Programs vs. Standards

Why is it that the people that are constantly complaining, saying that the church is all about programs, are the same people who seem to have a standard of what people need to look and act like to be seen as acceptable Christians? I know! I too had to take a second look at that. Let me elaborate:

Let's call him Greg. Greg is the guy that is constantly hanging around after church meetings and major events complaining that "this church" seems to only be about programming. "All we ever do is programming. It's like the program is more important than the people. Does this church even care about people?" You know the kind I'm talking about. They seem to think all the prodestant church has become is an organization/business that is only built to become a mega church. The oximoron of it all is the fact that this same Greg is the same guy frowning at the different guy that just walked in the church doors or worse is hanging outside the front door. Greg is upset because that guy doesn't even look like a Christian and he sure isn't acting like one. That different guy talks like a sailor and it's almost as if he does even care about how he is scaring the people around him. Greg will then do what ever he can to "unintentionally" make the different guy awkward and dismissed.

The same guy that is complaining that the church is only about programs is the same guy that won't change anything about himself or his "expectations" to reach that unchurched guy.

If you look at Jesus' ministry, he didn't even like hanging out with those people who thought they spiritually had it all together. In fact he very often was frustrated, even mad with those people. They thought they were spiritually superior but in fact they were completely missing the point. Jesus was not about changing people from the outside in. HE CHANGED THEM FROM THE INSIDE OUT!

Yet again, when Christianity became a "religion" we forgot about Christ's plan and began with our own. We have this tendency to think that if we can get people to act the right way we might be able to change their heart. In turn all we do is change the immediate behavior and forfeit the life long change.

It's got to be about change from the inside out. And whatever that takes from me and my church...I'm willing to do it. If we can get to someone's heart and in turn change his soul the rest is a cake walk.