Is accountability possible without judgment?  Is criticism possible without condemnation?  America’s answer today is “no”…

• advocating a standard for morality is oppression
• accusing of “sin” is hate-speak
• claiming “truth” is objective, not personal, is arrogant and/or ignorant
• sharing the Gospel is imposing one’s beliefs
• contending that human nature is evil (so we need Jesus) is cynical
• voicing an issue with a non-white person unrelated to skin color is racism
• saying something negative about a homosexual individual unrelated to sexual orientation or gender identity is homophobia
• a teacher not giving a good grade to a child is unfair
• a coach coming down hard on players not pulling their weight is a bully
• an employer firing someone not performing well is greedy and/or heartless

The only way to remove Christian standards woven into the fabric of American culture since its inception was to decimate all standards.  Liberation from Bible-based legal and social systems required institution of subjective alternatives in all walks of life.  References to right and wrong had to become taboo.  The only justifiable accusation had to become villainizing anyone who believes someone is wrong.  The pursuit of personal happiness and being “true” to oneself had to become the ultimate virtues.  Providing direction, discipline, or doctrine had to become the consummate vices.

Maintaining the illusion that good is evil (standards) and evil is good (autonomy) has had dire, detrimental effects on…

• Parenting – breakdown of the “traditional” family
• Coaching – evaluating their behavior rather than respecting their authority
• Companies – valuing profit growth over employee growth
• Teaching – favoring indoctrination over education (in schools at all levels)
• Discipleship – undermining the importance of cross-generational mentoring
• Churches – caution about accountability, conforming to consumerism, playing into the hands of media eager to publicly condemn hypocrisy

Silencing Christians, whether externally-enforced or self-inflicted, eliminates the faith and values that foster a healthy society.  We are saved by faith in Christ, but He did not come to abolish the law.  God is a Father who loved us enough to send His Son to pay for our sins but wants us to stop sinning.  The love of a father is never one sided – or it’s not love.  Always giving children what they want spoils them.  Not disciplining children when they’re defiant ruins them.  Saying nothing when Jesus’ Church favors business over biblical principles dishonors the Father.

Love Involves Honesty and Accountability

Contemporary norms have commandeered “love”, redefining it to preclude criticism.  However, there’s no love without honesty – and since no one is perfect…

• a loving dad disciplines his kids
• a great coach critiques the players
• a solid company does performance reviews
• a stellar teacher doesn’t always grade on a curve
• a mentor holds mentees accountable
• a Christ-follower speaks up when churches aren’t making disciples

We can criticize Church and still love it – in fact, remaining quiet today calls into question one’s love for the Church.  We’ve read the end of the story (in Revelations) so we know the Church wins.  As Christ’s bride, nothing on this earth is more important.  We’ve also read the opening chapters of Revelation, know of Martin Luther, and studied the Old Testament prophets – so we’re aware what the Church is capable of and how reformers responded.  All the law and the prophets boil down to loving God and loving others – but contrary to modern society’s definition, authentic love is necessarily “tough” at times because it wants the best for God, His Kingdom, and His children.

What does love without accountability look like?…

• parenting without discipline is negligence
• coaching without direction is babysitting
• companies without terminations are unproductive
• teaching without grades undereducates
• discipleship without obedience is an oxymoron
• churches without purity are hypocritical

To be effective, each of those must have a standard and ability for authority figures to impose them.  For example…

• Parent – house rules
• Coach – playbook
• Company – employee handbook
• Teacher – curriculum
• Discipleship – Jesus
• Church – Bible

Believing mankind shouldn’t have a standard for behavior when we know all aspects of society require one to function well is as illogical as denying the existence of a Designer when everything in the world exhibits order.  Order doesn’t come from disorder.  Entropy is a natural law that applies in human social settings as well.  Those standards listed above, and the power to administer them, create order in a society…

• Parenting – ready for life
• Coaching – ready for the game
• Company – ready to perform effectively
• Teacher – ready for a career
• Discipleship – ready for impact and eternity
• Church – ready to make and deploy disciples

Leaving people unprepared for a successful terrestrial and eternal existence is cruel.  By defining criticism as the opposite of love, the world is guilty of the same offense it accuses Christians of committing – condemnation.  While condemning Christians verbally for advocating an objective moral code, it condemns non-Christians relationally to perpetual separation from the Father.  Christians should never condemn – it’s not our place, not in line with God’s plan for us, and counterproductive.  But we must criticize, coach, and counsel in a Spirit of love and compassion – otherwise we become as cruel and condemning as the world.

What Does this Blog Criticize about the Church?

This blog began over 11 years ago and is based on a quarter-century of work with thousands of churches across the U.S.  It’s written in a Spirit love for the Church.  It’s written with a sense of urgency out of concern for practices and trends associated with the church growth movement.  Yes, the blog is often critical – desperately calling for church reform, yet without condemnation.  Love for the Father compelled Isaiah and Jeremiah to speak up boldly about disobedience by religious leaders and followers in the Old Testament.  Martin Luther’s motive for posting his 95 Theses on the door of All Saints’ Church in 1517 was the same as ours for posting the 30 Theses for Contemporary Church Reform online in 2015.  The issues differ but are rooted in similar motives and misconceptions 500 years later…

• Dependence – church leaders as focal points, drawing attention to themselves
• Centralization – loyalty to the institution, attendance, and retention as KPIs
• Facilities – heavy investment in construction and maintenance of buildings
• Discipleship – weekly gatherings favored over individualized study and worship
• Compassion – little emphasis on poverty alleviation, hunger, and child welfare
• Evangelism – not equipping well for personal sharing with non-believers
• Consumerism – expectations of giving in exchange for services provided
• Abdication – leaders assuming responsibilities rightfully belonging to members
• Cheap Grace – genuine life change not required, expected, or measured

Fortunately, raising these issues in America today no longer risks persecution by the religious establishment.  Yet despite an increasing number of Christians recognizing how the church growth movement has altered the definitions of “church” (a place vs. people) and its biblical “customer” (members vs. the “lost” in the community), few have the courage to address those tendencies with their pastors.

It’s Your Turn…

How do we balance standing for truth (based on God’s standards) while embracing grace when criticizing a condemning world or a worldly church?