A Shift in Christianity's Message
I sense that the Christian faith as I accepted it and am committed to preach it is becoming less and less popular among certain groups of people.
I finished the book Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don't by Phil Cooke the other day. The following quote on page 193 grabbed me:
But the truth is that all of that happens ... even to obedient children of God!
I think I am most concerned about these lying preachers because we're raising a generation of Christians who are nothing more than a bunch of spiritually immature selfish brats who "worship" an on-demand God who is more like a sugar daddy than our heavenly Father who commands us and sometimes disciplines us (Hebrews 12:11: "Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it").
Help us, Lord!
While I am sorry that the truth seems to turn some people off, I am encouraged that it's just what the Doctor ordered for others. While it's sad that some folk are right in line with prophecy having "itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:3), there are others who are hungry for the truth of God's word.
God's word gives hope. God's word gives real hope, lasting hope, hope that maketh not ashamed. No, not hope to drive some fine luxury vehicle and live in an exclusive gated community. Rather, hope that there really is a purpose behind the pain, hope that in the end there will be just resolution to the current confusion of our lives, and best of all, hope that THIS LIFE is not all there is because there is ETERNAL LIFE.
PS - Listen to some of these "prophets" and "prophetesses" and tell me the next time one of them actually talks about heaven or the earth made new. When you hear one, be sure to drop me a line.
I finished the book Branding Faith: Why Some Churches and Nonprofits Impact Culture and Others Don't by Phil Cooke the other day. The following quote on page 193 grabbed me:
The Christian life is hard, there's no doubt about it. People who gave up everything to follow Christ have been burned at the stake, crucified upside down, boiled alive, dismembered, imprisoned and disgraced. Today, we live in the most democratic and free society in the history of the Church, but that freedom has lulled us into cultural accommodation. As a result, we've lost our focus on the hard sayings of Jesus and tried to refocus on what God supposedly says about buying a Mercedes, owning a private jet or having a coffee bar at church.Phil Cooke couldn't be more right. Just type the name the name Christina Glenn into YouTube. If you do, you'll watch a "prophet" who will tell sanctuary after sanctuary of shouting people that God is going to bless them, that they're about to get new and better-paying jobs. It's interesting because not once did I hear a prophecy that somebody in the room was going to get breast cancer and die leaving behind a husband and three little girls like one of my former members did. Not once did she prophesy that a mother is going to bury a son due to a sudden fatal asthma attack like one of my current members did. Not once did I hear her tell somebody that they would lose their job or miss out on a promotion as a consequence of standing by their principles.
Don't get me wrong. None of these things are inherently evil or immoral ... But I worry that we've so strongly bought into the American way of life that we've become more identified with capitalism and democracy than with faith.
But the truth is that all of that happens ... even to obedient children of God!
I think I am most concerned about these lying preachers because we're raising a generation of Christians who are nothing more than a bunch of spiritually immature selfish brats who "worship" an on-demand God who is more like a sugar daddy than our heavenly Father who commands us and sometimes disciplines us (Hebrews 12:11: "Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it").
Help us, Lord!
While I am sorry that the truth seems to turn some people off, I am encouraged that it's just what the Doctor ordered for others. While it's sad that some folk are right in line with prophecy having "itching ears" (2 Tim. 4:3), there are others who are hungry for the truth of God's word.
God's word gives hope. God's word gives real hope, lasting hope, hope that maketh not ashamed. No, not hope to drive some fine luxury vehicle and live in an exclusive gated community. Rather, hope that there really is a purpose behind the pain, hope that in the end there will be just resolution to the current confusion of our lives, and best of all, hope that THIS LIFE is not all there is because there is ETERNAL LIFE.
PS - Listen to some of these "prophets" and "prophetesses" and tell me the next time one of them actually talks about heaven or the earth made new. When you hear one, be sure to drop me a line.
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