Are Our Churches More Secular Than the Culture?

In a post-modern, post-Christian culture, people have become disenchanted with rationalism and Cartesian scientific method. They are interested in pursuing spiritual realities with nonrational and intuitive means.

In spite of the sales of books espousing the “merits” of Atheism, less than 10% of North Americans claim to be atheists.

Many are seeking God, though they have no clue that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life.

Reggie McNeal, in his book A Work of the Heart, writes,

“The church might fail to capitalize on this heightened spiritual awareness… Many Christian leaders are uncomfortable with genuine spiritual realities that involve the powerful and immediate presence of God.

The truth is, many churches are more secular than the culture.

Everything that transpires in them can be explained away in terms of human talent and ingenuity. It would be a huge mistake on the church's part to continue its pursuit of programs and methodological prowess (what ‘works’) when the world desperately seeks for God.”  (p. 81)

How are we offering people a taste of God and His Kingdom in very real ways, ways that are clearly “God-things?” How do we offer people the Kingdom to come – that which is beyond the normal, beyond the plastic, temporary, and pragmatic?

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