7 Signs of Lukewarm Christianity: How to surrender to God and See Revival Break Out
Spiritually, many believers have settled into the middle.
Not opposed to God, but not fully surrendered to Him either. This portion of the chapter is about the hidden danger of middle-of-the-pack Christianity and God’s invitation to wholehearted devotion.
In racing, if you are out front, you have clean air, vision is clear, and you move your car strategically. Your objective is to find the fastest groove and hold the line. Go as fast as you can and keep everyone else behind you. In the midst of a collection of cars, the air becomes dirty, which affects the airflow into the engine, the surroundings are turbulent, and the car can lose its grip, traction, and efficiency. Even engines built to lead become severely limited by congestion in the middle.
However, for the believer, the middle has become a safe place. Here is why. You have options. You are not fully committed, but you are not fully gone either. Furthermore, it releases greater responsibilities to others. And it lets others do the heavy lifting. While the one in the middle can swoop in to enjoy the benefit of the hard work of others.
There is safety in the middle, but there is also danger. The middle is where people, for the most part, stop making serious choices. They are in a cycle of compliance. Comfort is their idol of choice.
We often hear phrases like “Stay balanced,” “Tap the brakes,” or “Don’t go overboard.” These words are usually well-intended. And in many areas of life, balance is wise. But spiritually, they can quietly become permission to remain in the middle, which could be hazardous.
Balance is a pseudo-spiritual way of saying, “Stay in the middle. Take care of yourself.” In Scripture, God repeatedly called people to wholehearted surrender, not into a life of moderation. Balance demands no courage and neuters the bodacious faith necessary to become counter culture. Balance has boundaries to obedience. It does not mean the middlers disobey God at all times, but there are limits to their “yes.” They will obey for only so much, so far, and for so long.
The middle often gives way to convenient obedience. This type of person has fluctuating convictions that are tolerant and inclusive. They do not want to stand out as being extreme or narrow-minded.
In addition, the person in the middle most likely has embraced a brand of Christianity that is entertainment-based. It seeks pleasure and will avoid any commitment that calls for extreme surrender.
The middle is beige and grey, neutral, uncommitted, and dare I see neither hot nor cold, it is lukewarm. It focuses on “fitting in” and, at the end of the day, looks to survive. Here in the middle, everything is negotiated, a give-and-take if you will. Restraint and spiritual comfort are the norm. The outcomes are weighed, and if the cost is too high, then it must not be God’s best for them.
I hear the voice of the prophet Elijah echoing in my head as he confronted Israel’s indecision head-on: “How long will you waver between two opinions?” (1 Kings 18:21 NIV). Then there is the apostle Paul, who demanded his fellow believers to “Come out from among them and be separate…” (2 Corinthians 6:17 NIV). Run along the edge, join the others who chose a different path; people including David, Daniel, Noah, John the Baptist, Esther, Elijah, Timothy, Mary, John, Stephen, Deborah, and Ruth.
History rarely records the movements of the pack, but history is normally kind to those who choose to swim upstream; those who choose to leave the bunch to blaze a different trail. Names such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Winston Churchill, and Mother Teresa are just a few who chose to walk a different path.
If you choose not to walk in the middle of the pack, I promise you this: you will not be alone, but there will not be many. You will find yourself in the company of rare men and women who chose what was best, not what was safest.
Yes, the path is narrow. It is less traveled. But the view and experiences on that narrow path last a lifetime.
Doing life in the middle makes minimal memories. The adventures are coordinated, and a safe landing is always the outcome. And sadly, you are left telling someone else’s story, their journey, their tales of adventure and victory. However, the narrow way, the path away from the masses, if you so choose, allows you to leave a legacy that those closest to you will speak of over and over.
Signs You May Be Living in the Middle
You may be living in the middle if:
You want God’s blessings more than God’s transformation
You avoid obedience that feels costly
You rarely feel stretched by faith
You prefer comfort over calling
You admire bold faith in others but hesitate to live it yourself
You delay surrender
You live with spiritual passivity
The enemy is content when believers stay in the middle. Why? Because it is deceptively comfortable. It is powerless and non-influential. One who is in the middle is like a scentless candle—nothing more than a sparkle. These people do not shape history; they get absorbed by it. They do not control the narrative; the narrative controls them. They live a life of complicity—one of the most boring places on earth, very little awe, if any.
Life on the edge of obedience is both adventurous and costly. It requires courage. But it is where God does His deepest work. It is the place where momentum slows, urgency fades, and clarity begins to blur. The middle feels safe because it is familiar, but it is often where purpose quietly bleeds out.
When you are serious about your relationship with God, He will never ask you to be balanced—but He will ask you to be faithful, sometimes uncomfortable, and wholeheartedly surrendered.
Jesus never called anyone to follow Him at a distance. He called them to leave nets, leave boats, leave comfort, and follow fully.
The middle may feel safe, but it is not where transformation happens. It is not where history is shaped. It is not where revival is born. The middle is where momentum slows. The edge is where faith grows. God is not asking you to be reckless, but He is asking you to be fully surrendered.
The question is simple: Will you stay in the middle?
