by Bryan Ridenour

Created on: December 26, 2010

Every Sunday, Churches across America sit half empty as pastors preach messages of hope and encouragement to the faithful remnant.  Altars, though open during invitations, offer kneeling benches for repentance, but seldom do "sinners" venture down the aisles.  Most visitors to the altar, shake a minister's hand and join a church, the result of another "fish" swapping waters.  Occasionally a person comes to Christ, but most lost people steer clear of the Church for fear of another spiritual guilt trip.  Some also refuse to attend Church because of all of the hypocrites that attend, a tired argument, but one used time and time again.  With this said, one of the key issues to address in the Church today is not that Christians have left the teachings of Jesus behind, but that many believers have become lax in their walk with Christ.  Many Christians know the basics of Christ's teaching.  Application sometimes suffers neglect.

Those antagonistic towards the Church rail against the committment of so-called Christians, pointing out lackluster church attendance or questionable lifestyles.  According to reputable research by Barna, only 43 percent of Americans attend Church occasionally.  Nancy Ammerman a sociology of religion professor at Boston University believes that number to be much less.  She estimates that less than 25 percent of Americans attend church regularly.  Those numbers do give non-Christians fodder to throw at people of the Way, and quite honestly this lack of commitment to a body of believers needs to be rectified.  Hebrews 10:25 states, "Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together as some have chosen to do."  Without question, God desires for Christians to be plugged into a body of believers, actively involved in Kingdom work.  God endows each believer with gifts and talents to be used in the Body of Christ.  When Christians fail to regularly participate in worship and service, the Body suffers.    Chronic absenteeism handicaps the Church.

Though the world claims that playing the "hypocrite card" is a good argument for Church truancy, it fails miserably in offering a valid excuse.  Every Christian at one time or another sins; granted, some do so with more frequency than others.  However, Jesus stands as the plumbline for all.  Though Christians are called to "walk as Jesus walked," occasionally believers make decisions dishonoring God.  Those choosing to disparage Christians need only look to Christ who never fails.  Does this let Christians off the "godly-living" hook?  No.  All Christians should desire to shine brightly the light of Christ daily, repenting when unholy behavior creeps in.  One of the ways Christians have grown lax is not only in walking in holiness, but in choosing to see sin from God's perspective.  Most believers know what the Bible says, but some choose to ignore the teaching.

I don't believe Christians as a whole have left the Biblical teachings of Christ, but many have taken a prodigal leave of absence.  If the fatihful remnant continues to pray for wayward Christians, I believe they too will come home.

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