Healthy Leaders, Healthy Church Blog
CHURCH – SAY NO TO APATHY AND LETHARGY
January 27, 2025
In the song The Church Triumphant Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote, “Let thechurch be the church. Let the people rejoice. For we've settled the question.We've made our choice. Let, the anthems ring out. Songs of victory swell. For thechurch triumphant, is alive and well.” Great song and message but is that true ofyour church? When this song is sung well it can create within you a desire toattack hell with a water pistol. Unfortunately, it seems that far too many churcheshave fallen asleep and need to awaken from their apathy (an I don’t care attitude)and lethargy (not doing what they need to be doing).
One part of the song, that you do not hear as much, says “There have beentimes of affluence and prosperity when the church's message has been nearlydeluded into oblivion by those who sought to make it socially attractive, neatlyorganized and financially profitable, but God has always had a people.” Actually,the New Testament message to your church is very counter-cultural. While theworld says “be whoever you want to be” the church proclaims the message ofChrist to die to self, crucify the flesh, and be who God formed you to be. Jesusnow lives within you enabling you to carry out His purpose for your life.
I Peter 1:16 clearly states, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”Think about the church in Thyatira. You hear more about Ephesus and Laodiceabut this is one of the seven churches of Asia that Jesus addresses in Revelation 2and 3. Thyatira was a caring church, a sacrificial church, and a loving church. That was the good part and most churches are certainly doing some good things, butthey were tolerating false teaching and sexual immorality. God is a holy God andthose are two things He is fiercely intolerant of. Jesus tells them, “You are lovingin many ways, but your tolerance is not love. It is unfaithfulness!”
When you look at Revelation 2:21 Jesus does not say, “Affirm her!” or“Dialogue with Her!” He says, “Remove her or I will!” The Lord of His church is sostern being described with “eyes like fire” (too pure to look on evil) and “feet likeburnished bronze” (too holy to walk among wickedness). Church, if you are notcareful, you will work diligently trying to make being a Christian easier, less costly,and much less countercultural. That will lead your church to becoming anddisplaying a compromised Christianity. Calling sin, sin, is no longer popular, buthas it ever been? What we need is a lot more of Jesus and a lot less of us.
Peter’s call to holiness describes followers of Christ as a peculiar people.That requires a separation from the world. Many churches have become morecomfortable talking about the things we have in Christ but do not want to discussthe things we shouldn’t have. When you say “yes” to Jesus that also means saying“no” to the world and the lusts of the flesh. You will naturally drift away fromholiness not towards holiness. Saying no to apathy and lethargy will require arenewed focus on God’s presence and revival in your heart. The pathway tobecoming cold and indifferent is not so much by intention but by inaction.
Saying no to apathy and lethargy means that you are keenly aware of andsensitive to God’s divine, holy anger over sin and rebellion. This cannot be ignoredif your church truly desires and longs to be the church, He has called you to be.Revival in your church is waking up to the presence of Jesus in your midst.Churches are attempting a multitude of programs and activities believing theyknow what to do but honestly, is it working? Are you experiencing his presencethat leads you into extended times of worship where you are not concernedabout the service going too long? When Jesus shows up you will not want to beanywhere else.
For any church to function properly it must be in His presence. In the bookof Genesis man was formed and God breathed life into him. The only other timeyou see this is in John 20 where He breathed the Holy Spirit on them and madethem functional. Power resides in God’s presence and we are weak, vulnerable,and sinful without Him. You cannot function properly without Him. Although Hedoes not leave us, you can hinder His activity in and though your life and ministry.In the Presence Centered Life Bill Elliff states, “God desires an unbroken, daily,personal relationship with us, but we must cooperate.”
This journey begins with a desperate desire to seek Him and His presence.There is a desire for more of His presence by being in His Word, praying andfasting. What would it look like for your church to call its membership to anextended time of prayer? How might you designate a particular day of the weekfor all of your members, who are able, to fast seeking His manifest presence intheir lives and in the church? Bill Elliff continues, “We must make the choice toturn to Him…Since the Word is one of His primary means of speaking to us, wemust cooperate.” It requires a conscious intentional choice to awaken from yourspiritual slumber.
J. Oswald Sanders stated, “Each of Jesus disciples was as close to Jesus ashe chose to be, for the Son of God had no favorites. With Him, there is no capriceor favoritism. Their relationship with Him was the result of their own choice,conscious or unconscious. It is sobering to realize that we are as close to Christ aswe really choose to be.” II Chronicles 7:14 is conditional by stating that f we pray,humble ourselves, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways, then He willhear us. “Let the church be the church!”
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