Domestication

Originally Written (May 3, 2006)

Growing up I remember going to church every Sunday. On Sundays that dad worked and mom was sick my brothers and I would either ride with Grandma and Grandpa Graham or mom would drop us off then go home. Every year seemed the same. It seemed like every year was a copy of the previous one. The same lessons in Sunday school and some slight changes to the sermons. I hardly ever saw new people there, and everyone was always talking about how someone dressed, the latest news, and everything else. Even when I asked I never heard people talk about their quiet times, God’s awesome accomplishments in their lives, or anything of that nature. I guess I really started examining the church when I was in the youth group. On mission trips I hardly saw anyone, other then my youth minister, sharing their faith. Amongst my peers God was rarely a topic. For years I wondered why I saw all these things, and the only answer I could come up with was domestication.

When I started college a new pastor came to the church, and several staff members left and new ones came. A lot of members left too during this change. Very slowly I was watching my church change. Men started showing up not wearing a tie or jacket. Women put away the fancy hats and really nice dresses. I was glad, because I hated wearing a tie, it was uncomfortable. Where did churches get the idea that we had to wear our bests? Where did we get this thought that any man not wearing a tie was not fit to walk into a church on Sunday morning? I got an idea, Satan?

There is an old tail that goes… Satan wanted to come up with a plan for his minions to follow, so he called his three best demons in. Satan asked them if they had any ideas to combat God’s plan. The first demon jumps forward and with excitement says, “Let’s convince them that God does not exist.” Satan immediately droops him head laughing at what the demon had just said, then inbetween his chuckling Lucifer says, “You idiot, ‘tell them God does not exits,’ only the foolish would believe that lie.” The next demon pushes the first one aside and says, “I got a better idea for you. Let’s tell them God does exist, but He does not care about them.” Satan leans back in his chair and softly says, “Let’s tell them He, the creator, ‘does not care about them.’ Now why didn’t I think of that, oh I know because it is stupid, only the misinformed would believe that.” The last demon step forward timidly and softly mumbles, “There is no rush, you have plenty of time.” Satan erupts in anger, “What do you mean there is ‘no rush’, of course there is a rush. People are choosing to follow God at a faster rate then before.” The demon now more scared then before mutters, “I did not mean no rush for us, I meant for them. Tell the people there is no rush on deciding to follow God, they can do it tomorrow. And when tomorrow never comes, we got them. Not to mention they had no Godly impact on the world during their life.” Satan stands up and exclaims, “Brilliant, I knew one of you was smart.”
My church was changing from domestication to impactation (yeah I know that sounds weird). People left because they were not comfortable with the change. We have bought into the lie that we are to live quiet lives, have 2.5 kids, a pet, and stay married. As long as the kids turn out okay it’s all good. Voddie Baucham Jr. says that people think a good Christian home consists of a mom and dad who take their kids to church, and have perfunctory prayers before meals. As Voddie says, “the bar is much higher then that.” The church I grew up at is still changing towards having more of an impact on their community, but I say the bar is much higher.
I have never been at a church that went beyond what I already learned in my personal studies. Here is my question, if so many churches require a minister to have a seminary degree, then why don’t they teach beyond your basic Sunday school lesson? I am not saying the sermon or Sunday school needs to be some deep theological thing, but there should be places where those who want to go deeper, can. Many leadership teams that I have been a part of, ask their leaders to have a consistent quiet time, and how do they know if I am, honesty, because there has never been much accountability there.

For years I asked my ministers questions and for years they went unanswered. I would ask questions that I was asked everyday, but still no one would help me find the answer. Why? I don’t know any possible answer that makes sense. For ten years I asked questions and they all went unanswered, until my junior year of college, the winter of ’00-’01, a minister finally helped me find my answers. He did not answer my questions, but he did give me a list of books and things where I could find my answers. My life totally changed when I finally had answers to my questions.

1 Peter 3:15 says to be ready to give reason for the hope that is within you. Before I found my answers I only had your basic Sunday school answers. Afterward a person only has show a slight interest to get me started.

Growing up it never made sense why the church was the way it was. When churches start to grasp the real purpose, the Acts purpose, for the church then we will see a revival in our youth and nation. Until that time most of us are stuck in domestication.