Are churches experiencing something more odious than complacency?

As I work with ministers across the country and around the world, I ask them what their primary issue is within the congregation they shepherd. American pastors almost always answer immediately — without a second of hesitation — the number one issue is complacency.

But there may be another issue on the rise that will give complacency a run for its top billing. It’s the serious issue of what I refer to as “resistant spirituality.”

When we talk about complacency in the church, we often picture individuals who are content in their faith, perhaps too content. They might show up for services, nod along to the sermon, and even participate in a few church events, but there’s a distinct lack of passion, zeal, or genuine spiritual hunger. It’s a comfortable spiritual slumber, where the urgency of the gospel and the call to discipleship fade into the background. For such a person, the dangers often go unnoticed, like a ship slowly drifting off course without its crew realizing the peril. This passive state, while certainly a concern, often stems from a lack of awareness or simply a comfortable apathy towards deeper engagement.

However, “resistant spirituality” presents a far more troubling scenario. This isn’t about unawareness; it’s about a conscious and deliberate choice to hold back from obedience, despite knowing what is right. Imagine someone who has sat under sound teaching, who understands the clear commands of scripture, yet actively chooses to disregard them. They possess the knowledge, but lack the will to surrender. This is a person who understands the biblical call to forgive, but nurses a grudge. They know the importance of generosity, but cling tightly to their possessions. They comprehend the command to share their faith, but remain silent out of fear or indifference.

The biblical spotlight shines intensely on this very issue of resistant spirituality in the book of James. James, ever practical and direct, pulls no punches when addressing the disconnect between knowledge and action. He writes in James 4:17, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.” This verse precisely defines the heart of resistant spirituality. It is not simply a passive oversight or a lack of understanding. It is a knowing failure to act on divine truth. The individual in this state isn’t ignorant; they are resistant. There is an internal conflict where the revealed will of God clashes with personal desires, comfort, or convenience, and personal will wins the day.

This conscious choice to disregard known truth makes resistant spirituality arguably more serious than mere complacency. While complacency might indicate a dormant faith needing to be awakened, resistant spirituality suggests a hardened will that actively resists the promptings of the Holy Spirit and the clear directives of God’s Word. Consider the alarming parallel of a car’s “check engine” light. A complacent driver might simply not notice the light, perhaps they’re distracted or simply don’t check the dashboard. But a spiritually resistant person is like a driver who sees the “check engine” light glaring, knows exactly what it means, understands the potential damage of ignoring it, yet consciously decides to keep driving, justifying their inaction. This is not ignorance; it is deliberate disregard for known consequences and a willingness to risk further harm.

Addressing this issue within the church requires more than just encouragement; it demands a direct and compassionate confrontation of the heart. It’s about challenging the will, exploring the root causes of their resistance — be it fear, pride, comfort, or worldly attachments — and calling for genuine repentance. The path forward involves a renewed emphasis on the cost of discipleship, the transformative power of obedience, and the solemn implications of disregarding God’s commands. It’s a call to move from merely knowing the truth to living it out in joyful, willing submission.

Scotty