message.

In recent years I am drawn pretty definitely to the message that we are to be followers of Jesus life and teaching with a view to becoming more and more like him. (Matthew 28:18-20, Romans 8:29)

As I find Christians round about, I rarely find those who are interested in discipleship that requires a change of lifestyle. Most of the churches that I visit just seem to promote good behavior and ascent to specific doctrines. Discipleship is not required.

If someone is interested, there are churches that do promote discipleship, however they may be in another state or country. Thanks to technology we can find teaching that encourages discipleship. 

Some of these churches also encourage the formation of small groups in your local area. These groups are for the church to function to encourage and build up one another. Also, they can be involved as a group in the community to do beneficial service for the spreading of the Gospel of Jesus.

The question is, can these electronic churches be a benefit to the Kingdom of God. I think there is potential if we who want to grow and have not been encouraged by the classical church, will take initiative and promote in our area what we have found.

What do you think?

Humility, what's that?

Humility, what does that mean?

I once heard a brother quoted as saying, “At one time, I thought humility was the most important thing, I was wrong, humility is everything.”

Humility: another of those religious words that seem to be pretty difficult to pin down with a definite meaning.

There was another brother who came from Northern Europe to preach to churches in the United States. I wondered if that wasn’t kind of arrogant and surely not humble.

How can someone who travels around the world to speak to thousands of people and tell them what they need to hear be humble? If the easy meaning of humility is correct, this is an impossibility. A humble person would sit in a room alone and quietly be repentant and fearful of almost everything. 

Isn’t that something like the popular view of humility?

There are many examples of humility in the Bible, but Jesus is the perfect example of humility, and they called him a drunken party animal (Luke 7:34). Jesus told people what they needed to be doing and how they needed to change. How is that humble? Jesus condemned the religious leaders. Is that humility.

Jesus is our perfect example. Hebrews 12:2 says; “fixing our eyes on Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of faith…”. In everything he is my example. An example is something or someone you aspire to be like. How could Jesus be our perfect example of humility and speak the things he spoke.

In humility, Jesus said and did the things he saw and heard the father say and he did what he saw the father doing. Consider John 14:49

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

It seems then that a humble person might do outrageous things if he is instructed to do so. A humble person might travel around the world and give instruction to strangers, if he believes that is what is required of him. A humble person might be the lead pastor of a mega church if that is what he believes he is suppose to be doing. A proud person might be doing the same thing.

The difference is hidden from our view. There is no way for me to tell if the confidence of the other person is arrogance or humble obedience. I must not judge, no matter how things appear to me, but earnestly seek grace to be obedient.

I believe that confident obedience may be a most humble thing to do.

It’s something to think about.