In our consideration of what The Visible Church has to answer for, few of its failures are more destructive than the current contemporary, seeker-sensitive, emergent worship forms.
It is the sin of Cain: The stubborn refusal to worship God the way He prescribes.
This is not a comparison of the music I like vs. the music you like. Nor is it where you worship or what name you give your church. This is about honoring God.
Christians worship God. The unsaved (seekers) do not and cannot
Christians worship God in spirit. Indulging fleshly desire or sensual gratification is not worship of God. It is the worship of self.
Christians worship God in truth. It is God Who determines what worship is.
Contemporary worship-forms are drawn from the culture and from personal desire, not from anything biblical. Efforts to sanctify your idea of worship, from the scriptures, simply exposes your lack of biblical knowledge.
It is not God Who desires the worship of unsaved souls.
It is not God Who likes the sound of raucus or sensual music forms
It is not God Who encourages worshippers to give vent to emotional expressions that result in swooning or thrashing on the floor or "mosh-pits" at concerts.
It is not God Who equates the singing of songs with worship.
It is not God Who ignores the heart-attitude, illustrated by the disrespectful fashion choices of those who claim to be worshiping God in the beauty of holiness.
The list is long. But the point is the same: If God is the One being worshiped, it's His goals, standards and expectations that are important, not our's.
Try showing up in a court of law, dressed for Church. But don't be surprised at the scolding you get or the penalty imposed, simply because you demonstrated disrespect for the Court. The least you can expect is to be sent home to change.
Cain had no respect for God. He expressed his disrespect by choosing a worship form that pleased him.
That's the Way of Cain!
Showing posts with label Seeker Sensitive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seeker Sensitive. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Consumer Alert!
The visible Church in America rarely corresponds to The True Church of The Lord Jesus Christ! For those who are thinking this is an outrageous assertion, I challenge you to think about it, biblically.
How many churches require that members have a credible testimony of salvation?
How many have based their Doctrinal Stance on The Bible?
How many preach The Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ, the way the Apostles did?
How many operate on the Free-Will offerings of God's people?
How many have leadership qualified by the standards recorded in Scripture?
How many preach/teach the doctrine described in the New Testament Epistles?
Using this measure, biblical churches are few and far between. Which brings me to the second of the Ten Things The Visible Church Has To Answer For: Opening the door to biblically offensive patterns and policies.
It is offensive to God:
That a group of non-believers could call themselves a Christian Church and have everyone else accept their claim.
To have women in spiritual leadership roles. Women have a vital spiritual role in The Church, but may not hold spiritual leadership offices: elder, bishop, pastor-teacher, deacon.
For those who represent Him to be be supportive of infancticide and/or sodomy.
For churches to draw on the Levitical Law in structuring their organization. Whether it is a priesthood, tithing, or simply imposing rules and regulations that define spirituality.
To sell things or offer gambling opportunities, including Lottery Tickets, in order to support the ministries of His Church. It is an indictment against God that implies He cannot or will not take care of His own.
To develop Seeker-Sensitive Programs and Polices. Such an approach assumes The Gospel is impotent.
To bring worldly musical forms and worldly, selfish worship forms into The Church. It's the same as inviting Allah to a Pig-Pickin' and expecting him to be pleased.
That pastors see themselves as anything other than servants of God and those the congregations they represent. Those who don't understand need to read I Peter 5:1-4 and consider that it is the congregation that "called" you. The one which "hires you" can also "fire you." And there's where the authority lies.
There are many more, but the point is made. If you take exception, let me know. Use the "comment" feature and make your point. But....bring your Bible not your opinion.
How many churches require that members have a credible testimony of salvation?
How many have based their Doctrinal Stance on The Bible?
How many preach The Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ, the way the Apostles did?
How many operate on the Free-Will offerings of God's people?
How many have leadership qualified by the standards recorded in Scripture?
How many preach/teach the doctrine described in the New Testament Epistles?
Using this measure, biblical churches are few and far between. Which brings me to the second of the Ten Things The Visible Church Has To Answer For: Opening the door to biblically offensive patterns and policies.
It is offensive to God:
That a group of non-believers could call themselves a Christian Church and have everyone else accept their claim.
To have women in spiritual leadership roles. Women have a vital spiritual role in The Church, but may not hold spiritual leadership offices: elder, bishop, pastor-teacher, deacon.
For those who represent Him to be be supportive of infancticide and/or sodomy.
For churches to draw on the Levitical Law in structuring their organization. Whether it is a priesthood, tithing, or simply imposing rules and regulations that define spirituality.
To sell things or offer gambling opportunities, including Lottery Tickets, in order to support the ministries of His Church. It is an indictment against God that implies He cannot or will not take care of His own.
To develop Seeker-Sensitive Programs and Polices. Such an approach assumes The Gospel is impotent.
To bring worldly musical forms and worldly, selfish worship forms into The Church. It's the same as inviting Allah to a Pig-Pickin' and expecting him to be pleased.
That pastors see themselves as anything other than servants of God and those the congregations they represent. Those who don't understand need to read I Peter 5:1-4 and consider that it is the congregation that "called" you. The one which "hires you" can also "fire you." And there's where the authority lies.
There are many more, but the point is made. If you take exception, let me know. Use the "comment" feature and make your point. But....bring your Bible not your opinion.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Where We're Going? Or Where We Are?
I read, recently, of a Church where the pastor and probably all of the 30 or 40 Staff Members have no Bible College or Seminary training. Where the leadership is learning as they go and where The Bible is viewed more as theory than settled truth.
Individuals are challenged to figure out for themselves what it means. Their worship is not focused on the sovereign, holy majesty of the ineffable God Who rules over the affairs of men, but rather the needs, attitudes and interests of those who attend.
It's man-centered and contemporary.
It's laid-back and "real."
It's populated by seekers, observers and hangers-on.
And the conservative messages presented are not propositional. They do not propose a response from the hearer. Rather they are offered as information, personal testimony and suggestions for serious thought. Folks are left to decide for themselves what these words mean "To Them."
The music is loud and emotionally intense. The environment more like a Night Club or Concert Hall than a Cathedral. And no one cares how anyone dresses or what they might believe.
Oh, and they have 5000 people gathering every Sunday to experience this form of church.
It's a sham and a hoax. But it satisfies the human heart's desire for worship. It's just not the Bible idea of Church. It's an expression of will-worship. And at least one person who attends regularly has said that should the pastor leave, the whole thing would collapse.
Of course, this is not the story of all churches. There are still groups of Christians who gather in the name of Jesus to humble themselves before God and worship in spirit [with their spirit, not with sensual expressions] and in truth [the way God prescribes, rather than their own ideas].
What of them? They are generally smaller, and getting even smaller, and they're membership is aging. The Youth-Culture is not interested in Bible Doctrine nor in submission to God. Maybe because their heart is far from Him.
I say that, not judgmentally, but because these free-wheeling, contemporary mega-churches are not known for preaching The Gospel of Repentance from sin and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And because the human heart, in it's natural condition, cannot understand spiritual things [I Cor. 2:14], nor are they interested [Rom. 3:11-12]
Individuals are challenged to figure out for themselves what it means. Their worship is not focused on the sovereign, holy majesty of the ineffable God Who rules over the affairs of men, but rather the needs, attitudes and interests of those who attend.
It's man-centered and contemporary.
It's laid-back and "real."
It's populated by seekers, observers and hangers-on.
And the conservative messages presented are not propositional. They do not propose a response from the hearer. Rather they are offered as information, personal testimony and suggestions for serious thought. Folks are left to decide for themselves what these words mean "To Them."
The music is loud and emotionally intense. The environment more like a Night Club or Concert Hall than a Cathedral. And no one cares how anyone dresses or what they might believe.
Oh, and they have 5000 people gathering every Sunday to experience this form of church.
It's a sham and a hoax. But it satisfies the human heart's desire for worship. It's just not the Bible idea of Church. It's an expression of will-worship. And at least one person who attends regularly has said that should the pastor leave, the whole thing would collapse.
Of course, this is not the story of all churches. There are still groups of Christians who gather in the name of Jesus to humble themselves before God and worship in spirit [with their spirit, not with sensual expressions] and in truth [the way God prescribes, rather than their own ideas].
What of them? They are generally smaller, and getting even smaller, and they're membership is aging. The Youth-Culture is not interested in Bible Doctrine nor in submission to God. Maybe because their heart is far from Him.
I say that, not judgmentally, but because these free-wheeling, contemporary mega-churches are not known for preaching The Gospel of Repentance from sin and Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And because the human heart, in it's natural condition, cannot understand spiritual things [I Cor. 2:14], nor are they interested [Rom. 3:11-12]
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Who Will Most Likely Attend Your Church?
We live in a world where success is measured by how many people attend a particular church, by the number of programs it mounts and by how much money is flowing through the bank accounts.
So I wondered, one day, how many people I could get to come to my church. And it occurred to me that among those I could never count on would be:
Those who aren't saved -- they wouldn't be interested
Those who prefer feel-good sermonizing -- they wouldn't want to be challenged
Those who want to be entertained -- they would be bored
Those who expect to be healed -- they would be disappointed
Those who want to be wealthy -- see "Those who expect to be healed"
Those who are offended by The Gospel -- they wouldn't last long
Those living in sin -- this would be too convicting
Those engaged in an active homosexual lifestyle -- no cover here
Those seeking to climb the social ladder -- we don't even have a footstool
Those who want to "come as you are" -- we think worship is special
Those who see religion as subjective -- they wouldn't like objective, propositional truths
There's more, but you get the point. Efforts to market Christianity with whatever it is folks are selling these days in order to fill up the pews is big business. And it works! What it doesn't do is glorify God.
You see "Church" is the spiritual organism Jesus came to build. It's His Church and it consists only of truly born again believers. Others attend, and that's good. But they do not constitute The Church. When all you're doing is working to get more of these folks into your building, you're the one building the Church -- not Jesus.
And the effort, while it looks good to the watching world, is not at all what God calls The Church. Give them secular music forms, liturgical dancing, sight-and-sound presentations, weak preaching -- or just homilies and biblical vignettes, coffee shops, a promise of good health and great wealth (if you sow financial seeds into MY ministry), and a non-judgmental attitude. You will soon have to build a bigger barn.
Just don't call it "Church." The Bible doesn't.
So I wondered, one day, how many people I could get to come to my church. And it occurred to me that among those I could never count on would be:
Those who aren't saved -- they wouldn't be interested
Those who prefer feel-good sermonizing -- they wouldn't want to be challenged
Those who want to be entertained -- they would be bored
Those who expect to be healed -- they would be disappointed
Those who want to be wealthy -- see "Those who expect to be healed"
Those who are offended by The Gospel -- they wouldn't last long
Those living in sin -- this would be too convicting
Those engaged in an active homosexual lifestyle -- no cover here
Those seeking to climb the social ladder -- we don't even have a footstool
Those who want to "come as you are" -- we think worship is special
Those who see religion as subjective -- they wouldn't like objective, propositional truths
There's more, but you get the point. Efforts to market Christianity with whatever it is folks are selling these days in order to fill up the pews is big business. And it works! What it doesn't do is glorify God.
You see "Church" is the spiritual organism Jesus came to build. It's His Church and it consists only of truly born again believers. Others attend, and that's good. But they do not constitute The Church. When all you're doing is working to get more of these folks into your building, you're the one building the Church -- not Jesus.
And the effort, while it looks good to the watching world, is not at all what God calls The Church. Give them secular music forms, liturgical dancing, sight-and-sound presentations, weak preaching -- or just homilies and biblical vignettes, coffee shops, a promise of good health and great wealth (if you sow financial seeds into MY ministry), and a non-judgmental attitude. You will soon have to build a bigger barn.
Just don't call it "Church." The Bible doesn't.
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