What is happening in the Christian world? Are things changing too fast, or am I just that slow at catching on? Everything today has to be new. There are new styles of worship, new styles of preaching, new styles of teaching, and new styles of teaching the youth. And on and on it goes.
First of all, you must understand, I am not against change. I am not against new ways and new techniques. However, what I have a very hard time with is the willingness of young leaders to disregard the past.
Everything in the past was not wrong. We managed and grew churches without the things we say are necessary today. We preached, and people got saved. We taught from the Bible, and people learned. We had youth groups that met to pray and learn God’s Word. We survived without air conditioning and fancy buildings. We had great VBS meetings in the summer, and everyone grew because of it. These were traditional things that had meaning and purpose and still do. Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, and Easter were always important days. A Mother’s Day banquet was cooked and served by the men for the women. A Father’s Day picnic was special. But they are all gone in a lot of churches because we are too big or too busy.
We can’t live in the past, nor can we hold back the future. But let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Church is still about a relationship with God and His body. The message does not change, but methods do, and I understand that. But I’ll say again that everything in the past was for good, not bad. Most programs were always designed for the good of all the church, not just a few.
So what is the answer to our changing world of religion?
First, I believe there are some things that are essential and have been for 2000 years. The preaching of God’s Word is one. Preaching produces conviction, and teaching produces learning. We need both, and one cannot replace the other.
Worship in the Book of Acts, which we pattern after, was for four things: fellowship, prayer, breaking of bread, and preaching. All four were and are needed to fulfill the Christian and bring glory to God.
Second, we as Christians are to reproduce other Christians. We are not to conform, we are to be transformed. Ask yourself, is this happening today in our churches. In America, there are pockets of growth, but for the most part, our churches are failing to transform lives. There seems to be a lack of conviction about the destruction of sin, therefore, there are no transformed lives.
Third, and maybe herein lies our real problem, we have lost our evangelistic zeal and compassion for the lost. The church is in the maintenance business, not the soul-winning business. If you think I am wrong, look at most churches’ budgets and programs. We are doing evangelism by chance, not by choice. And this is wrong; our mission is to reach the lost, not entertain the saints.
You measure church growth by generations. Each generation must have a vision for ministry. Vision is very hard to transfer. We have lost one generation in America, and we’re about to lose another. The church needs to wake up, be honest with the facts, and make some serious, prayerful changes. We must be different from the world or we are the world.
See ya in church,
Bud
A great man in India, Gandhi, said this: There are seven deadly sins for man to avoid.
Wealth without work.
Pleasure without conscience.
Knowledge without ethics
Business without ethics.
Science without humanity.
Religion without sacrifice.
Politics without principle.
Let’s look at these seven deadly sins in this writing.
First- Wealth without work.
That doesn’t sound too bad, but it is. When people get something for nothing, the value goes down. When we work and earn, we have an appreciation for success. It has value because you produced or sacrificed. That is why sons sometimes run a business into the ground that fathers worked a lifetime to build. That’s why few, if any people, who win the lottery, don’t squander it.
Second-Pleasure without conscience.
The lust of the eyes regardless of what road it takes will destroy. People with little or no moral control will destroy any society. There is pleasure in sin but it has severe consequences. The Bible teaches: “be not deceived, God cannot be mocked, a man, reaps what he sows.” This is truly a deadly sin.
Third-Knowledge without character.
Knowledge is good but it can also be used for evil. Good character controls knowledge, but if character is lacking, evil will prevail. Knowledge is just a tool, character is what you are. Good lives are built on good character.
Fourth-Business without ethics.
Most people trust and want to be trusted. Bad ethics makes any business untrustworthy. There was a day a man’s word was his bond. Again you reap what you sow.
Fifth-Science without humanity.
There’s No common sense. Science is to help us make our community better, not destroy us. The more we discover the more we decay as human beings.
Sixth-Religion without sacrifice.
Where there is no sacrifice or true commitment it becomes cheap grace. Salvation is free, but there is a cost to serving God and man. It’s called commitment and trust. Religion is the moral conscience of any people. Without God, we become as wild beasts.
Seventh –Politics without principle.
Why is it hard for us to trust our politicians; because so many of them lack good principles. Instead of putting the people and country first, they put self first. Do I need to say more?
From these seven deadly sins, do you see a picture of America? Because of them we are decaying morally. Gandhi was right! God is right too. We are reaping the seeds that have been sown.
Chaplain Bud,
It’s called “priming the pump.” When I worked in the west on a ranch, we had windmills to pump water for the livestock. If a windmill did not pump for a long time, we had to prime the pump. There is leather on the foot value in the bottom of the well, that would dry out. So to soften it up again, in order for it to pump water it had to be primed. This was done by pouring about a gallon of water down the casing and then it picks up the water again.
This morning I was talking to someone about being kind and encouraging others. In a way that is “priming the pump”. When you do a kindness for someone they in turn may do a kindness. That’s “priming the pump.”
When your day begins with a friendly word, think how good that makes you feel. Or, someone complements you on a job well done. This is “priming the pump.”
Our hearts are sometimes like that leather at the bottom of the well. We haven’t been very friendly or active. We are not doing anything wrong but we are just drying up. Then something or someone comes along and pours some encouragement or love into that hard, cracking heart, and bingo! All at once we are going again. Life is good and you’re smiling and becoming a friendly person again.
Deep inside of every person is good that wants to come out. The good is like the water down in that well, but our hearts get hard, like the leather on the pump. In that state we are not capable of doing good. Then our hearts need to be primed. Our lives need just a little help and we become a whole new person.
Just think about your relationships. Some are good and maybe some bad. If the truth is know the good relationships only hinder you they don’t help.
Let me give you some examples. In the morning your husband or wife says that: you look very nice this morning. That’s “priming the pump”. Or you were so helpful to me yesterday and so understanding. That’s “priming the pump”. Or someone at work sees you are struggling and gives you a helping hand. That’s “priming the pump.” This is what I am talking about.
Jesus said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I believe He was saying “prime their pump”. I have learned that to get what you want; you help others get what they want first. Then you will get what you want. Try it. It will change your life.
Here is the challenge. Look for someone today that needs their “pump primed”. So out of your way, go the extra mile, do the unthinkable, come out of your comfort zone. You will find that when you “prime someone else’s pump”, you prime your own.
“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38
Chaplain Bud
Jesus is coming again. The New Testament foretold it and God promised it. Jesus is really coming again. Yes, He was here once, but He is coming back to receive His church unto Himself.
The world rejected Jesus when He came the first time. He was crucified and the devil’s crowd thought they won, but “up from the grave He arose”. And He is alive today, having ascended back to heaven. This time when Jesus comes, it will be different. The world will still reject Him, but His church will welcome Him. His sheep will know Him and He will know them. His body of believers will praise Him because He is their Priest and King. The faithful, the redeemed , born again, blood bought, people from around the world awaits His coming in the clouds.
His love will redeem the saved and the lost will experience His wrath. For some it will be a glorious day, for others a day of destruction. He will separate the sheep from the goats. He will reward the faithful and punish all who have rejected His gospel to be saved. What a glorious day that will be for the church and His body of believers. But, He will come as a thief in the night and all who follow or lead false teachings will be lost. No one knows the time, just that it will happen. God’s Words are true, God’s promises are true, and His coming again is true. God’s love and grace brought Jesus to mankind the first time and love and grace will bring Him back.
While we, as a church, wait for His coming there is still time to evangelize. Our mission is still to “go preach, teach, and baptize”. Our work as a church is not finished yet. As long as it’s still time and people are still lost, we must preach the good news.
As Christians, just the thought of Jesus coming again should excite us. It should motivate us to action. It should call us to sacrifice and seek the lost with all zeal and wisdom. Knowing the time could be short and the salvation of souls so important, we can not linger. We were saved to tell others and God expects no less from His church.
In this dark world we are the salt and light. The world grows darker because of man’s love for evil and pleasure. The devil and his demons are not dead but we aren’t either. It’s a spiritual war that God expects His body to keep fighting until Jesus comes. We have the power and resources to continue this fight against evil. We have the authority and commands from Jesus Himself to go and make disciples.
The Jews rejected Jesus because they did not recognize or expect prophecy in Him and His teachings. People today still reject Jesus Christ for the same reasons.
Please believe the Bible, Jesus is coming again. Prepare now. Set your house in order and then you are ready, no matter when He comes. If you miss heaven you will miss it all. And hell is not a good place to spend eternity.
See ya in church,
Bud