Modern Churches to Bible Preachers:
"You're Not Welcome!"
[hr]
[blockquote]We often hear pastors, radio preachers, and televangelists refer to the great prophets and Apostles of the Bible. Rightly, these Bible characters are lauded as examples for today's Christians. The problem is, hardly any of those giants of history would be welcome in America's churches today!
On the whole, America's Christians today do not want to hear the truth. They want a place where they can be made to feel good, where they can be entertained, where they can socialize and make business contacts, and where their children can have a place to play.
To many Christian parents, it is far more important that their church have a gymnasium and constant youth programs than it is that their children hear the truth of God's Word and learn the rigorous disciplines of a Christian life. Recreation is far more important to them than Bible study. In fact, most parents seem to believe that the only way to "keep the kids in church" is to have constant, non-stop entertainment. Of course, it doesn't work.
Furthermore, it seems that most of today's sermons amount to little more than "Positive Mental Attitude," feel-good drivel: "How to think better about yourself," "How to squander more money on yourself," "How to 'find yourself,'" "How to pamper yourself," ad nauseum, ad infinitum. Comparing the preaching and philosophy of most churches today to that of Bible characters will quickly reveal how unbiblical our churches have become.
For example, can you imagine how the average church in America today would react to the decisions of Daniel and the three Hebrew children? All four of them were unashamed and unhesitant to practice civil disobedience. All four of them were charged with capital crimes by their government and sentenced to death. In Daniel's case, all he had to do was not pray out loud to God for thirty days. Thirty days! I can just hear today's Christian pragmatists screaming, "It's only for thirty days. You can still pray in your heart. We must obey the government." Can you imagine Daniel being asked to preach a message on "How And When To Defy Your Government" to the vast majority of churches in America today? Forget it!
Moreover, take a look at practically every single Old Testament prophet. Ninety percent of their preaching was negative. They seldom had anything positive to say, especially about the way their nation's leaders were behaving. They were often jailed, beaten, starved, or even killed. They were as familiar with prisons as they were with pulpits. They were despised by political leaders, rejected by religious leaders, and shunned by business leaders.
It wasn't much better for the Apostles and disciples in the New Testament. John the Baptist was beheaded for "meddling in politics." The Apostles were beaten, stoned, and jailed. The Apostle Paul was especially hated. He was hated by Jews; he was hated by Romans; he was hated by businessmen; he was hated by politicians; he was even hated by fellow ministers.
Can you imagine the Apostle Paul preaching a message on "Conquering Low Self-Esteem"? Get real! Give Paul an opportunity today to preach to a church of one thousand members one Sunday morning, and by Sunday night (if they even had a Sunday night service), there might be fifty people back to hear him.
It is probably difficult for this generation of Christians to even comprehend that this fearless, uncompromising, "like it or lump it" kind of preaching was the kind of preaching that America cut its teeth on. The colonies and frontier of this nation were filled with prophet-like clergymen. And it didn't really matter which denomination one attended, either; he or she heard the same kind of preaching.
Whether it was the Baptist Joab Houghton or the Presbyterian James Caldwell or the Lutheran John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg or the Episcopalian Samuel Provost or the German Reformed Nicholas Herkimer, they were all plucky, pugnacious preachers! Why, I can even recall hearing old fashioned "hell-fire and damnation" preachers when I was a lad.
It was a "hell-fire" Holiness preacher that led my mother to Christ. A "hell-fire" Baptist preacher led my alcoholic father to Christ. I can even recall many trips to the last remaining Billy Sunday Tabernacle in Winona Lake, Indiana, to hear the great "hell-fire" preachers from virtually every Protestant denomination in the country. I remember the crowds of thousands sitting on those hard, wooden benches for hours listening intently to those masterful sermons. In my mind, I can still see (and smell) the sawdust floors where hundreds of people rushed to the front in answer to those altar calls and the studio high atop the platform where radio station WMBI transmitted those great sermons over the air. Alas, those days are gone.
No wonder our people today have become self-centered, sensitive, and shallow. They seldom, if ever, hear honest, straight-forward, fearless preaching.
Therefore, the next time you hear someone refer to the great men of the Bible, ask yourself, "Would that prophet be welcome in my church today?" In most instances, the answer is a resounding no! And now you know why America is in the shape it's in today: the nation always takes the form of its preachers and churches.
[/blockquote]
__________________
"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
2 because they found out I attended a Pentecostal College 1 lied on
1 Jealousy
I'm at a pretty good church now. There is a real battle in the church today. And you are right...lot's of flakey programs.
Chuck
Chuck.. THIS is WHY these programs exsist... colleges. THEY are ultimately responsible for the "leaders" they turn out, and how they lead. That's the mentality of "higher" education...more programs... more Mission statements... etc... what crap. and the Church of today reflects it. Hold on to your new church, if the Word is taught PROPERLY, not according tosome professors' assumtions.....
I do not believe that "Christian Colleges" are producing SPIRITUALLY trained men and women... the condition of the Church verifies that, in my opinion.
Yes and no Remington. You can't group stereo type all men. But yes I have seen praying through and seeking God substituted for alot of programs. If you don't have looks or a talent you are often left on the bench. The old fashioned poor man's faith is being over looked now and folks are making buddies with the rich folks who can scratch your back if you scratch theirs. Lot's of carnal wisdom instead of pure charity.
Chuck
PS AS far as a college, there is nothing wrong with that in itself. Many churches require a pastor to have a degree. But......many of these Bible colleges to be acredited had to hire worldly teachers to fulfill their requirements. That part is all about money. That was a shame. Because of money most if not all these Bible collees have compromised quite a bit. My college at the time was not acredited and a student could be expelled for having her shorts to o short. I also had to get permission to get married. It's not like that now.
Chuck
MODERN CHURCHES TO BIBLE PREACHERS "YOU'RE NOT WELCOME"
Therefore, the next time you hear someone refer to the great men of the Bible, ask yourself, "Would that prophet be welcome in my church today?" In most instances, the answer is a resounding no! And now you know why America is in the shape it's in today: the nation always takes the form of its preachers and churches. Chuck Baldwin chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com
Chuck Baldwin Live http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com[/b]
__________________
Jesus said, "he who stands firm to the end will be saved" Mark 13:13.
Live Life in such a way that those who do not know Christ will come to know Him because they know you
Yes and no Remington. You can't group stereo type all men. But yes I have seen praying through and seeking God substituted for alot of programs. If you don't have looks or a talent you are often left on the bench. The old fashioned poor man's faith is being over looked now and folks are making buddies with the rich folks who can scratch your back if you scratch theirs. Lot's of carnal wisdom instead of pure charity.
Chuck
PS AS far as a college, there is nothing wrong with that in itself. Many churches require a pastor to have a degree. But......many of these Bible colleges to be acredited had to hire worldly teachers to fulfill their requirements. That part is all about money. That was a shame. Because of money most if not all these Bible collees have compromised quite a bit. My college at the time was not acredited and a student could be expelled for having her shorts to o short. I also had to get permission to get married. It's not like that now. Chuck
Chuck.. you know I respect you, and will only say what the Word says... a little leaven ruins the whole loaf.. that applies ESPECIALLY to those "called" to be preachers. You know how I feel about ceratin aspects of todays' "organized Religion". I have little use for it... due to it's incompetence and failures towards it's body. the pulpits are mostly filled with EGOTISTICAL, worldly men/women, who view the position as a JOB... not a calling.... as for the Degrees to preach..thank God Jesus didn't demand that... maybe He didn't FOR A REASON!! if I recall, it was the EDUCATED PRIESTS whom Jesus went after the hardest.... and I beleive He'd do the same today... for I see NO difference in those losers He faced, and the losers holding those positions today.
I don't intend to offend anyone... Jesus didn't give that a second thought... He didn't care if it did... but I ain't Him.
There is a few, (very few) who graduate from bible college who enter the ministry with a resolve to preach the word as God would lead them. Church is big business today a preacher who doesn't cater to the money men of the community and cause them to donate heavily to the cause , will have to minister in the little churches that have little funds to give a pastor. As Chuck has said, "many churches require a degree" in order to even be concidered for a pastorate. Jesus himself would not be allowed to pastor there. How many of the Apostles and Prophets of the bible would qualify? How many pastors today have shoes that turn up at the toe, and have wear spots on the knees of there pants? How many must lean on the pulpit as they ministerbecause they are so weak from days without food, trying to someway get God to give the church a spiritual blessing? Such preachers do not even get invited to visit most churches today. They might say something to spark revival within the few hungry souls that have no other place to attend, and God forbid that the pastor would have to put forth any effort to as spiritual as his congregation.
There is a few real men of God today, but sad to say they are few and far between. The condition of our nation is due in part to the lack of preachers with enough conviction to preace the word.
"Excellent Post" Take it from someone who has been there and done that. This is thereason, I am not pastoring a church today. When I speak at a church, I can hit them right between the eyes, and not worry if they are going to reject me or not.
I have had many a pastor friend get so frustrated by church folk they were driven completely away from the ministry. Wheather we like it or not, pastors do not run churchs, deacons or elders do! And some are truly a royal pain, I have contended with several in my days in the ministry. I have often said, if I could preach to a stadium full of people, I would love to preach to preacher. After all, they should be leading. It's not what they are taught in Bible College, it is what drives them when they get out. When money becomes their driving force, HolySpiritevacuates the church, and when the Holy Spirit is not in control, it's like a ship in the sea without a captain.. That is another reason, I defected from organized denominations, so I would not come under the structure of an organization legislating theology. I tell people in my ministry, the Bible is our only source of inspiration. I have just concluded a message on this very subject. I called it "Truth". People today do not want to hear what the Bible says, and preachers today are going to preach what the people like, after all, that's were the money is. I have had some preachers scold me for not taking money from the ministry, I was called to preach to His people, not to prosper from His people.. Since 1981 I have not taken one cent from the ministry. On my home page of my website, I instruct people not to give to me or my ministry. www.poweroffaith.us Some of the best preachers I have found, preach part time, they have other professions. They are not going to allow a group of folk dictate to them what to preach.. And I commend them for that. Those are the ones you will not see on T.V. or hear on the radio, But God will raise them to the top one day in glory, and they will hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant". Now I am not inclucing myself in the same ranks as those me, I like John the Baptist am not worty to even tie those little hard working pastors shoes. Those are the ministries we should all seek out and support!
What Modern Churches Say To Bible Preachers
