Whenever God gives me something to write about I am often convicted by it. This blog is no different. When I am asking the questions at the end, I am asking myself those same questions and I don’t like all my answers.
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I wrote in my free book that some modern churches have marketing teams that try to figure out how to get more people into the pews. Some churches remove the crosses as not to offend anyone and many of these same churches preach bits and pieces of the gospel message if any of it at all. Other churches play secular music to bring in the unchurched crowd. Still others put in fog machines, fancy lighting, expensive sound systems, and gigantic video screens all in the name of growing the church. But does God need our help?
Some would argue that God gave us our creative minds and technology. We should use what He gave us to grow His church. While it’s true that we should use our talents, skills, and abilities for God’s glory, there is nothing man can do outside of sharing the gospel message, to bring people to God. Yes, I fully believe what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:22 “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some,” but it is God that speaks to hearts. It is God that will bring people through the church doors. We are to tell them the Gospel message and God does the rest.
Can you imagine the apostle Paul meeting together with some of the other early church leaders saying, “If we only had a nicer building with new paint and bigger windows to allow more sunlight in, then people would want to come see what this Jesus is all about.” Or maybe he said, “Let’s try not to act different than those that don’t know our Messiah and let’s certainly not tell them that Jesus died for our sins and rose to life after 3 days. We don’t want to scare them away.” How ridiculous! What Paul did do is what Jesus told him to do, share the Gospel message. Wherever he went, whatever he was doing, he shared.
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I wrote in my free book that some modern churches have marketing teams that try to figure out how to get more people into the pews. Some churches remove the crosses as not to offend anyone and many of these same churches preach bits and pieces of the gospel message if any of it at all. Other churches play secular music to bring in the unchurched crowd. Still others put in fog machines, fancy lighting, expensive sound systems, and gigantic video screens all in the name of growing the church. But does God need our help?
Some would argue that God gave us our creative minds and technology. We should use what He gave us to grow His church. While it’s true that we should use our talents, skills, and abilities for God’s glory, there is nothing man can do outside of sharing the gospel message, to bring people to God. Yes, I fully believe what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:22 “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some,” but it is God that speaks to hearts. It is God that will bring people through the church doors. We are to tell them the Gospel message and God does the rest.
Can you imagine the apostle Paul meeting together with some of the other early church leaders saying, “If we only had a nicer building with new paint and bigger windows to allow more sunlight in, then people would want to come see what this Jesus is all about.” Or maybe he said, “Let’s try not to act different than those that don’t know our Messiah and let’s certainly not tell them that Jesus died for our sins and rose to life after 3 days. We don’t want to scare them away.” How ridiculous! What Paul did do is what Jesus told him to do, share the Gospel message. Wherever he went, whatever he was doing, he shared.
THIS WORLD USES BIG NEON SIGNS TO DRAW US IN. GOD USES TRUTH.
In 2 Timothy 3:5 Paul talks about people in the last days having a form of Godliness but denying its power. What power is Paul talking about? Paul speaks about this power in 1 Corinthians 4:19-20. “But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only what these arrogant people are saying, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. How would Paul know if someone had this power?
Have you ever had a conversation with a Christian and it seemed every time they spoke your heart was convicted? It’s not that they spoke in a condemning way but they spoke with clarity, wisdom, and it’s as if there words went deep inside you and touched your spirit. Those full of the Holy Spirit have this power. When they speak, God speaks through them and you are affected, changed, and moved. There is nothing you can do about it, it just happens.
In the book of Matthew Jesus tells his disciples that there will be false prophets and gives them instructions on how to know that they are false. Matthew 7:16-17 “By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.…” Then in Galatians 5:22-23 Paul tells us what the fruit of the good tree or Holy Spirit looks like. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” The closer you are to God, the more often and abundant this fruit will be on display. The closer you are to God, the more life giving power your words will contain.
If you were put on trial today for your faith, would there be enough evidence of good fruit in your life to convict you? Do you have to wear a cross around your neck or a t-shirt that speaks of your faith for people to know you are a Christian? Do you think more about this life and what you must get done then you do the life to come? Do you think more about what people think about you than what God thinks about you? Do you live to see how much you can experience, how much you can enjoy, and how much pleasure you can find? Do you have a form of Godliness but deny its power to change the way you think and the way you act? Is your mind set on earthly things?
Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Romans 8:5 “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
Philippians 3:19 “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”
Have you ever had a conversation with a Christian and it seemed every time they spoke your heart was convicted? It’s not that they spoke in a condemning way but they spoke with clarity, wisdom, and it’s as if there words went deep inside you and touched your spirit. Those full of the Holy Spirit have this power. When they speak, God speaks through them and you are affected, changed, and moved. There is nothing you can do about it, it just happens.
In the book of Matthew Jesus tells his disciples that there will be false prophets and gives them instructions on how to know that they are false. Matthew 7:16-17 “By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.…” Then in Galatians 5:22-23 Paul tells us what the fruit of the good tree or Holy Spirit looks like. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” The closer you are to God, the more often and abundant this fruit will be on display. The closer you are to God, the more life giving power your words will contain.
If you were put on trial today for your faith, would there be enough evidence of good fruit in your life to convict you? Do you have to wear a cross around your neck or a t-shirt that speaks of your faith for people to know you are a Christian? Do you think more about this life and what you must get done then you do the life to come? Do you think more about what people think about you than what God thinks about you? Do you live to see how much you can experience, how much you can enjoy, and how much pleasure you can find? Do you have a form of Godliness but deny its power to change the way you think and the way you act? Is your mind set on earthly things?
Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”
Romans 8:5 “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.”
Philippians 3:19 “Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”
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