Leeks, Onions, and the Comfortable Death of Faith
“We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.”
— Numbers 11:5
Some of you hate leeks and don’t really get that verse above. My wife and I love them in a thick white sauce. I made that as part of a roast last night, celebrating one of our kids’ birthdays.
There’s something strange about human memory. We long for the comfort of the old ‘Egypt’ life before we were believers, forgetting it was slavery. Or, we are long-time believers with careers and find it easy to get with the World’s programme. We become part of the machine itself, even being champions of its values. It’s like in "The Matrix" movie, where Cypher chooses to plug himself back into the fake life of the Matrix rather than live in the uncomfortable reality.
A part of us longs to be ‘owned’ by our comfortable culture rather than stand out from it and stand up for our faith, especially when it is unpopular. We think we can be friends with the World even when it is clear that the World wants to own us and judge us if we stand separately from it. Let’s be real - Jesus challenged people to give up their money and then come follow Him in Mark 10. Would you EVER do that?
Going back to that Numbers 11 verse above, the Israelites had been delivered by God from generations of oppression in Egypt. And yet, not long into the wilderness journey, they start reminiscing about the good ol’ days. Fish, leeks, onions, garlic… and never mind the lash of the taskmaster’s whip. I mean, I love leeks in a good white sauce with my roast, but not that much! I wouldn’t choose to go back into slavery to get some.
Today in New Zealand, the Church is facing its own “leeks” moment. It’s been brewing for a long time.
A Church at the Crossroads of Memory and Mission
In previous blogs, I’ve been clear about the slow drift that is now a free-fall in practising Christianity in New Zealand. Because we are not making the separation clear enough in our lives and families, and are allowing our life goals to be owned by those of the World (retirement, money, assets, promotions, etc), the unbelieving community look on us as members of just another club, a bit like the RSA. The temptation to settle for comfort and get on board with the World’s programme of expectations, and framing of ‘success’ for our lives, is one of the most spiritually corrosive forces in the West today. We were made to be separate, and we’ve lost the vision of how to do that. Our churches don’t teach us because they won’t touch the two-headed monster of materialism and individualism.
And let’s be honest — while those falling off from the faith are in staggering numbers, we’ve turned a blind eye and just enjoyed the comfort in our own churches. “I’m alright, are you alright?” We’re so much on the World’s hamster wheel, we don’t even have the energy to think about helping others in distress in their faith. Some of us 1970s Jesus Revolution Christians remember the "glory days" of the 1970s when churches were full, youth groups packed, and evangelism flowed because we were so excited and engaged in the mission Jesus gave us in this world. We, Jesus Revolution Christians, allowed mainstreamism to erode the gains of revival. That’s on us as much as the churches.
We all forget that true faith has always been forged in discomfort. Just like the Israelites, we risk choosing cultural slavery over the wild, unpredictable presence of God. Because Egypt — for all its brutality — at least made sense to the Israelites. It had structure, predictability, and provision (even if it cost your life). The wilderness? That requires daily trust. It’s messy. It feels like death before resurrection. Even the basics of life like food, required faith. Who wants that degree of struggle?
Is Today’s Church Addicted to Egypt?
Let’s call it what it is: many Christians, even leaders, have long adapted to our ‘Egypt’.
We soften the Gospel so it doesn’t offend our pluralistic neighbours. It is like a self-help TED talk
We put a ‘Christwash’ over otherwise secular lives that look like everyone else’s
We’re not excited and engaged in the Great Commission mission of Jesus in Matthew 28 for our lives
We give up on evangelism and hope for a miracle of revival instead
Our churches reduce the mission Jesus has for us by replacing the Great Commission with their own limited wall-slogans, which ask us to live down to their vision.
We forget that the very God who delivered us is the same God who leads us into the wilderness — not to punish us, but to form us.
The Leek-Tested Life
Here’s the hard truth: God may let our comforts be stripped, not because He is cruel, but because He is kind. Because He wants us to remember who we are and why we were rescued in the first place. This is not the time to cry out for leeks and onions. This is the time to cry out for fire. For hunger. For holiness. For the kind of presence that led Israel by cloud and fire, and leads the Church by His Spirit now.
A Question for the Remnant
If you're part of the 9% — those still practising faith in Aotearoa — then let me ask:
What are the leeks and onions you're most tempted to cling to?
Don't despise this wilderness moment in our New Zealand Church story-arc. The only way that we will stop the 9% Remnant dropping to 5% - and then into faith-practising oblivion like Europe, at 2% - is to leave, or un-identify from our Egypt, and begin our journey of separation in the wilderness.
Where are we compromising our faith and not submitting the decisions we make to God? Let’s start there.
So don’t look back.
Let the leeks and onions go.