A Short Critique of the Current State of the Evangelical Church

Yesterday, I preached a sermon titled "What are you seeking?" an exposition of John 1:35-51. In this pericope, Jesus asks two disciples who started following him a very profound question: "What are you seeking?"

The disciple's answer is very clear in revealing their intentions. They answer by asking another question, "Teacher, where are you staying?" These disciples could have said anything, but they were seeking to be with Jesus. And that's the disciple's primary concern; he does not want something from Jesus, but he wants to be with Jesus; he is seeking Jesus himself.

Now, in the last couple of decades, we have a movement within the evangelical churches commonly referred to as "seeker-sensitive." It is important to say that many churches in this movement do not necessarily take this title, "seeker-sensitive," as a badge, but you can recognize it by their philosophy of ministry.

The "seeker-sensitive" churches are built upon the premise that many people are seeking God and His Kingdom and want to know Him, but the traditional church model turns them off from faith in Christ. With this premise as a foundation, these churches will attempt to create a church "experience" that is attractive to these seekers, making it comfortable, inviting, and non-confrontational. They will focus on having a great facility, good programs for all ages and demographics, trendy music, short sermons focused on self-improvement, and a well-done general aesthetic that communicates with the "niche" they want to attract.

Truth be said, many of these churches are very successful in getting people through the doors and having them involved in the church programs and activities. But is it indeed the type of success we should be looking for?

In recent years, we have seen a growing criticism of what is called the prosperity gospel. This gospel attracts people by preaching a Jesus that will make them wealthy and healthy. And many of the critics of this movement are people within this "seeker-sensitive" movement. But they don't realize that the "prosperity gospel" is just another son of the same mother, operating upon the same paradigm that the primary strategy for church growth is to give people what they want or meet their felt needs.

Now, the Bible is clear that "there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God" (Romans 3:11). No one is naturally seeking God and His Kingdom. As we see in our initial text (John 1:35-51) and every other text in the Bible is that what makes someone a seeker is the preaching of God's word. That's why the ministry of John the Baptist is so essential. John prepares the way for Jesus by preaching "the kingdom of God is at hand, repent!" and then pointing people to Jesus, "the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." It's this preaching that makes people seekers of the Messiah and of the kingdom of God.

What the "seeker-sensitive" movement does is attract carnal people through carnal means to be part of a carnal church that has nothing to do with the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. These people are not there because they want to be with Jesus; they are there because they found a deity that can provide them with what they are truly seeking: money, health, comfort, fun, emotional well-being, a break from their kids, a "good" community, etc.

Planting "seeker-senstive" churches require money, strategy, a charismatic speaker, and so on, but plating a true church requires a miracle. Planting a "seeker-sensitive" church takes planning; planting a true church takes faithfulness to the Scriptures, prayer and reliance on God.

We cannot deny the strong temptation for many planters to join the "seeker-sensitive" bandwagon and for regular Christians to attend these churches. But remember that success is not in having a church filled with "followers" of Jesus but filled with disciples. Jesus had "followers" of all kinds during his earthly ministry; some wanted the bread he multiplied, some wanted healing, some wanted liberation from Rome, and others even followed him to find a fault in him and put him to death.

The true disciples are not interested in the hands of Jesus but in his face. They don't follow him for what he can provide but for whom he is. They don't follow Jesus because Jesus can help them with their plans, but they deny themselves and forsake their own plans and dreams to join Jesus in his mission of establishing the Kingdom of God.

Being with Jesus means having the heavens open upon our heads and enjoying the most blessed life because the best "thing" in the Kingdom of God is the King himself!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Nino Marques