The world we live in can provide enough uncertainty for everyday life - concern for our children, stock market fluctuations, terrorist activity, just to name a few. All these seem to drive us frantic with worry.
Society's changing moral framework can make the church feel its best days are behind us. But they aren't. With the right "can do" attitude, we can make the world different.
* Liberate yourself from expecting everyone to live by Christian values. Truth be known, America really hasn't been a "Christian" nation for a few decades. Confidence in the Scriptures, the importance of church, the belief that Jesus saves; these have all been waning in America.
We can debate the causes and whether the church is at fault or not. But most Americans no longer trust the church, believe all the Bible or are convinced that Jesus is the one and only way to God. I'm not even sure all church-goers believe it. So it is unreasonable to expect people who don't go to church to think and act like they do. They don't operate from the same framework. We don't judge them. If we really believe what we say we believe, that's God's area.
* Refuse to live with hypocrisy in your own life. Jesus' harshest words were aimed at religious people. He had no tolerance for them. Their hypocritical positioning irked him. We today have a tendency to do the same thing. We pick and choose the sins we want to rail against. Where is our righteous indignation against the things that really upset Jesus - greed, unbridled pursuit of possessions, lust, lack of compassion?
The point is: Jesus wants us to be sacred - a people truly marked by his own presence, his own attributes a living reality in our lives. But if I tolerate attitudes and behaviors in my own life that are counter to his life in me, I thwart his work in me. Jesus' rule of thumb was to remove your own sin from your life, then you can point out the sins of others. (Matthew 7:5)
* Embrace a role in a counterculture revolution of the grace of Jesus Christ. The church, historically, is at its best when it goes against the mainstream. We don't have to bemoan that we've lost influence in our society. We just have to live unwavering lives of obedience to Jesus. For example, the church in China has been thriving for years as an underground movement. Our influence never came because we went to church. Our influence in history has always been about our commitment to follow Jesus whatever the cost, no matter what society said about us. It is a great time to be the church.
* And finally, love better. Jesus boiled his movement down to two things: 1) Love God with all that you are; 2) Love your neighbor as yourself. We can love the homosexual and the Muslim. We can love the Democrat and the Republican. We can love the faithful churchman and the next door neighbor who has never been to church. We can genuinely respect and care for those around us, not just in words, but in actions. We must find active ways to show people the love of Jesus by loving like Jesus: "He makes his sun to shine on the righteous and unrighteous alike." (Matthew 5:45)
The church can still speak a word of hope to this uncertain world.
Rowland S. Buck has been the pastor of Burks United Methodist Church since June 2012. He and his wife, Sinda, have two sons. He has served churches in Chattanooga, Knoxville and Sevier County.