The ladies made sure that all the lights were turned off and that they had looked through all of the rooms of the church, prior to heading for the door. They both stopped at the door, turned and looked at the sanctuary one last time and sighed…how did it come to this, they wondered. How did their little church, that once had children and teenagers and …

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IDENTITY IN?

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:5 NASB)
When Jesus was walking with His disciples, He asked them two questions. The first was a question we ourselves can answer, just as the disciples did then, 
“Who do men say that I am?”
We read that all the disciples answered. Most of our members in our small churches would answer this question without hesitation. 
Why? 
Because it is an easy question. 
Phrased differently, the question might go, “What does your Sunday School lesson book say ABOUT Jesus?” Or, “What does your Pastor say ABOUT Jesus?”
We can answer this without hesitation because it is someone else's answer.
But when Jesus asks the next question, 
“But who do YOU say that I am?” we read only Peter answers.
Just like us today, those that walked with Jesus then were confronted with a question that made them think about their personal relationship with Him.
He wasn't asking them to define who He was - He is the I AM, the Alpha and the Omega. He doesn't need us to define WHO He is - He is asking WHO IS HE TO US?
And today, we find the same conditions that were then - the single most important question we will ever answer…but unlike then, we don't have to answer that question.
We aren't confronted by the incarnate Jesus. We go to church and go to Sunday School and have our potlucks, year after year, without anyone ever asking that question of another person.
And year after year we bemoan our circumstances - “We don't have enough money!” Or “How come we don't have visitors?”

ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS:

When Jesus asks the right questions, He got the answers He was expecting.
We ask the wrong questions and receive the wrong solutions.
Instead of asking “Why aren't more people attending?” which can lead to a solution, or answer like this; “If we want more people to attend, then we need to do something that will attract them…like having our Pastor jump off a diving board into jello!”
You see, if we ask the wrong question, we can follow logic that leads us to a carnal answer.
But Jesus asks the RIGHT question and knows that it will be a TOUGH question.
So, we too, have the opportunity to begin asking the right questions.
But there is a caveat here…
UH OH…
I know of church that we've worked with about this very issue. They prayed for guests to attend their Sunday morning worship. And for five weeks no one showed up. But then the sixth week, a family attended for the first time. 
That Sunday evening we met with the small church to discuss the morning and God answering prayers, but heard this, “Did you see how badly behaved those children were? They were so disrespectful during worship!”
That's right - the church prayed for visitors and then complained when God brought them to the church.

SO - WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?

I am saying that we, as Small Churches, have no corner on the market when it comes to our ability to assess members Spiritually. 
If we aren't asking the right questions, we will continue to get what we've gotten. We know HOW to go to church. We know HOW a church functions.
What we're having issues with is the Spiritual Maturity of those people who claim they are disciples of Jesus Christ.
I'm saying, that most members of a Small Church are IDENTIFIED by WHAT THEY DO at the church, rather than being IDENTIFIED by JESUS CHRIST EVERYWHERE.
HOW ABOUT YOUR CHURCH?­

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In an USA Today post on April 6, 2021, the article was about DEMI LOVATO, who started her career on Barney and Friends and then went on to star on the Disney Channel. She now has a popular webcast called, “Dancing with the Devil,” where she, among other issues, describes her battle with addiction. Ms. Lovato nearly died from a 2018 incident where she contracted alcohol poisoning. She recently addressed her position today with her addictions:

“I am ‘CALIFORNIA SOBER’ – I can’t be totally sober or I would fail. But a little alcohol and weed is just right for me!”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2021/04/06/demi-lovato-dancing-devil-explores-california-sober-concept/7089763002/

SMALL CHURCH IMPACT:

Many of our Small Churches have this same idea, “I can’t be a TOTAL DISCIPLE OF JESUS…A Little of the World is just right for me.”

While I don’t like the title of this book, I think this author has touched upon one of the more urgent issues the church faces, at least in American churches:

BULLS**T JOBS: DAVID GRAEBER

From wikipedia…

“Bullsh*t Jobs: A Theory” is a 2018 book by anthropologist David Graeber that postulates the existence of meaningless jobs and analyzes their societal harm. He contends that over half of societal work is pointless, and becomes psychologically destructive when paired with a work ethic that associates work with self-worth. Graeber describes five types of meaningless jobs, in which workers pretend their role is not as pointless or harmful as they know it to be: flunkies, goons, duct tapers, box tickers, and taskmasters. He argues that the association of labor with virtuous suffering is recent in human history, and proposes universal basic income as a potential solution.

American anthropologist David Graeber posits that the productivity benefits of automation have not led to a 15-hour workweek, as predicted by economist John Maynard Keynes in 1930, but instead to "bullsh*t jobs": "a form of paid employment that is so completely pointless, unnecessary, or pernicious that even the employee cannot justify its existence even though, as part of the conditions of employment, the employee feels obliged to pretend that this is not the case."

In society, he credits the Puritan-capitalist work ethic for making the labor of capitalism into religious duty: that workers did not reap advances in productivity as a reduced workday because, as a societal norm, they believe that work determines their self-worth, even as they find that work pointless. Graeber describes this cycle as "profound psychological violence" and "a scar across our collective soul". Graeber suggests that one of the challenges to confronting our feelings about bullsh*t jobs is a lack of a behavioral script in much the same way that people are unsure of how to feel if they are the object of unrequited love. In turn, rather than correcting this system, Graeber writes, individuals attack those whose jobs are innately fulfilling.

And so, Graeber continues, bullsh*t jobs justify contemporary patterns of living: that the pains of dull work are suitable justification for the ability to fulfill consumer desires, and that fulfilling those desires is indeed the reward for suffering through pointless work.

The correlative aspect in the church is that most of those who serve in the church are more identified by WHAT THEY DO, rather than an identity in JESUS CHRIST.

When our value comes from how much we DO at the church, then the measurement of success is only measured while we are at the church. It has produced a comparative nature in the member; “I am at the church all the time - not like Edwin, he never volunteers…!” Or, since we are identified by what we do at the church, we have compartmentalized those hours at the church from our everyday life. We only do things “Churchy” at the church.

It has also caused the Small Church to become anesthetized to the mundane week-by-week, Spirit-less worship and has created a hidden, underlying consumerist value system.

In 2018 LifeWay Research published its findings on; “Most Churchgoers Say God Wants Them to Prosper Financially”

https://lifewayresearch.com/2018/07/31/most-churchgoers-say-god-wants-them-to-prosper-financially/

What a revealing statement about our churches. This “quid-pro-quo” attitude that expects God to bend to our expectations. We have become that which we were warned about…

17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (NASB)

ME-ISM

Studies show there has been a 30 percent increase (in the last 30 years) in teenage narcissism. More kids today think they are more awesome than everyone else. Many teens struggle with narcissism because they are constantly faced with social media, reality TV and technology that tells them they are stars and entitled to do and say whatever they want.

Children aged 9 to 11 now hold “fame” as their No. 1 value. Fame ranked 15th in 1997. —Journal of Psychology Research on Cyberspace

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/study-tweens-aim-for-fame-above-all-else.html

As time goes on, we find ourselves at a crossroads in our churches…What will the United States look like 5 years from now? 10 years? 20…? We face a challenge that is ours to accept, or hide from.

I read an article online recently. It illustrates how we’ve become dull of the influence of the Holy Spirit in our churches, and in ourselves;

A New York City businessman decided to avoid a $20 service charge by replacing a fluorescent light himself. After he had smuggled a new light into his office and put it in place, he decided to get rid of the old tube by throwing it in the trash can near his subway stop. That night he got on the subway holding the seven-foot light vertically, with one end resting on the floor of the car. As the train became more crowded other passengers took hold of the tube, assuming it was a stanchion. By the time the man reached his stop, he simply removed his hand and exited the car, leaving the other passengers gripping the fluorescent tube!

The Small Church Movement exists to encourage, strengthen, and resource the Small Church in the United States. This can only occur when the Holy Spirit is active in each Small Church. We have lost the desire to see what can happen when people are truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. We are like those people who got on the subway and just like everytime they got on the subway before, reached out and grabbed what they thought was the stability pole.

We are holding onto the temporal while God is offering the eternal. We are OK with the worldly while God offers His Kingdom.

Will you pray about supporting The Small Church Movement?

Donate at www.givesendgo.com/thesmallchurchmovement

 CNN Travel : “After More Than Two Decades, There’s A New Busiest Airport”

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/worlds-busiest-airports-2020-coronavirus-pandemic/index.html

 BBC News: “Italian Hospital Employee Accused of Skipping Work for 15 Years”

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56822571

Twitter: “A River in Yosemite National Park Turns To Ice Instantly”

“Many Animals Play Dead…And Not Just Avoid Being Eaten”

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/many-animals-play-dead-and-not-just-to-avoid-getting-eaten/

“YOU BE FRANK, AND I’LL BE ERNEST”:

I remember being a young lad, growing up in Georgia. Playing G. I. Joe’s with my friends, we’d build massive battle grounds and then with great vigor, destroy the entire site using rocks. Those were some fond memories.

But as I got older, I began to see how my imagination of being a soldier, or whatever I wanted to be at that moment, was redefining who I was, in reality.

Even as a teenager I could “get into character” at anytime, to fit the situation. If I didn’t know the answer to a question in class, I became the “Court Jester.”

Even when I was in serious situations like running in a track meet, I would imagine myself being someone else. Someone like Edwin Moses, a great hurdler. I would imagine Edwin smoothly ‘skimming’ over each hurdle as he ran to victory, and so I would emulate his running.

I became a non-person…someone, anyone, but who I was – actually. I say all of this because I see today a great need to be honest about IDENTITY.

THE IDENTITY QUESTION:

We are deluged with appeals from every direction from advertisers and influencers who desire our attention, and our money. From Tik-Tok to YouTube, each of us is urged to watch the world turn through the eyes of someone else.

A group of former managers and executives of Social Media companies started an organization called the Social Dilemma. Their video can be seen on Netflix - you should watch this most revealing documentary. Their premise is that today, especially in the U.S., people have become a commodity, but they don’t know it. When the algorithms used in Social Media, i.e. FaceBook, YouTube, InstaGram, etc, latches onto a user (something these folks say, “The only two industries that use the term ‘USER’, is the drug dealer and Social Media”), when a user is tracked by the algorithm, the user becomes the commodity as each click becomes another breadcrumb for marketers to ‘track’ your likes and desires. This why when you watch a video on YouTube about mountains, you’ll likely begin seeing advertisements about skiing, or vacations to the mountains, pop up while you read your email, when you play a game on your phone, there will be ads about mountain-something, as the businesses try and get you to click on their ad. You are now the thing traded - your attention. (https://www.thesocialdilemma.com/), (https://www.netflix.com/title/81254224)

This is nothing new, the Bible clearly depicts people who turned their attention away from God and instead focused on anything, or anyone, other than Him.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul asks the Galatians; “You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you…”

And in the ultimate “Ask-the-Right-Question” moment, Jesus asks His disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”

Each of the disciples answer with a response. But, then Jesus faces them and asks the most important question of all time, “BUT, WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?” Matthew records that only Peter answers this question…

WHO ARE YOU?:

This question is at the root of the individual and their identity. Jesus knew that it was easy for His disciples to answer the question of what others were saying…the Tik-Tok answers.

But the more difficult question is personal. It makes each of us take stock of who we are in relation to the Son of God.

Jesus wasn’t asking His disciples to define Him, He is already defined – He was asking the individual, the person, “Who am I to you?” And just like the disciples, we immediately are mute in light of our false identity in the light of the One who knows us better than we know ourselves.

THE SMALL CHURCH IDENTITY:

Many Small Churches fight this issue without ever addressing the underlying IDENTITY issue, because the enemy casts a shadow, causing members to avoid asking questions that get to the identity issue.

The group equilibrium takes a higher precedent than getting to the individual quality of identity.

This is easily seen in the memorialization of past, or present, members; “That’s Karen’s kitchen, you better ask her before using those paper plates…”, “That piano was donated by my Great-Grandfather – You CANNOT move it to the other side of the stage!”

The equilibrium of the group becomes the identity of the individual as safety and security of the group encroaches upon the core purpose of why the church exists.

In other words, the church’s purpose becomes existing-so-the-church-can-exist. The group does whatever it takes to ensure the group’s existence. No threat will be tolerated.

The CNN Travel picture of the newest busiest airport is a good illustration of how a Small Church becomes lost in the desire to do something – anything, to make it appear it is alive. But just because you are busy doesn’t ensure you are healthy. Just because an airport is the busiest does not measure whether it is also the most unsafe, or has the most lost luggage, or any number of other issues.

And many Small Churches compare themselves to other churches, whether large or small. This is dangerous, not just in the surface issues of unfair comparisons, but when a member compares their church another, they will also compare themselves to other members - using comparative words, “I am always at the church working, why isn’t Fred up here as much as me…?” This is an indicator of Spiritual immaturity and must be addressed in healthy discipleship.

It is also the Fundamental Attribution Error; when we judge others for their behavior, while we judge ourselves on our intentions.

And just like those animals who play dead, these people are playing alive, while they are really dead.

Dallas Willard wrote, “There has simply been no consistent general teaching or practice under the heading of discipleship among evangelicals of this period: none that would be recognizable as discipleship in terms of biblical teaching or of the Christian past.”

“YOU BE FRANK AND I’LL BE ERNEST”:

So, in a nutshell, we have a predicament in our Small Churches. We don’t really know who we are.

We know HOW to do church. The functional is well-oiled. We know how to do Sunday School, but we aren’t making disciples. We know how to do a Bible study, but we are less engaged with our Bibles than ever before. We know how to give out backpacks, but never share the Treasure of the Gospel…not once…with anyone while we give out backpacks.

Jude writes: “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” Jude 3

His original intention was to write to encourage others about the common salvation shared by believers, but was compelled to redirect his focus to the infiltration of false faith – not from the outside, but from within.

Paul tells the Elders from Ephesus, “29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.” Acts 20:29-30

Our Small Churches are decaying, not from outside seen attackers, but from within. Within each member who is uncertain of their identity IN Christ Jesus.

The Headline Story about the Italian Hospital Worker Skipping Work for 15 Years, is just like the Small Church. We have been “Phoning it in” for far too long. We need to quit making excuses, blaming others, and remember that our lampstand is extremely close to being removed.

SO, WHAT?:

What could “turn this ship” around? It is simple to say – but extremely complex in its application; we need to return to the Biblical principle of IDENTITY in CHRIST.

We MUST be known more for who we are IN Jesus, than what we do for our church.

This video is in SUPPORT OF THE SMALL CHURCH.

And the only way that will ever happen is when we rely upon the Holy Spirit to empower us to DISCERN between DISTRACTION and DISRUPTION. Like the Twitter video of the river freezing instantly, the Power of the Holy Spirit will immediately transform us into people who are more interested in what Jesus Commands us rather than what one political party does, or even what someone wore to church last Sunday…We are DEFINED by Jesus. We are IDENTIFIED by our Love for, and from Him.

LET US PRESS ON…:

Like Paul, we need to press on to be more like Christ, to have the same mind as Him, as we begin to see the world through the lens of someone who clearly listens to the Holy Spirit. It will transform us, our families, our workplaces, our schools and our churches.

SO, ARE YOU FRANK AND ERNEST?

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