What People are Hungry For....
 
Some people are hungry for a show. Some people are hungry for an emotional experience. Some people are not hungry at all. Others are hungry for authenticity...
 
The amount of people who have disconnected with the local church have done so because of the lack of authenticity in spirituality. There are groups that love the cultural idea of "church" and there are those who want a revival, emotional experience each week.
 
I struggle here folks. Really. I get turned off by pretention and "traveling evangelists" that bop people on the head and work them up in an emotional frenzy. I am also turned off by those who are cold, frozen and have no spiritual vitality. I crossed through the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement where I was pushed to the floor by the Super Hero of the hour. I was emotionally manipulated and part of the Super Hero's "ego show."
I have also been on the other side where the group is so scared of the Holy Spirit moving that they make sure there are no opportunities for Him to actively touch people.
 
I have found that there are people who need "authentic spirituality" from Christ. They need authentic leaders, who are emotionally stable, character driven and Holy Spirit consumed. As Maxwell says, "Everything rises and falls on Leadership."
 
If we have a need that we are trying to meet through the people that attend our church, then there will never be authenticity.
 
 If we need the emotional high for the moment and it drives our ego, then there will never be authenticity.
 
 If we need the approval of the people and their thumbs up, then there will never be authenticity.
 
If we have a pre-scribed religious approach to God and connecting with Him, there will never be authenticity.
 
Authentic leaders hunger for God. They have a strong personal devotional life and are emotionally secure. They model this for their church.