Wow. Is Our Church Good, Or What?

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Oh, church, let’s stop talking about ourselves. What a great job we’re doing. How we’re helping the poor. Please. For our own good.

We are losing our reward.

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you (Matthew 6:1–4).¹

Think about this. Would you go around telling people how good you are at giving to the poor? No? Then why do our churches?

Please, let us stop boasting about what great speakers our pastors are. Why? Paul told us.

And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (1 Corinthians 2:3–5).

Paul wanted those folks in Corinth to be confronted by the truth of God’s word, not by his awesome ability to communicate, but only by the power of God. Listen. People are only convicted of their sins by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, not by our words. By our humor. By our “relevant” messages.

Only the Father—not our on-stage presence—draws people to Jesus. “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44a).

Let us please stop talking about how wonderful our worship is. One church website wrote, “Our music is contemporary, and not only do we like it, we tend to think God likes it too, because He keeps showing up.” Now, think with me about this for a moment. Suppose you were telling someone about how you worship when you play an instrument. Can you imagine yourself saying, “You won’t believe it! God likes the music I play because when I play the piano, He keeps showing up!” Or even if you were in a small group. “Yeah! Our worship is so good that God shows up when we sing!”

Does that sound boastful to you? Or just plain weird?

I know it’s so church-counterculture to say, but we cannot deny that the Bible—the truth we claim to cling to—says this:

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends (2 Corinthians 10:17–18).

Jesus didn’t boast about what He did, either. There’s good evidence that He didn’t want people to talk about what He did at all.

Taking her by the hand he said to her, “Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat (Mark 5:41–43).

Can you imagine any church not broadcasting such an event to anyone and everyone?

If we did, we’d be boasting. Let’s be honest. It would be disingenuous to claim that we didn’t expect people to be drawn to our church because of such a miracle, don’t you think? That we never considered that might happen? No, rather, we should follow the example of the Lord God Almighty.

Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it” (Matthew 9:29–30).

Jesus didn’t need to advertise. Why do we?

And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them” (Luke 5:13–14).

Think about the question I asked above and get back to me. I’d really like to hear your answer.

¹All Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

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