As I talked to my little sister she repeatedly used a term that I had never heard over and over and over, she just kept saying "She aint bout dat life" or she would say "Im bout dat life". So I was talking to one of the students from Morehouse College in the Atlanta University center and I started hearing the same saying from members of my organization- Pray Or Die. One morning after my daily 5am prayer time, I hear- "Jesus, I'm Bout That Life." I'm a firm believer that God has a sense of humor and as I started to meditate on "Jesus, Im about That Life," it started making more sense to me. John 3:16 Jesus says "That whosever believes in Him shall have everlasting LIFE" and John 10:10 says that "I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly." So why wouldn't you be "Bout Dat Life!"
As I'm riding downtown Atlanta, GA (near Centennial Olympic park), I noticed a large church called The Tabernacle with a long line wrapped around the building. The Tabernacle was once a church but now a nightclub/concert venue. When people go out in the night life they expect to be entertained, to meet new people and to simply have a good time. The night life is often used as an escape from the pains of real life. One can be "healed" temporarily through the dark atmosphere, loud music and easy access to drugs and alcoholic beverages.
Does The Tabernacle mirror many current tabernacles? Some people come to church to be entertained, to meet new people and to simple have a good time. The church is often used as an escape from the pains of real life. One can be "healed" temporarily through the heavy emotional atmosphere the church often presents. The dramatic teachings of some preachers enable attendees to become excited yet once they return home, they return to the pains of real life.
While some churches represent pure entertainment absent from the Holy Spirit, other churches create an atmosphere for deliverance. Once a person is healed, he/she fails to remain healed due to the lack of faith. Thus, I do believe many churches today have become the club.
So where should the church go from here? The church should never lose focus on the foundation of which it was built. Developing community which relies on discipleship and most importantly- prayer.
