The Nonchalant Christian

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. Mark 12:30


This is my Natalie!

Non – kuh – lan – tee

I got so tickled when my daughter was younger and tried to sound out such a big word – nonchalant. It was so cute that even now, years later, we still pronounce the word that way to give her a bit of a ribbing. Non – kuh – lan – tee

In literature, when a character is described as being nonchalant, I envision someone acting in a cool, relaxed, and casual manner, and who is not easily stirred. This person may be resting in a hammock in the shade on a summer day with a big ol’ glass of sweet tea, oblivious to any problems going on around him.

That scenario portrays one side of the meaning of the word nonchalant, but the context with which it is used can turn its meaning completely around. For example, on a picnic or on the beach, one would expect a nonchalant mood. That would be a positive setting in which to be calm and peaceful, without a care in the world. However, in school or work, on the other hand, a nonchalant work ethic would be frustrating to others and unproductive. It implies more of an unconcerned or uninvolved attitude, even slothfulness. The teacher or the employer would expect a bit more enthusiasm and effort, and the nonchalant one may not excel in his/her studies or profession.

With the different connotations of this word, how does it translate in the church? Is it OK to be nonchalant about our spiritual life or the things of God? Let us explore a bit further what that means.

According to Dictionary.com, the precise definition of nonchalant is: coolly unconcerned, indifferent, or unexcited; casual; uninvolved. Synonyms include, on one hand, relaxed, calm, peaceful, cool, and casual. Since God gives us a peaceful heart regardless of our circumstances, it stands to reason that nonchalance is fitting for a Christian at times. What a precious gift the Holy Spirit give us – calmness and peace!

Unfortunately, there is a darker meaning of the word that has crept its ugly self into our churches and has infiltrated the body. Nonchalant is also synonymous with apathetic, complacent, indifferent, lackadaisical, uninterested, non-caring, lazy, bored, lethargic, detached, blasé, don’t care, dispirited, listless, unworried, smug, dull… How dangerous to allow such a spirit to slink into our lives or our churches!

If we are not diligent and watchful in our spiritual lives, apathy will certainly take over, and we will run the risk of being lulled into spiritual slumber. If that is what people see when they come into our churches or observe in our personal lives, we should not be surprised when they lose interest. If we, being created in the image of the Almighty God, do not bear His image in a positive light, why would anyone want to know Him? We are wise to gauge our level of hunger for the Lord and continuously cultivate a diligent and passionate spirit.

A snapshot of an exciting worship service at Free Chapel, Gainesville, GA

I appreciate the efforts that many modern-day churches have made in recent years to appeal to those who have become bored with church, but we must be careful not to miss the main point with this endeavor. I am all for the coffee, doughnuts, and practical outreach that they use to draw interest. The inclusion of state-of-the-art technology and multi-media equipment, the casual atmosphere, and the rocking music can all be powerful tools to enhance excitement and compel the unchurched to come. As a matter of fact, I enjoy every bit of that! I believe God honors excellence, and Jesus Himself gave examples of reaching people in practical ways. However, I have a big caution here. If that is the only thing we rely on to attract people, and then they come and do not experience a genuine move of God, receive only shallow teaching, and see no difference in the character or behavior of the members, than the effort is all in vain. The purpose has been lost.

This is the danger of nonchalance, apathy, complacency, indifference, etc. in the lives of Christians and within the church. We can throw in all the bells and whistles into our church services, and we can portray a façade of spirituality in our lives, but if we allow a nonchalant attitude to permeate, we will only have a really cool shell that will be void of any spiritual depth. We will fail in making an impact in this world for the sake of Christ.

Think of this: Jesus came to seek and save the lost. (Luke 19:10) When He ascended into heaven, He transferred that commission to us. He expects us to be His hands and feet and to continue His work on the earth. He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to be His witnesses throughout the world, and in particular within our personal sphere of influence. (Acts 1:8) Each one of us has a crucial and specific purpose in His grand plan.

In light of that, we must be aware of the fact that we are constantly being observed by others, and people will likely receive their impression of God by watching our lives and our churches. What will they see? When they observe the way we live, interact with each other, and our attitude about church, will they desire to know Jesus too? Will they want what we have?

When others observe our worship services, do they see us merely tolerating the routine until we can rush out to be first at the local restaurants, or do they see us intensely seeking the face of the Lord with all that is within us? Do they see us sauntering in late and playing on our phones during the message, or do they see us paying attention and taking notes? Do they see us applying the message to our lives? Do they see us shunning any extra activities provided by the church, missing more choir rehearsals than we attend, running away from volunteer work or serving, or do they see us wholeheartedly supporting our church and standing behind the vision of our pastor? Do we serve enthusiastically and joyfully get involved?

Let us allow the Holy Spirit to reveal and remove any nonchalant, apathetic tendencies in our hearts. It is time to quit being bored with church and only half-heartedly participating. It is time to wake up and live life to the fullest! It is time to reflect the image of Christ in our lives and attitudes and to be salt and light in this world.

Understand that the very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is living inside of you! (Romans 8:11). You have no reason to be nonchalant. Be alive! Fan the flame of passion within you!

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. Mark 12:30