McChurch: 300 Million Served and Still Hungry

by Dr. Stan Moody

My book is my appeal to millions of American Christians who have been pushed out of an evangelical church that has lost its bearings in its worship of the American Dream of health, wealth, financial success and nationalism.  Calling the evangelical church a “Christian Ghetto,” I seek to dismantle the foundation on which the Christian Right has built its power base — the illusion of
u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt 0.5in”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″>It comes down to a simple formula.u003cspan> nu003c/span>Those (Christians) making the racket in the public square want to restore nin America what they consider to be its former Christian roots…Their approach is nhardly distinguishable from any other political movement, and they are not naverse to condemning others with biblical pronouncements that are familiar only nto those in the Christian ghetto that passes as church.u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt 0.5in”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″> u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont sizeu003d”3″>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond”>A case in point is the perennial debate in Washington for a nConstitutional amendment codifying marriage as between two people of the nopposite sex.u003cspan> u003c/span>u003c/font>u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont sizeu003d”3″>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond”>”With Evangelicals enjoying the same divorce rate as nthe rest of our society, this is another denigration of the faith,” Moody ndeclares.u003cspan> u003c/span>”Marriage is a sacrament nof the church and ought to be reinforced there first.u003cspan> u003c/span>Instead, we are attempting to make it a nsacrament of the State.u003cspan> nu003c/span>Evangelicals have sacrificed their trust in a sovereign God for the nappearance of morality rather than its inner reality.u003cspan> u003c/span>u003c/font>u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″>”They no longer believe that the God they profess to nworship is capable of reforming America through the church.u003cspan> u003c/span>As a result, we as a nation are faced nwith two opposing humanist agendas (liberal and conservative) that have factored nGod out of the business of governing.”u003cspan> nu003c/span>That, in Moody’s opinion, spells disaster for America.u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>”,1]
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America as a Christian nation and its own moral superiority.

I am alarmed.

After serving two terms in the Maine House of Representatives, I see the political system adrift with secular humanists running out of ideas and the Christian Right abandoning its faith for a moral code it is itself incapable of following.

My book, McChurched: 300 Million Served and Still Hungry (Just Write Books, Topsham, Maine), is my appeal to millions of American Christians who have been pushed out of an evangelical church that has lost its bearings in its worship of the American Dream of health, wealth, financial success and nationalism.

Calling the evangelical church a “Christian Ghetto,” I seek to dismantle the foundation on which the Christian Right has built its power base — the illusion of
u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt 0.5in”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″>It comes down to a simple formula.u003cspan> nu003c/span>Those (Christians) making the racket in the public square want to restore nin America what they consider to be its former Christian roots…Their approach is nhardly distinguishable from any other political movement, and they are not naverse to condemning others with biblical pronouncements that are familiar only nto those in the Christian ghetto that passes as church.u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt 0.5in”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″> u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont sizeu003d”3″>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond”>A case in point is the perennial debate in Washington for a nConstitutional amendment codifying marriage as between two people of the nopposite sex.u003cspan> u003c/span>u003c/font>u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont sizeu003d”3″>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond”>”With Evangelicals enjoying the same divorce rate as nthe rest of our society, this is another denigration of the faith,” Moody ndeclares.u003cspan> u003c/span>”Marriage is a sacrament nof the church and ought to be reinforced there first.u003cspan> u003c/span>Instead, we are attempting to make it a nsacrament of the State.u003cspan> nu003c/span>Evangelicals have sacrificed their trust in a sovereign God for the nappearance of morality rather than its inner reality.u003cspan> u003c/span>u003c/font>u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″>”They no longer believe that the God they profess to nworship is capable of reforming America through the church.u003cspan> u003c/span>As a result, we as a nation are faced nwith two opposing humanist agendas (liberal and conservative) that have factored nGod out of the business of governing.”u003cspan> nu003c/span>That, in Moody’s opinion, spells disaster for America.u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>”,1]
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America as a Christian nation and its own moral superiority:

It comes down to a simple formula.  Those (Christians) making the racket in the public square want to restore in America what they consider to be its former Christian roots…Their approach is hardly distinguishable from any other political movement, and they are not averse to condemning others with biblical pronouncements that are familiar only to those in the Christian ghetto that passes as church.

A case in point is the perennial debate in Washington for a Constitutional amendment codifying marriage as between two people of the opposite sex.

With Evangelicals enjoying the same divorce rate as the rest of our society, this is another denigration of the faith.  Marriage is a sacrament of the church and ought to be reinforced there first.  Instead, we are attempting to make it a sacrament of the State.  Evangelicals have sacrificed their trust in a sovereign God for the appearance of morality rather than its inner reality.

“They no longer believe that the God they profess to worship is capable of reforming America through the church.  As a result, we as a nation are faced with two opposing humanist agendas (liberal and conservative) that have factored God out of the business of governing.

 

That, in my opinion, spells disaster for America.

“If religion, taken as part of a larger social context, is nno longer operative, then we are left with the conclusion that cultural problems ncan be solved only through political or military means.u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont sizeu003d”3″>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond”>u003cspan> u003c/span>”The nworld is in dire need of a message of hope from a church gone nmad.”u003c/font>u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″>Despite the current condition of the church, Moody believes nthat there is and has always been a remnant of believers that he calls the nChurch in Exile.u003cspan> u003c/span>It is to them that nhe appeals.u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont sizeu003d”3″>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond”>u003ci>McChurchedu003c/i> nis a must read for concerned, thoughtful believers who are confused by the nseemingly inconsistent actions of those claiming to speak for God.u003cspan> u003c/span>Failing to follow the teaching and nexample of Christ is a deadly prescription for the church and for American nlife.u003cspan> u003c/span>He refers to that phenomenon nas “Christian Atheism.”u003cspan> nu003c/span>u003c/font>u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-indent:0.5in;line-height:150%”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″>Moody is devoting his time and energy to raising a voice nfor thoughtful believers of the Church in Exile.u003cspan> u003c/span>Through his organization, the Christian nPolicy Institute, he intends to continue publishing policy papers on social and neconomic issues and be an advocate for change.u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;line-height:150%”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond” sizeu003d”3″> u003c/font>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-align:center” alignu003d”center”>u003ci>u003cspan styleu003d”font-size:14pt”>u003cfont faceu003d”Garamond”>Contact the author:u003cspan> u003c/span>Stan Moody, POB 240, Manchester, ME 04351, n207/626-0594u003c/font>u003c/span>u003c/i>u003c/p>nu003cp styleu003d”margin:0in 0in 0pt;text-align:center” alignu003d”center”>u003ca hrefu003d”mailto:[email protected]” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>”,1]
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If religion, taken as part of a larger social context, is no longer operative, then we are left with the conclusion that cultural problems can be solved only through political or military means.

The world is in dire need of a message of hope from a church gone mad.

 

Despite the current condition of the church, I believe that there is and has always been a remnant of believers that he calls the Church in Exile.  It is to them that I appeal.

McChurched is for concerned, thoughtful believers who are confused by the seemingly inconsistent actions of those claiming to speak for God.  Failing to follow the teaching and example of Christ is a deadly prescription for the church and for American life.  I refer to that phenomenon as “Christian Atheism.”

I am now devoting my time and energy to trying to raise a voice for thoughtful believers of the Church in Exile.  Through my organization, the Christian Policy Institute, I intend to continue publishing policy papers on social and economic issues and be an advocate for change.