The Suicide of American Christianity

We discussed earlier that inept leadership, combined with followers who care more about what they want instead of the truth, are a toxic combination.  It creates a vicious cycle with self-centered followers breeding weak leadership, breeding more self-centered followers.  Our growing love of money, comfort and individualized morality has led us to the edge of spiritual death.  

In the last chapter we took a hard look at some Christian leaders and explored their beliefs, methods and motives.  I realize what we covered was tough, but I feel a tough critique of Christian leadership is necessary in the midst of a growing apathy within American Christianity.  If leaders are not willing to be open, transparent and accountable, they are unfit to lead.  But we must also be open to a tough, honest critique of our own hearts as people who follow these leaders.  These leaders only represent the values and character that we desire in our leaders.  If not, we would not be following and elevating them.

The qualities we most want in our leadership these days seem to be cultural trendiness, charisma and an ability to avoid taking tough stances.  While leadership is crucial to any organization, we as rank and file Christians are every bit as responsible as our leaders for this slow march toward spiritual death.  As Christians who have received the Holy Spirit, we will not be able to blame leadership when we stand before a holy God one day when every thought, word and action will be judged.

Unless every Christian, leader and follower, allows God to reveal the deception in our hearts, it may be only a matter of time before God completely removes his hand of protection over the American church.  Our hearts have grown cold to God's truth and unchanging nature as we slowly attempt to modify God to fit into our desired perception of him.

The dangerous beliefs, selfish attitudes and spiritual apathy that have infiltrated our hearts and minds are slowly killing us spiritually.  We look at the world and feel sorrow or disgust over their beliefs and behaviors, but ours seem to be only marginally better at times.  The behavior of the world is not surprising since they have not received the Holy Spirit, but we have the Spirit of the Lord and have been charged with being light and salt to this world.  We are failing as a whole.

We are attempting to mold God into our desired image of him, instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to mold us into the image of Jesus.  This is, simply put, idolatry—worshipping a false God.  I submit for your consideration that this is no better than the Muslim or Hindu who worships a false god; in fact it might be worse.  We have the Word of God and the Holy Spirit in us and we should know better.