"Christians Get on My Nerves"

Ed Stetzer, director of Lifeway Research and Lifeway’s missiologist in residence writes about the declining state of the church in the latest edition of Faith and Family Values (2008/Issue 2), a Southern Baptist Publication. Of interest are some of his statements on the diminishing influence that Christians are exerting on society. Stetzer laments that “Perhaps the most sobering statistic is that 44 percent of people agreed (somewhat or strongly) with the statement, ‘Christians get on my nerves.’” Apparently, in the eyes of many of our fellow citizens, the salt has lost its saltiness and is good for nothing (Matt. 5:13).

Stetzer may be on to something significant but you probably won’t here much on the subject. The greatest hindrance to church growth is not our church budgets (the lack of money) or buildings or even baptism statistics (the 3 B’s). We need to only look in the mirror to see that the problem is us – the church itself. Too many Christians simply do not speak and act like their namesake – Christian. Too many Christians are professors of Christ in name only, lacking the essential fruit of the Spirit and having bought the delusion that because they are American and nominally church going, they must be Christians. After all, “isn’t America a Christian nation!” Yet it is often the people that I just described who are guilty of spewing hatred toward others, resolving their problems with anger and intimidation, and living for the most part no differently than the supposedly unregenerate heathen.

Frankly, many Christians get on my nerves! Easily swayed by popular preaching (mostly fundamentalist rhetoric without any consistent biblical hermeneutic), dogmatic in their views (“Don’t confuse me with the facts. Ignorance is bliss”), and unloving toward people who do not fit into their Jesus box. I can see why so many people dislike Christians.

The church is not growing because Christians are too busy cursing the darkness instead of living in the light. We spend an inordinate amount of time, energy, and money trying to convert the CEO’s of the likes of McDonalds, Disney World, and others to our way of thinking, as if that is ever going to happen. And is that even what we are supposed to be doing? And when we’ve won them to our way of thinking, is it because they have been compelled by the love of Christ? Or do they capitulate because of fears of angry and prolonged boycotts (economic reasons)? Maybe it’s time to practice what Jesus said. Before you go on a toothpick pulling crusade, you better remove the telephone pole out of your own eye.

I know that this will be a startling revelation, but the solution for regaining our Christian influence in the world is not another Lifeway program or a more juiced-up pastors pep rally. The solution is to first, present a realistic view of what it means to follow Jesus. Being a Christian is more than just a nice cultural designation. Following Jesus means that we take His words seriously. We prayerfully seek to live out the teachings of Christ in word and in deed. Living as Jesus lived means we will live as resident aliens.

Second, the solution is for genuine Christians to repent from our lovelessness, our selfish agendas, our power struggles, our pride, and our judgmental spirit. Then put on the mind of Christ. It’s time to put away our witty Christian slogans and start living out the presence of Christ. We need to ask, “How would Christ live and minister?” For one thing, Jesus did not win people by lambasting the institutions of his day (even unjust ones), such as the Roman government. This is not to say that Jesus was not concerned with society or justice (just check out what God thinks in the Old Testament); nevertheless, His focus was on people making a radical decision to live as God’s citizens. The cost of following Jesus was high then and we must not cheapen living out the crucified life. When people take seriously this call to live as God’s citizens, society and institutions will invariably be changed. The leaven of the Gospel is too volatile to be contained. It will burst forth! Old wineskins cannot contain the new wine of the Gospel for long.

Other recent studies have shown that people generally have a favorable view of Jesus, they just don’t like the church. Why is this? Perhaps people like Jesus because He is so down-to-earth and more human than what the church has become. Jesus did not hesitate to rebuke religious phonies, yet strangely He did not chastise the hurting in need of reconciliation. A bruised reed He never broke. To often the modus operandi of the church today is just the opposite of the New Testament. Phariseeism among God’s people (decried by Jesus) is exalted, while sinners in need of God on the outside of the church are dismissed almost as non-persons. Meanwhile, the chorus of hurting humanity in our neighborhoods continually cries out, “does anybody care?” Have Christians turned the “good new” into bad news? Could this be why Christians get on the nerves of people? Could this be why so few people have a favorable view of the church? If so, God help us!

Jesus was not impressed with building his own kingdom, the seemingly driving force behind many churches today. On many occasions Jesus purposely avoided the limelight. If Jesus wanted to bring about the kingdom in a majestic and powerful way, then He sure went about it the wrong way. After all, who wins the kingdom by willingly surrendering one’s life! Jesus brought us the kingdom through His sacrificial death and resurrection. As believers, we too will make the most lasting influence when we live sacrificially before others. “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (Jn. 12:24). Not surprisingly, in the larger passage are Jesus’ words: “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (Jn. 12:32). The sacrificial love of God demonstrated on the cross draws people to want to know this God of mercy and grace who would give Himself for us.

There was one group of people that Jesus got on the nerves of – religious people who were trying to protect their interests at all costs. Jesus attracted people rather than irritating them because He spent most of His time loving and helping “the least of these.” Pride, power, privilege, claiming His rights, none of these things mattered to Jesus. As long as these remain the crowns that we covet, I suspect that the church will grow increasingly irrelevant. Translated – we will continue to get on people’s nerves. Some radical changes are in order if people are going to see in us what are name implies – Christ! However, I am hopeful that when Christians start speaking and acting as Jesus did, then Christians will once again bring healing and hope to a world still in need of some “good news.”

For His Glory!

Pastor Joe