Today, I want to ask you: Are you a Perfunctory Christian? 

Last week during a private conversation, my son responded to a question with the word:

“Perfunctory!”

Everyone stopped. I blurted out, “ What the heck is that?” Is that a word? Where did you learn that? YOUTUBE?”

Before he could get past responding that yes in fact perfunctory is a word, I had the definition up on my phone and was reading it to our group.

I thought his answer was perfect-unctory. Yeah, yeah, I know. I changed the word. 

Perfunctory – an action done quickly, routinely and without real care, interest or enthusiasm.  

I knew I would be writing about this. I even announced it. 

But the more I thought about that definition, the more uncomfortable I became.

Not because of my son’s answer.

Because I started thinking about my answer to Jesus.

Could I be a perfunctory Christian?

Could I be someone who has learned the language, knows the routines, attends church, reads Scripture, says the right things, and even talks about Jesus – but sometimes does it all quickly, routinely, and without real care, interest, or enthusiasm?

Ouch.

That question isn’t really about whether I look like a Christian.

It is about whether I am living like Jesus actually matters.

There is a big difference between going through the motions of Christianity and actually following Christ.

We can go to church without worshiping.
We can read the bible without listening.
We can pray without surrendering.
We can serve without loving.
We can talk about Jesus without becoming more like Jesus.

And perhaps most troubling of all, we can become so familiar with Christianity that we stop being amazed by Christ.

Familiarity can turn something sacred into something routine.

That got me thinking:

What does a Christian look like when Christianity becomes perfunctory?

And, more importantly, what does a Christian look like when Jesus is anything but perfunctory?

Let’s explore here:

Doing something because we are supposed to vs. doing it because our heart has been changed

As Christians:

We are supposed to go to church.
We are supposed to read the bible.
We are supposed to pray.
We are supposed to give love.
We are supposed to serve others.
We are supposed to look more like Jesus.

Has following Jesus become a routine you perform, or a relationship that is transforming you?

Using myself as an example:

I usually get up around 6:30am. As I walk towards the kitchen, the puppy follows me to be let outside. While he is outside, I am making my coffee. I let him in and he then disappears back to our bedroom for a few minutes. Somewhere in the moment I have turned on my computer. Before I can even sit down to start writing, the other dog comes down the steps from my son’s room. Now, I let both dogs out. When they come back in, they look at me with their best expectations of “FEED ME.” It’s not 7am which is when they are fed and I want to write, so I protest and ignore them. I sit down to write and both dogs start to annoy me because they want to get fed. I want to write. They want to eat. I get angry at them because it is not 7am yet. And so, resentfully, I get up and feed them. Not out of love. I feed them because I want to be left alone so I can write! Do you know what I am going to write about? Jesus. 

That’s just not right. 

When I let life get in the way. When I let cult-ure distract me from Jesus, I do not look more like Jesus. In fact, I look less like Jesus. Sadly, when I let life get in the way, as my morning routine is described above, perfunctory gets applied to my Faith.

I go to church because I am supposed to.
I read the bible because that is what Christians are supposed to do.
I pray because that is what Christians are supposed to do.
I skip love because my heart is not in it.
I serve others because that is what Christians are supposed to do.
I can even write about Jesus, because that’s what I do.

This is where I must maintain a FIT SPIRITUAL CONDITION.

Not so I can be better at performing Christian duties.
Not so I can check more boxes.
Not so I can convince others that I am a good Christian.

The purpose is that I never stop witnessing the AMAZING JESUS CHRIST. 

Routines can be healthy. Jesus had routines. Jesus had early morning solitude. He withdrew from crowds regularly, He often taught in public spaces. He also observed the Sabbath. 

The heart of Jesus is core to His character traits of deep empathy, humility and sacrificial love. The heart of Jesus is what gives us HOPE. 

If my heart is not in it, then my Faith suffers. Selfishness rears its ugly head. I am more likely to go down the path where Satan is waiting.  

As I write, I have found a solution to my morning routine struggle. Stop holding on to the idea of feeding the dogs at 7am like it’s some kind of death grip. TAKE HEART – Take a moment and enjoy the dogs…Love on them – that’s why we have them isn’t it? And just feed them already. OUT OF LOVE.

We go to church to worship, witness and fellowship.
We read the bible to know God, to understand His word, and to teach others..
We pray in fervency for others and give ALL the glory and praise to Him.
We give grace and unfailing love because we have received grace and love.
We serve others because Jesus served us.

Then – We look more like Jesus.

That’s the difference.

Perfunctory Christians ask, “What am I supposed to do?” – Routine

A Transformed Christian Heart asks: How can I become more like Jesus? – LIFE.