10 Ways To Kill “Church” Growth In America
10. Preach the crystal clear (and redundantly detailed) Word of God on the subject of children’s education, calling rebellion against that Word what it is: sin. Simply preaching the clear commands of God on this one critical life- and culture-defining subject will send large chunks of the typical American congregation angrily running for the doors. […]
Why “Christians” throw Christians under the bus…and then run ’em over.
Leonard Ravenhill once said, “If Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified.” This is something to think about as we live in a very proud America defined by three things: A population overwhelmingly comprised of professing Christians. . A landscape dotted by thousands and thousands of often very well […]
Candy Christianity: America’s Favorite Counterfeit Gospel
Our pews are full, but our heads are empty. Our spirits starve for truth. Perhaps these pews are full because our heads are empty, having been spoon-fed a gospel of convenience, ease and worldly accommodation. The hollow theology pouring forth from American pulpits today may have attracted quite a crowd, but for the most […]
Gentle Reminder to Biblical Christians: This World Hates You, Your God, and Pretty Much Everything That You [Should] Stand For
Biblical truth cuts.
Deep.
The whole, undiluted Gospel that we as Christians are charged to proclaim to a fallen, God-hating world will inspire discomfort, disdain and, more often than not, open repudiation and persecution from those who choose rebellion in response to God’s command to repent.
This is not merely a matter of high probability.
It’s not a maybe kind of thing.
It’s a certain kind.
As in 100%.
Magnificent Joel’s MMA Jesus
You’d think that any serious, thoughtful, biblically literate Christian with at least two God-given brain cells to rub together would be able to identify sound theology at least where the cornerstone basics are concerned. Sadly, I find that assumption challenged every time I hear the likes of Joel Osteen open his pie hole to the thunderous applause of enormo crowds of professing believers.
Maybe another false assumption would be that these “believers” actually believe in and on the one and only Jesus of the Bible and subscribe to what was once referred to reverently as “orthodox Christianity”.
Candy Christianity: A Kinder, Gentler God (Part 2 of 4)
As the origin and object of all that is good, He alone is worthy of glory. The harmony here is both apparent and essential to Christianity. If we believe that God is the author and objective of every good thing, then it is impossible to conceive of a valid justification for the assignment of glory – any glory – to anyone other than Him. He is the beginning and the end – the alpha and omega – of all that is good.
Enter: Pride. The hand that claims honor for any self outside of Him; the wide and welcoming gateway through which all other evil marches.
Candy Christianity: The Devil’s Favorite Flavor (Part 3 of 4)
The god of this permissive kingdom is not necessarily to be feared. He is neither holy nor sovereign. He is open to interpretation and just as open to your input. He changes and grows. He is the author of many truths. Many paths lead to him. He will be your savior if you feel the need for one, but he need never be your lord.
And he absolutely loves “Girls Gone Wild, Bible Style”.