Growing up in church is a huge advantage. The Bible says "Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6). However, sometimes it seems those who are introduced to Jesus later in life are at an advantage when it comes to appreciating the sacrifice of the cross and falling passionately in love with Jesus. Think about it, isn't it much easier to evangelize to say an unbeliever, than to a churchgoer?
FYI...not everyone who goes to church is saved.
This is especially true in African societies like ours where religion and culture are very much intertwined. We grow up attending church and doing religious activities because almost everyone else is doing same. That is why when most of us travel to Western countries, where religion is ignored or scorned by the majority, we are very easily seduced by their worldly beliefs and godless lifestyles. I first explored the nuances of Christianity in Africa when I wrote about the Paradox of African Christianity. Years later, it is a paradox that still confounds me. How can many of us be so close to the truth and yet not find it?
Growing up in church can indeed be a blessing or a curse.
All churches consist of those raised in the church and those who join later in life as a result of the Gospel being preached to them. I think both groups have advantages and disadvantages. For example, those raised in church can easily take a lot for granted while those who did not grow up in church typically have the burden of dealing with the consequences of the wrong choices they made before Christ. As for those of us who grew up in church, we are either Peter, John, Judas, or Paul.
PETER
Peters are church-goers who get born-again at some point. They are well-intentioned but somehow easily caught up in doctrine. They tend to struggle with loyalty to their denomination of choice and the truth of scripture. They are typically those eager to lead in the church, and concerned with how the church is run.
JOHN
Johns are those who grow up in the church and then later experience salvation. They are very passionate/emotional about their relationship with Jesus. They are more focused on their individual Christian experience and connection with other believers.
PAUL
A "Paul" is one raised in the church but blinded by misguided religious zeal, until they encountered Jesus and experienced true salvation. Pauls think they are saved and perfect until they realize they are not. They are not shy about sharing how wrong they were about the faith.
JUDAS
A Judas is one who also grew up in the church, but then failed to experience true salvation at some point. They are religious but not righteous. Like a wolf in sheepskin. One who goes through the external motions of what is expected of a believer but experiences no internal transformation.
So, which one are you? 😏
Comments
Post a Comment