Where's the Passion?

I’ve just re-read a great little book…for about the fourth or fifth time. How Great a Flame by James Logan is subtitled Contemporary Lessons from the Wesleyan Revival and Logan is in the church’s face! He dissects the Wesleyan Revival of the early to mid eighteenth century in England which spilled over to America by the early nineteenth century. He does a good job of painting the historical picture for us, but really gets down to what I see as the meat of the issue when he asks the questions, “Where is the passion for Jesus Christ in our local congregations?" "Is our failure to name the name of Jesus in the public marketplace due to a demotion in rank of Him in our own lives and the life of our congregations?" Wow…right between the eyes! We, the clergy and laity, will reap exactly what we sow. There are too many people sitting in pews and standing in pulpits who lack any type of relationship with Jesus Christ. Many attend church out of habit and some because it is the expedient thing to do. Worried about political correctness, too many churches have become private country clubs with membership limited to those who we like and those who are like us. Unless and until we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ and become fully focused on pointing others to Him, churches will continue to fail. Problem is most of these churches don’t realize they are failing until it is much too late to be revived. Yes, I know you think nothing is impossible for God, but that is not exactly true. It is impossible for God to turn around a failing church who will not be turned…because God has chosen to limit His power and not force us all to become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ…we (clergy and laity alike) must desire that relationship.