The State of the Modern American Church

In light of the decline in many American churches, I have noticed a troubling trend from our modern American zeitgeist. It is one of the most pernicious lies from the devil: that the Christian Church is just a social club.

It is a common attitude among American Christians that one’s local congregation is no different than a bowling league or a country club. From this standpoint, “going to church” is just one of many social activities that we can take part in.

This might explain why so many people seem to view church attendance as an optional thing. Indeed, why do so many never attend the Divine Service, but make it to the congregational fish fry or annual potluck? Why do so many children attend our congregations’ Vacation Bible School (VBS), but never attend Sunday School or the Divine Service?

It seems that, indeed, many view church as nothing more than a social club.

Unfortunately, this same thinking has taken over youth groups and men’s clubs among many Lutheran congregations. There are such groups at Lutheran churches that don’t even pray before meals—let alone study the Scriptures together.

It is as if many American Lutheran churches have become glorified German social clubs—where our Lord Jesus Christ is only a minor part of the church’s overall event programming.

What is the Church?

It is fitting that we reflect on the basic question of what the church is. Is there another model for what the church should look like?

St. Paul writes:

… And he [Christ] is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent (Col 1:18).

The Church is the Body of Christ.

For centuries, faithful congregations have been where Christ administers His gifts of salvation, forgiveness, and faith to his people.

At the church, Christ offers His very body and blood for our sake in Holy Communion. At the church, pastors preach the Word of God to Christ’s people. At the church, Christ forgives us our sins.

All of those aspects of the church are centered around Christ. Christ is the essential Cornerstone of the church, not merely lagniappe (i.e. “something extra” for my non-Louisiana friends). We must not forget this all-encompassing centrality of our Lord Jesus Christ as we lead our churches through an increasingly pagan culture.

For confessional Lutherans, our tradition upholds this Christ-centered view of the church. In On the Councils and the Church, Dr. Luther echoes the Biblical view of what the church is. In this work, the Reformer lists the Seven Marks of the Church: God’s Word, Holy Baptism, Holy Communion, the Office of the Keys, Pastors, Prayer, and the Holy Cross - which encapsulate the essence of the church. Without these marks, then a Christian “church” is not church.

I am not arguing against fellowship and social events within a congregation. In fact, I am a firm supporter of Christian fellowship, and I wish that churches hosted even more community-based, fellowship-based, and service-based events. Nevertheless, those types of events are not the foundation of the Christian Church. Christ needs to remain the center of our local Lutheran congregations. May we repent for the years that we American Lutherans have pushed Him aside to appeal to the ways of the world.

Never forget: The church is not a social club.

Nathan Koenig is a recent graduate of Texas Christian University and a member of Atonement Lutheran Church in Metairie, Louisiana. He blogs at The Tin Can Conservative.