I could sum up most sermons I hear delivered at my church as “you’re not doing good enough, do better, try harder, be more religious”
Is this how Jesus preached, or is this how the Pharisees preached? Did Jesus call us to go to temple/church more? No, He said:
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem….Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”John 4:21, 23 NIV
Did Jesus ask us to pray more? No, He said:
“And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words” Matthew 6:7
Did Jesus ask us to be more religious? No, He condemned the Pharisees saying:
“They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” Matthew 23:4 NIV
So why is the church doing the very things Jesus condemned Pharisees and pagans for doing?
But even if Jesus didn’t oppose this, why must sermons just be about encouraging people to be better? Why can’t they talk about things that are going on in the world and talk about how we can help? The poor suffering in our own country and abroad, and charities we can donate to or volunteer with to help. The suffering of women in Afghanistan and everything we can do to help. Wouldn’t that be more beneficial? Wouldn’t that align more closely with what Jesus called us to do, to help others not just ourselves?
Or, why don’t we talk about all the amazing things Christians have done and rejoice in the good that has been done, spread some happiness and positivity instead of tearing people down, build people up instead of tearing them down.
Or turn church into a history lesson that educates Christians on events not in the Bible, like how Christians were responsible for ending blood sports in the Roman empire, and later worked together to end slavery and child labour.
We could also have events that encourage fellowship, real conversation, not just sitting and listening to a lecture then going home at the end.