1. You are not attending church with a high level of expectancy.
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| It is not about you. It's about Him. |
2. You no longer seem to be concerned about the spiritual condition of neighbors, family members, or your co-workers.
3. You haven’t had a spiritual conversation with a non-Christian in a long time. You can't even think how you'd manage one.
4. The Bible seems lifeless to you. It’s like a history book with so many unpronounceable words.
5. Your happiness on Sunday mornings is more important to you than what it takes to reach the unreached nations. As long as you get your parking spot, your seat, and hear the music you like, everything’s fine.
6. The plight of the poor doesn’t concern you. Images of overseas suffering do not move you to action.
7. The idea of worship seems a boring waste of time. You don't "get anything out of it."
8. You do not give your financial resources sacrificially. You kind of resent it, actually.
9. Your prayers don’t seem to be making it past the ceiling. There's this faint frustration when you try to pray.
10. It doesn’t even dawn on you that God could do something incredibly radical in your life at any moment today. It’s not even on your radar.
The old-timers have a term for you: Back-slidden. You need revival.
It is not all about your comfort and entertainment. It is about the Glory of the Holy One of Israel.
So what do you do about it? Do the things you know to do.
Confess to the Lord and repent of your dead, wooden Christianity. Open the Word of God and ask the Lord to renew your spirit through the ministry of His Spirit.
Psalm 51 is a good place to start. Read and pray through that one.
Chart your progress by the depth and thankfulness of your tears.
Source: Brian Dodd, a church leadership consultant, suggested this helpful list over at churchleaders.com. I made a few additions.
Gene,
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this. Becoming too comfortable as a Christian is simply an on-going struggle we must guard against. Thanks for posting this and making it a priority.
Brian Dodd