Grumpy Post (1)

A grumpy sense of estrangement, that's what I'm feeling these days. Like the one guy at a "pool party" who can't swim. I once felt at home in the church. Now not so much. Why is that? What has happened? Once I felt that God was orchestrating my life. Now I feel set aside. Alone. Why is that?

I think I know the reason. I think I do. I think I've been missing the preaching (singing, praying) of the Gospel for a long time. I think I am missing the Cross. It was long ago and far away, and it seems but a vaguely affectionate memory in the church. Or that's how it seems to me.

The most common compliment that people have for my church is that it is free of legalism and judgement. Good. But it seems we have jettisoned a good portion of the New Testament in order to achieve that claim. My pastor seems embarassed if he lets the word sin slip out in a sermon, or a reference to the "blood" (heaven forbid). The cross that bought for me eternal blessings has not exactly been forgotten, not entirely, but it has been placed on a shelf. It is considered, or so it seems, problematic. The wooden cross that used to stand in the sanctuary was long ago removed. When someone asked the pastor about it, he said, "That's just not the kind of church we are."

Oh.

In its place we have the promise of God's love and power . . . a very hopeful and "positive" message. But it is airly disconnected from the life and death of a savior at Calvary. People pray, "I'm believing for . . ." and "I claim it in the name of Jesus," as if these were magic formulas. People talk about impressions and say "God gave me a word." People sing songs about how much they love God rather than how much, and why, God loves us. Enthusiasm is encouraged, but not so much thinking. The Word is taken in very small doses. Rather than discussing the full thrust of Ephesians, say, people say, "God showed me the word unity, and then I heard it again on TBN. Amazing!"

Okay, I'm grumpy. But I'm trying to get to the bottom of my grumpiness here. I'm looking for something better than positive thinking dressed up as faith. I don't want appeals to emotion to replace standing on the whole Word, unalloyed. And I don't want charismatic gifts that merely distract, detract, or subtract from the Gospel-centrality of the cross.