Is Christ welcomed in HIS church?

Recently I had dinner with a good friend, and he was lamenting his inability to find a church that would express true passionate love for Jesus in His area. Although they had great facilities and an excellent program (typical) they were not willing to truly allow the risen Savior to reign in their midst. Discouraged he was contemplating not attending a local church at all! Seeing as I serve to facilitate missional effectiveness among Foursquare churches in the Los Angeles area his response is of great concern to me. Some would blame the era of "seeker-senstivity" that was given prominence by many mega churches. Yet I think the problem runs much deeper than a particular methodology adopted by mostly the more affluent churches in America. I have also visited smaller ethinic churches where one would think that passionate expressions of love for Christ would be welcomed in a more traditional setting. Not so! What is or is not acceptable in a church service may find it's roots in that churches approach to Christology. "Christology determines missiology, and missiology determines ecclesiology" - Alan Hirsch/Michael Frost. Honestly I stayed up very late last night pondering that statement and it's implications on the condition of the American church. Without re-discovering a "Christ-centered" gospel we will continue to reproduce what we currently know is ineffective. Our attempts to be sensitive to those who are unchurched ( I applaud the effort) has left us without solid theology upon to rest the church upon. Now human preference takes precedent over revealed truth. Personally, I am walking through the Gospels again and asking the Lord for fresh eyes and a cleansed heart as I do so. As HE enters my heart again, may it unleash unfettered passion for Him and His mission.

Keith Jenkins