A Love Letter to Christians Who Can’t Take the Sunday Production Anymore

I know the deep paucity you feel in your bones. The worst possible Sunday afternoon tragedy used to be a dry pot roast, a brown, leathery consequence of post-benediction parking lot conferences with Tom or Betty.

Now you go home, exhausted from the noise, bothered by the blatant emotional manipulation, haunted by the poverty you see. You’ve gone home angry and annoyed. You’ve wept over what they’ve done with your church, with THE church.

I know the people around you don’t get it, either. You’ve been told that you’re doing Satan’s work by daring to question the church growth strategists leaders in front of you.

It’s been alleged that you’re callously indifferent to the eternal souls of the unchurched.

Even the ones you count as friends think you’re just pining for the good ol’ days. At the very least, you’re laughingly dismissed.

Your gifts have been shunned, ignored, wasted. Heck, I’ve been there, too, that time the paralegal became my boss.

Maybe you’ve been barred from your former places of service, replaced by an American Idol wanna-be with a hot mic and a six-string Ovation.

If you feel like you’re just barely hanging on, please let me offer this one piece of advice.

I know you have friends at your church. Maybe it’s the only spiritual home you’ve ever known. You’ve witnessed marriages there. You’ve rejoiced as your community has been shaped by water and Word. You’ve said goodbye to loved ones. You’ve given faithfully through the spiritual Advents and Christmases, the Lents and the Easters. You’ve cared together for the communities and the world around you. But it’s not the same place. Something’s changed, and it’s something that was never supposed to change. Not like this, anyhow.

Please know that if nobody else gets you, I do. I stand with you and honor you in your grief. You’re not being selfish or petty. You don’t have an attitude problem.

This beloved community, which once marked Sundays by coming together for the work of God’s people, is now a haven for entertainment. It’s a concert venue, really. If it weren’t for a few casual mentions of God and Jesus you wouldn’t even know they had anything to do with this whole thing.

Hale and hearty strains of disciplined worshipers are gone, and in their place, an electronic assault of primal, orgasmic ad libs.

Your script, your job, your voice have all been taken away, and now you just sit there, empty-handed, and empty-souled.

Songs of faith have been replaced by remarkably vapid, thoroughly mundane jesusy ditties.

The rhythm of the church year has given way to the mixed-metered syncopation of popular whim.

Sermons are guided by what the pastor says God is telling him (and it’s usually a him, unfortunately), not by a lectionary or a liturgical calendar.

Sacraments? What’s a sacrament? Commercial pop music is our new contemporary pseudo-sacrament.

There was once appropriate room for a complete range of human emotion, freely flowing from the retelling and reenactment of God’s mighty acts in Jesus Christ. Sobriety, grief, intentionality, urgency, repentance, lament resolution, thanksgiving, joy. And so forth and so on. Now, we’re expected to have fun. Church is the place for a good time, in Jesus’ thoroughly amusing name.

I’ve seen it too. This is how I grew up, in fact. I had a sneaking suspicion that there was more to church than the derivative music and self-aggrandizing topical sermon series. If there wasn’t, I’d have been through with church as soon as I moved out on my own.

Worshiper, please be honest. As tough as it is, you know you can’t stay here, biding the months or years or decades until by God’s grace you grow deaf, blind, and senile. You are right to feel this way. It isn’t a matter of taste or preference, whatever the entertainers may say.

The impetus for your grief is not hurt feelings, or even what’s happening with your own church. You grieve over what’s happened to the church.

This is worship, for God’s sake. And they’ve pulled it up by the roots. Dear Christian, just go.

When your alarm clock chimes next Sunday, hit the snooze. Turn it off. Let your pew stadium-style seat stay cold this week.

And there are still faith communities that have resisted preferential worship and consumer, little-C christianity.

You may have to look a little harder for them. They don’t have billboards. They don’t usually have huge crosses announcing their presence just for the hell of it. They probably don’t have TV commercials or radio spots or celebrity pastors.

You may have to go outside the faith tradition that’s become part of your identity. They might not sing all the same songs or use all the same language you remember. You might not agree with all their theology. There may be faithful followers there who vote differently than you. They might not even agree with you on every hot-button political issue. That’s okay. The church’s worship matters more than any of those things.

So when the buzzing in your ears has finally faded. When the fog has lifted. When the menacing waters of the entertainment church have finally receded. When you can breathe again, get back out there. When the post-traumatic worship disorder has released, start burning the early Sunday oil again.

Find a place where you can go and participate and just be part of the church once more.

Find a place where all voices have a prayer to pray, a song to sing, a sermon to say, and a common story to tell.

Find a place where “The body of Christ, broken for you,” means so much more than “It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am.”

Find a place where Table, Font, and Pulpit haven’t been displaced by drum cage, music stand, and Madonna mic.

Find a place where the generational arrogance doesn’t obscure the multi-directional vision of true Christian worship.

Come back to the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church instituted by Christ.

If they believed what Jesus said i might but they ignore what he said and in fact just the same as call him a liar.

Mathew 20
24 And the ten hearing it, were moved with indignation against the two brethren. 25 But Jesus called them to him, and said: You know that the princes of the Gentiles lord it over them; and they that are the greater, exercise power upon them. 26 It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be the greater among you, let him be your minister: 27 And he that will be first among you, shall be your servant. 28 Even as the Son of man is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.

Mathew 23
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

This would be simple to a ten year old child but the great professors has made a liar out of Jesus for the sake of money and power.

The Douay-Rheims Bible which is translated from the Catholic vulgate says the same thing.

“repentance” is repentance from dead works - that means turning for your own righteousness and receiving the righteousness of Christ as a gift by faith.
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Sorry, repenting needs much further thought by todays Christians. God spends a lot of time in the OT and NT talking about it. Repenting of sins is specific not generic. Repenting is the whole theme of the bible and it is not done until God gives ears to hear and eyes to see.

If we preach anything other than repent and turn to God, we are on shakey sand. The Prophets preached it, John the Baptist preached it, JESUS PREACHED IT, the disciples preached it, and the Apostles preached it.

(Mat 3:2) “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. “

(Mat 3:8) Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.

(Mat 3:11) “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be His slave and carry His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

(Mat 4:17) From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. “

(Mat 11:20) Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where He had done so many of His miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God.

(Mat 11:21) “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.

(Mat 12:41) “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

(Mat 21:32) For John the Baptist came and showed you the right way to live, but you didn’t believe him, while tax collectors and prostitutes did. And even when you saw this happening, you refused to believe him and repent of your sins.

(Mar 1:4) This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

(Mar 1:15) “The time promised by God has come at last!” He announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”

(Mar 6:12) So the disciples went out, telling everyone they met to repent of their sins and turn to God.

(Luk 3:3) Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

(Luk 3:8) Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones.

(Luk 5:32) I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners and need to repent.”

(Luk 10:13) “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.

(Luk 11:32) The people of Nineveh will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

(Luk 13:3) Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

(Luk 13:5) No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”

(Luk 15:7) In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!

(Luk 15:10) In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.”

(Luk 16:30) “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.’

(Luk 17:3) So watch yourselves! “If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.

(Luk 22:32) But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to Me again, strengthen your brothers.”

(Luk 24:47) It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’

(Act 2:38) Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

(Act 3:19) Now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.

(Act 5:31) Then God put Him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven.

(Act 8:22) Repent of your wickedness and pray to the Lord. Perhaps He will forgive your evil thoughts,

(Act 11:18) When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”

(Act 13:24) Before He came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized.

(Act 17:30) “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now He commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to Him.

(Act 19:4) Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the One who would come later, meaning Jesus.”

(Act 20:21) I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike—the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

(Act 26:20) I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do.

(2Co 7:9) Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants His people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.

(2Co 7:10) For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

(2Co 12:21) Yes, I am afraid that when I come again, God will humble me in your presence. And I will be grieved because many of you have not given up your old sins. You have not repented of your impurity, sexual immorality, and eagerness for lustful pleasure.

(Heb 6:1) So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God.

(Heb 6:4) For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit,

(Heb 6:6) and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing Him to the cross once again and holding Him up to public shame.

(Heb 12:17) You know that afterward, when He wanted his father’s blessing, he was rejected. It was too late for repentance, even though he begged with bitter tears.

(2Pe 3:9) The Lord isn’t really being slow about His promise, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.

(Rev 2:5) Look how far you have fallen! Turn back to Me and do the works you did at first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches.

(Rev 2:16) Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

(Rev 2:21) I gave her time to repent, but she does not want to turn away from her immorality.

(Rev 2:22) “Therefore, I will throw her on a bed of suffering, and those who commit adultery with her will suffer greatly unless they repent and turn away from her evil deeds.

(Rev 3:3) Go back to what you heard and believed at first; hold to it firmly. Repent and turn to Me again. If you don’t wake up, I will come to you suddenly, as unexpected as a thief.

(Rev 9:20) But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk!

(Rev 9:21) And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

(Rev 16:9) Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give Him glory.

(Rev 16:11) and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God.

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