Hype or Heartache?

Think about your church's social media page.

Here's what you might see: Everyone is smiling, hands are lifted in worship, the kids are adorable, the pastor is killing it, and there's an inspirational Bible verse...

The presentation says: things are perfect here.

But what's the reality?

Some voices are hyping up how awesome Christianity is. Others feel like they are drowning. So it's hard to imagine what it would look like to be realistic.

In the U.S., the statistics show that Christianity is in decline. Thankfully, in other countries, it's growing. Nothing has changed. This is human nature.

There were times in Jesus' ministry when the numbers got impressive. At other times, the crowds abandoned him. Either way, Jesus focused on one thing: intensively training a very small number of people to follow him.

In Matthew 5:1-2, we read: Jesus went up on the mountain, and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to teach them...

What if Jesus' approach is still a good one?

We don't wake up one day and start hungering and thirsting for righteousness. I usually want bacon.

It takes a supportive community and the right habits to become like Jesus. More than anything or anyone, we need God. A poverty of spirit that relies upon the love and care of the Holy Spirit.

Individualistic Christianity doesn't work and isn't God's design. Because we're made to be formed in the context of community.

We need to stop expecting spiritual entertainment. Instead, we need to write down what we understand. Because the process of writing involves prayer and study. Writing is how we gain clarity of thought. Writing helps us remember what we've learned. It helps us apply that learning to new environments. It fortifies our conscience to practice what we preach.

Participation is harder than passivity, but it's how we grow.