Religion is the greatest deterrent to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Thousands are “churched” and not “changed”. There are so many Biblical differences that Jesus communicates concerning being a poser or a practitioner of God’s Word. Jesus shares this with the disciples when they ask how to pray. He shares how not to pray before teaching how to pray here in Matthew 5:6-8 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”  

1) Churched prayer is for an audience
2) Churched prayer loves big words
3) Churched prayer is long in public
4) Churched prayer involves convincing God of what He doesn’t know
5) Churched prayer forgets who they are talking to, but how good they pray.

1) Changed prayer is to simple
2) Changed prayer sincere
3) Changed prayer is to be heart felt
4) Changed prayer is to be respectful
5) Changed prayer is longer in the closet than in the crowds

Watch this video of Ryan and see if it doesn’t explain this “churched” vs. “changed” reality.

VIII Week 2 Plastic Jesus from Shannon O’Dell on Vimeo.