A Low T Church

I must admit some trepidation in the title and inference of this Fragment, yet I feel compelled and convicted to press the keys… to push into the subject.

Low Testosterone. Our society and culture are consumed with messages and advertisements and remedies for this condition. Quite honestly, my point isn’t to minimize or undermine the physical realities associated with the diagnosis… but simply to draw an unfortunate parallel to the Church; to our deployment of the Gospel… at least in the developed world.

Lifeless. Impotent. Disinterested. Compliant. Cowardly.

The culture of Christ in many communities across our country has become safe and powerless. Christian effectiveness is measured more by our ability to blend in, than by our wattage against the backdrop of darkness.

This is not an invitation to be obnoxious, but to be effective, to be the Church Jesus Himself commissioned. A Church that withstands the gates of hell. A Church that reproduces. A Church that fights for justice. A Church that loves radically. A Church with authority, mercy, and power.

And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. (Matthew 10:1)

Authority delegated from Jesus. To tax collectors. To fishermen. To brothers. Even to a traitor.

Power.

The face of evil is alive. Satan is on a mission to destroy. A low T Church and an impotent Gospel are not what Jesus died for. It’s not why God sent His Son. It’s not what Jesus commissioned.

Our cultural preoccupation and openness to discuss topics like Low T should provide an impetus to candidly assess the performance of the Church; our stewardship of the Gospel; our calling as disciples.

Perhaps the biblical scholar, Matthew Henry, put it best:

He gave them power over unclean spirits, and over all manner of sickness. The design of the gospel was to conquer the devil and to cure the world. The power that is committed to the ministers of Christ is directly leveled against the devil and his kingdom. The devil is working both in doctrinal errors and in practical debauchery; and in both these, ministers have a charge against him. Christ gave them power to cast him out of the bodies of people…

As Jesus Himself promised… But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

Mercy and power together in a transformational marriage; a culturally impactful combination.

This is the Gospel Jesus asks us to steward. This is the power available to each and every follower of Jesus, the Christ.

This is the lesson we must learn from our sisters and brothers around the globe. Power to love sacrificially. Power to live boldly. Power to cling to biblical truth. Power to extend grace liberally. Power to withstand the schemes and attacks of evil.

Anything less than a potent Gospel is no gospel at all.