Fairy tales from the pulpit …
If you think Prince William and and his new bride are exhausted from a wedding day filled to the brim with activity, just think of all those poor souls who exhausted themselves following all the broadcasts of the fairy tale wedding on multiple television channels all day long!
People love a great fairy tale …
… just ask many preachers in pulpits across America who serve them up weekly for their audiences.
I’m NOT talking about the preaching of the Gospel, which is the delivery of truth rather than the depiction of a dream.
I am talking about preachers who create “spiritual fairy tales” to sell to their congregations every week.
It’s more like a new theology of action and adventure that these preachers try to create. They paint being Christian as being the White Knight taking on injustice in the world. He’s brave and courageous, and his deeds are not only noble, but they’re fun and adrenalin-soaked.
It’s a nice fairy tale — and sometimes partly true — but it’s often not even close to what the real Christian life is like, either today or in the past.
The original Christians, from the apostles to the early church, weren’t adrenalin junkies who did what they did for some need for adventure. They did what they did, which often was very dangerous, because they loved Jesus Christ so much they couldn’t imagine not fulfilling His commission to the church.
It usually wasn’t romantic.
It usually wasn’t a grand ‘ol adventure.
It often wasn’t easy.
It cost them everything they had, including their lives.
It was challenging, difficult, frightening, harsh … and incredibly fulfilling. Not because of some personal reward, but from the satisfaction of seeing lost people believe the Gospel and come to Jesus Christ as their own personal Lord and Savior.
It seems as if today so many preachers believe they have to spin Christianity into a fairy tale to gain interest in following Christ. The problem with that is, they can never deliver what they claim. The Christian life today isn’t being the modern-day White Knight. It has its own challenges, and in some parts of the world, it can still cost you your life.
Even so, the Christian life is the most rewarding, fulfilling, and satisfying life anyone could live because it is real life! And real life is what people who really want the truth will be attracted to.
There actually is plenty of action and adventure in living for Christ. Sometimes it’s great stuff of legend! But often the action and adventure is of a more challenging, costly nature. But even that is something that draws people when given the whole truth. And the final reward far exceeds anything a fairy tale come true in this life could ever even begin to offer!
Isn’t it time we stop spinning fairy tales from the pulpit and preach the unvarnished truth of the Gospel? God isn’t calling people to come and be super heroes, He’s calling them to come be His obedient children who serve as His Ambassadors to a lost and dying world. Let’s tell the truth about that, it’s much more compelling than a fairy tale.
Scotty
April 30, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Yes! This is the truth. Though we live for the most beautiful Person in existence, a real life of faith is rarely ever pretty. Dying to ourselves is not attractive, but it is a sweet fragrance to our Father. That's better than any "happily ever after".
May 1, 2011 at 3:35 pm
Amen Angie! Sometimes the Christian life can be better than an adventure movie, but sometimes it's not quite as romantic. But always an incredible blessing. We just need to be honest about it. Thanks for sharing!
May 3, 2011 at 7:51 pm
Great one Scotty. So many pastors seem to forget that all but one of the Apostles was martyred. Imagine if that was the reward on Earth for all Christians. Would we reach more…or less?
May 4, 2011 at 12:34 pm
Thanks Paul, and great point. Although too many leaders are afraid too many people wouldn't follow with an honest depiction of Christianity, I think they would be surprised at just how many would actually respond to the call to follow Christ!