Is Christianity asleep?

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Larry73

Larry73

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Jul 12, 2026
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Maybe it's me.... but I see most things as VERY simple....and find direction by simply asking myself WWJD. We talk about Jesus in our churches... we see HIS message clearly throughout the NT. Yet by FAR most of our churches, including every denomination, seeks the PRACTICAL, comfortable road to Christianity, and willfully turn our back on the living mission Jesus gave to us all. Oh, I've heard it all, every excuse.... 'it's not safe'... 'think of the liability' ... 'we could be fined by the city' .... 'support would evaporate'.... 'they need to accept the consequences of their actions' .... 'what kind of example does that set'.... yet when answering each and every one of these with WWJD... it's crickets. If this is what organized religion has done to Christianity, then may GOD have mercy on all of us!
 
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Jesus Christ is Lord. Every single person in Christianity can get a Bible, they can spend time every day in the word, they can give themselves to prayer, nothing is stopping anyone from pursuing the Lord with their whole heart.

The church is a place, like the Inn in the parable of the Good Samaritan, it takes care of those beaten up on the road. It is up to you, are you the Levite, the Priest, or the Good Samaritan? Instead of focusing on what others are not doing, stop playing God, you are not omniscient, focus on what you can do.
 
Larry73 said:
Maybe it's me.... but I see most things as VERY simple....and find direction by simply asking myself WWJD. We talk about Jesus in our churches... we see HIS message clearly throughout the NT. Yet by FAR most of our churches, including every denomination, seeks the PRACTICAL, comfortable road to Christianity, and willfully turn our back on the living mission Jesus gave to us all. Oh, I've heard it all, every excuse.... 'it's not safe'... 'think of the liability' ... 'we could be fined by the city' .... 'support would evaporate'.... 'they need to accept the consequences of their actions' .... 'what kind of example does that set'.... yet when answering each and every one of these with WWJD... it's crickets. If this is what organized religion has done to Christianity, then may GOD have mercy on all of us!
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What you’re feeling is the collision between Jesus’ actual mission and the institutional instinct for self‑preservation.
When you run everything through WWJD, the fog clears fast: Jesus moved toward the unsafe, the inconvenient, the socially costly, the reputationally dangerous.
He touched lepers, ate with sinners, defended the shamed, confronted the powerful, and walked straight into places every “reasonable” religious leader avoided.
The modern church often reverses that pattern—choosing liability over love, optics over obedience, safety over sacrifice, and comfort over cross‑bearing.
But the mission Jesus gave is not complicated: deny yourself, take up your cross, follow Me.
When churches treat that as optional, they stop looking like the kingdom and start looking like an organization.
Your frustration is not cynicism; it’s discernment.
 
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Larry73 said:
Maybe it's me.... but I see most things as VERY simple....and find direction by simply asking myself WWJD. We talk about Jesus in our churches... we see HIS message clearly throughout the NT. Yet by FAR most of our churches, including every denomination, seeks the PRACTICAL, comfortable road to Christianity, and willfully turn our back on the living mission Jesus gave to us all. Oh, I've heard it all, every excuse.... 'it's not safe'... 'think of the liability' ... 'we could be fined by the city' .... 'support would evaporate'.... 'they need to accept the consequences of their actions' .... 'what kind of example does that set'.... yet when answering each and every one of these with WWJD... it's crickets. If this is what organized religion has done to Christianity, then may GOD have mercy on all of us!
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Are you talking about outreaches from the church? Like reaching out to those in need? Or street ministry? Missionary? What is it that they think is not safe?
 
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Larry73 said:
Maybe it's me.... but I see most things as VERY simple....and find direction by simply asking myself WWJD. We talk about Jesus in our churches... we see HIS message clearly throughout the NT. Yet by FAR most of our churches, including every denomination, seeks the PRACTICAL, comfortable road to Christianity, and willfully turn our back on the living mission Jesus gave to us all. Oh, I've heard it all, every excuse.... 'it's not safe'...
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Practical example please.. " not safe" - what's not safe?
Larry73 said:
'think of the liability' ... 'we could be fined by the city' .... 'support would evaporate'....
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Again real examples.
Larry73 said:
'they need to accept the consequences of their actions' .... 'what kind of example does that set'.... yet when answering each and every one of these with WWJD...
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What is wwjd?
Larry73 said:
it's crickets. If this is what organized religion has done to Christianity, then may GOD have mercy on all of us!
Click to expand...
 
ThereRoseaLamb said:
Are you talking about outreaches from the church? Like reaching out to those in need? Or street ministry? Missionary? What is it that they think is not safe?
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Most of the churches have outreach programs reaching OUTSIDE the churches.... yet their DOORS remain closed and those in dire need..... the homeless, the disenfranchised, the hungry, the families living in their cars.... are left to suffer in the heat/cold while churches, gathering halls and reception rooms are locked and empty... for all the excuses I've listed above. Often I hear 'there are city services available to the people'....and I shake my head in shame at the ignorance of that statement and am reminded of the line Scrooge utters to the charitable workers in A Christmas Carol ' Are there no workhouses?'
Jesus weeps for what the Pharisees have made of HIS church!
 
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Churchgoer said:
Practical example please.. " not safe" - what's not safe?

Again real examples.

What is wwjd?
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WWJD What Would Jesus DO

'Not Safe": welcoming IN the homeless, the vagrant, the families living in their cars, the hungry.... sheltering them from the heat/cold INSIDE the church buildings

Liabiliy: choosing to decide based upon potential insurance liabilities: ie: risk of damage to the facility, misbehavior causing injury to someone

'Fined by the City': often city ordinances conflict with the mission of Christian churches

"Support would evaporate': church members might not support such direct involvement and leave the congregation taking their tithes with them

Thank you for asking for clarification!
 
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ThereRoseaLamb said:
Are you talking about outreaches from the church? Like reaching out to those in need? Or street ministry? Missionary? What is it that they think is not safe?
Click to expand...
Not Safe": welcoming IN the homeless, the vagrants, the families living in their cars, the hungry.... sheltering them from the heat/cold INSIDE the church buildings... DIRECT, in person, on church property shelter 24/7
 
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Larry73 said:
Maybe it's me.... but I see most things as VERY simple....and find direction by simply asking myself WWJD. We talk about Jesus in our churches... we see HIS message clearly throughout the NT. Yet by FAR most of our churches, including every denomination, seeks the PRACTICAL, comfortable road to Christianity, and willfully turn our back on the living mission Jesus gave to us all. Oh, I've heard it all, every excuse.... 'it's not safe'... 'think of the liability' ... 'we could be fined by the city' .... 'support would evaporate'.... 'they need to accept the consequences of their actions' .... 'what kind of example does that set'.... yet when answering each and every one of these with WWJD... it's crickets. If this is what organized religion has done to Christianity, then may GOD have mercy on all of us!
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I tried showing loving kindness and brotherly love....
Cooking breakfast in bed, mowing lawns, and doing dishes....that sort of thing....

All I got was a bunch of angry people shouting at me with the angry questions and threats:
Who are you?
What are you doing here?
How did you get in my house?
I'm going to call the police.
Get your hands up or I'll shoot.

So yes, its dangerous....risky....downright scary. Nobody said a word of gratitude for my kindness either....
 
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Larry73 said:
Maybe it's me.... but I see most things as VERY simple....and find direction by simply asking myself WWJD. We talk about Jesus in our churches... we see HIS message clearly throughout the NT. Yet by FAR most of our churches, including every denomination, seeks the PRACTICAL, comfortable road to Christianity, and willfully turn our back on the living mission Jesus gave to us all. Oh, I've heard it all, every excuse.... 'it's not safe'... 'think of the liability' ... 'we could be fined by the city' .... 'support would evaporate'.... 'they need to accept the consequences of their actions' .... 'what kind of example does that set'.... yet when answering each and every one of these with WWJD... it's crickets. If this is what organized religion has done to Christianity, then may GOD have mercy on all of us!
Click to expand...
I don't know if I would say Christianity as a whole is asleep. Some are, some aren't. There are many Christian homeless and street ministries. I know of a lot of churches that serve meals, provide clothing and have cooling/warming shelters. Just because someone isn't involved in these things doesn't mean they're asleep; maybe they have other ministries. Not everything people do is visible. Just because they don't broadcast their actions for the world to see doesn't mean they're asleep.
 
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Huh I take it you don't have the Salvation Army in your country

A lot of the people they help, once they get or want to get sober, join their church and go to their services. And they are allowed in, have a cup of tea, not sure if they get to sleep there, but they do things like outreach to people that DO have homes and a bedroom to sleep in to sleep in the rough for a night to understand what it's like for them (we call them 'rough sleepers' they call themselves 'homies')

Also offer shower, blankers, resources..and temporary lodgings. Some have free community meals and operate foodbanks, have budgeting advice. And anyone can go into church and use the bathroom, if they ask.

It's not that easy for someone who's homeless, as there are several reasons for it, other than not being able to afford a home or a place to rent. Many are runaways, because of domestic violence in their family homes, come from already broken homes, and also may suffer trauma and use drugs to assuage. They also don't really want to join a gang either, that could give them a home, because then they'd have to do crime rather than beg.
 
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It's a long article...but your country needs some policies in place that address the issue, not just churches, who may not have the resources for everyone or an overarching national strategy (govts the ones who make the legislation that is. Churches do not make legislation)

Individual churches can do only what they can or are allowed to do by their governing authorities. Talk to your pastor, and if they give you the runaround, try a different church that is active in ministries/missions. Some have housing trusts set up. They may fund or help fund rehabs and hospitals...actually to get a bed in a hospital or jail may be the only hope for some.
 
It's divided.

It's selfish and materialistic. Because dupes remain in the pews of "mega church prosperity teachers".

It's asleep because we think we should tolerate anything because we're told ,don't resist an evil person,love your enemy,and turn the other cheek. None of which God ever did in his written history.
 
er...love your enemy is what Jesus said
Also feed them (in the Proverbs) give them food and drink.
Jesus said also turn the other cheek as well.

What Bible are you reading????
 
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Oh I thought there might be something in Jubilees or something.

Don't worry I just woke up and now having breakfast...I do fall asleep you know. At night. In bed.
 
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