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Will students in public schools be praying today?
Of course they will. Wherever there are math tests, there will be prayer.
Of the three so-called R’s of childhood education – Readin,’ Ritin’, and Rithmetic – I loved the first two. That last one blemished more than a few of my report cards.
At least I’m in good company. Multiple national surveys consistently rank mathematics as America’s least favorite school subject. The 2023 National Assessment of Education Progress revealed that 58% of high school seniors suffer from “math anxiety.” They feel anxious or overwhelmed when trying to solve equations or square roots.
Students wonder, “Will I ever need to know this stuff in the real world, except to pass a final exam?” I can attest that basic math will indeed come in handy when the nice man at Home Depot asks you, “So, how much lumber do you need?”
Spiritual arithmetic matters, too.
The core message of the New Testament may be expressed in two equations:
Jesus + Nothing = Something
Jesus + Something = Nothing
Over the centuries, followers of Jesus have been tempted to believe that “Jesus alone” is not enough. We simply have to have Jesus plus.
Congregations have been drawn to Jesus plus a better music program. Jesus plus cutting-edge technology. Jesus plus eye-catching media. Jesus plus initiatives that will bring in children, teenagers, single adults, seniors, artists, widows and widowers – insert your preferred affinity group here.
During my congregational leadership days, our staff decided to poll our worship attenders.
The previous year we had added large drop-down screens, Power Point technology, and clips from Hollywood films to serve as sermon illustrations. We had made significant investments in musical instrumentation and digital sound. I had preached sermon series on emotions, parenting, family life, and getting along with high maintenance people.
At the heart of the survey we asked, “What’s missing from our worship? What would you most like to experience on a Sunday morning?”
I was stunned at the number one answer: More silence, please.
The members of our congregation wanted less clutter and less noise. More conversation with God and fewer high-energy announcements. All week long they were being bombarded with commercial jingles, product pitches, and exhortations to be successful. Their souls were weary, and they longed to be still and know that God was God.
Amazingly, it had been the mission of our church from Day One to provide just such a spiritual oasis.
But I had concluded that we needed more than Jesus to provide such an experience. We needed Jesus plus Something Else. Maybe lots of Something Else’s.
This is not to say that churches are off the mark when they pursue excellent technology, artistry, and programs that seek to connect the needs of real people with God’s Good News.
But we lose our way when we begin to suspect, even subtly, that “Jesus alone” isn’t enough to fill the aching emptiness of human hearts.
The history of Christianity has been marked by “Jesus plus” movements that ultimately came to be identified as heresies. They tend to have names that you hope never pop up if you’re trying to win a spelling bee: Arianism, Collyridianism, Docetism, Nestorianism, and Monophysitism.
Likewise, when we as individuals bet our lives on “Jesus plus something else,” we inevitably end up in spiritual quicksand. Here are some of the possibilities:
.
Jesus + Doing My Very Best
Jesus + Going to the Right Church
Jesus + Speaking in Tongues
Jesus + My Guardian Angel
Jesus + Studying the Right Bible Version
Jesus + Supporting the Right Politicians
Jesus + Endorsing the Right Social Issues
Jesus + Believing the Right End-Times Scenario
Such formulas for spiritual vitality spell trouble. That’s because whatever follows the word “plus” is destined to let us down – and often works directly against Jesus’ stated priorities.
Our secure foundation will always be found in those two simple equations:
Jesus + Nothing = Something
Jesus + Something = Nothing
Or try these two words instead: In my life with God, I’m counting on Jesus. Period.
Is all of that going to be on the final exam?
Let’s just say it will be front and center on the final exam that matters the most.