Syndicated Columnist, Mona Charen, drafted an article way back in 1991 with almost the same title as this article. She began her editorial by stating, “There is a school of thought that says the solution to America’s worst social ills—rising violence accompanied by a total lack of conscience among criminals, unwed motherhood and infant mortality, poverty, and drugs—is a return to religion. For a sickness of the soul, nothing less than a spiritual cure will do.
Many will remember when a major branch of the Presbyterian Church recommended that the church discard its views on topics such as sexual morality and practice and adopt a more socially tolerant view on purity. What I find most interesting is that over the last few decades, mainline denominations that felt they could be more attractive to the world and more sensitive to the “seeker” have all but declined in membership. Many of these same denominations have broken off and formed more conservative views and stands on these timeless biblical values. The idea that the more inclusive and pragmatic a church gets, the more it will flourish, is just not happening. In fact, the opposite is taking place.
Even the prophet Jeremiah warned of this compulsion to become more secular and less spiritual. In chapter 6:16 Thus says the Lord: “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it: Then you will find rest for your souls. The prophet also reminds us today, of what happens when the people of God, especially the religious leaders, fail to warn and declare the whole counsel of God, vs. 17-19 “I set up a watchman, [modern day evangelist] over you, saying Listen to the sound of the trumpet! Therefore, hear and know, O congregation, what is among them. Behold I will certainly bring calamity on this people.” What people? Verses 17 tells us, “Those who will not listen.”
I have been in the preaching ministry for a long time. I know that just because I preach something, doesn’t necessarily mean people are either listening or that they will adhere to the message. My responsibility is to preach. To model my message and deliver it with sincerity. Many churches in America don’t even feel the slightest need to preach the word. The idea of being the “watchman on the wall” is so foreign. Yet, our nation will never recover from its spiritual and social ills unless the preachers first- stand in the gap!
Charen goes on to write, “To suggest that what America needs right now are looser standards of sexual morality is like saying the Kennedy family is altogether too straightlaced. People don’t leave churches because the rules are too strict.” Did you get that? People are actually shopping for churches that will share with them, love them, and lead them to the TRUTH!
Think about this analogy for a moment. When choosing a doctor, you want one that will be as transparent and truthful as he can be in guiding you through life while experiencing the best health possible. If you were diagnosed with cancer, you expect your doctor to tell you the truth, while sparing your feelings, and get you on the quickest road to recovery. I don’t really mind paying a lot to have my car repaired, ok well that’s a lie, so let me rephrase that. I can live with paying a lot to have my car fixed if I know my mechanic has been painfully honest with me as to the problem with my automobile and has a solution to get it fixed.
Why would people put their spiritual and eternal future in the hands of a preacher or church that intentionally suppresses the truth so as to spare the emotions and feelings of the congregants? We, as church leaders have a moral and spiritual obligation and that is to lead with grace and land with truth every time we stand on that stage.
Charen writes, “People both need and expect those standards to remain firm. Particularly in a fast-paced, transient society. Only a church that remains true to its principles can provide solace and meaning for people’s lives.”
In Thom Rainer’s book – Breakout Churches, he indicates, through his years of evaluating churches as to their strengths and growth this interesting observation. “The breakout churches never would have sustained the momentum they have without consistent faithfulness to foundational issues. The leaders and the laity in these churches believe in the total truthfulness of Scripture, and they hold to the priority of preaching and the primacy of prayer.” I am not by any means endorsing everything in Rainer’s book. I do find it interesting, and he points this fact out, that churches that have found ways to compromise truth, or even discount the scriptures as being the source of all truth are the churches and denominations suffering and even dying each year.
Modern believers have bought into this terrible and destructive lie and that is if you preach holiness and address sin as do the scriptures, you will run folks off. Well, you might just run people off who want, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “To have their itching ears” tickled every Sunday, but there are also many people who truly desire to be challenged and inspired to live a more holy and righteous life. They rather expect to hear the same word used by Jeremiah in the 7th chapter verses 3 “Amend your ways and your doings.”
What makes the Church of Christ essential to every community regardless of the size of the towns or villages in which we preach is this- Our message comes directly, not from the CDC, or from the State Department- but from God Himself. People are searching for something that can make sense of this messed up world in which we live. If they expect to find truth modeled and preached in love in my church, I better not fail them!
Peter’s words to Cornelius are the same words I need to speak to my people and my community here in Kissimmee Florida, “In every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.” Acts 10:35.
There are more people than we give credit for who want and aspire to live and think differently then those outside of Christ. They may not know what they need to do to have that relationship with Christ, but they know there is an emptiness and void in their lives, and many are willing to embrace the truths of scriptures in order to receive that hope. Church—lets don’t disappoint these hungry souls.
James C. Book
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