There is an illness that has invaded our communities, our families, and our nation. It has swept across this country from coast to coast, with reckless abandon, which is ironic in of itself, considering the definition of this sickness. Unfortunately, it has found it’s way into The Church. Or perhaps it started there to begin with. Do you know yet what I speak of? It’s the contagious, deadly epidemic known as Apathy.

I’ve long said that, “Apathy is the enemy.” Unfortunately, I’ve watched it reach what I believe are epidemic proportions, over the years. Fact is, no one is immune from it, and will be faced with contracting it at some point in their life.

“What is Apathy?”, you ask. Simply put, Apathy is having a lack of interest or concern, an absence of passion. Does any part of this description resemble a part of your life? If so, I pray you act on it now before it consumes you, rendering you useless to the Kingdom and turning you into a fully UN-committed Christ follower.

You see, Apathy doesn’t play fair, and uses our strengths against us. Here is how it typically plays out. Apathy takes inventory of ones accomplishments, accolades and abundance and tells them that they’ve arrived to a level of esteemed spirituality, and injects them with the venom of over-confidence (pride). Unfortunately, the pride causes blindness…spiritual blindness. The infected lose the ability to see others and their need, their hurt, their loneliness and pain. The eyes of the heart become so impaired, that they only see themselves. This quickly leads to a mindset void of concern and compassion, and a lost sense of urgency for anything spiritual, much less physical. The thought of experiencing and living Revival loses it’s luster, and becomes a chore. Worship becomes a formality and an obligation. Reverence turns into arrogance and relationships become a revolving door. And at its final phase, atrophy,…the wasting away and deterioration from lack of use or involvement.

The remedy? Involvement, service, compassion, selflessness, humility. Love. The opposite of Apathy is Fervency. Symptoms include enthusiasm, passion, and a desire to see others as Christ sees them, through the eyes of a renewed heart. This too, is highly contagious. It’s a desire to see individuals become fully committed Christ followers, and live lives that bring revival and reverence to our King. Fervor is passionately pursuing a life of holiness with purpose. With fervor, comes favor. Healing. Freedom.

Be vigilant and diligent to war off any apathetic infectious disease that may be leaked your way. For your fervency and zeal to be The Church, will ultimately protect The Church.

I Tim. 6:11 MSG – “But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.”

Pastor Marty Thieman
mo@lwwconline.com