Not That Spiritual

Churches without pastors. Mission fields without missionaries. Ministries without workers. The general consensus seems to be that dedicated, full-time personnel are harder and harder to find; Christian training centers seem to report fewer and fewer candidates training for vocational ministry. Churches have to search longer and longer to find pastors, and many church members have to stretch their brains to remember the last time anyone in their church entered full-time Christian service.

Why aren't there more Christian workers? Why does vocational ministry seem to be an exception? Don't young people have a heart for God anymore? I'm not expert enough to provide reliable statistics or comprehensive answers, but I have some observations and a theory.

First, there are some rising Christian workers. There are young men training for the ministry and young couples on deputation as missionaries. There are families giving "more than their share" and churches regularly seeing young people enter Christian service.

Since some churches and families do produce workers, and since other churches and families have a great dearth, it would appear that part of the answer lies in the spiritual atmosphere surrounding young people. Some atmospheres foster decisions toward Christian service, while other atmospheres squelch such pursuits. Those who enter vocational service must be called by God, but a large part of being sensitive to God's call stems from the encouragement of church and family. Godly role models are very important, as it is unusual for someone to pursue vocational ministry when such service is not valued and exemplified before him. Without good role models and positive perceptions of full-time service, a young person is unlikely even to consider such a path.

Do young people today have a heart to serve God? I believe many do. The question generally is not whether or not young people have a desire to live for God; the question is how far they want to take that. Short-term mission trips are popular, but long-term missionaries are rare. A summer of camp ministry is embraced, but a lifetime as a pastor is less common. Young people will help with VBS or participate in a special outreach, but choosing a lifetime as a Christian school teacher is another story. Young people have interests and aspirations; they want to be doctors, nurses, businessmen, accountants, athletes, musicians, coaches, therapists, and more. Serving God is squeezed in around those other interests.

Why isn't serving God a paramount interest? My theory is that an underlying thought prevails: "I don't want to be that spiritual." There is a perception that pastors, missionaries, and other vocational workers have to be "super" Christians. They have to be fully dedicated. They have to attend church faithfully. They have to be willing to give up pleasures and entertainment. They have little time for themselves. They have to prepare and train diligently. They have to be fervent students of the Word and have to live out their Christianity consistently. They have to maintain a testimony that is above reproach and that rises above their peers. Such requirements are too extreme and too demanding. Therefore, people (adults included) settle for "normal" Christianity with occasional service that allows for pursuing personal interests and living a more relaxed lifestyle.

Are the perceptions listed above valid? I believe they are. Much damage has been done to the work of Christ by telling people that "anyone" who is willing can serve God, generally with allowances for however someone wants that service to be. Willingness has become the only requirement, leading to a compromise in standards and an overall weakening of the impact of the church. Consider the following sampling of verses.

"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (Romans 12:1). "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). "Do not love the world nor the things in the world" (I John 2:15). "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: ... to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 1:27). "Endure hardship" (II Timothy 4:5). "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season" (II Timothy 4:2). "Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). "In speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe" (I Timothy 4:12). "An overseer, then, must be above reproach, ... temperate, prudent, respectable, ... gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money ... and he must have a good reputation with those outside the church" (I Timothy 3:2-3,7). "Flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness" (II Timothy 2:22).

It should be noted that many of the above verses apply to all Christians; it is also true that God holds a high standard for those in positions of oversight. Full-time service will indeed require and cost something extra, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth it. I believe God's requirements and expectations are what hold many people back. They want to please and serve God, but not to an extreme, not if it costs too much, not if it means being "that spiritual."

Instead of seeing adults around them who are caught up in the pleasures of the world and in pursuing their own interests, what if young people could see adults who love God with all their hearts and who willingly relinquish worldly pursuits? What if young people saw more examples of adults who are "all in" for God, who joyfully and willingly live lives that are dedicated and different? Would more young people realize that serving God full-time is not just okay, but appealing? Can we as adults live in such a way to inspire such devotion? Can we be "that spiritual"?