Google Faith or Childlike Faith

"Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it." Luke 18:17

I was shown a video the other day. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwwpwY4lyOo

A precious little girl is more excited about Jesus than if someone told her she was going to Disney World. That kind of exuberance for God is certainly not of this world. She is too young to understand the subtleties of "putting on" or performing the sheer joy she feels by being touched by the Healer of the faithful, Jesus Christ. This kind of childlike "happy with joy" (in her words) makes me envious. It makes me yearn for the total release of my adult fears and hesitation in surrendering completely to my God. Our grown-up churches, and the grown-ups who populate them, have grown comfortable in a stifled approach to God as well. Our boards, our business models, our programs, our attempts at being cool, hip or trendy pale in comparison to the jump-around joy this little girl expressed.

I have observed in the church a growing trend of what I call "Google faith." You see, today, if you need any information, you can acquire it almost instantaneously. I was recently talking to someone about the Academy Awards, and within seconds I knew every nominee. Likewise, the way Christians treat their relationship with God is not unlike accessing the Best Supporting Actress nominees. We are more apt to search for information as we need it, rather than search for wisdom as Solomon recommends: "If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God."

I fear that many Christians rely heavily upon their local pastor for their access to things spiritual. I wonder if this kind of "faith" is what produces the church-search phenomenon that happens every Sunday. Seekers everywhere are on a weekly "google" search of places of worship; like a nationwide American Idol episode with desperate pastors as the contestants. Because of this, biblical literacy is waning across the congregational landscape. According to researchers, as the age of the average church-goer becomes increasingly younger there will be a dramatic decline in theological literacy. Not only that, but those who attend church are more interested in "pragmatic solutions for life rather than spiritual principals." (Barna Group Dec 13, 2010)


Search engines like Google are places where we can find immediate information for the sake of having an immediate answer: Oscar nominations, spark plug settings and where the experts believe the ark of the covenant is hidden.

I am not a Google-phobe, by any means. Writing this post is possible because of technology. The video above is possible because of technology. I believe the two slain witnesses during the tribulation will be seen by " . . . those from the peoples, tribes, toungues, and nations . . . ." because of technology. Technology is not the enemy. It is clever a distraction.

Maybe it's the idea of touching the physical pages of the bible; like touching the hem of His garment. Though the multitudes throng and press in, she faithfully approaches Him in order to physically touch His garment, and the result is physical healing but, even more, an intimate encounter with the Savior of the world. Likewise, today though the multitudes throng and press (tens of millions electronically) while we open multiple Google- or Bing-search tabs for biblical or spiritual information, let us desire to interact with our Savior by opening our bible. There you can turn pages, you can write as His Spirit leads, you can cross-reference to other books as He directs, and you don't need a wi-fi hot spot!

Technology is a great tool (incidentally, let us not forget that the web, electricity, computers, etc. are created by man, and can be turned off whether you like it or not). Let us not let tech-stuff replace that intimacy which comes from private prayer and reading the physical pages of the bible. I don't know if I am right; maybe just old. But it is in my private time with God that I am able to (at least in my heart) run in circles saying, "Halle-Yoo-La!"

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Middle of the Road Spirituality

"For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit . . . those who are in the flesh cannot please God." -- Romans 8:5 & 7


A comment I hear consistently about Christians is that they are nerdy or that they come across as weak. If questioned any further, the impression I get is that since Christians feel they are saved by grace, they don't necessarily feel they have to excel in everyday life, never aspiring to peak performance in all things. This also translates to an attitude that they don't have to excel in their responsibility toward their relationship with God. A pastor told me just a few days ago that he has been preaching out of the book of Galatians for the past four months. He suggests the congregation bring their bible, but if they don't he directs them to the correct page in their "pew bible." However, he said he recently discovered that many of them still do not know where in the bible Galatians is!

This trend of biblical negligence has caused many churched people to think it's okay to struggle with all kinds of sin. The term "accountability partner" has become the church's euphemism for enabler or co-dependent. How long do we "struggle" with addictions, abuses and so many other sins that persist in our lives before we call it what it is: "setting our minds on the things of the flesh," and so doing we "cannot please God," as described in our verse above? Insensitive or not, it is imperative that we all check our faith in this commitment we call Christianity. Bible-believing Christians should know that there is nothing hidden from God. Our thoughts and actions are splayed wide open, in clear view of our ultimate "accountability partner," Jesus Christ. Instead we burden ourselves and others with the sins we choose to expose to each other, while accountability partners across the country enjoy the role of repositories for the church gossip mongers.

The burden of prolonged temptation to the same sin should be a concern for the proclaimed disciple of Jesus Christ. Peter, the impetuous apostle, often acted impulsively before thinking things through, yet his desire to please God is legendary. Paul continually expressed his falling short of perfection, yet he felt confident enough to tell his congregations to emulate him and the words he wrote. This is a difficult post to write because I know it gives the impression that I have perfected my walk with God. Certainly not; like Paul, I have not attained it yet. However, the burden I have to write this is because I know I will continue to "press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ," and my exhortation is that you do the same.

Very much like the secular trends of society, churches have taken up the nanny role of gently coddling its congregations and tiptoeing around the elephant in the middle of the room. I am very sorry you have a porn addiction. Maybe one of the church's twelve-step programs could help you. In the meantime, would you be interested in helping with our music ministry? Struggling with homosexual thoughts? You know, we have a specially designed program that puts anyone who has similar thoughts in the same room to deal with those struggles. In the meantime, would you like to help us collect our morning offering ?

I know we are not all perfect. We all fall short of righteousness. Our act of worship to God is not perfection, but to come as close as we possibly can. Our spiritual obligation is not to show God that we are less of a sinner than someone else. That is mediocrity. Imagine a body of believers bogged down by this thinking. Maybe we don't have to imagine what it looks like: over 85% of the country feel comfortable calling themselves Christian, 66% of that 85% George Barna calls "Casual Christians;" those who "feel religious without having to prioritize their faith." He continues, "Casual Christians can be all the things that they esteem . . . and never have to defend or represent difficult moral or social positions or even lose much sleep over their private chioces as long as they mean well." (Casual Christians and the Future of America; The Barna Group, May, 2009)

I know, if we defend or represent moral or social positions today, we are labeled as haters. Well, it's really okay to hate sin (you'd be in good Company). It's especially okay to hate sin that sits in the midst of our congregations week after week. God and His word calls us to a life of spiritual excellence. Live it out, and encourage those in your body to do likewise. Spiritual mediocrity has no place in the pew; it presents itself to those outside the faith exactly what they have come to expect, nerds and weaklings.

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