Whatever became of the church?

While you can't always judge a book by its cover, nevertheless, often is the case that what you see is what you get.

Take church buildings, for example. While in Russia, I had the privilege of visiting many beautiful Catholic and Russian Orthodox cathedrals. The sculptures in the Catholic churches and the paintings in the Orthodox churches reveal great love and reverence for the Lord Jesus Christ and for the holy Scriptures.

There was a time when one could walk into almost any Protestant church and expect to find an altar of pulpit with an open Bible, a communion table, a baptistery and crosses. It was evident to all what the church was all about.

Today, the altar and communion table have been replaced by a stage. The pulpit and open Bible have been replaced by a music stand and the latest best-seller. The drama team stands where the preacher once stood. The baptistery is gone.

Our churches used to consider of first importance the atoning work of Jesus Christ and anything directly linked to the death and resurrection of our Lord - the preaching of the Gospel, baptism and the Lord's Supper. However, today many of our churches are so sanitized that nowhere is there a drop of Christ's blood to be found.

Next time you go to church, take a look - a good look. What you see is often what you get.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

See you in church, friend.

-- Ken Haskins is pastor of First Christian Church in Carson City.