In Acts 17 Paul was standing in the midst of the Areopagus addressing the Athenians. Most likely there were many philosophers and yet many more who thought they were wise. Paul had been through Athens and had seen and examined their objects of worship. So he stood in front of them and said this: “What you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). In my opinion this is probably what Paul would say if he stood in the midst of the vast majority of churches today. He would see some singing, some activities, and perhaps even some programs that involve evangelism. But what do we worship if indeed we do worship? What is the core love behind our evangelism and our singing? What God is proclaimed from the pulpit on Sundays and other days?
In the more seeker sensitive churches, as they are called, the seeker appears to be the object of worship. After all, all is done for the so-called seeker. The music is oriented toward the seeker. The sermon is oriented toward the seeker. The lighting and the atmosphere is focused toward the seeker. Excuse me, but if all that is toward the seeker, then the seeker is being treated like God. No wonder some people attend this type of church. They are treated as gods.
Now if these churches were attended by Paul today, what would he say? I bet he would be amazed that so much attention is given to seekers rather than God. “What you worship in ignorance.” Yet the so-called Church today continues on focused on programs and entertainment while the real mission and focus of the Church has been forgotten. Well, we can feel pretty good about ourselves in this light. Really? Isn’t the same thing true of conservative churches? They are focused on keeping the old music, the old morality, the old theology or the old whatever. But where is God? A church can have the old music and not have God. A church can have the old morality and be more like the Pharisees than God. A church can have the old theology and still not have God. A church can be Reformed and be so focused on its theology, theological precision, and being sure that all the people are taught the creeds that it has forgotten about God. All of these things can be done in a way where God is replaced by something else.
Would Paul address our churches as those who worship in ignorance? Would Paul address your church as one which worships in ignorance? We must never forget that the primary seeker in church is God. He seeks those who will worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). In fact, if God is going to be worshipped He must be worshipped in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). One can have a lot of noise and music and it still not be worship of the living God. One can have the correct creed and still not worship the living God. One can have the correct creed and all the outward husks of truth without a heart that adores and worships the living God. Where is God in our churches? Well, some say, He is behind all that we do. Exactly, He is behind rather than in the front being worshipped and exalted. A known God will be set forth and proclaimed. Those who are ignorant of God will have Him behind everything. The Pharisees had God behind everything too. Where is God in the modern Church? Are we sure that He is even there other than in name the few times He is mentioned? Do we really need God in order to keep our churches going? Would we get along just fine without Him? Are we getting along just fine without Him?
Is God in our prayer meetings? Oh, you say, prayer meetings? Well, that is rather an old way to do things. Well, it is said, no one attends prayer meetings any more. When attendance went down to almost nothing we stopped having them. Well, another way to put it would be that when God left the church people stopped attending prayer meetings. Prayer meetings are boring if God is not met there. Prayer meetings are boring if God is not being sought. Prayer meetings are what used to be done when God visited churches. That is the way people used to do things when God was at the center of the Church. You know, that was the way things were when people wanted God to visit the church. We preach and teach on how to make people feel better. We preach and teach on how people should live better lives. We preach and teach on how to make the churches grow. We adjust everything to make people happy in order that they will come or that they will not leave. But when we do those things as they are being done, God is left out. Maybe I am wrong, but when we focus on people like that rather than God, it sure sounds like idolatry to me. Maybe we really are so ignorant of God that we have forgotten the true God so much that we have replaced Him in church with success, numbers, modern music, old music, and orthodoxy. Where is God? Surely He is not in our churches or there would be more love for God and His glory.
God Loves... Himself 
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