A Stagnant Stench

During the intermission to a theatre performance, a small fire broke out backstage that quickly was deemed “out of hand”. As the fire department was being called, the emcee came before the audience who were being seated for the performance. His intention was to keep order and peace and have everyone evacuate without a raving panic sweeping the place. So he decided to be gentle and kind in his announcement.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that there is a fire that has just broken out backstage and we are going to have to cut our performance short tonight and ask you to evacuate the theatre. Please exit calmly and quickly.”

The audience began to laugh and applaud, shouting “Bravo! Bravo!” with every warning the emcee announced.

The emcee, flustered, calmed the audience and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is not a joke. I am as serious as I know how be. There is a fire backstage. The fire department is on the way, and we must evacuate this theatre as quickly as possible.” He was still very calm, cool, and collected, knowing that if mass hysteria broke out there would be a great deal of confusion and possibly someone getting injured in the process.

The audience began to cheer even louder, clapping and drowning out the sound of the emcee, who was visibly frustrated.

Finally, as the emcee’s anger continued to grow, he shouted, “FOR GOD’S SAKE, THERE IS A FIRE IN THE BUILDING! THIS IS NOT A JOKE! EVERYONE NEEDS TO EVACUATE NOW! YOU WILL DIE IF YOU JUST SIT HERE!”

Again, the audience cheered, this time standing to their feet with whistles and shouts of adulation for the passionate performance the emcee gave. As the audience continued to drown out the voice of the emcee, smoke began to creep into the dimly lit theatre…

The purpose of a theatre is for entertainment. That’s what the folks in the audience come for – to be entertained. There is no sense of danger when the emcee comes to make his grim announcement. The people just respond the only way that they know how and the only way that they assume that they are supposed to respond.

I think that this is the exact perception that some people have about the house of God today. Many attend church on Sunday morning assuming that they will be entertained and have their senses tingled by the wonderful music and the orator’s skill.

Even when the message is grim, the people just respond the only way they know how by saying “Amen” when he hits a high point or gets a little excited about the content of the message. Sadly, much like the theatre, the smoke creeps in and catches people unaware and oblivious to the condition of their own heart.

The church today has become so Gospel-hardened that if the minister were to preach a fire and brimstone message many would casually listen and nod in affirmation, but never check their standing before the Lord. The messenger who has been sent to the Church to warn about the coming judgment, the penalties and pitfalls of sin, and the destination of those who are found apart from Christ upon death – by and large, he is given a pat on the back for a “job well done” when the people leave the service.

What a tragedy that we cannot even smell the stench of stagnation in our Churches today.

I don’t make it my habit to talk about other Preachers/Pastors, for I know that I am imperfect and flawed just as they are. But, by and large, what happens in these situations where the people in the Church only desire to be entertained is that the minister will oblige their request. He will cease the preaching on the total depravity of man, on a Christless hell, on the brutality of the Cross, and  other controversial things that makes folk “uncomfortable” in order to keep the  few whom he feels will walk if he does not transform his message. Unfortunately, the result is usually a large following of individuals who enjoy having their ears tickled.

When the Pastor reduces his message to a motivational speech, the Body of Christ becomes impotent. There is no spiritual power, there is no anointing, there is no blessed unction……and the flock suffers because of it. The most devastating part of all this is the fact that we’ve herded a multitude of lost sheep into a large stall and told them “You’ll be just fine if you stick together, believe in yourself, and think positive.”

The Bible says in Psalms 107:11-12 says “Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.”

How tragic it must be to go through life and live out your own personal spin on spirituality, only to stand before God on that day of judgment and find out that you were wrong. And to add insult to injury, to finally discover that you had the answer to it all and never chose to look into it.