What’s an NPC? Well, it usually refers to “non-player character”. In the context of this article, however, you can take it to mean an experience of the Christian faith that is robotic, flat, lifeless – religion that’s just going through the motions.
Being an NPC is not at all what God desires out of your faith or time in church. If you’re feeling like one, no condemnation. Though, maybe it’s time to look at the condition of our walk with God and see if there are facets of your faith that reflect a…
Not Praying Christian
He just… doesn’t really pray. Doesn’t see the need to because he doesn’t actually believe it makes a difference. He believes he’s got life on lock. On the rare occasion he prays, it’s telling God to give him things or sign off on his plans. Only an actual crisis will stir him to speak to God sincerely.
He doesn’t understand the privilege of being able to converse with his Creator. He doesn’t know how to bring words of adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication and intercession to God.
Prayer invites God to divinely enter into our days, bringing guidance, comfort, healing and spiritual power into our lives. It’s not a good-to-have, it’s oxygen.
Not Participating Christian
She participates… but only on her terms. She joins when she wants, what she wants. She’ll attend service only when it’s convenient that week, cell group only if the friends she likes are coming. No show, no flow, no plugging in or serving… and then she wonders why her experience of the Body of Christ feels empty.
She doesn’t understand that she is part of the Body of Christ and that God is glorified when she loves others and serves using what she’s been uniquely gifted with.
If we follow Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22), we will be meaningfully rooted and engaged as a member of a church that seeks to honour Him.
Not Proving Christian
With words he is happy to say that he follows God, but his actions, deeds and the fruit of his life tell a different story. And how easily he falls away when the first trial comes his way!
He hasn’t read James to see that an authentic faith inevitably results in good works. He hasn’t read 1 Peter to see that trials prove the genuineness of our faith.
If our faith is genuine, we cannot help but to express it with words and actions. We will also go through trials with hope in God knowing that they serve to refine us, and that Christ is revealed in the crucible.
Not Purposed Christian
Her life is hardly aligned to what God wants for her. She has never asked God about how her time on earth fits into His will, and so her life looks like that of any other person in the world.
She has not internalised the spiritual truth that we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.
We live with Kingdom purpose, or we live aimlessly. There is no divide between what’s spiritual and what isn’t; all of life — whether it’s doing the dishes or winning an Emmy — must be aimed at glorifying God and taking pleasure in Him.
And if we ever feel that the Christian faith has become boring, it may well be that we are the ones who have been bored out. When we choose to lead a hollow and shallow life apart from the things of God, it should not come as a surprise when spiritual things land numbly upon our hearts.
We need to daily ask God to quicken our hearts for Him.
Not Powered Christian
He works so hard for the church. He says yes to everything. Everyone around him thinks he’s on fire for God but he’s actually burning out. He doesn’t know when he lost the plot, but following God became doing stuff rather than sitting at His feet.
He’s running around a lot but he doesn’t stop to receive what he needs from the source. Because of that, there’s human effort but no spiritual power in his life and ministry. No transformation, no lasting good fruit, no growth — because he’s not plugged into the source.
It is vital for the Christian to abide in Christ. Anything that is done apart from Him, apart from His love — it’s just more stuff. If you’re not being fuelled with the love of Jesus… what else is driving you?
If the devil can’t get you to forsake God, he is more than happy to fool you into settling for a faith that is prayerless, powerless and purposeless.
Don’t ever accept the counterfeit. Jesus did not die on the cross for our sins and rise again so we could be NPCs and live out hollow lives.
God wants us living lives of deep meaning and joy that glorify Him and make Him known.
You can take the first step of that journey by having an honest conversation with God about where you are spiritually right now — He is ever willing to guide His children’s steps.
