A few weeks ago, I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed and a super interesting article popped up. The article dealt with how many churches are experiencing declining church attendance numbers due to COVID-19. I read the article and I was intrigued. The story was full of quotes from pastors across the nation. Some churches have recovered and are thriving, while others are struggling to keep the doors open.
As I read this article, I began to wonder what was different about the thriving churches and the ones dying. Then I did what no man should do, I opened up the comment section. Now if you’ve ever looked at the comment section of anything on social media dealing with religion, you understand exactly what I mean when I say you should never go there.
While reading those comments my blood began to boil. Of course, there were normal numerous trolls bashing the church, God, and Christians, but the thing that got me the most was people that probably identify as Christian. First, the Christians defending going to church were often brutal, mean, and unapologetic. Second was the group that said things like, “God’s everywhere, so I don’t need to go to church.” Lastly, there was a group of people saying, “All I have to do is treat my neighbor well to be Christian and I do not need to go to church to understand that.”
After reading these comments, I was incredibly disheartened, but I understood why many churches closed after dealing with the events of the last year. The reason became super clear, many churches are full of people that do not understand the beauty of the gospel.
These people had been attending services for years and then got a year break from going. They noticed little to no change in their lives, other than sleeping in on Sundays. They still went to work and tried to be good, relative to people they saw as bad. They probably had a conversation with a friend or co-worker at some point about God, but it was most likely surface level. When church doors reopened, they just didn’t see the need anymore.
See the gospel is not that we just need to be good, it’s that Christ was good enough. The gospel is not that we love God so much that He loves us back, it’s that God loves us even when we don’t love Him. The gospel is not a merit-based system where you get so many points for every churchy thing you’ve done, its that God has given you unmerited favor. Churches are afraid to teach those things. They are afraid no one will come back, so they bind people by duty, tradition, and religious obligation.
I am thankful that FBC Lawton is a shining beacon of gospel hope. I truly believe the congregation attends not out of sheer duty, but because of the beauty of the gospel. We come to church not out of obligation, but out of love for Christ and His church. There is a stark difference between obedience out of duty and out of beauty, and it’s our job to show the world the difference.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)
-Brandon Thompson