Wow, what a question! I believe that He does bless unscriptural churches (that preach the gospel of salvation). You know why? Because God blesses obedience to His Word no matter who it is.
Some of us have denigrated churches that do not believe doctrinally what we believe. Sometimes it is not even about doctrine but about practice. We tend to put all groups, churches, and individuals in the same category of being 'unscriptural' simply because we don't agree with them. And that may or may not be the right thing to do.
But one thing comes out loud and clear: There are some churches that, although they are not 'scriptural' to our way of thinking, that are seeing many people having genuine experiences of salvation. Why is that? Because they are obedient in outreach evangelsim. They may not be 'scriptural' but they are 'obedient' to tell the gospel story to whomever they can.
Go figure! We have dropped the ball and it is time to pick it up and run like our lives depend upon it. We too can see God's great blessings upon us if we will be obedient to be witnesses for Him and go evangelize.
David
Friday, October 31, 2008
Churches Too Slow To Change
The number of unchurched has risen dramatically.
"Unchurched" defined: 'those who are not members of a church or have not attended services in the previous six months other than for special religious holidays, weddings, funerals or the like.' (Aubrey Malphurs).
George Barna indicates that the number of unchurched Americans has increased 92% in the last thirteen years.
Probably the most startling information that I have recently discovered is that 'there is a much larger segment of Americans who are currently leaving churches precisely because they want more of God in their life but cannot get what they need from a local church.' (George Barna).
What does this all mean? It means that change is needed and needed soon. We have been too slow to change. Some of my well intentioned pastor friends have told me "David, change comes slow. Give us more time." "Our churches are slow to change and we don't want to upset the apple cart". I understand more about change today than I did 20 years ago, because changing is uncomfortable for me too, the older I get. But we need to change now! I contribute this attitude regarding change to one statement which I was taught in Bible School:
My friends are telling me to slow down and be patient. This is what I tell them: "I have been waiting 40 years to see our churches and Bible Institutes change". Very few have even made the attempt. Thank God there are a few that are trying. My good friend Ray McAlister at Emmaus Baptist College is making some serious inroads to long needed change in our schools specifically in the area of accreditation.
I have been waiting 40 years to see if a new vision of outreach evangelism and missionary activity would begin. We have seen some pleasant changes in the increase of foreign missionaries doing indigenous church planting. But we have not seen an appreciable increase in soulwinning and outreach evangelism take place among our churches. If this trend continues for the next 20 years the number of churches in our fellowship of the ABA will drop significantly. The number of new works is abysmal. So far this year since the ABA national meeting we know of only 3 new works nationally.
It is time for our churches to change their attitude toward evangelism and repent of this gross negligence. God is removing his hand of blessing from our churches because we have been negligent. We need to change now. If we don't have a radical revival of outreach evangelism now there will be a significant drop in the number of our churches over the next 20 years which will shake us to our knees. And then...it will be too late!
David
"Unchurched" defined: 'those who are not members of a church or have not attended services in the previous six months other than for special religious holidays, weddings, funerals or the like.' (Aubrey Malphurs).
George Barna indicates that the number of unchurched Americans has increased 92% in the last thirteen years.
Probably the most startling information that I have recently discovered is that 'there is a much larger segment of Americans who are currently leaving churches precisely because they want more of God in their life but cannot get what they need from a local church.' (George Barna).
What does this all mean? It means that change is needed and needed soon. We have been too slow to change. Some of my well intentioned pastor friends have told me "David, change comes slow. Give us more time." "Our churches are slow to change and we don't want to upset the apple cart". I understand more about change today than I did 20 years ago, because changing is uncomfortable for me too, the older I get. But we need to change now! I contribute this attitude regarding change to one statement which I was taught in Bible School:
"Deal with things the way they are and not the way they ought to be."
I have altered that statment to read:
"Deal with things the way they are until you can change them to become what they ought to be."
My friends are telling me to slow down and be patient. This is what I tell them: "I have been waiting 40 years to see our churches and Bible Institutes change". Very few have even made the attempt. Thank God there are a few that are trying. My good friend Ray McAlister at Emmaus Baptist College is making some serious inroads to long needed change in our schools specifically in the area of accreditation.
I have been waiting 40 years to see if a new vision of outreach evangelism and missionary activity would begin. We have seen some pleasant changes in the increase of foreign missionaries doing indigenous church planting. But we have not seen an appreciable increase in soulwinning and outreach evangelism take place among our churches. If this trend continues for the next 20 years the number of churches in our fellowship of the ABA will drop significantly. The number of new works is abysmal. So far this year since the ABA national meeting we know of only 3 new works nationally.
It is time for our churches to change their attitude toward evangelism and repent of this gross negligence. God is removing his hand of blessing from our churches because we have been negligent. We need to change now. If we don't have a radical revival of outreach evangelism now there will be a significant drop in the number of our churches over the next 20 years which will shake us to our knees. And then...it will be too late!
David
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Church Planting akin to Universal Church?
Well, here we go again. Can't believe some people struggle so much with simple terminology.
A well respected older preacher recently stated in a sermon which he delivered at a local association that the term 'church planting' was unscriptural. His reasoning was that it is not found in the Bible and that the usage of this term will draw us into the 'Universal Church' heresy. I was really surprised and dismayed by what I heard because this brother is much more intelligent and wiser than the average preacher.
To associate the term 'church planting' with 'universal church' is like saying that oranges come from apple trees. A little research on this subject would have been advised before arriving at such a conclusion. If he is right about this then we would have to assume that the term 'mission', since it is not in the Bible, is also unscriptural because Roman Catholics initiated the practice of starting 'missions' first. Therefore, if he is right, every new 'mission' that gets started is in danger of becoming a Roman Catholic church. It makes about as much sense.
I don't know of anyone that does "church planting" who also believes in the 'universal church' teaching within our fellowship. Neither do I know of any 'mission' in our fellowship that believes it will become a Catholic Church.
Just my simple observations.
David
A well respected older preacher recently stated in a sermon which he delivered at a local association that the term 'church planting' was unscriptural. His reasoning was that it is not found in the Bible and that the usage of this term will draw us into the 'Universal Church' heresy. I was really surprised and dismayed by what I heard because this brother is much more intelligent and wiser than the average preacher.
To associate the term 'church planting' with 'universal church' is like saying that oranges come from apple trees. A little research on this subject would have been advised before arriving at such a conclusion. If he is right about this then we would have to assume that the term 'mission', since it is not in the Bible, is also unscriptural because Roman Catholics initiated the practice of starting 'missions' first. Therefore, if he is right, every new 'mission' that gets started is in danger of becoming a Roman Catholic church. It makes about as much sense.
I don't know of anyone that does "church planting" who also believes in the 'universal church' teaching within our fellowship. Neither do I know of any 'mission' in our fellowship that believes it will become a Catholic Church.
Just my simple observations.
David
Monday, October 6, 2008
The Sin of Silence
Why are we so silent about our faith in Jesus Christ? Why is it that vast numbers of believers have never shared their faith in Christ with anyone?
Silence can be golden, but not when it comes to sharing our faith in Christ with a lost and dying world. In fact, silence in this matter of evangelism is downright sin. If Jesus has commanded us to be a witness (Acts 1:8) and we don't obey, it is sin. "For he that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." Isn't it a good thing to share our faith in Jesus with others? Isn't it a good thing to show someone how they can have their sins forgiven by the blood of Jesus? Well, if we don't do it, then it is a sin unto us! The sin of silence!
Be silent no more!
David
Silence can be golden, but not when it comes to sharing our faith in Christ with a lost and dying world. In fact, silence in this matter of evangelism is downright sin. If Jesus has commanded us to be a witness (Acts 1:8) and we don't obey, it is sin. "For he that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." Isn't it a good thing to share our faith in Jesus with others? Isn't it a good thing to show someone how they can have their sins forgiven by the blood of Jesus? Well, if we don't do it, then it is a sin unto us! The sin of silence!
Be silent no more!
David
Winning the Lost at any Cost
This slogan really doesn't mean much to us anymore. How sad.
For those who have terminological trauma, I understand we can't win anybody to Christ; we just share our faith in Jesus Christ and show them how to get saved, right! I'm with you. Now that we are past the terminology: what is the cost you are willing to pay in order to win the lost?
Have you honestly considered the cost? Many churches have never budgeted evangelism as part of their church ministry. There is a price to pay. But it is more than money. It is about breaking with old ideas. Now, that is a price few are willing to pay. O those old ideas of "if we build it they will come", "They know where we are", "We've never done it that way before". When will we ever wake up?
In a day when many churches are declining it only seems biblically right that we would run to evangelize the lost. Anybody running? Anybody paying the price? Jesus is watching us.
Win the lost at any cost.
David
For those who have terminological trauma, I understand we can't win anybody to Christ; we just share our faith in Jesus Christ and show them how to get saved, right! I'm with you. Now that we are past the terminology: what is the cost you are willing to pay in order to win the lost?
Have you honestly considered the cost? Many churches have never budgeted evangelism as part of their church ministry. There is a price to pay. But it is more than money. It is about breaking with old ideas. Now, that is a price few are willing to pay. O those old ideas of "if we build it they will come", "They know where we are", "We've never done it that way before". When will we ever wake up?
In a day when many churches are declining it only seems biblically right that we would run to evangelize the lost. Anybody running? Anybody paying the price? Jesus is watching us.
Win the lost at any cost.
David
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