Reflections
DISEASES CHURCHES GET
By Pete Hammond
All life is vulnerable to sickness and disease. Sometimes we get so accustomed to illness that we adjust to its presence and learn to live with it. One way to describe that condition is “addiction” or dysfunctional life style.
As the body of Christ, the people of God are vulnerable to these conditions. I see too many churches of the west suffering from several diseases that limit God’s promise of “abundant life” and godliness. Here is a short list of several illnesses that are very present and dangerous to kingdom living by God’s people.
Acceptance Appetitus— where approval from the surrounding culture becomes more determinative than obedience to God’s agenda.
Clericalitus— where the few ordained members are the only spiritually significant players in the community’s life. All others are second class, or less.
Comparisonitus— where believers spend too much energy comparing and competing with each other over spirituality instead of practicing the disciplines that lead to being more like Jesus.
Consumptive Jealousy— where competing with and outdoing other churches becomes the driving momentum for a congregation.
Cultural Immune Deficiency— where distinctive Biblical community loses out to conformity with the surrounding broken world.
Edifice Complexicus— where the church buildings and grounds become the center of attention, a definer of importance and the most important element in our reputation.
Enlarged Male Presence— where women are subjugated to second class status, deemed inadequate as leaders, or treated as less than fully human.
Ethnocentriculitus— Exalting one race or culture over all others and justifying discrimination.
Hardening of the System— where the infrastructure becomes dominant and self--serving, instead extravagant love toward all and the ability to adjust to the needs of the times and the winds of God’s Spirit.
Judgmentalitis— where religious folks criticize and condemn all others, even in matters that are not central to the Gospel, like personal appearance, leisure activities, relationships, etc.
Myopia— where vision is turned inward toward a preoccupation with self and away from service and mission to others.
Paralysis— where tradition causes loss of mobility and outreach. The major symptom is repetition of “We’ve never done it this way before!” to all changes. These are the seven last words of the church!
Sexual Confusion— where gender boundaries diminish and/or personal gratification dominates.
Worship Dizziness— where liturgy wars cause loss of balance, demeaning of other’s needs and interests, and the idolization of your personal tastes in arts and music.
As I reflect on my own tendencies here, I encounter a new appreciation for the breadth and complexity of scripture where the health of the people of God is diagnosed and protocols are recommended, over and over and over by a very patient God.
"Lord, help me know my diseases, hear the assessment and practice the disciplines that will lead to health, expanded ministry and service, and bring joy to you, your Son and your Spirit."
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