Does the church care about anything anymore?

The culture said, “we don’t like being told that there is absolutes” and they took down all public displays of the “10 Commandments.” Some churches shouted, but only for a short time.

The culture said, “we don’t want your religion” and they took down all public nativity scenes, crosses, and any other “Christian” symbol that could be found. Some churches shouted, but only for a short time.

The culture said, “we don’t want to hear your fanaticism and backwards thinking” and they ridiculed and shouted down any public figure who stood for their beliefs, such as then vice-president Pence. Few churches said anything.

The culture said, “we have to be safe” and they told everyone to stay away from one another, report one another, and tried to close the churches. A couple churches shouted, but for how long?

The culture says that the terms “male” and “female” are irrelevant, and the churches don’t know what to do.

Other cultures told Christians, “you aren’t worth anything” and they drove Christians from their homes, abducted their children, and burned their churches. Few churches said anything, and their voices are being drowned out by internal squabbling. (see Love Your Neighbor)

Women in our culture choose to kill their babies and the culture says, “it’s their right.” And the churches quibble over which ‘crisis pregnancy center’ they agree with and can support instead of helping.

The church has hid its head in the sand and made itself irrelevant. This started some time ago, and we keep burying our head deeper in each passing year. Why? People, especially the youth, are leaving the churches. Why?

What would have been different if churches (and the people) displayed the “10 commandments” in their buildings and homes? (see Truth! Does it exist anymore?)

What would be different if churches proclaimed Jesus (Yeshua) during the time when they celebrate his birth? We seem to be so afraid of offending someone that only the bravest churches or people put out anything that points to Jesus.

How would the culture look if preachers stood up and preached love and repentence? But do we even know what love means? What repentance means or even why it’s needed? Or what if integrity was preached? – if anyone knows what that means anymore.

What could have been different if, instead of simply continuing online as if nothing was happening, the churches called for prayer meetings and taught trust in God and kindness to our fellow humans, when the Covid virus pandemic started?

How would it look if we spent time teaching people to respect one another, and to help one another instead of arguing over whether or not “the woman is to be subservient to the man” or simply teaching “homosexuality is bad?”

How would it look to those outside Christianity if we made our concern for our foreign brothers and sisters evident, instead of turning away because their faith doesn’t match ours?

What would be different if we taught our youth about the preciousness of life?

All of this can be “cured” simply by a return to the Word of God.

If churches would simply read the gospels to the congregations, week after week, instead of preaching their own words, what would happen?

We’d learn that the opposite of ‘freedom’ is chaos, and God gave us the 10 statements (10 commandments) out of love for us so that our lives, individually and collectively, would be better.

We’d learn that no one is perfect, and that to judge and condemn others because of their short comings is simple hypocrisy. We’d see that we are all in the same need for a champion and scape-goat – one sent by God. The messiah Yeshua (Jesus). (see Greater love has no one…)

We’d learn that to live a life with integrity is possible, and that it has a positive effect on both our own lives and the culture around us. Even when the culture is bad.

We’d learn that to repent is to show our love for God, and our desire to live as He intended. And we’d discover peace among ourselves.

We’d discover that we weren’t meant to go through this life alone, but with others. And that each person has their own unique contribution and is equally valuable as I.

We’d learn what it means to be a man or a woman, and that there is nothing wrong with masculinity or femininity, and they both stand on equal footing before God and in this world.

We’d realize that we have brothers and sisters in faith all over this world, even when their faith, and even their Bible, looks a bit different than ours. They are family as we all have the same Father and King.

We’d realize just how precious life is and can be.

All of this can be learned and taken into our lives as we read how Yeshua (Jesus) lived and followed God the Father.

The churches could become relevant again.

The youth would become interested again.

What can we do now?

Each of us can encourage our leaders to return to the Word of God. Read the gospels. Read the Torah (1st 5 books of the Bible – Genesis through Deuteronomy). Simply read! and discuss what’s written!

I cringe when I listen to church services and realize that most preachers read perhaps 1 to 5 verses, if even that much, from the Bible. And rarely from the gospels.

I thank God that there are exceptions – and if you are one of those exceptions, pray for the others!

Let’s come away from all of the dry theology and sermons and simply live as God intended. As Yeshua (Jesus) showed us!

To finish off, I’m going to quote a garden flag I have seen that is the perfect answer to all the hate and racism that is rolling over this country.

Thank you Jesus for Everyone and Everything!

• Yosef