I recently read a great blog post from the guys at The Resurgence.  The post stated the differentiating characteristics between communities of believers centered around grace and those centered around performance.  It was a great article for the church today, because I think many of our churches are struggling with being authentic.  I believe part of being authentic is being anchored in the grace of God, not in our own performances.  Tim Chester really hits the nail on the head with his article here.

I have to ask the question, “Do you know where you come from?”  And I don’t mean this in the sense of your physical being.  I am talking about your life in general.  Do you know the heritage of your family?  Do you know the heritage of your church?  Do you know the heritage of your faith?  I think these are very important questions to ask, because we all need to know the sacrifices that were made by those before us who ultimately helped us get where we are.  And not only should we know where we come from, we must also be aware of those coming after us.  What will the church in America look like for our great grandchildren?  We must think about this, because it is what we are doing today that will pave the way for those who will come tomorrow.  We must know our heritage, but we must also recognize the legacy we are leaving behind.

Why is it that the church is losing people left and right?  Why is it that the church is struggling to meet the needs of the people?  Why is it that the church has become so ineffective, to put it in bluntly?  I believe one of the main reasons is that the church comes off as being fake.  People can see right through us if we are being fake.  The world NEEDS the church to be authentic.  We need to be authentic in our worship, in our relationships, in our purpose, in our identity.  We need to realize the needs that are around us, and do the best we can to meet those needs.  That will be authentic to the world.  We need to care and love for each other and for our neighbors who are outside the walls of the church.  That will be authentic.  We need to gather in our communities to worship our God with our entire being.  That will be authentic.  Those outside the church are looking in saying they want nothing to do with us, because we aren’t real.  God is the ultimate reality.  It is the church’s purpose to show that.