Destroying a Religion

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Phil - The inclusion of basic skills training would serve two purposes. One, it's difficult to teach higher studies to people who can't read textbooks or take notes. Two, it would improve the students' job prospects, and a better standard of living also tends to discourage membership in we-hate-the-world religious movements.

Rho - Replacing one religion with another is not a bad idea. However, as you pointed out, it does leave open the possibility that the new religion may evolve over time to be just as undesirable as the old one. Also, the most hardcore believers in the old religion would be both the hardest to convert and the ones most in need of conversion (as they would likely also be the religion's biggest troublemakers).

Exactly. In the case of Christianity, it's a great religion as long as Biblical tenets are carefully taught and observed. I see two areas in which we tend to go wrong:

1. Misinterpreting scripture and taking it to extremes. OT law was written for the Jews, by the Jews (not to ignore being inspired by God, but that's a different topic). OT law still applies to Christians where it applies to morality. Paul said that the Greeks, though they weren't born under the Law, had the law written on their hearts. OT morality is perfectly applicable to Christians today. However, following Hebrew customs intended to identify God's covenant people in addition to ceremonial law is inappropriate for us. There are still those among us who take passages about killing witches and homosexuals very seriously--because "it says so right here." The NT still condemns sorcery and homosexuality (among many, MANY other moral issues). But the NT advocates witnessing to them and pleading with them to turn from their sin. Killing sinners kinda defeats the purpose of being a Christian.

2. Watered-down theology and lack of church discipline. If you "tolerate" unbiblical behavior for the sake of filling pews or to avoid "offending" anyone, you aren't really teaching Christianity. I harbor no hatred for certain groups of people, and neither does that mean you're compelled to offend anyone. We are to be gentle and kind in witnessing to people in the spirit of Christ. But honestly, someone who claims Christ but still follows, say, Wicca or who is openly and actively homosexual does not belong in a Christian church. Now, someone who has formerly followed a gay lifestyle and is seeking a permanent life change is different. Some people will say that Jesus was hanging out with these people and thus it's acceptable. The truth is, if you read the Bible, these people sought Jesus out because they WANTED to be different from what they were and were willing to repent. If you allow corruptive influences to affect church teaching, it's no longer really a Christian church. Someone who flaunts unChristian behavior is probably not really a Christian at heart, and it's justified if a member quietly mentions that "perhaps this isn't the place for you and you'll be happier elsewhere." Now, if kicking someone out shows them how much they really need their church family, and if it inspires them to change, then by all means welcome that person back. Don't shun that person outside the walls of the church. Don't persecute that person outside the church walls. Don't publicly slander or humiliate that person. But DO hold that person accountable and model Christ-like behavior in hopes that will create a desire within that person to change and return to the congregation.

If you want to kill Christianity, secularize it. I don't mean by letting the kids play drums and guitars during the church service (I'm an instrumentalist, so naturally I encourage this kind of thing). I mean by contradicting the Bible in sermons. Get people to actually believe it, and it's gone. Persecuting the church will just drive out all of those pew-warmers who don't actually believe in anything. Groups like Islam and LDS are growing because: 1. They obey the 1st Commandment (Be fruitful and multiply) and 2. They actually take a moral stand. Get the whole of Christianity to actually stand for something, and you'll se an EPIC revival. We have to stop being so afraid of poverty in order to have more children. We need to care less about economic and material gain in order to instill in children the necessity and relevance of our faith (e.g. opting to go to church instead of baseball practice. Attending Bible study for one stinkin' evening in the middle of the week shouldn't cost you a place on an athletic team. Where I grew up, this never even entered the conversation). Moslems and Mormons excel in this area, though I might call methodology into question. And I also think that Christians as a whole need to be willing to adjust to the changes going on out there in the rest of the world so that newer generations can more easily understand how we are to relate to that world. I'm so sick of little blue-haired ladies complaining about every little change that happens in the church, like "change" is some cuss word we're not allowed to say. It's not the theology that needs to change. That will never change. It's how that theology is communicated. Pastors can't hide behind the pulpit anymore. Song leaders have to stop being "choir directors" and start being "lead worshipers." Pianists (like me) and organists need to learn how to trigger loops and play synthesizers. Choirs need to be augmented by including "praise teams" with strong vocal presence and sense of harmony. Church building aesthetics need to be enhanced with "environmental lighting" that convey an inviting sense of reverence and beauty. Now, you can't run off the little old blue-haired ladies, either. But you can balance music, aesthetics, and message so that the spiritual needs of the entire congregation is served.

I also hate that churches have separate "contemporary" services and "traditional" services. It basically creates a divided church, and many times the harmony between the two is tenuous. It creates a situation in which pastors and worship leaders are just waiting for an entire generation to die out so they can do whatever they want, and I don't think that's a good spirit to have worship in. The finest experience I've ever had in church was just a few weeks ago when almost the entire band was present and our lead worshiper was someone who has been a long-time member of our congregation. We did old, traditional hymns, the old people loved it, and I actually saw some teenagers almost dancing. I say "almost," our congregation is one of the more "reserved" congregations. There was definitely something real and genuine there that day, and all the time we had a "contemporary" worship leader I rarely if ever saw anything like it (perhaps I'll upload the video to my youtube). It's not about the style or currency of music, but all about communication. It could have been the CCLI Top 10 and it wouldn't have made a bit of difference.

Convince Christians to start making babies, to teach solid, unchanging theology, and communicate in ways most people understand, and you'll see something much different than what you get right now.

***NOTE: I've always gone to SBC churches, and I've loved every minute of it. The kinds of things I'm talking about have been around in more "charismatic" churches of other denominations like AoG for decades. The fact that Southern Baptists are FINALLY starting to wake up does my heart proud.