A Short Critical Evaluation of Church: Spellbound

Church, while I am in harmony with the need to go to release and fellowship and even vie for the pep-rally-type occurrences that leave us encouraged, has become an entertainment arena for transcendental manipulation. It’s like we (and I will say we, as anyone who considers themselves a leader in this race should always take responsibility) excel in playing on the ignorance of others. As we attempt to persuade and dissuade, our lack of preparation and lack of consecration and insincere motives remains drowned out by the loud sounds of “Hallelujah’s” and canopied by the dozens of people walking to the altar throwing money, seeding for their blessin. Before I continue, please excuse my abrasiveness as I definitely consider myself a seedin, prostrate laying, sangin and shoutin, “where’s the next conference” individual. It’s the abuse of these precious experiences and sacraments that I treasure that I am critical of. It’s these abuses that continue to leave the church by the hundreds…spellbound.

The preacher reads the scripture. The preacher repeats the scripture. The preacher repeats the same sentence for 15 minutes using various voice inflections and emphases on different words, yet still the same scripture. The audience screams. The preacher continues this for another 5 minutes. Preacher wows the crowd with Greek definitions (from a Hebrew Old Testament). The crowd runs around the church. “He ‘sho is preachin”. The preacher says he has a prophesy for the church. “Get ready…your best is yet to come!” People run to put money on the altar.

Mm, child that’s a mess huh? Yet, interestingly enough those very same individuals who hold that response can’t deny their very own rapture into these enchanting words and stratego. I know I am. And no one (In the flesh) is to blame, because this is clearly a spiritual exploitation that sadly leads to addiction and dependency on church. Thinking that we’re coming back because we just love it so much, we’ve become spiritual feens and us as leadership are the spiritual pimps. Strategically giving you just enough so that you can come back wanting more all the while packing out our churches and conferences filling our personal quotas.

The Word has been a showcase of preaching talent for seminary graduates and a competition for who has the best rhema word from the rest. So you get repetitive phrases that stir up emotional sensationalism that’ll do enough to get the crowd riled up, but with little to no substance to pierce their very souls or cause them to start a spiritual world revolution that may take place outside of your church. So when the sensation settles, they have nothing but more of a wanting and a desire to come back.

You ask them… “How many of you are ready to go to the next level?” How many of you know that I can ask you that question every Sunday and you’ll never ever know when you get to the next level because you’ll be constantly trying to get there, constantly coming back for your next breakthrough, constantly wanting more, more, more and hoping that you can get it in my church. (Now don’t get me wrong, this is a one-sided thought, as all sorts of repentance and spiritual breakthroughs happen in services.) All it does is stir up anxiety and never once do you think that the current season you’re in is that level or the current state you’re in, no matter how great feeling of bad feeling, is one that is to be experienced and to value every second of the temporary time that you do have. Think of the scripture when Jesus said not to be anxious about tomorrow, because the worries of today are sufficient enough. Although he was specifically speaking of worries, keep in mind that constant anxiety about future is dissuaded. (Not saying don’t plan ahead or hope, but take advantage of the current season you’re in and all that God has for you in it.)

“Sow $50 saints right now and I guarantee you that in one year your life will not be the same”. Well naturally as 12 months pass by things will change. Or why is it that we can so easily say, "... In four months!" or "...In five months!" and interestingly enough the end of those times sometimes seems to conveniently fall on December 31st or back to school month or the first month of summer? Our very own prophecy locks God within the confines of our own time.

This very short critical evaluation of a small aspect of the church that, while it may seem harsh and while it may seem little…It’s these things…these little things, that leave us spellbound...and wanting more.