Somewhere along the way, Christianity became transactional. In my mind, I thought “the good old days” from before my time were the ideal era, when Billy Graham gathered thousands into stadiums and “revival” swept the nation. Perhaps when Jack Hyles built a bus ministry that made his church the nation’s largest megachurch. But it is exactly those times that turned the transformation the Gospel was meant to introduce into merely a transaction. Say a prayer—go to Heaven. No effort required. While it is true that it has never been our works that gained us Heaven, it was never meant to be merely an exchange that was left in the past only to be needed again at our last breath. That is the cheapening of the Gospel that has been handed down to several generations. It is why so many churches today must draw people in with emotion, pageantry, and mega events.
What do I mean by transformation? I mean that when we receive the gift of salvation, it was never meant to just be a free ticket out of an eternity without God. Salvation receives not just the gift, but also the Giver of the gift. The Holy Spirit moves in when a person truly understands the peril they face and cries out for God’s mercy. Jesus did not suffer on a cruel cross so we could sway to the metal band playing in church one day a week. He plans to change every area of our lives, centering life around the power of His resurrection every single day.
One way this must start to change in our churches is to guide those who do choose to follow Jesus in the ways of Jesus. It was part of His Great Commission, but it is grossly ignored.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20
In some churches, “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded” became man-centered. A preacher’s opinions became the standard. (Hint: if everyone is supposed to dress the same, act the same, and look the same, you may be in a cult, not a church). Clean up the outside, do all the right things, and ignore the fact that Jesus wants to walk and talk with you every day. He wants daily fellowship. In other churches, the Bible is used as a self-help book where all your problems disappear, and God’s blessings are only waiting for you to speak them into your life.
In fact, the only way you will avoid the deception of the enemy is to know Jesus, know His Word, and experience His grace in everyday life. The Gospel is not a transaction; it is a transformation. Discipleship, as Jesus modeled it, is life on life, in the mess and muck, not the dressed-up Sunday School version that most churches offer now.
How can this change? First of all, those who claim salvation should examine their lives. Is there anything different about me besides the fact that I go to church and do the churchy things? Do I even know Jesus? Do I talk to Him and let Him talk to me? Has He pressed my heart about how I love others, forgive others, and show mercy to others? If it weren’t for Heaven, would I have even become a Christian? Do I even really care about Jesus and what He thinks about my version of Christianity?
Second of all, churches must offer one-on-one discipleship with people who have a real relationship with Jesus. How will that happen? Someone has to teach the teachers. The Gospel either has implications for daily life, or it does nothing at all.
Finally, if you go to a church that prioritizes the Gospel for salvation while ignoring how the Gospel shapes life after salvation, it is imperative to seek the Lord’s wisdom. Does He want you to stay there and create change, or join a church that is already on mission, accomplishing the Great Commission? Jesus will return. He will hold us accountable for what we know and what we did with what we know. Living for that day changes everything about how we live today.
His Song in the Night 