Starving To Death On A Full Stomach
Starving to death on a full stomach--it's a paradox and possibly a description of the American church.
Jon Krakauer, in his haunting true story, Into the Wild , tells the story of a loner-adventurer named Chris McCandless, a young man from a well-to-do family who walked into the Alaskan wilderness on a trip of discovery and survival. After doing relatively well for a few months, Chris made a few honest mistakes that cost him his life. How? He starved to death.
Krakauer's study of the death of McCandless reveals several plausible scenarios, one of which intrigues me like an approaching siren. He explains that McCandless may have starved to death after eating wild potato seeds which contained a poison known to prevent metabolism. Krakauer describes it as human vapor lock, a condition that would make it possible to die of starvation even with a full stom
A few weeks ago I attended a Renewal Conference at my church, a conference designed to serve an entire region of churches that serve thousands of parishioners. The "food" was there. Expert organization, strong preaching, effective teachers, good music--the table was well set. However, there were few consumers, sixty at most. During one session, the story of Chris McCandless came drifting into my mind and wouldn't leave. I kept remembering as I sat in the sparse crowd: It is possible to starve to death on a full stomach.
I wish I knew the name of the poison that gives the church such vapor lock. I can only guess. It it selfishness? busyness? fear? sloth? I honestly don't know the answer. What I do know is that church growth in my community is a facade. The few growing churches siphon off the disenchanted from other churches. The percentage of people who do not attend any worship grows yearly. There are virtually no churches appealing to this large segment of non-worshipping people, and honest efforts to do so by well-meaning pastors meet with little enthusiasm from the laity. We seem content to circle the wagons and hope for the best. Keep our own in as best we can and pick up a few strays--that seems sufficient.
We are not suffering from lack of leadership or lack of opportunity. We are suffering from lack of vision and time and energy for winning those who now have no place for faith in their lives. We are starving on spiritually full stomachs while half of our population starves on empty ones.
Coming next month: Determining the Poison. Any thoughts?
About the Author:
Steve Graner is a Christian educator and familyman employed by the Minot, ND Public School District. A licensed laypastor, he is passionate about Christian writing and Christian drama. Along with family and friends, Steve has performed numerous self-written dramas and musicals for area church audiences.