Questions
I’ve often wondered about the changes in preaching style that have occurred in recent years. Although it was obvious, I just didn’t clearly see what the change had been and couldn’t have explained it to you if asked to, but change it had and of that I was certain! And although I still find a good sermon informative and instructional; something is missing, something that used to be there simply is not.
Is it that we no longer talk about sin for fear of offending? Has the blood of Jesus become an offense? Or perhaps because our focus is misplaced? Are we focusing on God, on Jesus, the cross? Or is our focus on ourselves, in relation to God, of course!? Have our church services become simply a means to self improvement? Are we making God what we want Him to be, instead of allowing Him to remake us?
Pastors used to preach God’s Word, the Bible. They would choose a portion of Scripture and would give an in-depth explanation with illustration and application for one’s personal life. I really can’t tell you the last time I heard this type of preaching. Now pastors choose a topic and then find a few verses to support the chosen topic. And although the topic may be very useful and of value for building one’s character, determining one’s set of values, and even ordering one’s life by, something is missing. The change has been subtle, a sermon still has Bible verses, explanation, application, but the slight change of emphasis has slipped by me for all these past years as I have sat wondering what is happening, what has happened? Why do I leave church feeling I’ve had a good object lesson; worthy of further thought and perhaps even personal application, but somehow also ringing hollow?
I wonder if the church has settled for having a form of godliness, but that we deny the power of God. I fear the present day church is that church spoken to in Revelation that are poor, wretched, blind and naked and we don’t even know it is us.
Many of our churches faithfully do good deeds, caring for the poor, the weak, the needs of others, but this social gospel has become our gospel and consequently, we have lost the power of God.
Relevancy, I’ve heard this a lot, we must maintain relevancy. Yes, I think I can agree with this. But in our striving to maintain relevancy, have we sacrificed the very things that would have ensured our relevancy with God? I recently read a study analyzing whether or not our country is a Christian country. It was discovered the youth of our country don’t know who Jesus is, don’t know about the cross, sin, our need for a Savior. Very disconcerting, but it was also discovered the young people growing up attending church often do not know the Good News, have not been taught the great faith stories or stories of God caring for and directing the lives of His children. The stories of Creation, Noah, Moses, King David, Jesus’ life and death, the lives of the Apostles have become quaint tales, many questioning their reality. But I am particularly alarmed that we can attend church and not learn about Jesus, who He is, what He did for us, the power of the cross.
Does your church have a prayer room? Altar calls? Praying through? Or has this been rejected under the principle that salvation is a free gift. Would you like to give your lifeto God? Raise your hand, alright you’re in. That’s all there is to it. Is it? Yes, ultimately that is all there is to it, Jesus did it all, but there is something to be said for bowing down before a Holy, Almighty God acknowledging your sinfulness and your failure; that you can’t do it without Him, actually asking Jesus to wash you clean in His blood. Sometimes the grip sin has on our lives needs a wrestling through, as Jacob did with the Angel of God. A mighty work was accomplished in his life, he became a new man; I believe a mighty work can be accomplished in our lives as we wrestle before God through tough issues or deep rooted sin.
Why have so many churches closed their doors? Sunday School? What’s that? Sunday Evening service, no way! Wednesday evening prayer meeting? Week long revival???? Why have our churches closed the doors? God’s Word tells us we need to gather so even more as we see the day approaching, yet many of our churches are gathering 75% less than we did a decade ago. “Let me see, God, yes, I think I can fit you in. Let’s see, how about 90 minutes on Sunday? Will that do for you? Good, I’ll see you then.”
Life has become so hectic and chaotic that we find it a challenge to fit church service into our schedules; but because life has become so challenging the need for church, for God, has become all the more vital.
Laura