The Church Growth Movement diverted from "Christ did it all for Himself First" to "he met human needs first". After all, didn't he come as Savior to save us from sin? Yes, but re-read the previous blog to see the Priority he established in life and ministry.
When we put God's Word first in ministry, in worship, in life, we never have to change priorities. The church never has to be updated to meet the basic need of the unsaved. That's the fault of those who contrive to make the church more relevant by making it more like culture so it will "interest" the lost. When we put human needs first as the means of recruiting interest in God, we never develop programming enough to equal the burgeoning needs people have. Indeed, after 40 years of changing programming...all we achieved as Christian leaders is: to turn our worship services into entertainment venues, much like Las Vegas or Broadway. We feature musicians whom we exalt to celebrity-status—and music, which we exalt as the MAJOR influence in people's lives. While ignoring preaching of Gospel texts that has always been God's method of reaching the lost, edifying the saved and empowering the church to community influence in raising morals, condemning sin and exalting Christ's righteousness. How could we decide to put human need first when God in Christ put his OWN GLORY, POWER and AUTHORITY FIRST in every decision he made, even statement he made, every claim he made? Read and re-read until we believe and practice EXODUS 29:43b, "and the place will be consecrated by my glory", says the LORD. Pledged followers of Jesus Christ, believing he's our model, his claims our belief, his methods our perfection, never decide to shift from HIS Priority to our mistaken perspectives and the desire of those lost in sin to find an easier way to Heaven.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
May 2024
Categories
All
|