Book Review: God in the Wasteland

A few weeks ago I read David Wells' book God in the Wasteland. In it, Wells issues a scathing critique of American Christianity and highlights what he views as many areas where we have gone astray. He argues that Christians and their churches have often neglected God--that God has become weightless in the lives of many people within the church today. Wells claims that many people like the idea of being part of a church and of salvation, but that they really give no weight to God in the way they live their daily lives. In many ways, I think that Wells is on to something. He emphasizes the importance of correct theology, but also emphasizes that the theology we claim is so important must also influence the way that we live our lives. If it does not, then we have missed the point.

Wells does not simply limit his critique to individuals though. He also makes a strong case that the Church has gone astray as well. As evidence of this he points to the movement common in American churches of applying the principles of marketing to the administration of the church. We have become very concerned about the desires of the people outside the church, and we seek to tailor our church services in such a way that they will fulfill the desires of non-Christians. Wells argues that essentially, we have made the gospel into a product to be sold rather than a divine imperative. I'm inclined to agree with his assessment.

While it is certainly important for us to be concerned with the way the non-Christian world views the Church, there is some degree to which non-Christians will never feel comfortable inside a church that is truly preaching the gospel. We do not need to be mean-spirited, but we do need to hold out the truth. If we find ourselves hesitant to preach what the Bible says for fear of the backlash of the world, we fail in doing what we are called to do.

I also think that much of the modern emphasis on "worship" experiences stems from this same mentality. I firmly believe that on Sunday mornings we should come together to worship God, but I fear that for many churches that is not what is happening. These church services really fall far short of worship, and are much closer to entertainment. The motivation behind them is not what will please our Heavenly Father, but what the people will enjoy. We need to ask, why do we do the things we do in our church services? Is the music we sing designed to bring glory to God and to draw us into His presence, or is it simply to help us to have a good time? Do we use multimedia in worship because it is an aid to understanding and building community, or do we use it because it's what we have to do to compete with the church down the road? Do we get rid of extended prayer times and Bible readings and shorten the preaching because they are boring and people enjoy other parts of the service more, or do we stand firm that these are essential parts of our worship of God? Do we greet people warmly because it is a way for us to demonstrate the kind of love that Jesus showed, or do we do it because people are more likely to come back if we do?

Don't get me wrong--I think it is ok to sing contemporary music and use multimedia in worship. I think we ought to be welcoming and kind to people who visit our churches. I also don't intend to talk for hours when I preach. But let's not forget the point of Sunday. The point of Sunday is to spend time in worship of God. Our goal should not be to come out of a church service saying, "Wasn't that a lot of fun?" (though worship can be fun!), but to come out saying that you felt like you encountered God--and that as a result, your life should be different.

I don't know that Wells' book would be something that everyone would find valuable or interesting (it's really written more for pastors and church leaders), but I think some of the insights he puts forth are right on target--that if we don't put God and His Word back in the place of prominence in our lives and in our churches, we are destined for trouble.

Trends in Youth Groups

A while ago during my prayer time I was praying for the children of our church and the children of our community. As I was praying, I began to think about my experiences with youth groups and Sunday School classes in the past—both groups that I’d led as well as groups in which I’d participated. I had a startling realization. In many of these groups, when kids who had previously been active and regular attendees of these groups stopped coming, it wasn’t long before those same kids started getting into trouble.

For example, I’ve seen many kids who have stopped participating who I discovered a short time later were involved in alcohol, drugs, and risky premarital sexual activities. Some of these kids have found themselves in jail, others with unintended pregnancies or sexually transmitted diseases, and still others addicted to substances that now control their lives. I don’t know which came first, these dangerous and destructive behaviors or the decision to stop participating in the ministries of the church, but I do know that in my experience the two have often been closely related.

I don’t mean to be alarmist or to point fingers. I do, however, want to make parents aware of a trend that I have seen many times in the past. When we see kids who begin to pull away from the church we need to be asking some serious questions about what really lies behind that decision. We need to talk to them about the activities they are involved in, paying close attention to where they spend their time, with whom, and what they are doing. I continue to pray for the children in our community that they would be spared these kinds of temptations. I hope that you’ll do the same.

Designer God

I was on the Internet the other day looking up some information on someone I saw on television. Admittedly, it was a weak moment of pointless curiosity.

As I was reading the biography the person was quoted as saying, "I am a Christian but I need to say I am not like the kind of Christian you see on television. I don't believe God condemns homosexuality and he is not against Gay marriage . . . my God is not a God of judgment but a God of love."

There are times when I too want to distance myself from television preachers. I understand that concern. However, the statement....."My God is..." is troubling. It gives the impression that we are free to design a God that appeals to us. If you don't like the exclusivity of the Gospel, then you say, "My God would never send anyone to Hell". If you don't like the claims of Jesus you say, "My God reveals Himself through all religions and isn't confined to just one." I you don't like the Bible you say, "My God speaks to me through nature and through my own conscience, I don't need the Bible." Each of these statements sounds spiritual but they avoid the real issue.

The real issue is not how you have designed God, it is who God IS. People may prefer I be handsome, athletic, and able to visit anyone at a moment's notice. However, your preference does not change who I am. It is the same with God. We can imagine Him to be all kinds of things but that does not change who He is.

The Bible is God's Revelation of Himself to those whom He has created. In the Bible God tells us what He is like. He is indeed a God of love. However, because He is loving He is also a God of justice, and justice does require judgment. God has standards. There is a standard of right and wrong. Christian people do not have the option of designing God . . . but they do have the opportunity to know Him in intimate relationship through our Lord Jesus Christ.

The next time someone says to you "My God is . . . ." perhaps you can respond by saying, "I appreciate what you are saying, however I'm less interested in what your god is like and what my god is like. I want to know what the One True and Living God is like. How about if we open the Bible and examine what He has told us about Himself?"