MondayMorningInsight - Leadership & Encouragement for Church Leaders

Lazy Christians & Congregations

Posted by: Todd
Posted on: Tue, November 01, 2005
Viewed 193
(11) comments so far

for years i was frustrated as to why more people in the church did not go to bible studies. why they had a hard time making church commitments. with all the amazing opportunities we gave people why were they not responding in droves?

pastors believe the vast majority of lay people are spiritually and perhaps physically lazy.

i have spent literally dozens of hours in church meetings with leaders pondering the notion that people aren't as committed as they used to be; that they no longer put a priority on their spiritual walk. why can't they drag their lazy asses out to a weekly bible study?

as a pastor i believed that serving on a committe and being a part of a small group was the least a christian should do. i have come to understand that for many of us, it is the most we can do. we are insanely busy. church is insanely inconvenient. i was paid to have meetings, hold small groups and work evenings. most people have to come home from working 50 or 60 hours a week, get groceries, clean the house, do laundry, make supper, do the dishes and drop in bed. i never realized before how difficult it is to dedicate 2 or 3 nights a week and some weekends as a volunteer at a church. right now i work a part time job, am starting the club, am renoing the house and trying to have a social life. the thought of spending a couple of evenings a week in church activities stresses me out.

it can be argued, and often is by clergy and christian leaders, that people have their priorities wrong, that they are too busy. this may be very true... but it is called reality. the twenty-first century is cluttered, most families have to be double income. spending time in a board meeting arguing about carpet colours just doesn't seem as much a priority as it did fifty years ago on mayberry st.

and yet week after week, in churches all over the country, those who are paid to be at the meetings, who live and breathe the stuff, berate people who live with far too much angst already.

i'm sorry people. sorry i preached such a legalistic gospel. sorry i honestly believed you were lazy and uncommitted.

and very sorry that this sunday you will be made to feel guilty... one more time.

Your thoughts?

Scott Williams is a former pastor who now looks back at his professional career differently. He’s posting a series called "I Was Wrong"… today’s subject is how he felt that most Christians were lazy… see what you think…

Comments

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Jade on Tue, November 01, 2005

What is he saying? I am confused. Is he saying people are lazy, or that he was wrong to think were lazy. I missed the sacasim. Please explain
Jackson on Tue, November 01, 2005

He’s saying they’re not lazy but pastors accuse them of it. In reality they’re just busy and we expect too much of them. I’m not sure I agree…but this really depends on “how guilty” you’re making them feel or how you’re “berating” them about it.
Jade on Tue, November 01, 2005

I not sure I would call people lazy. I think it is more of an issue to do with priorities.
matt on Tue, November 01, 2005

The whole issue of the church schedule is something I’ve been wrestling with. For example, we say that we are “family friendly” as a church…we mean that we have several different programs for people of all ages…something to keep your whole family busy. But what if family friendly really means creating sacred space for families to connect? Because of creative thinking, the Associate Pastor I work with (and oversees the youth ministry) has chosen to do “youth group” type meetings only 2 times per month. The other weeks, he spends that time investing in relationships with key leaders and families are encouraged to spend that same time with each other. He equips parents to become the faith bearers for their kids. I think that step has helped us take a step in the right direction of truly building families.

Instead of asking, “What should we do next?” or “What should we add?” we in leadership asked, “What can we do without?” What would a truly simple church organization look like?

Maybe reality is actually a good thing…it’s forcing us to ask tough questions about programming and who we are becoming as a community of Christ-followers. Just like a budget crunch forces us to prioritize spending…
viv on Tue, November 01, 2005

We say that people have a problem with priorities, but often the things that should be a priority keep us from making the meetings and such that are designated during times when we have to do (and should be doing) other things.

I recently moved to another state, and I am looking for a new church. I was shocked when I found that most bible studies are scheduled for 6pm, rather than 7 or 7:30, like what I am accustomed to. The reason that this is an issue is that I am not only an employee (faculty in a Christian college), but I am also a parent. I get off at 5 or 5:30 if I am lucky, pick up my daughter, feed her and assist with homework. By then it is 7:30, and I am feeling guilty about missing class. The other alternative is: pick her up and take her directly to bible study with no dinner, bring her home after bible study at 8:30 and assist her with homework while I cook and expect her to finish and be in bed by 9:30. Neither of these work for me, so I usually miss class. Not my preference, but my reality.
Barbara Pulst on Wed, November 02, 2005

Thank-you, apology accepted, just don’t stop encouraging me to share Jesus as we busy-along.
Randy on Mon, November 07, 2005

Don’t we have the right to question “reality”? If we can’t call people to a counter culture lifestyle our gospel is truncated. It seems we have become obsessed with how to fit the gospel into our culture rather than asking how the gospel changes my relationship to culture.
Bill on Mon, November 07, 2005

Bravo, Randy!!! While the issue at hand is not a small concern, your excellent response goes far beyond this issue. Your response brings up a priciple which has implications concerning many issues in contemporary/American Chrisitanity: The proper relationship between Christ/Church and culture viz. “in but not of” (John 17) IS reality. Proper spiritual understanding of this theological issue is key in our post-modern/post-Christian world. I am not saying this is easily discerned - church history reveals a variety of perspectives and practices - but, it is something we absolutely need to to get a handle on. We need this not only to maintain a faithful witness, but to also have an EFFECTIVE Witness: True Christianity - the one we see Jesus and the apostles living in the Bible -never has, and never will “fit” into culture. The “heavenly culture” can be communicated to and co-exist with ANY culture; but it is also CROSS-CULTURAL to EVERY culture. People who are truly “seekers” are, by nature of the case, seeking something they don’t already have in their existing culture. To “fit” the culture SEEMS to produce some immediately results in getting people to the Sunday morning church service. But, what happens when they (hopefully) encounter Christ’s definition of Christian discipleship?
Donald on Mon, November 07, 2005

I too have wondered why more of our folks dont attend bible studies. though I wouldnt call it laziness I do question their commitment. But is it our fault (the clergy) for not instilling a desire for commitment? How do you create the “desire” for God’s word and God’s people? When people are as busy as they are? I am an associate pastor that works a full-time secular job, I have a home a wife and “outside” responsibilites. But I feel it is the least I can do for the One who did the most for me.
Tim Ritter on Tue, November 08, 2005

Christ did fit into culture. Not everyones, but those seeking him found him right where they were at. In their homes, in the leper colony, on the hills near town, and by the shore. Jesus’ message changed their hearts, if they accepted it, and that still works today. The gospel does change the way we relate to culture, but those we are trying to reach are still IN the culture and OF the culture. We are called to go out and tell them the great story. Historically, culture has changed directly because of Christ’s story, and we should recognize that, but also see that it is the people that have changed, and the culture is simply a reflection of the people. As we impact more people, the culture changes. As other forces grab people’s attention away from Christ, that affects culture as well. Such is our battleground, let’s stay in it as we stay part of the culture that is eternal.
Brent on Tue, November 08, 2005

As a youth pastor I stuggle with the same issue with students, who are involved in everything for football, dance, drama, and you name it. They obviously aren’t lazy, and we do criticize them for having their priorities wrong. So my hearts desire is to make the most out of the time we have.

We don’t do sunday school or sunday night service. Instead we do Sunday night home groups, where the same purpose is served. They get small group interaction (as in Sunday School) and get bible Teaching and worship (as they would in a Sun. Eve. Service).

It is a sign of our changing Culture. Its funny the church is in the “Transformation Business” yet we are the slowest to change.

The Post Modern Church is going to have to find a way to be present in a very busy lifestyle! Only the Holy Spirit Can give us new innovative ideas and guide us to be effective for our people!