Essential God

I have been reading a book since last week called essential church, by Thom and Sam Rainer. I have really enjoyed the book and I recommend it to anyone who works in the ministry. This book in a nut shell is talking about how the church has become non essential to people’s lives in particular the young adult generation. They give some staggering statistics and I will share just one of them with you today.

“With more the 80% of North American churches stagnant or declining, the church is quickly becoming nonessential to society. With nearly 4,000 churches closing their doors permanently each year, a turnaround is imperative.”

I believe the church as a whole does need to take a real look at itself because we are definitely losing ground. The reason for my post this morning however is not to talk about the declining church, but the declining God in our church and lives.

George Barna did a study did a study a few years back and found that over 80% of church goers (that is people who attend church) have seldom or never experienced the presence of God.

God has become nothing more then fire insurance or something that we believe in. Let me ask you a question has God been an essential part of your day today? Essential to me means very simply I need Him.

It is crazy how after something awful our churches are filled and everyone is willing to pray. Remember 9/11 churches were filled after that day. You could drive down the streets and see churches with signs saying prayer here, and if you stopped and went in you would actually see people praying. What happened? How does God all of a sudden jump to the top of everybody’s list? He was essential. We realized we were not as in control or as safe as we thought we were so we ran to God. Now the reason people did not stay in the church I will save for another time and another post.

This year might be a tuff year for people in America. Our economy is in trouble, people or losing their jobs, homes, cars, etc… They are losing control. People will be looking to God for help. Let’s make sure that when they step into our churches that they get God. Lets do our best to ensure that they can have an experience with their creator that loves them and desires nothing more then to have a relationship with them. Lets not get so caught up in the program that we program God right out of church. What if in 2009 we all decided to let God be essential in our own lives every single day no matter if things are great or bad, that we realize we need God? I believe that would change the way we lead, love and serve. I believe we would truly be light and salt and people would find what they were looking for something real something genuine they would see God through us.