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Post by Daniel on Aug 17, 2018 7:04:12 GMT -5
Do Christians Really Want Pablum?
By Michael Brown/AskDrBrown.org
August 16, 2018
It's true that the road to destruction is as broad as ever (Matthew 7:13-14). It's true that many churchgoers are attracted to preachers who tickle their itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4). And it's true that many pastors seem to have an unwritten 11th commandment, "Thou shalt not offend."
But is this true for all? Hardly. Plenty of Christians want anything but compromise.
I'm aware, of course, that there are mega-churches famous for failing to preach against sin. And I'm aware that far too many leaders avoid addressing cultural issues like the plague. And to the extent that these ministries see "success," this would indicate that there is always a large audience for a non-confrontational, baby food gospel.
It breaks my heart to hear leaders dance around controversial issues. It saddens me deeply when I see people drawn to a message that bypasses the cross and calls for neither sacrifice nor service.
But, to repeat, there are plenty of Christians who have no interest in pablum. They want to be challenged. They want to hear the truth. They want sin to be confronted (starting in their own lives). They want their leaders to address the culture. They want to be salt and light.
I hear this all the time as I travel and speak around the country and as I interact on social media. The very fact that thousands of people thank me (and others) for speaking the truth and for taking a stand tells us two things. First, not enough leaders are doing this; second, their congregants really want them to.
Is it possible that some pastors are underestimating their flocks? Is it possible that some leaders are misjudging their followers?
Obviously, not everyone wants to be rocked to sleep. Not everyone wants a lullaby. Not everyone wants to be conformed to this world.
Plenty of God's people are sick and tired of the status quo. Sick and tired of a compromised Christianity. Sick and tired of looking and smelling like the world. Sick and tired of lounging on the Titanic when a giant iceberg is clearly in sight.
Really now, how can we be watchman on the wall when we don't warn? How can we be shepherds of the flock when we don't equip? How can be faithful leaders when we cower rather than confront? The people of God are waiting for us to stand.
In Saving a Sick America, I noted that, "In 2014, George Barna reported the results of his latest poll. During an interview on American Family Radio, Barna explained that, 'What we're finding is that when we ask [pastors] about all the key issues of the day, [90 percent of them are] telling us, "Yes, the Bible speaks to every one of these issues."
Then we ask them: "Well, are you teaching your people what the Bible says about those issues?" and the numbers drop...to less than 10 percent of pastors who say they will speak to it.'"
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Post by Daniel on Oct 21, 2018 10:42:22 GMT -5
The Problem With Feel-Good Church
By CP Op-Ed Contributor Jarrid Wilson | Fri 19 Oct 2018
I remember walking into to church for the first time after purposely staying as far from it as I could for 10 years. The music was loud, the crowds were big, and the environment was inviting. It was unlike any other church I could remember going to as a kid, and the people who made up this group were overwhelmingly kind to me. "This place is awesome" I remember thinking to myself. And I remember feeling something I had never expected to feel at a church; welcomed.
But the story doesn't end there. No. As quickly as I had stepped into an environment that felt accepting and welcoming, the tides began to change, and I was met with a sermon from a charismatic pastor that made me feel like I had just been slapped in the face. Not because he was speaking ill or being rude, but that he was telling me things about myself I didn't want to hear. This pastor was preaching things out of the Bible that opposed the way I was currently living my life. He said things I didn't like. He said things that made me get defensive.
But guess what? As uncomfortable as it made me feel at that very moment, his words were exactly what I needed. This type of discomfort is something all of us need to experience. To be reminded that a life lived outside of the narrow-road, reliant on flesh and personal desires is not the life God has destined us for.
Imagine
Imagine with me for a second. If I would have stepped into that church, only to be given a "feel-good" message that validated and approved everything I was currently engaging in because the pastor didn't want to ruffle any feathers, offend someone, or ruin the opportunity for gathering someone's tithe. How on earth would I have been expected to change? I wouldn't have. I would have left the church with no inclination that the way I was currently living was leading me down the path of emptiness. The conviction I felt is what led me to repentance, and the repentance is what led me closer to a life that reflected Jesus.
The Bible is clear that an encounter with Jesus will bring on a new life, an experience that places our old life behind us (Colossians 3:3-14). If your life looks the same after you claim to have encountered Jesus, did you really?
The church wasn't meant to always feel good. In fact, often times I've left church even more aware of the brokenness that I was when I first walked in. I'm left with hope, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about what I have to sacrifice in order to get there. Often times we see pastors preaching messages that illustrate Jesus as nothing more than the feel-good genie whose only job is to give you what you're looking for. You know, feel-good church...
-Jesus will provide you with the job.
-Jesus will provide you the finances.
-Jesus will provide you the blessings.
-Jesus will provide you the healing.
-Jesus will provide you with a spouse.
-Jesus will provide you with a promotion.
Unless He doesn't...
Do you see where I'm going with this? Can Jesus provide all that I mentioned above? Yup. But that doesn't mean he will. And it's not the job of a pastor to promise things to people that the Bible doesn't, especially when it comes to providing the way you and I specifically want. God will often contradict our personal expectations for our own benefit. It's about His will, not ours. The church was not designed to be comfortable, but instead, confronting of sin and a dispenser of hope.
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