Jesus made it clear that we as the church are to be different from the world around us. That our influence in the Gospel is connected to our difference from the world. Getting saved is not about how God made my life better, but how He changed my life. The difference is like the difference between light and darkness.
Today, in some Evangelical churches, we spend our time imitating the world and making ourselves like the world to win the lost. We have become addicted to emotionalism and sermons light on conviction. Instead of being light in the midst of darkness, we turn down the lights and make the room dark. We have stopped caring for the sheep so that we can impress the goats.
In my early days in the Faith I heard about worldlings who did not change and who added Chris to their name. Christian cowboys, Christian bikers, Christian musicians, etc. Add Jesus to your bag just in case. The Gospel seems to have lost the power to change anyone. Now, we strain at a gnat, and swallow the camel and say that God is pleased with us because we are big.
Jesus promised that after He had gone away that He would send the Holy Spirit, whom He called the spirit of truth. Today, we cast out truth for success, and truth lies wounded in the street.
There are churches today who have had enough. They have pews, and hymnals, and no screens. They turn the lights up and they turn the music down. The pastor preaches real sermons, not watered down feel good about yourself chats.
As one wise pastor once said, truth is hard on church growth.
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