No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. 
—Matthew 6:24a

They stole the idea from us. The creators of the show Severance, I mean.

Have you watched it? The premise is that people create a separate personality, called an “innie”, that goes to work every day, in a top-secret job. Their “outie” goes about the rest of their life with no memory of what they did from 9-5. Two independent people for the price of one.

It’s a good show. I’ve watched both seasons and loved it, as have millions of others. There’s just one problem:

It’s already been done. I’m convinced they stole the idea from the Church.

We have plenty of Christians who do this very thing every week. Their “innies” go to church where they sing and pray, socialize, go to Sunday school, etc.

Then they go home.

Outside the church doors, the smile fades. Job stress, family chaos, and road rage creep in… Jesus does not take the wheel.

Instilling a strong faith somehow becomes a lower priority. The 10 commandments feel more like suggestions. Forgiveness, compassion, discipleship–they all fade to the background like a distant memory.

If this all sounds hyper critical of the church, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise. It’s not a new problem. Jesus raged about hypocrisy throughout the Gospels, and most of us have a bit of Pharisee within us.

This kind of faith-severance doesn’t just confuse people—it discourages them. Some walk away. Some lean in, desperate to live with more integrity. Either way, it leaves a mark.

Things don’t have to stay this way. The imposed walls of severance can be dismantled. As Christians grow in spiritual maturity, something marvelous happens.

The outies become more aware of their innies.

If you’ve ever found yourself weeding in the garden and humming a hymn or praise tune from last Sunday…you’re pushing past severance.

If you’ve written a check to the church on a Tuesday and thought about what that money was going to support…you’re pushing past severance.

If you’ve decided to spend a Saturday afternoon serving at a local mission…you’re pushing past severance.

And if you find yourself committed to living like Christ outside, in the world, you’re pushing past severance, into full-fledged discipleship. Only then will you truly come to know yourself. Your whole self.

So…my copyright lawsuit against Apple TV+ might not hold up in court, but that’s probably for the best. I wouldn’t want people to think we’re proud of the practice. If anything, we’ve shown that the whole concept is unsustainable.

I guess Severance can serve as a reminder of the dangers such a way of living can represent. It may make for great intrigue, but in real life it results in an empty religion.

I plan to tune in for season 3, whenever it comes, but I suggest we all watch with something important in mind:

True discipleship means trying hard

not to be

so two-faced.

Have a great week,

Mitch