It becomes a problem for immature Christians when the God they worship and acknowledge as real and trustworthy does not seem tangible in this life. What is meant by “not tangible” here is that God is not experienced in a physical or literal sense. For example, never having visions, never being taken up to heaven, never hearing the audible voice of God with one’s ears, or never seeing an appearance of the Lord Jesus or His angels — as some people claim to have witnessed. This condition becomes a struggle for those who are not yet spiritually mature.
This misunderstanding arises from the belief that having a literal, physical experience with God is a sign of spiritual maturity, proof that a person is special before God, or more loved than those who do not have such experiences. Yet the Lord Jesus said, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.” This statement teaches that those who do not experience outward signs yet still believe are truly blessed. It shows that lacking spectacular experiences does not mean one’s spiritual quality is lower.
Therefore, if we never experience visions, divine dreams, God’s audible voice, or extraordinary events like being taken to heaven, we must not feel that our spiritual life is inferior. We also must not think that God loves us less. Such a wrong mindset can even lead Christians — especially pastors or church workers — to fabricate testimonies to present themselves as more spiritual, more anointed, closer to God, more mature in faith, more gifted, and so on, compared to others.
This situation is highly detrimental to the congregation. Indeed, the ones who suffer are the members of the church. In Indonesia, mystical-style ministry is quite popular because Eastern societies — like in Indonesia — tend to be drawn to mystical things. As a result, ministries focused on miracles and the fulfilment of physical needs through mystical approaches are directing the congregation toward worldly living. This type of ministry focuses more on saving earthly lives than on saving souls for eternity. Ironically, this style of ministry is often more appealing because many feel that it meets their most urgent needs.
Supported by trust in religious figures and a mystical atmosphere, churches that promote this — those oriented toward miracles and the fulfilment of physical needs through supernatural means — ultimately lead the congregation into worldly ways of life and hinder spiritual growth. Such ministries are often linked with an emphasis on prosperity and material blessings, and with mystical methods of obtaining them. Yet this is not the true way to receive God’s blessings. A believer’s prosperity must be understood differently — not merely in material terms.
Churches or communities like this are often marked by mystical thinking, which means logic and sound reasoning are not fully utilized. Pastors or preachers in these circles usually interpret Scripture arbitrarily, building teachings that are false and impure — teachings that do not lead the congregation toward the true purpose of salvation. They fail to develop a pure Christian life, one that is directed toward God’s original design.
When this happens, it is difficult to avoid the practice of idolizing individuals in such environments. We understand that in Eastern culture, pastors or religious leaders are often given a place of special honour. However, such idolization must be avoided.