ANOTHER ROAD?

Recently, in a local newspaper, was an article explaining the angst being caused in surrounding homes by the ultra-loud music (noise) coming from some large groups calling themselves "churches".

One church representative said,

There are definitely a significant number of our churches that use modern, contemporary music. This is one of the reasons we are growing through attracting young people

So the appeal of the church is to be to the senses, not to the heart and mind? Another gospel?

Reading this brings to mind the words of another leader who said,

Much of the gospel being proclaimed today has become a caricature of the biblical message, exaggerating certain parts and greatly diminishing (or eliminating) others. There has been a tragic shift from a God-centered message of grace to make the gospel a man-centered human endeavor. God is often made to be an anemic old grandfather begging his children to come back to himself with no ability on his own to gather them. Or he is presented as the great Santa Clause with a bag of goodies to get people to acknowledge him. The truth of the mighty power of the Word of God with the effectual working of the Holy Spirit to raise the dead is lost in a quagmire of humanistic methods and enticements.

Jesus plainly says, No one can come to me, except the Father who has sent me draw him. The ‘outer’ work of the gospel is the proclamation - the preaching of Christ and his saving grace, but the inner work must be the enlightening enlivening power of the Holy Spirit through which the Father draws men to his son.

Seems as though there is a growing tendency to believe that there are many roads to our eternal Father, with those paved with ease and that which excites,

the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions

, being the most travelled.

There seems to be a common blindness today which causes folk to not be able to read the large road sign which says the alternate routes are NOT FROM THE FATHER BUT IS OF THE WORLD.

A Fifth Column?

Seems like centuries ago now, but when I first came into the ranks of those seeking to serve churches as a pastor, I came with high ideals regarding that person.

Naive? Yes! I wouldn't have thought so then.

Idealistic? Yes! Still so!

Realistic? No! Long way off!

My first pastors conference started to sort out my naïveté and my view of reality!

I can't help but commend Dave Black on his honesty about himself,and his awareness of his own weakness and struggles, a very rare quality, indeed!

Then I came across this quote by J.C. Philpot from a sermon preached at North Street Chapel, Stamford, on March 6,1859:

I have ever found myself to be my greatest enemy. I never had a foe that troubled me so much as my own heart; nor has any one ever wrought me half the mischief or given me half the plague that I have felt and known within. And it is a daily sense of this which makes me dread myself more than anybody that walks upon the face of the earth!
Keep a watchful eye upon every inward foe; and if you fight, fight against the enemy that lurks and works in your own breast!

I wonder what gives me the impression that not too many in leadership today would agree with Mr. Philpot?

Why do I get the feeling that Pogo was right when he said,

“I've found the enemy and he is us.”