Apathy is indeed an interesting word. And then, you throw “apathy” into the mix with “sympathy” and “empathy”. Here is how they compare to one another:

• Apathy – not interested or concerned; indifference
• Sympathy – acknowledging someone’s pain or suffering; engaged but not fully
• Empathy – understanding someone’s experience from their point of view

Of these three words, sympathy and empathy involve some level of feeling, relationship, and being in community with one another. However, apathy is anything but engaged. Because we are talking about the Kingdom, I propose that we tackle the idea of “spiritual apathy” as something that is crippling the people of God.

Spiritual apathy was creeping into the Church long before the COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic hit, it challenged everything that everyone believes in. (This is not a post solely on COVID-19 so please put down your fists!) We were faced with a lot of beliefs, decisions, and ideologies all at one time. People started checking out of the one place that you wouldn’t expect: church. And according to this article, it was happening BEFORE COVID-19 and the pandemic.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/507692/church-attendance-lower-pre-pandemic.aspx

It is easy to blame the pandemic but we need to accept responsibility here. While the pandemic brought it’s one unique challenges, it was the second foot for the person who already had one foot out of the church door. For years, many of our churches and ministries have failed to meet the tangible needs of our respective communities. We have focused on the church folks and forgot about going outside of the church. Jesus calls us to build up deeper disciples (not just members) AND impact our communities.

The end result of the eroding Church is how we now engage our churches and communities: politics. As a pastor, I am getting tired of seeing more and more pastors that are selling politics (regardless of what SIDE) instead of bringing the Gospel. I don’t give a darn about your politics, I need your Jesus! And the people in your community and your social media followers need Jesus too!

Spiritual apathy means that we take the easy way out. Instead of helping someone out of their muddy sin (any of them!) that is literally destroying them, we just talk about love. I love you. Jesus loves you right where you are. <—Crap theology, by the way. Jesus loves us but one look at the Gospels will tell us that he wants us to be transformed in heart, mind, and spirit. In our transformation, we will truly love better because we got out of the way. I can love you but I don’t have to agree with you. I want BETTER for you and that is HOPE, HEALING, and NEW LIFE that occurs only in the work of the Cross.

Want to kill spiritual apathy? Give them Jesus. Nothing more and nothing less. Because nothing is more than Jesus and anyone else is false hope.