I heard on a radion that a Pastor commented to some Chinese Christians that American Christians leave church because of worship style, children's programs, etc. The Chinese Christians, who are dying for the faith, thought it was funny. They thought it was a joke.

     The situation in the American church where there is no life threatening persecutions and there are plenty of choices as to where to go to church can be considered a curse. I believe that those who have choices need to look at their hearts more closely. Having choices blinds us to the heart behind our decisions.

     Take the example of the worship wars. I wonder if all the bravado behind the arguments about worship music is all about comfort. Some are more comfortable in a traditional worship service and some in a contemporary worship service. They would argue as if it is a theological issue. This desire for comfort blinds us to the true purpose of worship. We come to worship principally to lift up the name of Jesus. The desire for comfort is not inherently evil. However, if we are focused on our comfort, we may be missing the still small voice in our hearts that tell us that our faith must be taken outside the worhip time. We may be satisfied with our church being comfortable to us, that we don't bother to reach out to those who may not feel welcome. We may be so dissatisfied with the worship music that we are willing to break off our relationship to the church.

     Take the example of calling. Some seminary classmates who have been in missionary contexts criticize their peers who may want to be pastors in comfortable places. At first, I thought the same way, that if you are not doing the hard things, then you are not being a good Christian. Now i believe that this criticism may really be rooted in pride. Therefore, even those who seem to be doing hard things need to watch their hearts. Is it really pride that fuels their judgment? Should we criticize the family who chose a church for its great children's outreach for wanting their children to be brought up in the ways of the Lord? There would be something wrong if their motive is for their children to have fun. Shoould we criticize the seminarian who wants to Pastor in a farming community, just like where he grew up? Maybe he has the heart for people in those communities and not basing his ambition on his comfort. My point is that we ultimately should not judge based on appearances but we should challenge each other's hearts. Are our decisions based on Godly motives or not? Sometimes the world, flesh, and devil contaminate our motives and we need to recognize that.

     I think of those who are in the market who abandon their careers and go into ministry. Did they really make a godly decision? Or were they influenced by people who somehow questioned what they are doing instead of challenging them to listen to the heart behind the things they do? Somebody in the marketplace may have more influence in the culure than those who are in church ministry. On the other hand, marketplace skills may be valuable in the church's mission to show God's love to the world. 

     The important thing for all of us who claim to follow Jesus is that we listen to the heart that is being shaped by God's Spirit, as we shape the world that is created by God.