Ministry News

Why Larry Crabb Won’t Go to Church Anymore

Details: Friday, 04 September 2009 14:33

QUOTE: "Church as I know it usually leaves deep parts of me dormant, unawakened and untouched. Maybe it's familiarly, the predictability of pattern and content that I find boring, superficially exciting at best, where emotions sometimes get stirred that get unstirred by the time I reach my car. ... I think [this] is rather a widespread thing among people in my generation. ... [But] I hope people get away from the idea that God is a genie that you rub a lamp and call it a prayer and you get everything you want. That is not how it works at all. I just hope people would see this is an incredible privilege that there is a vision for the church that is so high and lofty that it is only possible only through people who are fully dedicated to Christ. Hopefully we will get people moving in that direction." —well-known Christian psychologist and author Larry Crabb, who after 65 years of attending church, admits in his latest book, Real Church, that he doesn't want to go anymore—at least not if things remain status quo. While spending months querying people about their thoughts on today's church, Crabb says his "disappointment, frustration and concern with church" seems to be a consensus. Rather than just presenting a list of problems, he hopes his latest book offers a vision of the kind of church God desires. [christianpost.com, 8/28/09]

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-1 #26 Alan Toth 2009-09-08 08:30

Let's face it for all it has done and still does to manifest God's rule in Jesus Christ the c hurch as institution and the C hurch as Body of Christ is not up to the challenge posed by a dominant secular culture. It is caught either in a one dimensional salvation treadmill or copying the mindless activism of the secular right or left. It is not up to working out what it means to manifest the fullness Christ embodies and means to have incarnated both in worshipping communities and as a winsome biblical peoplehood. Our house is divided with no common mind for how we should exist in secular culture. So, opinion, not wisdom reigns.

Until some kind of reformation occurs that pulls out all the stops on a deep and comprehensive incarnational perspective that can inform all action the C/church will continue to lose ground. It's a very disheartening situation and probably irreversable without a broadening and deepening of existing rededmptive paradigms.

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0 #25 peggy 2009-09-08 06:51

Ther are so many good churches out there. If one does not meet what you are looking for keep searching and ask God to direct you. Do not settle for just anything goes. Line up all you hear and see with Gods word and then stay in one that does and don't forget we all need forgiveness and to forgive. People in the church are at all stages of their walk. We all are walking the walk as christians. Some at a slower pace and some are running. Every part of the body of christ is needed.

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0 #24 AMMK 2009-09-08 01:06

I understand what Larry Crabb is expressing. I no longer want to attend "church" as part of a religious ritual. I personally desire a deeper relationship with God.
Why don't we stop arguing about what Larry Crabb has expressed, and begin to look at ways to deepen our relationship with God. Does the church address this point. How can the church aid us in deepening our relationship with God? Where does discipleship fit into all of this?

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+1 #23 TheresaD 2009-09-07 02:02

I am deeply saddened by the number of comments I have read on this thread condeming Larrys place in his walk with the Lord and the church as "unbiblical" or "selfish" etc . I contend many of you who are exhorting him to read his bible to see what God has to say about the church are yourself only seeing the "church" in scripture according to the paradigm you have been taught and exposed to in the institutional expression of church which in so many ways is contrary to the expression of ecclesia described in the word of God. Larry is likely beginning to deal with the tension of knowing "something isn't quite right" but how do I deal with it.
Consider rather than praying that Larry come back to the church as you know it or God would show him where he is wrong maybe you do not yet see what Larry does and just pray for the wisdom of God be given to him which He gives to all who ask for it of which Larry likely longs for as do we. Blessings to all!! :-)

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+1 #22 Dena 2009-09-06 17:14

I get the impressions that Fredrick has a point. This dude has "lost touch" with the Lord. but I think the best thing to do here is pray for the guy. He's probably, been through a lot himself. Sometimes when you're in the scientific field and you're a Christian you get attacked pretty hard. Let's pray for this guy to get his perspective straight instead of knocking him over the head with the Scriptures. Ever stop to think that he's possibly in some serious spiritual pain?

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-1 #21 Frederickj3 2009-09-06 10:12

We don't go to church to get our flames lit, our feelings touched or to have our "dormant deep parts" (unbiblical nonsense) stirred. (If your deep parts are dormant then you should get born again.) We don't go to get entertained or "fired up" but to be a blessing to God and HIs people! Those who only go to church to get something have forgotten the words of Jesus! It is better to give than to recieve. Go and encourage someone. Go and pray for someone. Go and be the blessing instead of whining that you don't get blessed! Give and it shall be give to you. If you aren't receiving it's because you aren't giving. Stop putting the blame on the church and start being a part of the solution! After 65 years of going to church it is sad that Christian psychologist Larry Crabb doesn't know any better that this. It is even sadder that he'll cetainly inspire other immature Christians to say, "I knew I was right. I'm going to sleep in on Sunday morning from now on."

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+2 #20 Annaga 2009-09-05 10:52

The book of Acts and the epistles give a pretty clear picture about the kind of church God desires.

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+1 #19 Alan Toth 2009-09-05 10:16

Sounds like like whoever is passing this statement around is trying to stir controversy and create interest so that people will buy Larry's book.

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+1 #18 Charity Quilter 2009-09-05 06:00

Dane be very careful for WE ALL SIN AND FALL SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

A congregation should be a place where a Child of God can go to open his or her heart to God. To be able to pray and HEAR God's answer. To ask for forgiveness from God. To prepare for the Pastors message with an open heart. How can one HEAR God if there is sooooo much noise in the church? How can one prepare for the message with all the noise? A church should be a place of solice and prayer and comfort . How can one get their heart right with God with all the unsettling noise? One can't.

Your church may have 'holy noise', but the church we visited sounded like devil worship. It grieved me so. The Holy Spirit clearly gave me discernment. If your 'holy noise' church is talking about God and going about HIS business, than that is wonderful. Gossip is gossip no matter how you try to word it or compromise.

There is no compromise with God's Word. You are either for HIM or against HIM.

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+1 #17 Dane Gressett 2009-09-05 03:06

It saddens me to read so many people stereo-typing the church: "If so many pastors weren't trying to impress people and get on tv..." (We are part of a network of 25 churches in Virginia, and I don't know a single pastor in our network whose "trying to get on tv".

"We visited a church a few weeks back that was so noisy just minutes before the service started...the Holy Spirit spoke to me, 'gossip'..." (Our church is noisy before church starts and afterwards. Often times more than one-half of the people are still hanging around making noise 30-45 minutes after the service is over! It's the sound of fellowship, of community, of joy!!!!! Hallelujah! these poeple love one another and there's a holy noise!)

PLEASE PEOPLE STOP STEREOTYPING ALL CHURCHES BASED UPON YOUR OWN NARROW EXPOSURE.

GOD HELP US LOVE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY HIS NAME...HOWEVER IMPERFECT THEY (WE) ARE.

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