Churches these days...

...seem to be overflowing with trendy leaders, theological prodigy's, and of course the next earth shattering radio friendly worship band. We even have "shock-jock" type pastors who are willing to push the envelope from what most people expect in a traditional Christian church.What's even more shocking is that sometimes they are effective; which of course is a good thing. But let's go beyond the effort and even venture past the successful "results" phase and play a fun little game I call "The Cynic". Let's flirt with judgment for a second. Do these trendy leaders with all of their well thought out methods and rehearsed debates REALLY get it in their own hearts? Have they ever wept, wait, let me rephrase that... anybody can do it every now and then; Do they CONSISTENTLY weep over a stranger's loss when nobody is looking? Do they consistently leave the confines of their comfort zone long enough to wrap their arms around someone who is hurting just to let them know they are not alone? Do they consistently truly forgive someone who has offended them? Are they sales people in disguise just positioning themselves to turn a profit from a book, album download, or get more notoriety by promoting  their podcast or blog?  How often do they truly inconvenience themselves for someone who has no way to repay them or offer them anything?  At what point do these gifted leaders pause from the literary and poetic allure of the scriptures or the theological debates that are so intoxicating, and convert their proclamations into a tangible expression of God's grace and love for someone who can actually use it?  Is that a real offer of friendship behind their smile, or is it a ruse for acceptance with a 0% chance of reciprocating? Or worse, is it an apathetic place holder until someone more interesting or less annoying comes along? Are they genuine or not?

Of course nobody can answer those questions on another person's behalf; we can only really know in our own hearts and minds what level of sincerity and motivation we operate under. I am as sure as I can be though that many of those leaders are absolutely genuine. In fact, I am blessed daily by those that God has gifted to speak life and encouragement into the the body of Christ. But the bigger question is this. How can we be sure WE become more genuine?

I ask these things because throughout my 39 years I have been guilty of failing in pretty much every one of these areas at one time or another. We all have. We're grossly inconsistent and as dependent on our filthy flesh and unpredictable emotions to help us make decisions as we are on common sense and logic. That is just part of being human...BUT, there is good news. The beauty in knowing Christ is that as we sink deeper into His grace, or as Bono calls it - that place where "love interrupts the consequences of your actions",  what was once the natural flesh-satisfying response to everything, transitions into a supernatural response that we have very little to do with. And that is the goal; to decrease as He increases. Less of me, more of Christ. Old things pass away and become new. Real tears well up for the loss of a stranger; Real compassion emerges for someone in a different social circle; Real forgiveness begins to heal old wounds; Real passion for kingdom contributions replaces ulterior motives for personal gain; Real friendships form; Real community and accountability develops.  Real concern for the well being of those who have nothing to offer in return. When we decrease, Christ takes us on a life long journey from the surface to the heart, where love and hope collide and we are no longer destroyed by the temporary, inconvenient, or even the tragic. When we decrease, we notice the plank in our own eye before we notice the speck in theirs. When we decrease, we ask "do I really get it in the heart?" before we ask if THEY do. 

May our prayer always be... "He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30