If you’ve been alive and literate for more than 15 minutes, you’ve seen that phrase before.

 

It’s time to erase it.

Remove it from the T-shirts.

Scrape off the bumper stickers.

Uproot the signage from the front yard.

This message distracts from the church’s real message.

“I Love My Church” is like saying, “I Love Applebee’s”

The response is usually a shrug and a mumbled, “Good for you.”

I know what you’re going to say.

“John, people will ask why I love my church! Then I’ll tell them!”

Of course, you will.

You’ll tell them about the awesome children’s program.

You’ll tell them about the great music.

You’ll tell them your pastor preaches barefoot and is ‘really relatable’.

You’ll tell them nobody will judge them.

You’ll tell them there are 3 convenient service times.

You’ll tell them donuts and coffee are free.

And at the end of your sales pitch, they’ll shrug and mumble, “Good for you.”

But maybe not!

They might leave their current church and visit yours!

If your church offers better amenities, they might stick around awhile.

Until they encounter another “I Love My Church” T-shirt.

It’s taken a couple of generations for us to transform ‘The Church’ into an idol.

But we’ve finally succeeded!

The modern Church blots out the view of the Cross.

We’re happy to tell people about Jesus…

…later.

First, we gotta make them feel welcome!

We gotta get em’ in the door!

We gotta let them know they made the right choice on Sunday morning.

“Thanks for joining us! Thanks so very much! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Harsh reality.

You don’t actually love your church.

You love your church ‘brand’.

The church is anyone, anywhere who follows Jesus.

Be honest.

That’s not what you were thinking when you put on that T-shirt.

You gonna keep lurking forever or are you gonna join this exclusive clique?
Stop procrastinating. Click This.

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7 Responses

  1. I personally don’t wear these shirts but I’m certainly not offended by people who do. I believe any way we can get other people to ask or inquire about where we worship, it gives us a chance to put forth the Gospel. There is so much judgement put upon each other these days. I’d rather see such a shirt than ” ____ happens” As you said, we are all the church and body of Christ, praise them that have the courage to proclaim it.

    1. There is so much judgment put upon each other these days. I’d rather see such a shirt than ” ____ happens”
      Y’know, you’re kinda judging people who wear ‘S**t Happens’ shirts…
      It’s okay! Christians are SUPPOSED to judge each other. God expects it. He even gave us a book that is useful for ‘correcting’ and ‘rebuking’ people.

      We are indeed all part of the body of Christ. I still maintain there is a difference between proclaiming the Gospel and promoting my church.

  2. I want to get up on a really tall building and throw copies of this post around like confetti whilst shouting “YES” from the top of my lungs. Sometimes I feel like a complete freak for thinking these things in a church setting, and then you say them, and then I feel better.

  3. I must admit I have one of those shirts which I had as many people in the church sign and I have worn it a couple of times but was somewhat uncomfortable with the “my” part of it. It’s not my church it belongs to Jesus I didn’t die for it he did. It is easy to think your doing right by promoting your church but at what cost. As you point out it’s a sales pitch not evangelism. Hopefully admitting there is a problem is the first step to correcting it so for now my shirt will stay in the drawer.

    1. Good thought about it being God’s church. Maybe print up some T-Shirts that say, “I Love Jesus’ Church”

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