Apathy, complacency, and lukewarmness in the church? Repent and return to your first love!

A call to repent, a call for the church to return to Jesus

Tired of being wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked

If Jesus is sick of apathy, complacency, and lukewarmness in the church, why aren't we? If Jesus dislikes the church being lukewarm, is it strange that His followers would feel the same?

My song, "Nice Little Church" is a call to return to our first love.

I'm aware that some may misunderstand the purpose of my song, so I'd like to make it clear right away that it is not "anti-church." God loves His Church. We are the very bride of Christ. He rejoices over us with singing and He says of us who are His, "How beautiful you are, my darling, Oh how beautiful!" (Song of Songs 1:15)

The song is, however, a strong call to the church to return to Him. I make no apology for that. I believe it is entirely scriptural, and as I continue, I will share with you my reasons.

The Holy Spirit speaks to the churches

The call to repentance begins with the love God has for His church. Jesus loves us, which is why He comes to correct our direction when we get off track. (We see that very plainly in Revelation chapters two and three, where He tells 5 of the 7 churches to repent!) Even a casual reading of these chapters is enough to convince me that Jesus takes the condition of the churches very seriously. These chapters cut through our own estimations to give us the truth as Jesus sees it. We get to hear, "what the Spirit says to the churches."

We know the Spirit is speaking; are we willing to listen?

This is always the question, and the reason for the admonition, "So, as the Holy Spirit says, today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." (Hebrews 3:7)

He knows our tendency to brush aside His reproof! We all admit the Spirit is speaking to the churches in Revelation chapters 2-3; but are we willing to admit that He may be speaking to us, and not another church down the road?

So many bemoan the condition of the lukewarm church written about in Revelation 3:14-22, but is it possible that we are the ones He's actually speaking to? That we are lukewarm ourselves, and just blind to it?

Five out of the seven churches were told to repent, that means statistically most of us need to wake up!

This is not God condemning us, it is Him loving us! Repentance leads to refreshing!

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord..." (Acts 3:19)

Our traditions more than His truth?

"There’s a nice little church on the corner of the block
and it's always filled with people,
It’s got a brown brick front and blue padded pews
and a pretty golden steeple

But I wonder if they’re going to heaven or to hell
no one wants to ask the question...
are we too afraid to tell the truth?"

-From the song, "Nice Little Church"

I have to wonder if our traditions haven't replaced His truth. Are we so comfortable with the way things are, that we never stop to ask ourselves if things are the way they should be? Jesus talked of this very thing:

"Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." (Mark 7:13)

"Nice Little Church" is first of all about the tragic belief that by "going to church", we are somehow on our way to heaven when we die. I'm not trying to be mean, insensitive, or insulting; I am simply facing the unfortunate truth that for far too many people their hope of heaven is based on religion and not Jesus.

How can we stand still and not speak in the plainest way possible, when so many still believe it's their church attendance and trying to be good that will get them to heaven?

It is tragic that many will find out too late that they were never really Christians at all. How excruciating will it be for the person who spent their entire life believing they were on their way to heaven, only to learn after it is too late that they will actually be separated from God for all eternity? How can we sit back and say so little to address an issue that is so serious?

I wish somebody had told me years earlier that there's a big difference between Jesus and religion. I never really understood that.

Many people have never been told that it's possible to go to church their entire life and never really be a true Christian!

There is something radically wrong that such a situation could even exist in the church to the degree that it does. Pointing out the fact that going to heaven is a false hope unless we are born again; that "church going" is not enough to make someone a Christian, might be considered offensive to some. Are we willing to risk offending people if it means getting them to hear the truth that will lead to eternal life?

Bored by Jesus?

Hardly! I've never yet met someone who walks with Jesus who would say they're bored by Him! I have met plenty, however, who are bored by "church".

The second issue I talk about in my song is the general boredom and lack of life that so many are experiencing in the church. I wish it wasn't true, but unfortunately it is. I suppose this is where some people will get angry with me, feeling perhaps that I'm bashing the church. No, I am grieving the church. We shouldn't be in this condition and it saddens me.

In recent years there's been an exodus of Christians leaving the traditional churches. Instead of blaming them, calling them rebellious, or assuming there's something wrong with them, I think we need to ask the question, "Why?"

If Jesus dislikes His church being lukewarm, is it strange that His followers would feel the same? Many people are dissatisfied with their church experience and are longing for something authentic and alive. They are right to feel that way, because Revelation chapters 2-3 tell us that God is also dissatisfied by this lack of life.

Instead of facing the issue, the church at large scoffs at those who are leaving, never stopping to consider that people are finding nothing in us that would draw them to Christ! They're bored, and we think they're the problem! Could it be they're right?

If even Christians are tired of the lukewarm church, why would an unbeliever ever find it appealing?

The truth is, very few of us want to admit this. Maybe we need to "hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches."

"...You have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead." (Revelation 3:1)

"So, because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:15)

Revelation 2-3: God calls His Church to repent!

I urge you to read through Revelation chapters 2 and 3. They were important for me in deciding whether to record and release this song. I didn't want to release it just based on my feelings. I spent a considerable amount of time praying about it even after I thought God was leading me to record it. It was reading these chapters that convinced me. There it was, right in God's Word... Not just me grieving over this lack of life, but God.

The purpose of these chapters, (and my song), is not to berate the church, but rather a wake up call..."Look what's going on! How can we be so complacent to our condition?" God's heart is that we would repent, in order that He would not need to send corrective judgment. He desires that we would wake up from our apathy, drink of His mercy, and be restored.

God is the one who dislikes us being lukewarm the most. Because He loves His Church He rebukes her in order to bring her back to Himself. (Revelation 3:19-20)

Revelation 3:17 talks about a church that is self assured to the point of gloating pride. They are convinced they are "rich and in need of nothing." Revelation 3.1 describes a church that has made a name for itself; they are the "happening church"... They thought they were so alive; all the while the Spirit of God was saying, "You are dead"! But could they hear it? Will we listen?

What the Father seeks

We can talk all we want about how it's "not about religion, but a relationship with Jesus." I've heard that for the last 24 years! I got saved in 1984 and the church was saying that then. It's still saying the same thing. Sure it's true, but I don't buy the talk anymore. If we really believe that, then let's stop being so religious and really make it all about Him: The Father is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.