AW Tozer

I like quotes and find them interesting. People use quotes in a number of ways such as to make or refute a point. We often quote the Bible in such a manner. We also do this with "fathers of our Christian faith"; with those people that we consider "spiritual giants".

While God should be our focus and the Holy Spirit our guide, I do believe that articles of truth can be shored up by a quote offered in line with what the Bible teaches.

Anyway, I came across this quote today and wanted to share it. I find it interesting considering the modern landscape of Christianity today.

“One of the most popular current errors, and the one out of which springs most of the noisy, blustering religious activity being carried in evangelical circles these days, is the notion that as times change the church must change with them. Christians must adapt their methods by the demands of the people. If they want ten-minute sermons, give them ten-minute sermons. If they want truth in capsule form, give it to them. If they want pictures, give them plenty of pictures. If they like stories, tell them stories. If they prefer to absorb their religious instruction through drama, go along with them—give them what they want. ‘The message is the same, only the method changes,’ say the advocates of compromise.”

- A.W. Tozer

Because Truth Matters,
George

Nothing New Under The Sun

“The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them...providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church...the need is for Biblical doctrine, so understood and felt that it sets men aflame.”

- CH Spurgeon


The title of this quote is taken from Ecclesiastes 1:9-14.

Because Truth matters,
George

Food for Thought

I recently came across this interesting picture from a postcard that churches can sent out to people. I think that it's very thought provoking, not only along the lines of it's original intent, but also for what it means to the individual Christian.

The way that I see it is that it's a call to an awakening; a process of self-examination for Christians attending churches and pastors alike.

Christian: Do you give God the leftovers of your day, grabbing a bite of the Bible when you have time, or are you taking the time to feast on the riches of God's Word?

Pastor: Do you fee your flock the Word of God or are you giving them just enough of a "rush" to get through to the next service where they will come back and hear the next feel good message?

We cannot neglect our spiritual bodies and expect to be a healthy and growing Christian, much like the fact that we can't neglect our physical bodies and expect to be healthy.

To quote an old church sign,

7 days without God's Word, makes 1 weak.

Because Truth matters,
George

Called and Equipped for Service

The following is from an email list that I belong to. It was taken from J. P.'s Inspirations.

The reading deals with a call to ministry, something that I am dealing with on a personal level. I have known that I have been called to the preaching ministry, but have had difficulty in dealing with it in as far as discerning the next step. In the mean time, I am seeking God's will and am doing the last thing that He told me to do until I have know what the next step is. (thanks Dr. Blackaby)

The article reminds me of some of the "simple" truths of the calling such as:

• God's ways are not our ways / His thoughts are not our thoughts
• He chose us (we did not choose Him)
• He will equip us for what He has called us to.
• To obey is better than sacrifice

Humanly speaking, we see Moses was an unlikely candidate to be called as the one to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt. There was a price on his head in Egypt and he was in exile. Yet, we see God's ways are not our ways, nor His thoughts our thoughts. Moses was chosen by God. Even though he felt he was not qualified to be their leader, God equipped Him with all he needed to carry forth His will and set God's people free.

We are also unqualified for the mission which the Lord calls us. Jesus will remind us that He chose us, we did not choose Him. (Jn. 15: 16). He will supply all we need to enable us to successfully work for Him. By His Spirit and Word, we are led and spiritually fed. As God gives us spiritual food and leads us, we are also to share with others.

If we let the Lord's will be done in our lives and follow Him, we shall have success in all we attempt in His service. Success in the eyes of God, is different than in the eyes of men. To obey is better than sacrifice, and God rewards our faithful obedience.

Remember that God told Moses, "I will be with you" and still tells us these same words today. If we listen closely, we can hear the Lord speaking to our hearts. He will never leave or forsake us. He will always be there, even until the end of the age. Whatever God has called us to do, God will go before and prepare the way. If we are called to share God's Word with others, the Lord will bless us as we seek and let Him equip us for the task. He alone is able supply the spiritual food to sustain souls that they might grow in His grace and knowledge.

We have God's blessed assurance and can claim every promise He has given us. We give thanks for the ever abiding presence of the Holy Spirit and God's help in our lives each day.

What an incredible article that was. It was succinct, but contained all that one needs to hear regarding a calling.

Thank you Lord for your leading.

Because Truth matters,
George

Romans 6:23

I believe that every now and then that we, as Chrsitians must look at the source of our walk,... our faith... and our hope. It is my firm belief that Christians need to hear and keep hearing the Gospel of Christ like the lost need to hear the Good News.

In out Sunday Youth group, we are going through an Evangelism program entitled Sharing Jesus Without Fear. One of the verses that is discussed that we go over with a lost person is Romans 6:23, which reads,

for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This truth is a fundamental aspect of the preaching of the Word of God. Through it, the sinner is made aware that yes, there are consequences for a life that is lived apart from God. Through this verse, the Holy Spirit can convict the heart of a lost person as well as strengthen the hope and assurance of a Christian.

The following is a quote from The Berean on this verse.

One of the most basic truths in God's program involves the fact that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The death we are intended to understand is the second death. There are only two ways to satisfy this basic truth: First, all humans must be paid that wage because all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Second, another, an innocent One on whom death has no claim because He never sinned, must pay that wage in our stead, substituting His death for ours. We find both aspects applied to practical Christian life in Romans. Paul writes in Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." It is essential that we thoroughly understand that Christ died, not merely as a benefit, but for us, that is, in our place. His death substitutes for our well-deserved death, which we earned through sin. Earlier, the apostle had written in Romans 4:1-5: What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness. When confronted by such scriptures that cannot be broken, our only possible conclusion is that the sin-debt that each person owes to God absolutely cannot be worked off. It is so huge and serious that an already sin-defiled person cannot pay it off. Once a person sins, his debt is absolutely irredeemable by anyone or any action except through death. Either each individual pays for himself, or Christ pays in his place. These are the only acceptable payments.

Because Truth Matters,
George

Halloween

Well, it's that time of year again. No, not Christmas, although the decorations, etc. will be out in the stores (if it's not already) very soon. It's October 31, Halloween.

Whew, I said it! I know that the holiday of Halloween is a great source of consternation for a lot of Christians. Some don't participate at all, locking themselves in their houses with the lights off, while others decorate their houses with abandon.

Somewhere between the two schools of thought lies a middle ground; a place of participation, but not pandering to the overtly evil side of the day.

Don't get me wrong. I dislike the evil that is associated with Halloween, but would like to give you some thoughs to remember.

What better time of the year to talk to your neighbors and friends in the area than tonight when everyone will be out?

What better a night for a witnessing opportunity, when people COME TO YOU!

While reading various sources today, I came across this interesting, cool quote from Tim Challies' blog:

Perhaps the greatest fallacy Christians believe about Halloween is that by refusing to participate in the day we are somehow taking a stand against Satan. And second to that, is that participation in the day is an endorsement of Satan and his evil holidays. The truth is that Halloween is not much different from any other day in this world where, at least for the time being, every day is Satan's day and a celebration of him and his power. Another member of the Discussion List wrote the following. "Yeah... I've heard all of the 'pagan' reasons Christians should avoid Halloween. The question is whether we are actually particpating in Samhain when we participate in Halloween? Who or what makes the 'Witch's League of Public Awareness' the definers of what Halloween is, either now or historically? Such a connection between Samhain and my daughter as a ladybug or my son as a Bengals Boy is highly dubious."

Our church will be hosting a Trunk or Treat time tonight. It'll be a safe time for the kids and a chance for us to be able to meet people in the community that maybe we don't know. It'll give them a chance to see what the people are like at that "church down the road" where the Light is always on :)

Although this time of the year, we see ghost, goblins and ghouls, we will let our children dress up in costumes that are not scary. If you come to our house or church, don't expect to be scared, but do expect to be greeted with a smile and delicious candy by a princess, pig, caveman, soldier or farmer.

BTW, be nice to the farmer, he goes through Snickers withdrawals :)

How do you give your life to Jesus?

How do you give your life to Jesus? That is a question that I came across while on Love Worth Finding's Web site. I so enjoy listening to Adrian Rogers even though he has gone home to Heaven. Anyway, I came across this and wanted to post it, so for those who don't know or who are struggling to put it into words, here you go...

Admit Your Sin: First, you must understand that you are a sinner. The Bible says, “All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Abandon Self-Effort: You cannot save yourself by your efforts. The Bible is very clear that it’s “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). Again, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Acknowledge Christ’s Payment: You must believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for your sins. The Bible says, “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). That means He died in your place. Your sin debt has been paid by the blood of Jesus Christ, which “cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Accept Him as Savior: You must put your faith in Jesus Christ, and Him alone for your salvation. The blood of Christ does you no good until you receive Him by faith. The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). It couldn’t be any clearer than that. Now, if you would like to give your life to Jesus, then pray, “Oh God, I’m a sinner. I’m lost, and I need to be saved. I know I can’t save myself, so right now, once and for all, I trust You to save me. Come into my heart, forgive my sin, and make me your child. I give You my life. I will live for You as You give me strength.”

If you will make this your heartfelt prayer, God will hear and save you! Jesus has promised that He will not turn away anyone who comes to Him in faith (John 6:37). He will make you a child of God, if you will turn to Him (John 1:12). Will you trust Him today?

Amen!

Because Truth matters,
George

Jargon

Sometimes my oldest daughter, thinks that I am out of touch with the modern world. I dance funny and say funny phrases that make her cringe.

"Dad, that's so 80's," or worse yet, "That's so 60's." I don't think that she realizes that I was born in the late 60's... lol.

She thinks that the words that I use come from (and need to stay) in a different time. It got me to thinking about jargon. There's a sort of "culture" of words that are used in various "groups" of people. Truck drivers and doctors have their own way of talking, lawyers do as well. Teenagers DEFINATELY do, too.

He's a question. Does the church?

I was once accused by a ministry leader of being to "churchy" when using a certain word in a daily devotion that I was writing. "Well, it IS a devotional." I was told to try to change it so people would be more comfortable.

In looking at the trends of the post-modern church and how it is sharply veering away from Biblical Christianity over the past 5 or so years (I'm sure that it's been longer.), I am amazed that "emergent" churches and leaders chide "traditional" churches over being too "churchy" or out of touch.

Hello?!?! Have you ever tried to read something from one of their blogs or sites? It seems like they make up words daily to describe their new, but the way that Jesus really did things, way of doing church.

That being said, I ran across this interesting clip from an blog today that rather nicely sums up the pharasitical nature of emergents...

One of the criticisms leveled at traditional churches by the “emergent/emerging” crowd is that they use too much technical language, theological terms, and Christian jargon that nobody understands. They say we should root out of our vocabulary words like “justification, sanctification, glorification, dispensationalism, eschatology” and other similar terms. But ironically, they have gone and created their own vocabulary that nobody understands except those who are “in.” And yet, people who are excited and intrigued by what the emerging/emergent churches are doing are willing to learn the terminology and begin using it themselves.

You know what this means? Getting out message heard is not about weeding out tricky terminology. It’s speaking and writing with a passion and excitement that others are not only willing to listen, but also to learn and adopt the language. Look at text messaging as an example. Text messengers have developed their own entire language. I understand very little of it, but those who want to communicate with other cell phone users have learned the language and terms and created their own sub-culture.

So can you use words like justification and sanctification? Sure! They’re more BIblical than words like “emerging” and “glocal.” But whatever terminology you use, don’t speak and write in a way that is dispassionate and cold toward God, His Word, and all those in the world (whether believers or unbelievers) seeking direction. While we want to be as clear as possible, if you use terminology that people don’t understand, they will try to learn that terminology if they catch your passion and vision.

Well said! In the end, if we just stick to the Bible instead of blindly following after leaders, personalities, conferences and mega-churches, we'll do just fine. There are enough words that have to be exegeted and taught without making up new ones that describe unbiblical methods.

I'm out. 10-4, good buddy!

Because Truth matters,
George

A Moment in Time

"If you could spend 24 hours with a leader, who would it be?"

That was a question that I recently read on a Christian blog. I gave it some thought. Not to sound super-spiritual, but Jesus was the first thing that crossed my mind. To be able to sit with my master and listen to him speak; to observe how he interacted with people; to ask the questions that I have that will only have answers when I get to Heaven. That would be the ultimate for me!

Some of the answers were:

Bill Hybels
Ron Paul
Bill Gates
Mark Driscoll
Rob Bell
Barak Obama
Bono
John Piper
Richard Branson
Ted Turner
Ravi Zacherias
Martin Luther King Jr.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Oprah Winfrey
Fred Rogers
Marilyn Manson
Andy Stanley
John Maxwell
Erwin McManus
Brian McLaren
Steven Furtick
Billy Graham
George Bush

There are some great names in that list...and some not-so-great names, but I figured that I missed something. I scrolled down to look at the answers and was very confused, then irritated, then confused again. I searched the page for the word "Jesus", but all that came up was "Phrase not found". Sadly that's the state of a lot of churches today... Jesus simply isn't found anywhere. It was really sad to read all of the names and reasons why people wanted to talk to these "leaders" and it all seemed to mostly focus on being mancentered.

All that being said, I'd like to change the question. If you had 24 hours to spend with Jesus, in person, what would you say? What would you do?

Because Truth Matters,
George

We're on a mission!

Today is a very special day. We just finished our GA and RA camping trip (which was great, even though we got rained on). How in the world did I fit all of that gear into the car for the trip here? ...and why can't I fit it in on the way back?... lol

I also said goodbye to G3 this morning as he left with our youth pastor and others from our church to go to Georgia to help build another church. This is the second mission trip that he's been on, but this one is a bit different. There's a week's worth of very hard work ahead. He will be serving, working 10 hour days along side people from our church and others doing tasks that he's probably never done before, but he is embracing the opportunity.

He is looking forward to it and I am very proud of him and the attitude of service that he has. I pray that God will continue to grow and mature him after His heart.

A-camping we will go...

It's been a while since I've posted, so I wanted to update the "goings on" around the house. Tonight, I will be taking the some of the kids camping. This is pretty cool because I haven't been camping for a few years. The last time was when Matt and I went on the Father-Son campout.

This should be a fun experience. We are going on a GA and RA combined expedition. Well, it feels like an expedition with all of the sleeping bags, chairs, lanterns, compasses, etc.

I do want to mention something funny. As we were loading all of the equipment into my little car last night, the kids were handing me things to pack. I look up from the trunk to see Matt standing there with an ax. He casually said, "Well, we're going to need to chop wood." I don't think the ranger at the park would like that, besides, we're bringing out our wood. He was a bit disappointed, but understood.

Whew... that's one less thing to cram in the trunk :)

The only thing that really stinks is that we are supposed to have thunderstorms over the next few days. I hope that it holds off.

Oh, well, it should be fun :)

Winds of Change at Willow Creek

The winds of change are blowing at Willow Creek. A recent announcement by Willow Creek's elders state that Randy Frazee is leaving and moving to Texas where he will teach and lead in partnership with pastor and author, Max Lucado.

Gene Appel, the Lead Pastor for Willow Creek's South Barrington campus is also leaving for another pastorate.

Change happens. I don't necessarily like change, but recognize that it is necessary. God is always looking for us to trust Him and grow in faith to give Him glory. I pray that these two men seek after God's will for their lives and that they honor Him in all that they do. I pray that they lead Christ-centered churches void of marketing tactics and fad trends.

The only other thoughts that I had when I read the news was sonething that struck me as odd.

Here is an excerpt...

"On January 17, 2008 the Elders of Willow Creek and Bill Hybels agreed that Bill will assume the role of Lead Pastor-South Barrington in addition to his other senior pastor responsibilities, which include oversight of the Regional Campuses and the Willow Creek Association. "

Other senior pastor duties of overseeing the campuses and association?

As far as I know, pastors are supposed to feed the sheep (John 21:15-17) and protect the sheep (Acts 20:28-29).

2nd Timothy 4:2 says a lot right here, too... "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction."

Now I'm not saying that one does not need a sense of administration regarding a large congregation, it (the article) just struck me as kind of odd in laying out administration as prime examples of what a pastor does.

These two men, have a large "recognition factor". I pray that these two keep to their calling and not follow some of the things that Willow Creek did and that the Lord uses them mightily in their new ventures.

Because Truth matters,
George

Light In the Darkness

I'd like to start this post with a question... When is light needed?

Our youngest daughter HAS to have a light on in her hallway. If I forget and accidentally turn it off after saying prayers, she gentle (sometimes not) reminds me, "Daddy...", and I would turn the light on.

I can relate. As a child, nightlights gave me a sense of security. Somehow, just being able to see what was "out there" made me feel better.

When I get up in the middle of the night and have to stumble around the house, one of the first things that I look for is a light switch so I can see where I am and where I am going.

OK, so where am I going with this? Light is needed in places where darkness is. I would ague that this would include "in the world", but also in some churches. Please don't get me wrong. Please hear my heart, here. I am not knocking a person's heart with God. Only He know a man's heart. I will, however, say that we ARE called to bear witness to the light wherever darkness is... even in a church.

It saddens me to even have to say that and in some respects, it looks almost wrong when I read it, but we are called to rebuke whenever that is necessary.

When you get some time, you can read the story of Hymenaeus and Alexander in 1 Timothy and about the shipwreck that happened with their lives; and that was after years of faithful service. Such is the case when people turn from their faith. Now, I am not saying that the people or churches that I write about have turned from their faith, but they HAVE turned from being God-centered to man-centered.

"But", you say, "Who are YOU to judge?" "Can't we just leave them to what they are doing?"

No. Please read on...

In Galatians 2:11-21, we read where Peter was opposed by Paul.

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, "If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? "We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified. "But if, while seeking to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have also been found sinners, is Christ then a minister of sin? May it never be! "For if I rebuild what I have once destroyed, I prove myself to be a transgressor. "For through the Law I died to the Law, so that I might live to God. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."

Taking all of this into account, it would seem to be Biblical to take a close look at what is being preached to people under the guise of a Biblical lesson. In my searching and reading of various blogs, websites, etc., unless certain churches websites and sermons are misrepresenting what is going on at these churches, it sure looks like there is a lot of information that I and others could and should use to make informed decisions. Be a Berean. Check everything (even this site) against the Bible.

For example, consider the following...

On various websites and in one Indiana church that got sued, youth have activities where the kids licked peanut butter out of other kids armpits... or been dared to drink what someone has chewed up and spit out.

Less you think this is an isolated incident, churches from Saddleback to Granger, both locally and across the country bow at the alter of relevance.

Elvis impersonators?... check.

U2 "worship" music? ...check.

Movie-themed sermons ... check.

Sex talks... check.

Being a Berean?... check...er...wait! "Don't judge me! This works for us." comes the cry. Yet people who rally around this faux persecution are themselves judging those who are being Bereans and testing everything according to God's Word... hmmm...

Dr. John MacArthur wrote an interesting article on part of this subject called But Does It Work?

You see, when making a determination about churches and Christian programs, the ONLY standard that should be used is the Bible. Early Christians (yes, they called themselves that and proudly) didn't look to marketing, community surveys, etc. They came into town and went to preaching the Word of God. It doesn't matter what I, Rick Warren or Tony Morgan says. The only thing that matters is the Word of God.

Lest you think that I am unfairly categorizing people, let me give you an example. I've tried talking with Tony Morgan via email and on his blog. My emails have gone unanswered and my blog comments deleted. See my post here for that story.

When ministry is public, it becomes exposed to necessary public scrutiny. This is necessary to guard the Truth as well as guard the people sitting under the teaching.

Romans 12:2 tells us "do not be conformed to this world".

James 4:4 says: "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God".

Colossians 2:8 tells us: "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ".

See, the Bible, which is our standard is the mirror to which ALL things are held up to. Let me continue...

"As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear." - 1 Timothy 5:20

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," - 2 Timothy 3:16

"...reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." - 2 Timothy 4:2b

See? Reproof and rebuke are part of the package.

All of that being said, there are several things which need to be done. Here is the takehome.

1. Man-centered approaches need to be rebuked. See the above Bible verses. (Notice again, that the Bible is the rule, not my opinion.
2. The Bible has to be held up as the ultimate authority, not some marketing book of big ideas.
3. These churches need to be prayed for. Pray for their staffs that they may lead a Christ-centered church with the heart of God. Pray for the people in attendance that their eyes are opened and that they lovingly approach their staff.
4. Pray that the Holy Spirit leads, guides and directs these churches.
5. We need to love these people. Even though they're not Biblically correct, a lot of these type of churches have a real heart for people. Unfortunately, this is evidenced in their man-centered theology.

Again, please hear my heart. My heart breaks when the church tries to take things upon itself instead of relying on God. It causes confusion amongst the sheep, confusion amongst the World and sets up a false dichotomy amongst the body of Christ. It divides when we really need unity.

What an incredible impact we (as the church) would have if we would focus our energies (and tremendous resources) at honoring God, not catering to man.

To God alone be the glory!

Because Truth matters,
George

Mc Churches - I'm NOT Lovin' it

Mc Churches... what???

I've been reading some blogs lately and it seems like an overarching theme is "experience". People need experiences. Worship programming promote experiences.

More and more lately, from what I've been seeing, music is designed for the experience of the "unchurched". Stages (without pulpits) are now elaborate sets designed for culturally relevant, messages trying to convey Truth veiled in worldy themes of secualr movies or television shows.

Bigger, louder, more comfortable, "bring your latte from our food court and socialize" services are "crafted" to make people (man-centered approach) comfortable. I mean, if you don't give people what they want, they won't come to church, right?

I would argue that they are not going to church anyway.

R.C. Sproul once said

"One of the most dangerous things you can do as
a Christian is to determine your theology by your experience"

How then did we as a culture (I'm beginning not to like that word) fall into this trap? I've heard it said over and over again from numerous seeker-sensitive and emergent pastors that we need to be like the world, read worldly magazines, listen to worldly music and talk like the world. Do people know the meaning of "mac daddy"? Google it and see what you find. It's not for the faint of heart.

Wait! Didn't Paul became all things to all men? Shouldn’t we adopt those forms of music and the accompanying behavior to get the Christian message to the lost, er... unchurched?

Ummm... no.

When Paul “became a Jew to the Jews and a Gentile to the Gentiles,” he didn't adopted cultural expressions that were in conflict with principles he himself insisted elsewhere that we follow as a course of life that is pleasing to God. Actually, he commands us not to adopt or continue in unbiblical practices of the pagans, who are in darkness (Ephesians 4:17-20), but to walk in a manner worthy of our high calling (Ephesians 4:1-2). When he commands us to “let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29), he makes no exception for “cultural expression” or “contextualization.”

Here are the verses quoted from above...

Ephesians 4:17-20 says,

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way,

Ephesians 4:1-2 says,

Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one anotherin love,

Ephesians 4:29 says,

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Does your walk and ministry line up with the Bible? All of this leads up to the point that I wanted to make about "church methods". One of the hottest methods for growth is that churches try to clone themselves. Their argument is that people will buy into and trust what they are familiar with. While this may be true in the fast-food ecomony of marketing, it does not fly when you hold it up to the light of scripture which plainly tells us that it is the Lord who grows the church, not the "Director of something or another" at a church.

Yes, a church should be involved in church planting, but there is a difference in listening to the Holy Spirit grow a church from the community than in setting up a cookie-cutter representation of themselves (often with shared staff, worship bands, etc.) in a small form of a papacy with a busy pastor that doesn't know his flock at the top of the power pyramid.

Do we really need multiple "campuses"? with names like "The "[Insert name] Church of [Insert your favorite city here], [Insert another city here] Campus"

I think that sometimes people are well-intentioned and fall into the trap of trying to bring about God's will under their own power or for their own gain. Don't get me wrong, I fall into that trap on occasion. Whenever I go on a job interview, I pray for God's will, but admit that it's easy to fall into the trap of trying to will myself on God. "C'mon, God, this would be good..."

Anyway, it seems that we have become a results-only society. Do the ends justify the means? do numbers equate to God's blessing?

The Mormon's have a huge organization, with many seemingly "Christian" people. They live lives that most of us would be envious of (on the surface) yet unless they repent, they are on the fast track to hell.

Speaking of which, what we need is a more Biblical approach to "doing church". We don't need survey-based, market-driven, "our primary 'target' is people 35 and under", culturally relevant and worldy style churches.

I will say that I do like fast food once in a while, but I also know that I cannot have a steady diet of it, because once going down this route, stale reheated meals have a detrimental affect on the body. Likewise, stale reheated, prepackaged meals and experiences based upon personalities aren't good for the body of Christ, either.

There is enough corporate marketing and self-help mumbo-jumbo in the world that we don;t need it seeping into the church poluting what God wants to be Holy and Christ-honoring. We need an honest call to obedience, beginning with repentance for our man-centered ways, so gentlemen, put away your cigars and stop quoting culture, because I'm NOT loving it.

Because Truth matters,

George

It All Happened In The Country

Diana recently wrote about a Christmas play that our family had the priviledge of being a part of this past Sunday called It All Happened In The Country. She has some great pictures and even a video up on her blog from the night. Meg, Matt and Jules, along with Diana and I were in the play, while G3 ran the spotlight from the balcony. I don't know what I could add to it, so I will just say that I feel so blessed to be a part of an awesome, caring church. I absolutely love children's plays, the forgotten lines, cute costumes, etc. The innocence of the children singing and talking about God is an incredible sight to witness.

I like to think that our Heavenly Father looks down on these little ones singing and telling the Gospel story and smiles. It's been said, and I believe, that Christmas and Easter are two of the times that people who never or seldom come to church - do come to church. What an awesome way to share the story of God's love through Jesus' birth to all of these people.

Because Truth matters,
George

Reformation Redux

Calling John Tetzel...

Today I read an article today about Pope Benedict XVI. He is offering "relief from purgatory" to Catholics who visit Lourdes, France.


The article went on to say that,

The indulgences will be available from this weekend until Dec 8, 2008.

What?!?! After Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg Castle church following similar practices of the pope at the time, it seems incredible that something like this still goes on.

I came from a Catholic background and never understood it or felt comfortable with some of their practices (confession, purgatory, etc.) That, coupled with the fact that the Bible was never used and it felt like an ardous task.

I remember my salvation well. The freedom, the love, the mercy and forgiveness of our Lord and Saviour brought my spiritual life into sharp focus.

Oftimes it seems like I am in a movie and I am the only one who knows what the plot is and all of the other people around me are oblivious to the man-centered error that is being propagated to the people in the congregation.

It's frustrating and m,akes me want to shout, "JUST READ YOUR BIBLE AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AN HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE!"

The déjà vu of this is very strange. This coupled with some of the monastic traditions that some emergent churches are using just reminds my of Ecclesiastes 1:9,

What has been will be again, what has been done
will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.

Because Truth matters,
George

Hillary Clinton and Rick Warren

I recently read in the Worldnet Daily News that Hillary Clinton recently spoke at Saddleback Church at the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church.

Mrs. Clinton spoke of her faith and one person interviewed mentioned that she believe that Hillary Clinton has compatible Christian values.

Proverbs 28:4 says that,

“Those that forsake the law, praise the wicked. But such as keep my law contend with them.”

Although Rick Warren explained,

"The first thing is that this is not a church service, and, second, there isn't a pulpit on stage,"

Warren said.

"And it's not a worship service. This is a summit, which does include people from every kind of background."

In response to this, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, believes it was

"a mistake to invite [Clinton] to speak at an evangelical Christian church on AIDS or any other issue, because her political stances are contrary to biblical teaching."

"What Saddleback is doing is helping raise her profile as a legitimate presidential candidate in the eyes of evangelical Christians, and I think that is a huge error,"

Wildmon told Reuters.

I would wholeheartedly agree. The church (I know the body of Christ is the church) is not a place of exposing of thoughts on topics contrary to Biblical thinking. Although a disclaimer was made, many still make the connection with the unofficial connection between Saddleback and Mrs. Clinton and with her views on partial birth abortion, this is truely wrong.

Because Truth matters,
George

Slice of Laodicea Is Back!

Slice of Laodicea, which was dealt a really bad blow by it's service provider in the not too distant past is back online. This time, it appears that comments are not allowed.

I for one am glad to see the site, which stands amongst others as a vanguard to the affront of the seeker-sensitive and emergent movements, seeking a return to Biblical values make it's return.

Calling Down The Fire

Yesterday, our church had the beginning of what will, God willing, be a four day revival. There are several unique parts of that sentence that I'd like to address. The first is that our church is having a revival. I've heard it said by people that "you can not schedule a revival" because God schedule is not dictated by men. I'll tell you that I did learn that although man cannot dictate God's actions, there are men that are called for the purpose of leading a revival.

These men come with a unique gift of prophetic wisdom that the Holy Spirit uses to speak to the hearts of those present and move them for His will and purposes.

The topic yesterday used the story of Elijah calling down fire in 1 Kings and how when the fire falls, the people "fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God". That's the effect that the fire has on people,it makes people realize the one true God.

The second thing that I wanted to talk about was the statement "God willing". It's a statement that I'm adding to my vocabulary thanks to Carl Scarlett, our guest preacher. You see, he said that he never makes a promise about anything in the future because the Lord could call him home or come back before that event. To me, that phrase, "God Willing" or "Lord willing" is a constant acknowledgement of the sovreignty of God and also points to the promise of our Lords return.

I look forward to what the rest of the days will bring. I pray that people will be drawn to the Lord and trust and follow Him with faith and obedience.

There's Sugar Cubes in the Kitchen

Tonight was my first night of teaching youth at our church. I used to teach adult Sunday school at our church. Now, I co-teach Sunday evenings with thise oither great guy from our church. Tonight was the first Teen Sunday night at the church. We had 7 kids and I praise God for them.

The night started with prayer and introductions.

I then handed out a roll of toilet tissue and asked each one to take whatever they thought they needed. With no other explanation, the roll went around the room. Some took 9 or 10; one boy took 1. My son took 23. He later regretted it as he and the others who took a lot of TP tried to think of things about themselves to share.

After they all had them counted, I told that for each sheet of toilet paper that the had that they would have to tell one thing about themselves as well as one thing from each of the people that went before them.

We learned a little something about each other then Mr. T (not THE "Mr. T") opened the Bible and we talked about unity and what that means to a Christian. We looked at Collossians 3:12-15

12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

We also talked about what we were trying to accomplish in the kids lives and asked for input and we tried to keep a dialog going.

One of them jokingly mentioned that they needed sugar. I said that I would bring some snacks next week. Without missing a beat, this boy said, "There's sugar cubes in the kitchen!"

Ummm, I know that I'm new to the teen ministry thing, BUT I DO have a teenaged son and other kids close to that age to the point that I know that that didn't sound like a good idea.

It was a great time. I pray that God continues to lead and bless us.