He convinced a nation that elimination of the Jewish Problem or so-called Final Solution would lead to a perfect society. Obviously, this did not work out as planned. Even by the end of the war, most Germans were convinced and believed that Hitler would lead them to the ultimate victory. We always pay a price for believing in lies.
Joseph Stalin was also successful in convincing the Russian people to accept his brand of totalitarianism, which led to the death of millions of people and enslaved an entire nation for decades. It seems that through time itself we continue to accept the lie over the truth because it is what we choose to believe. In many cases, it is a convenient truth that serves our purpose and interests.
Today, we do the same thing. Bigger is better. Money can fix all of our problems. The American Dream is about materialism and wealth. Government is capable of creating a utopian society. All of these are lies in one form or another. But the biggest lie of them all is what the Body of Christ believes about itself. We are convinced that we are changing the world and impacting culture for the cause of Christ. But, in reality, we are being changed by the culture and the media to reflect the same condition that exists throughout the world. Yes, we are just as self-centered as so-called unbelievers.
The truth is that there is no difference between us and the secular culture. Obviously, this won’t win me a lot of friends in the Church. And others would say how is this possible. Look at the megachurch and the market-driven church. It is successful, powerful and has unlimited resources. Surely it must be impacting the world. In America today we have churches of 5,000 - 15,000 people and more, who are capable of doing anything they want whenever they desire to do it. But is that evidence of a church where the Body of Christ is impacting the culture, or is it an example of how the media culture has manipulated the Church?
Perhaps, this is a thought-provoking concept. Lies are always convenient and ultimately help us to cope. To look at the truth requires us to look at ourselves. And to do that, we may not like what we see. I believe there are five areas in which we, as the Body of Christ, have compromised our core beliefs. It starts with the media culture, and it ends with the media culture.
1. We do what we want. God is at work in this world. The question is will we join Him in his work. Most Christians would say that’s exactly what we are doing. But is it? If that were the case, I am convinced the Body of Christ would look completely different. Would we be so interested in buildings, property, equipment and programs? Would we redirect our energy and resources to the things that really matter to God such as people? Just because we have large impressive buildings doesn’t mean we are impacting the world for Christ. I’m convinced we do what we want because it’s what we want to do. Then we tell ourselves it’s the will of God so the we can feel better and justify our actions.
2. We promote a friendly gospel. Dare I say it? To use the word sin? Let’s face it. We don’t talk a lot about things that make people uncomfortable in church. The message today is I’m good and you’re good. God loves you. We love you. And you should love yourself. Obviously this is a true statement, but it reflects only a part of the Gospel message. Sure, we want to feel good about ourselves, but that shouldn’t be the goal of the Body of Christ and the Church. Unless we deal with the sin issue, we cannot reflect the glory of God and grow into the image of Christ. Is it possible that some churches are scared to preach the full Gospel because we might offend some big donors who might take their money elsewhere? Whether directly or indirectly, have we toned down the message. We now live in a numbers-driven culture. Big numbers are impressive. They indicate success and power. Have we bought into the message of the media culture?
3. We like our show. Have we turned Sunday morning into a Broadway production? Don’t get me wrong. I like technology just as much as the next person. There’s nothing wrong with using videos, theatrical lighting, or drama during church services. But when it gets in the way of God, then it’s become a problem. When every moment on Sunday morning is programmed, is there any place for God or the Holy Spirit to move? Especially when churches have three or four services, every element is on a schedule. Somehow we have believed the lie that people must be entertained and that we have to create the ultimate experience in order for people to come back week after week. What about creating an atmosphere for a Holy Spirit experience for once?
4. We live by a schedule. Christians are just like everybody else. Our lives are programmed by our schedule. We have to check our Blackberry every five minutes in order to keep on pace. For most Christians, we fit Sunday morning in and perhaps a mid-week small group and a once-a-month trip to the food pantry to help the poor. But what we don’t have time in our schedule is to think about who God is. What is his character? And how do I serve his will? And are we really changing our world? These things require attention to the moment. They require the ability to think or to contemplate. But today’s media culture does not allow us to do that. We must occupy every moment of our time with some activity in order to be productive. The schedule dictates who we are and determines our lives.
5. We serve a media culture. All of the above would not be possible unless we serve a media culture. Yes, I said it. Christians serve the interests of today’s media culture just like every one else. And, by doing so, we are just as likely to accept and desire the instant gratification of power, wealth, materialism and consumerism. The media culture goal is to put you and I at the center of our universe. In one form or another, we become our own god. What we want and desire is more important than anything else in life. By doing this, we can almost justify anything in life—profit at all costs no matter who gets hurt in the process. The media culture has changed the Body of Christ, and we don’t even realize it. That’s the true tragedy. It’s truly heartbreaking to realize we have been deceived, and few of us recognize it.
God will have a perfect Church. It may not be today. But, perhaps in a hundred years or a thousand years. The question is will we wake up and start to reflect the church God desires? Will we become the people of God that God desires, or will be continue to be defined by the media culture? Will we leave a godly legacy for our children or grandchildren or a form of Christianity in name only? These are the questions we must ask ourselves if we are willing to ask them in the first place. Unless we are willing to take an honest look at the media culture and its consequences, we will only fool ourselves into believing we are changing this world. Believing a lie is always easier than believing the truth because it requires no effort on our part. We simply go with the flow.
Our leaders, society and the media culture tell us what to believe so why not keep believing it? You will not be a popular person if you question the conventional wisdom of today’s media culture or what the Church considers to be the work of God. Don’t expect to make any friends. But if you want to think for yourself, then ask yourself the above questions. Take an honest look at yourself, your motives. what you believe and why you believe it. It will lead you to the profound truth that we are not doing what God wants us to do, but we are puppets of the media culture. And, ultimately, it will lead to God’s truth about you and the world we live in. The truth is never convenient. But it is the Truth worth fighting for.
