When Church Feels Too Good, Something’s Wrong

 Yet many churches are chasing cultural approval instead of Kingdom alignment.

We’ve quietly rebranded the church experience.

What was once the gathering of saints for worship, repentance, and the sharpening of one another has now become a weekly motivational seminar with a spiritual intro and a worship band outro. Lights down. Screens lit. Pastor walks out with a headset mic like a keynote speaker. The message? “You can do it. You’ve got this. God’s got your back.”

And while those words aren’t inherently false… they’re dangerously incomplete.

The Illusion of “Feel Good” Faith

The modern church has mastered the art of making people comfortable. Seats are padded, coffee is hot, the music is tight, and the message is TED-Talk polished. But here’s the uncomfortable truth—surrender doesn’t feel good.

Dying to yourself doesn’t feel good.

Letting go of your will for His will doesn’t feel good.

If the church experience leaves you always feeling lighter without ever confronting the weight of your sin, you didn’t attend church—you attended a spiritualized pep rally.

Surrender Isn’t a Stage Show

Jesus never promised that following Him would be comfortable. He didn’t say, “Follow Me and I’ll keep you entertained.” He said:

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” – Luke 9:23

There’s nothing glamorous about a cross. It’s an instrument of death. The peace of God comes after surrender, not instead of it. Obedience leads to joy, but obedience begins in the place where you crucify your comfort.

Looking Like the World to Win the World?

We’ve justified making church look like the world under the banner of “relevance.” But relevance without repentance is just entertainment with a Christian stamp on it. Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would be in the world but not of it. Yet many churches are chasing cultural approval instead of Kingdom alignment.

When the goal becomes “attract as many people as possible” instead of “make as many disciples as possible,” we inevitably trade the narrow gate for a wide one. We build crowds, but not crosses.

The Reward Is Real—But It’s Not Comfort

Here’s the paradox of Kingdom living: surrender will strip you, break you, and undo you… but on the other side, you will find a peace that motivational speeches can’t produce. You will find strength that coffee and an upbeat playlist can’t match. You will find life—not because you added Jesus to your plans, but because you gave up your plans for His.

Church was never meant to be the place you go to feel better about yourself. It’s the place you go to meet the One who will transform you—sometimes by breaking you first..