Unending spiritual pandemic!

The recent pandemic, Covid-19 swept the entire nations. The symptoms and effects were the same irrespective of the geographical location. Symptoms of the first and the second waves were almost similar for people across the world. Any particular disease for that matter, its symptoms and severity remain same irrespective of wherever people are situated. Similarly, in this blog, I want to point out a spiritual pandemic sweeping the Churches today and that is 'spiritual complacency'.

The urgency of the gospel still remains ineffective. You can disagree with me, but the facts and statistics don't lie. We are constantly focusing on crowd control, crowd retention and financial stability in Churches. As I always comment, we measure the success of the Churches by the “ABC method” i.e., Attendance, Building and Cash. As long as this is satisfying, leaders are happy. If you refer to the 2011 Christian census in India, the Christian population was 2.3% and now it is said the Christian population is 4.9%. However, the percentage also includes Catholics who need salvation. Their percentage is approximately 2%, which means we are still close to only 3%. I am not just focusing on the increase of percentage, but my problem is growing spiritual complacency.

What are we doing with the crowd, who come week after week and go back home comfortably? Rather I would say, we make them comfortable with spiritual activities without sensitizing on Christ’s Mission. Psalmist remarks, "The horse is prepared for the day of the battle...", Psalms 21:31. What are we preparing for, with the congregation who are with us? Don't tell me it is to get them to heaven. I understand spiritual maturity, spiritual carefulness is necessary, but the moment one finds the Savior and becomes a disciple the Holy Spirit takes control of the person (Acts 1:8) and the anointing leads, teaches and guides him/her through the way as said in 1 John 2:20,27. He already qualifies to inherit the kingdom of God. But the goal of the Church is to go out, reach out and win the perishing souls. But is it still done with all urgency? Leslie Newbigin states, "the church is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave, but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God's kingship.".

Jesus called people not to just follow Him like the three jokers. He is not interested in people who want to follow Him without owning a responsibility (Luke 9:57-62). Jesus was not excited because He got people who can be added as a follower. Jesus was always emphasizing to go and tell the goodness of the Lord and not to sit and be a worshipper without following the mission. This is the purpose of the Church in all its priority. F. Lincicome states, “God never intended His Church to be a refrigerator in which to preserve perishable piety. He intended it to be an incubator in which to hatch out converts.”.

Do not forget many who were healed by Jesus urged to follow Christ and recorded in the New testament, but  Jesus, emphasized and ensured to send them back. One example is the demons possessed man in Mark 5 :18. It says, 'As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged him earnestly that he might remain with him.'  but mark Jesus' response in verse 19 "Jesus did not let him but told him, “Go home to your own people, and report to them how much the Lord has done for you and how he has had mercy on you.”.  And are you aware of the outcome dear people? It is recorded in verse 20,  "the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.".  Would you say an Amen for it? How many of us have guds to send people out? Many are careful to hold him/her to be a kindergarten student of their Church /fellowship all their life. Would you want to treat this serious disease? It is time we abandon the selfishness and start revolutionizing people God has given in our hand.

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