Making Happy Christians Mad
As I was reading the Bible this morning, I stumbled upon this verse:
“I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved,” (1 Corinthians 10:33, NLT)
Fascinating perspective isn’t it? Typically, we don’t operate like that. We put personal conviction or preferences ahead of what may be best for others. Think about it…
- It isn’t worship if the music is too loud or too fast or the wrong genre.
- It isn’t discipleship if the content is delivered in a home or online instead of in a classroom.
- It isn’t missions if we help a neighbor who has wealth instead of focusing on people who live in poverty.
- The message is good if it calls out the sin of other people, but when it’s our sin, we’re offended.
- Rather than embracing the ministries that are impacting the most people, we want the church to embrace our personal projects and passions.
- We’re more inclined to give when we can direct how the money is used.
Crazy. You’d think we’d be intentional about living out our faith to do what’s best for others. Instead, we make ministry decisions to try to keep people happy. That’s how we end up with churches full of happy Christians. That’s why churches stop growing. We start doing church for us instead of trying to impact the lives of people around us.
The reality is that if we’re going to reach people outside the church and outside the faith, we’re going to have to be uncomfortable. And, once we figure out what’s best for others today, it’ll be different tomorrow. That will involve change. That means we’ll have to get uncomfortable again.
Let’s face it. It’s a lot easier doing ministry when our only goal is to keep people happy. Doing what’s best for others makes life and ministry messy. We have to be willing to rock the boat. We have to be willing to watch people who don’t have a “1 Corinthians 10:33″-mindset leave the church.
When I stop doing what’s best for me and focus on what’s best for others, though, that’s when real life-change happens. It’s worth making “happy Christians” mad so that many may be saved.
Great provacative and challenging thought. We all tend to put self first in something. Thanks
I was talking to a friend of mine about a pastor’s involvement in a certain activity that isn’t favorable in the eyes of some US Christians. I was expressing that I am reticent to participate because of their opinion.
What He said to me ROCKED me! He said “Those people are already saved! We need to be reaching those who aren’t in the fold!”
it’s easy to avoid the challenges that come with living according to Scripture, we’d even re-interpret that passage to make it easier to live and easier to read…if we could just obey…
Indeed!
Part of not thinking of yourself may mean losing your ministry post, however. Just sayin. But, if what is best for the mission and the people in their journey as believers then it could worth losing more than just a coveted ministry pay check.
(Jim…ouch, that is a word as well.)
Totally agree here. Too often we’re afraid that if we make a change in the church… that a few of our congregation members will get angry and leave. But what if that change will bring Christ to more people that haven’t heard of him yet? I submit that it would be a tragedy to see the few get angry and leave but an even greater joy to see more unchurched find God.
Wow, great post! Thanks for reminding us and putting it so simply. Once we start to “look after our own” we begin to stop being the church… we need to make sure we’re uncomfortable so we never forget that we have a job to do, and that our home is not here but in heaven. Keep focused, share the Gospel and watch the Lord change lives!
Love this. Such a great reminder, church isn’t about us and what we like. I need this reminder too often! Thanks!
Love this. Just fwd’ed it on to my local church staff and leadership team.
Great point that to make the church grow we need to be uncomfortable. Fact is people with spiritual needs tend to unlike us yet need our patience and guidance. They do best when we serve them selflessly.