A Message in Flesh and Blood
Dick Onarecker
Acts 1:1-5
In 1970, a new discothèque opened in Houston, Texas, named the ‘‘Sanctuary’’. The owner had purchased a huge old church building just off Main Street and converted it into a fancy tavern. At first, the place was a tremendous success, and it seemed as though it would become the most popular den of iniquity in the city. Within a few months however, the business declined so much that the owners went bankrupt. When they polled some of their customers to find out why the place had failed, one of them voiced the reason in a simple manner. He said, ‘‘somehow, the place just never looked like what it was supposed to be.’’ Now, that sparked my mind to ask a question - - Why had that building ever been put up for sale? Weren’t there people who needed to have a lighthouse on that corner? Wasn’t there a need for a church there anymore? It seems that the congregation had become so small they couldn’t keep the doors open any more, and they just sold the place. Why did that happen I wondered? Then, a thought came to mind - - somehow, maybe the place just stopped looking like what it was supposed to be, and the people who attended there forgot who and what they were - - -
One of the nicer things being said about some of the more contemporary, slack churches is that they are ‘‘irrelevant.’’ So many people in our society view the church on the corner as nothing but a colorless collection of religious creeps who come to church, sit with blank stares, then go home. Its entirely probable that the lifeless and nominal attitudes which characterize so many religious people may well have stimulated the famous remark of the pagan philosopher, Nietzsche. When he was confronted with the Gospel, Nietzsche said, ‘‘If you want me to believe in your Redeemer, you’ll have to look a lot more redeemed!’’
If we are willing to be totally truthful, we must admit that there is more than just a l8ittle justification for his charges. This ...
Dick Onarecker
Acts 1:1-5
In 1970, a new discothèque opened in Houston, Texas, named the ‘‘Sanctuary’’. The owner had purchased a huge old church building just off Main Street and converted it into a fancy tavern. At first, the place was a tremendous success, and it seemed as though it would become the most popular den of iniquity in the city. Within a few months however, the business declined so much that the owners went bankrupt. When they polled some of their customers to find out why the place had failed, one of them voiced the reason in a simple manner. He said, ‘‘somehow, the place just never looked like what it was supposed to be.’’ Now, that sparked my mind to ask a question - - Why had that building ever been put up for sale? Weren’t there people who needed to have a lighthouse on that corner? Wasn’t there a need for a church there anymore? It seems that the congregation had become so small they couldn’t keep the doors open any more, and they just sold the place. Why did that happen I wondered? Then, a thought came to mind - - somehow, maybe the place just stopped looking like what it was supposed to be, and the people who attended there forgot who and what they were - - -
One of the nicer things being said about some of the more contemporary, slack churches is that they are ‘‘irrelevant.’’ So many people in our society view the church on the corner as nothing but a colorless collection of religious creeps who come to church, sit with blank stares, then go home. Its entirely probable that the lifeless and nominal attitudes which characterize so many religious people may well have stimulated the famous remark of the pagan philosopher, Nietzsche. When he was confronted with the Gospel, Nietzsche said, ‘‘If you want me to believe in your Redeemer, you’ll have to look a lot more redeemed!’’
If we are willing to be totally truthful, we must admit that there is more than just a l8ittle justification for his charges. This ...
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