By [OladipoOluwatosin]
It was supposed to be a safe haven. A young woman named Grace had just left the nightclubs behind, her tears wetting the altar as she vowed never to look back at the world that had almost swallowed her alive. But weeks later, she found herself restless. Not because the world was calling louder, but because the church was making more noise than the world she had abandoned.
“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” — 1 Corinthians 14:8
Instead of peace, she met politics. Instead of discipleship, she met division. Instead of the soothing balm of Christ, she encountered the bitter rivalry of men.
Grace’s confusion reflects a troubling reality: today’s church often sounds more like the marketplace than the Upper Room.
The Many Faces of the Noise
1. The Cry of Denominations
The body of Christ has become a house of “us versus them.” My church, your church. My pastor, your pastor. An adage says, “When brothers fight to death, strangers inherit their inheritance.” While believers clash over which denomination carries the true mantle, the devil quietly reaps the souls meant for God’s kingdom.
2. The Power Tussle
From the pulpit to the pew, there’s a scramble for recognition. Leadership positions have become thrones of ambition rather than altars of service. Just as Diotrephes in 3 John loved to be first among them, some leaders today wrestle for titles more than they wrestle for souls.
3. Unbroken Vessels
A vessel can only pour out what it contains. Sadly, many who claim to carry Christ still carry pride, envy, bitterness, and greed. They preach water while drinking wine. The Psalmist once prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10). But without brokenness, the church remains a noisy cymbal without rhythm.
4. Greed and the Gospel of Gain
Money has become the new measure of spirituality. The pulpit sometimes doubles as a business podium. The prophet Isaiah once cried, “His watchmen are blind: they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark… they are greedy dogs which can never have enough” (Isaiah 56:10–11). Sadly, that cry still echoes today.
Why the World Still Woos the Convert
The irony is sharp: even when the world wants to destroy, it still seduces with incentives. The clubs offer free entry. The gangs promise quick wealth. The occult promises protection. They bait the fish before frying it.
The new convert, fresh from this deception, enters the church expecting safety—but finds almost the same drama, only wrapped in spiritual garments. Like Lot’s wife, they are tempted to look back, wondering if the world was indeed better.
An African proverb says, “If the home fails to comfort, the child will find warmth in the arms of strangers.”
The Effects on the Church and the Coming Generation
1. A Weak Witness
When the church mirrors the world, the salt loses its savor. Our testimony becomes diluted, our light hidden under a basket. Generations grow up thinking Christianity is just another club with better music.
2. A Generation of Cynics
Young people who see more politics than power in the church become skeptical of faith. They no longer pray with expectation; they analyze with suspicion.
3. The Exodus of the Hungry
Those genuinely thirsty for God’s presence begin to seek Him outside traditional church structures—sometimes falling into heresies and cults disguised as spiritual movements.
4. The Wrath of God
Jesus once entered the temple with a whip, overturning tables. If noise continues to drown His voice, He will cleanse His house again. And this time, whole generations might pay the price.
The Way Forward: Returning to the Sound of the Shepherd
- The solution is not in louder microphones or bigger auditoriums but in quieter hearts.
- Denominational humility: Recognizing that Christ is not divided (1 Corinthians 1:13).
- Servant leadership: Remembering that “he that will be great among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:26).
- Personal brokenness: Leaders and members alike must submit to the pruning hand of God.
- Contentment in Christ: The gospel is not a merchandise. Paul said, “Having food and raiment let us be therewith content” (1 Timothy 6:8).
Closing Reflections
Noise is not always music. Sometimes it is confusion, distraction, and chaos.
The church was meant to be the lighthouse guiding lost ships to shore. But if the lighthouse begins to flash conflicting signals, many ships will wreck on the rocks.
The question is: will our generation hand over a noisy church or a praying church to those coming after us?
As the Yoruba proverb says, “The drum that is beaten too loud bursts its own skin.” If we do not tame the noise, the very fabric of the church may tear.
The world is watching. The new converts are listening. And heaven is asking: Will the trumpet sound clear again?
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