Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 22
February 1, 1971
NUMBER 37, PAGE 1-3a

Are You Disenchanted With The Church ?

Wm. E. Wallace

Don't Give Up

Evidence abounds of widespread disenchantment with the church. There are legitimate reasons why one might become disenchanted with a local congregation or with a number of local churches with which he is acquainted. On the other hand, it is possible that one becomes disenchanted because of personal failings. Disenchantment is not peculiar to our generation. Every age has had the problem of drop-outs with regard to faithfulness to Christ and the church. It is hoped you will not join the number.

Disciples of Jesus became disappointed in him (John 6:41-71). Jesus had attracted a following by his works and teachings. The sixth chapter of John records an occasion when the ranks were sadly thinned. A good many disciples could not "dig the bit" about Jesus being the bread of life. Jesus' clarification in which he explained that the words of life are the bread of life didn't grab them either. "After this many of his disciples drew back and no longer went with him." They were disenchanted!

Jesus was no longer an attracting force to those disciples. Why? Let us illustrate the reason with principles of magnetism. In magnetism you have the real magnet attracting force and then that which can be attracted by magnetism. Only certain kinds of metal can be attracted to the magnet.

Christ is the magnet — "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto myself" (John 12:32). Those possessed with the proper frame of mind are attracted. Without the right frame of mind they are not attracted. We would point out further that in magnetism soft iron nails are attracted more readily than hard steel needles. But once the hard steel is thoroughly magnetized, it has greater clinging power.

Another thing about magnetism: Anything attracted by a magnet becomes a magnet itself so long as it is in contact with the real magnet. Thus one may lay a line of nails on a table, touching each other, place a magnet at the head of the line and all the nails will be attracted to each other in a chain. Each nail has attracting power because of the real magnet at the head of the line. We will return to this magnet metaphor later in this tract.

Evidences Of Disenchantment

When attendance to church services becomes a drudgery rather than a pleasure, you are slipping. When in the song service there is no melody in your heart, when in preaching there is nothing but the wandering of your mind, when in communion you do not discern the body of Christ, when there is no pleasurable association for you among church members, you are slipping toward disenchantment, my friend.

Causes Of Disenchantment

If you are disenchanted with the church, it would be well to consider carefully the causes of your disenchantment.

Perhaps you have held misconceptions about the church as a social club and thus when social entertainment experienced in church circles is not competing well with more professional entertainment, disinterest sets in. Others have thought of the church as an utopia, an heaven on earth. Thus when the imperfections of the people are manifested, disappointment sets in. It is certain that some have thought of the church as an undisciplined relationship where members are free to live as they please. When Biblical restrictions are applied, such people become discouraged. A proper understanding of what the church is and what it is for may solve your problem.

There are countless case histories of unhappy experiences in church life. Personality conflicts, divisions and schisms, inconsistency in lives of members, have constituted stumbling blocks to many. A lack of lustre, a gleam-less air among members is a major factor in the discouragement of some. This may be due to poor leadership, dull worship or a lifeless outreach.

It is important to consider possibilities regarding your personal situation. Maybe you are disenchanted because of a personal "flame-out." Maybe you are running out of steam, out of the fuel of spirituality. Perhaps the cares of the world, riches or pleasures, led to your disenchantment with the church.

The Bible says, "Examine yourselves" and asks, "Know ye not your own selves"? (2 Corinthians 13:5) It is important first of all for you to ascertain just what has caused your disenchantment!

Returning to our illustration of the magnet: when we become disenchanted with the church it may be due to the congregation's detachment from the Christ-magnet. The congregation may have lost its magnetic pull. It may be that you are unattached, you may have thus lost your quality to be attracted and thus to be magnetized.

Things which cause churches to lose their magnetism are: (1) They may have become attached to a party-spirit rather than to Christ. (2) They may be detached from Christ and attached to error. (3) They may be detached from Christ in lifelessness. (4) They may be detached from Christ in divisiveness. The fact that some local churches have become afflicted with these ailments doesn't mean that the whole body of Christ is ineffectual.

Things causing individuals to lose their magnetism: (1) They may have become detached from meaningful experience in worship. (2) They may have become detached from energizing fellowship with other saints. (3) They may have become detached from words of life through lack of study. (4) They may have been attached to individuals rather than to Christ the real magnet. (5) They may have been poor "metal" or wrong material to start with.

What is your trouble? It is important for you to fmd out! Then the problem can be attacked.

When one becomes disenchanted with the church he may search for novel religious experiences. He might turn to religious fads, fables, fetishes, to psychological and emotional experiences erroneously attributed to the Holy Ghost. (2 Timothy 4:4) He may embrace other religious fellowships and apostatize from the one faith. He may just become detached from the church, holding no usefulness to God, church, or fellow man. He may just "cop out," quit the church and become secular, worldly, and possibly immoral.

Maybe it will help you to face some facts. Have you forgotten that God planned the church, prepared it and prophesied it? Have you forgotten that Christ died for the church, that he is the head of it, and the saviour of it? Do you realize that the church is composed of God's elect people? When you become disenchanted with the church you are disenchanted with the church of which God is the architect, the church for which Christ died, which he dearly loves. (Read Ephesians 1:1-23; 5:23-30; I Peter 1:1-11).

In John 6:41-71, people are taught to feed on Christ. This means to absorb his teaching, reflect his character, develop his mind, imitate his ways. When we appropriate his character, letting his mind become our mind, his way our way, think as he would think if he were in our place, we allow his power to become our power. His magnetic force is thus reflected in our lives and as we are drawn to him we draw and attract others. Our lives become useful, radiant, and attractive to those who can be magnetized with the truly good things of life. To be precise, we must imbibe biblical teaching. "Search the scriptures" (John 5: 39). We must learn of Christ — Matt. 11:29; we must "let the word of Christ dwell in us richly" — Colossians 3:16.

One must become saturated with biblical principles, obsessed with service to others and to the church. He will examine himself, know himself, correct himself and lend his personal magnetism towards the curing of individual and church ailments. He will not become disenchanted, he will become challenged. He will be cheered to experience Christ at work through his personal life. He comes to realize what the Bible means when it says, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).

The antidote for disenchantment is to get busy and make sure you are attached to the real magnet. Could it be that you are too far down in the line of nails magnetized to the real magnet? Perhaps you are hanging too far toward the end of the line! Work your way up and become attached to the real magnet. Attach yourself to Christ, not to men, and consider yourself magnetized for the purpose of upgrading your church environment. Don't bemoan it or demean it, do something for it!

If you are disenchanted with the church make sure first of all that it is not your fault. Seek help from magnetized fellow-Christians if necessary, and then lend the power of Christ's magnetism in your life to the aid of other Christians and to the church in its ailments.

In conclusion let me point out that if you take a lifeless iron bar, hold it with one end to the ground, and jar it with a hammer on the end, it will become a magnet. Its molecular structure is so rearranged by the jolt as to make it a magnet. Perhaps you need a spiritual jarring. Christ and His word can do it for you.

(Editorial note: The foregoing fine article is one of the new "Tract of the Month" series, now being published by the Gospel Guardian Company. These excellent short tracts are printed on a single accordion folded sheet, and are ideal for use by both individuals and churches. The messages are brief, to the point, and persuasive. The cost is $6.00 per hundred. There will be a new title available each month. The list as of now includes, in addition to the above, "A Christian Only," by Lindy McDaniel; "How To Study The Bible," by Robert H. Farish; "What Is Truth?" by Robert Farish and William Wallace, and "This Is Right," by Patrick Farish. A "standing order" for the new title that appears each month would be a highly worthwhile investment by any congregation or individual. )