No you are not alone; I am your fellow companion. I feel from the innermost part of my being a holy discontent with my response, or my lack of response to the glorious God we serve. All the things you mention that you get angry over, could be summed up with the very concerning attitudes and dispositions of apathy, complacency, mediocrity, pride, insecurities etc. I hear your cries Mark, and what you’ve said is true, but they are the things we see, BUT WHAT IS CAUSING IT? I see so often churches trying to be missional; “it is all about the lost”. I hear church planters saying that we don’t want people in our church who don’t see themselves as missionaries first and foremost. I don’t believe the answer lies with redefining the church’s purpose, by exalting evangelism or mission above the other vitally important purposes of fellowship, worship, and discipleship. Pastors start sounding like nagging mothers, continuously telling their kids to get out and be missionaries. BUT IT ISN’T WORKING! I think this is just another deterrent from the enemy to keep the church away from the real deal.

A century ago the church in Australia had a profound influence in mainstream society, but unfortunately the church was distracted away from the real deal. The church placed the second greatest commandment, “To love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) above the greatest commandment “To Love God” (Matthew 22:37). What happened? Christianity ceased to be true Christianity. Evangelism didn’t happen, a works mentality crept in and all of a sudden, a Christian was defined by how well you lived by the golden rule, “Do onto others as you would like them to do to you.” (Matthew 7:12) I believe the answer isn’t to over emphasise mission, I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE LOST SIGHT OF A GOD-CENTREDNESS. The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. 1Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” The root of all fruit in our Christian life stems out of us savouring our Saviour. A church cannot be genuinely on fire for evangelism, unless there is a God-centred, Christ-exalting, and gospel saturated vision in the church. You cannot truly make Christ known, without knowing Him first.

I see so many Pastors trying to be specialists, professionals, using therapeutic means to transform lives, applying all sorts of business and secular leadership principles to try and bring renewal. But even though they have their place, once Christians start to rely on such things and allow the enemy to distract them from the real deal then this is what makes me angry.

I personally have been suckered into pragmatism, and God forbid that I should ever go back there. It made me so spiritually impotent.