Christian crack and the mega-church

Disclaimer- I am not knocking real stuff that really helps to change and turn around people's lives. So as you read this, do not think that I am against books and other stuff that I may mention here that is for real.

I own a copy of the Purpose Drive Life. Along with about a gazillion other Christians! I bought it becuase the young adult ministry at my church was going through it. And that's fine. This book has helped many, many people to discover God's purpose for their being- for their life. It has some great teaching in it.

I also read the Prayer of Jabez. I read that book before it hit craze stage- and I thought it had some wonderful teaching in it. It has helped many people move from mediocre lives to ones worthy of note.

Question- Since so many peole have read these two books, should we not expect churches full of changed people? Should we not expect that people would be living their lives more true to the Gospel, that our lives would be transformed to be more like Christ? I for one, expect that if people are truly reading these books, and others like them, and it is really as effective as people testify that it is, then people would be transformed and some of the problems that we used to see would be not there. If people are truly changed at the level these books go to, then it would filter into the rest of their lives!

Again, I am not saying this has not been truly helpful for some, but by and lage, too many people remain the same. The problem is this, and many other things, constitute what I call Christian Crack. It is highly addictive, it provides one with a high that is hard to top, and leaves the person wanting more! However, this stuff also does not produce a high percentage of true change in someone's life, and often times leaves a person living from one source to the next. I am not saying these authors should not have written these books, but when something becomes a craze, too many people jump on it because of one reason or another, but do not allow themselves to be changed.

other sources of Christian crack include (but are not limited to):

• Television shows- When Touched By and Angel was on and doing new episodes, many would come home from sunday night service and watch- or tape this show. It was a nice little show about how God loves you and that's the only thing you need to know for your peace of mind- forget Jesus or anything like that. Also, 7th Heaven- a great show about a minister and his family who go through the adventures many people go through in real life, but of course, they are a minister's family and there is more expected of them. Again, however, there is very little mention of Christ, and for some of the family, their faith makes them no different than any other person.
  

• Conferences, festivals and youth events- I went to Acquire the Fire rallies when I was a teen. They fired me up. Then when I got down from that high into the valley, i looked forward to some event in the spring, and then it was May Rally, and then it was Camp in the summer, which would hold me till the next ATF or a camp reunion. It was very fulfilling, but did not last long- and the worst part is that it took that much more to get me the feeling the next time. Until REAL change happened in me, it was only addicting, but required a higher fix every time! Many people go to conferences and get the presence of God, which is an amazing thing, but when they leave unchanged, or when it doesn't affect them in their daily lives, they come back looking for another high, and it takes more to get there.
  

• Charismatic stuff- Waving flags, having a prayer language, prophetic words about how all we have to do is keep doing our meetings and America is going to change, all that stuff... It's got its place. But where is that? I went to charismatic church and fully immersed myself in it- and so this "cynical" look that you might see is well informed, and comes from one who is not knocking it down completely. But too much of this stuff leaves no real change. People pray in some language (that sounds similar to many other person's prayer languages i've heard before) and they wave their flags in church, they get a prophet to come in and share a word that we all "AMEN" and people weep about. But where is our change? And why do we keep these meetings in church? If, as has been prophesied, America really will return to God, why are we expecting them to come to us? Why do we not go out and try to reach them instead of saying, "here we are- come". This is not field of dreams- just because we build it does not mean "they" will come!
  

• Mega-churches- here comes the second part of today's title. Mega-churches give people a high! Going to a great church that has a musically excellent worship team (even with the Spirit of God moving) has something enticing about it! Having a pastor who preaches dynamite messages is something that we all want! But too often the mega-church perpetuates the Christian crack, and it provides a "fix" of its own. And people go in, let their faces be lost, and seem to feel as though something has been accomplished. (please know that I understand what goes on in some mega-churches for people to be plugged in- see my "what, me, Rant" blog)

I have thrown a whole lot out on the line here! And I am not criticizing this stuff in and of itself- I watch 7th heaven because it is a show where i need not be concerned about having too much sex, and because i like the writing of it. I went to mega- church, got plugged in and got an amazing experience that really did help shape me. I have been into all the charismatic stuff. And this stuff can be great!

the problem comes when people are not transformed by it! There are a number of other things I didn't list here that I've refered to as Christian crack in the past, but... All that to say, there is so much out there that we risk being a people to just do stuff because it's there, not because we want, or because we're looking for God's best for us. The purpose driven life did very little for me- partly because I knew the direction I wanted my life to take, and I have been transformed by other bits of Christian crack out there. But for those who are transformed with these things, kudos- but remember this- the real thing that transforms, renews, and changes us is the power of God!

And keep in mind- if you live from high to high, then you will fall- and harder every time! If you find yourself bubbled in at some nice, safe place where worldly influences are banned, you can very easily fall back into what you were before because there is no preparation for life outside the bubble. It is easy to be a Christian with others around you- but you're set up for a fall if you aren't real or careful. Another Christian crack- stuff like that where you go, you are sheltered and when you leave, everything you've learned, expreienced and done has not prepared you to have to say no to everything you couldn't or wouldn't say no to before you got there.

I say this all in love, however, because I do not desire people to fall, or people to go from high to high... Christian crack can be helpful if it's not crack- but if it's real. But it can be dangerous for us because of all that it entails. Be careful!