The Church Isn’t a Spa—It’s a Battlefield
Let’s get something straight right out of the gate:
The church was never meant to be a therapeutic circle of group hugs, lattes, and personality assessments. It was never supposed to be your weekly dose of self-care, vibes, and inspirational quotes from the Book of Oprah. The church is not a safe space.
It’s a war room.
This is where the saints are armed, the enemy is named, and the gospel is preached with fire and ferocity. But you wouldn’t know that from most pulpits today. Too many churches have traded the sword of the Spirit for a scented candle and a Spotify playlist. The modern church has been effeminized, sanitized, and utterly paralyzed.
And Satan? He loves it. Because a neutered church is a defeated church.
The Church Militant: Not a Myth, a Mandate
Historically, the faithful understood the church in three categories: Church Triumphant (in glory), Church Suffering (in persecution), and Church Militant (on earth, at war). That last one? We forgot it exists.
Reformed theologian Burk Parsons writes, “The church on earth is not at rest. It is not at peace with the world. It is not a cruise ship. It is a battleship.” The Apostle Paul didn’t say, “Sit back and self-reflect.” He said:
"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." (Eph. 6:11)
Armor. Not ambiance. We weren’t called to wear skinny jeans and toss glitter at our problems. We were called to stand, fight, resist, and overcome.
When Truth Is Softened, Men Are Neutered
Let’s just say it: when the pulpit goes soft, men disappear. When worship becomes emotional fog machines and acoustic serenades to Jesus, men check out. And when sermons become TED Talks wrapped in a Bible verse, Satan doesn't even have to break a sweat.
B. B. Warfield rebuked the emotionalism of his day, warning that experience-driven churches gut the authority of Scripture. When you trade the Word for warm fuzzies, you stop feeding the sheep and start entertaining the goats.
"Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." (2 Tim. 4:2)
Reprove? Rebuke? Try that in most churches today and you’ll get a meeting with HR and a referral to a trauma counselor.
Conflict Isn’t Abuse—It’s Obedience
Our Lord wasn’t afraid of confrontation. Jesus flipped tables. Paul rebuked Peter to his face (Gal. 2:11). The early church had real disagreements and dealt with them biblically. But today? Disagreeing with someone is seen as hate speech.
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love." (Prov. 27:5)
But in today’s church, open rebuke is called toxic masculinity, and hidden love is called "wisdom." We've flipped the definitions and neutered the command. Real love fights for truth. Real shepherds carry rods and staffs.
Worship Is Not Group Therapy
Early church fathers like John Chrysostom preached with thunder and tears. He didn’t tickle ears. He didn’t entertain. He didn’t try to make you feel good. He came to war with sin.
The worship gathering is where we rally to remember the war we’re in and the King we serve. We don’t need candlelit ambiance and self-love mantras. We need psalms, doctrine, and blood-earnest praise to the Lamb who was slain.
Practical Steps to Reclaim the War Room
- Preach the Word like it matters
- Stop playing it safe. No more sermonettes for Christianettes. Preach sin. Preach wrath. Preach Christ crucified.
- Call men to fight
- Men don’t want to be babysat. They want a mission. The Great Commission is not a tea party. It’s a war cry.
- Name the enemy
- Satan is real. Hell is real. And false teachers are prowling like lions in skinny jeans. Call them out.
- Bring back discipline
- Jesus gave us the steps. (Matt. 18) Paul commanded us to expel the unrepentant (1 Cor. 5). Obey them.
- Sing like soldiers
- Enough breathy, romantic ballads. Give us Psalms. Hymns with weight. Songs that train our souls for battle.
Put On the Armor or Get Out of the Way
The church was never meant to be a daycare for the fragile or a concert for the uncommitted. It’s the pillar and buttress of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15). It’s the marching army of King Jesus.
So stop coddling cowards. Stop apologizing for truth. Stop building sanctuaries of softness.
And start building war rooms.
Because the gates of hell aren’t scared of your safe space. But they tremble before a church on its knees, armed with truth, and standing in the full armor of God.
Suit up.
Christ leads. We follow. And we fight.
Soli Deo Gloria.
Thanks for reading.
