Is Christianity an idol?
Reflections on the Western Evangelical Church
I was thinking about how some believe that we’re living in a “Post-Christian” era, and I thought… maybe I don't fully agree with that.
Yes, statistics would say that there is a decline in professing believers (Rm. 10:9).1 And statistics would also say it’s across denominations but I wonder if it would be a bit more accurate to say Post-Evangelical Christendom.
Walk with me as I tease this out.
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Do we revere the concept of Western Evangelical Christianity above the character of Jesus? Or even the character of Paul? Peter? James? And John? (At least our interpretation of them.)
Evangelical Christianity has created many rules and guardrails. It has lifted up a specific demographic at the cost of others, even making Jesus over into their image. I’m lookin’ as you white-Jesus! (Jesus was middle-Eastern, not white.) When people ask questions or speak against the Evangelical church there is an almost unreasonable reaction. In addition, you may be silenced. How? Your intellect is called into question, your character is slandered, you’re cast out, you’re coerced with Scripture. (Wait a second! Did evangelicals create cancel culture!?!)
It makes sense to me that the Evangelical church would have celebrity Pastors. If it's an idol, it would create other, smaller idols within it.
Don’t be deceived into believing it’s just people that are seeking celebrity status, often a Pastor’s “celebrity status” is tied to how well their church is doing. What’s the real reason behind church growth? Is it to say you’re building the Kingdom, or is it because you value numerical growth?
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