Only Conceptual Change not Heart Change

Why is it that churches think all we have to do is better define who we are and people will jump on board?  Change our mission statement or values to the new buzz words like “Missional”, or “Emerging” (I love the word missional but it is becoming over used).  We change a few words around preach a sermon series on it, and all the church has to sign onto it after three weeks.  What!?!?!  It is just semantics.  Now semantics are important and we need people to clearly now what we are about as a church and where we are going.  But don’t miss the underlying problems:  unrepentant sin, idolatry, loss of first love, to busy, etc.   

Many times I think what a church needs is their leader to stand up on the stage and tell them: we have lost our first love, we are lukewarm, we think we are rich but we are really blind, poor, and naked.  We need a kick in the pants sometimes to wake us up to the reality we are not loving God with all we are, we have not shared our faith in months or years, we are not really loving those around us only tolerating them, we are pursuing the things of this world ten fold more than storing up treasures in heaven.   

The church needs to be told they are off the mark, if not they think they are fine or even good when in fact we are dying inside and out. It is a matter of the heart, what we love the most, do our lives match up with our beliefs. If a heart change occurs through being honest with a church and ourselves, God can move. He looks for those who are humble and contrite in spirit.  He looks to those who have a sense of awe in their lives of who God is and what he has done for us through Jesus.  If we are full of pride, arrogance, and thinking we are fine, God can’t use a church like this. Who will stand up and tell them?  Who will bring us to the light?