The Problem With Modern “Christianity”: A Call to Reclaim the True Mission of Jesus

Getting into heaven isn’t the goal. It’s step one. 

In many Christian circles today, the message of salvation is often framed in terms of personal escape from hell and entry into heaven. While salvation is a  part of the Christian faith, this narrow view doesn’t capture the fullness of Jesus' teachings and mission. The true message of Christianity extends beyond personal salvation—it’s about a radical transformation that begins here and now on earth.

If you asked the average modern Christian why they believe in Jesus, it’s likely they would answer “to get into heaven.” Similarly, if you asked the average modern Christian why they should evangelize, they would probably say “to save others from hell.”

The problem with that way of thinking is that it completely misses the central point of Christianity. Jesus did not come to this earth merely to “get people into heaven.” His vision was much bigger.

When asked how to pray, Jesus gave us the iconic Lord’s Prayer:

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.”

This prayer is not about personal salvation—it’s a blueprint for how we are to live out God's will on earth, by bringing His Kingdom here in our daily lives. Jesus does not want His followers to escape earth and reside in heaven. He wants His followers to bring heaven to earth. 

That’s not to say that getting people into heaven is not something that Jesus does. He does. But the primary goal of the believer should not be to get others into heaven. The primary goal of the believer should be bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth. 

There are several problems with the “getting into heaven” approach that this new approach fixes. For one, the first approach is rather shallow and encourages abandonment. If your goal is to get as many people into heaven as possible, then the logical thing is to stop investing in someone once they’ve converted. Once they convert, they’ve made it. This approach can lead to a transactional relationship with new believers—get them saved, and then move on. This leaves little room for ongoing community, growth, and mutual support, which is central to what Jesus modeled. This transactional relationship with new believers—where the focus is just on their conversion—leaves no room for the discipleship and communal growth that Jesus emphasized. It's as if the goal is to check a box, rather than investing in the ongoing transformation of a person’s life in the context of God's Kingdom

If instead our goal is to bring the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, it makes perfect sense to continue to disciple and invest in new converts. The mission isn’t to get them into heaven, it’s to guide them on what it looks like to be a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven, and how to grow the Kingdom. 

At the heart of the “getting into heaven” focus is an individualistic mentality—where salvation is about securing one’s own personal future. But Jesus taught that the Kingdom is not about individual rewards; it's about a radical reorientation of our lives toward others and the world around us. His ministry was about bringing people into a community that reflects God’s love and justice in tangible ways, here and now.

In one view, salvation is an individualistic, personal goal; in the other, salvation is the beginning of a collective mission to transform the world according to God’s will. This shift moves us from focusing on personal escape to participating in God's mission of justice, love, and mercy for all people.

If we truly want to follow Jesus, then we must stop thinking of the Kingdom of Heaven as a distant, otherworldly reward, and begin to live as citizens of that Kingdom today—actively working to bring heaven to earth in our communities, relationships, and the world around us.