What Have We Become?

[Abiding in His Word]

WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?

By Paul Proctor
April 27, 2011
NewsWithViews.com

The command from Jesus was so simple:

“Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15)

How complicated is that?

The world is right outside our door; and yet, look at the “church” today and what those claiming to be His disciples and witnesses are actually conveying to that world just in the latest headlines alone:

• 'Church Sucks' But Come Anyway?
• Many Born-Again Christians Hold Universalist Views
• Utah church offers free Korans in Easter gesture
• Worst place to Celebrate Easter Is in Church, Says Pastor
• Nashville-area church offers drive-thru prayer
• Church's 'Dance Your Shoes Off' video goes viral
• Survey Reveals Decade-Long 'Erosion' of Traditional U.S. Congregations
• Church Touts Homosexuality as a Gift, Not a Sin
• 'A Massive Shift Coming in What it Means to Be a Christian"

Is it any wonder there is so much confusion about Who Jesus is, what He did and what He taught – and that so many frustrated Bible believers are wandering from church to church these days looking for someone to simply preach it and teach it as it is written?

continued



(each of those listed headlines is an actual link in the article)

[Tevye]

Reminds me of a video ~ (go figure)

"Drive Thru Church" - (video link)

or maybe this newer one
(with the Sonic punch)

"Drive-In Church" - (video link)

If it wasn't so sad, it would be....

[burien1]

Then, what are we waiting for?

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:19-20

What has the church become, when we are not willing to help bring our Lord, the rewards of his sacrifice ? I was talking about witnessing to someone just the other day. The person told me that was why they couldn't stand Jehovah's witnesses, because they felt they had to tell others about Christ, too This person just happens to be my Mother, who sits beside me on sunday mornings, and claims she is saved. I often wonder if my own 'christian' family will turn me in/over one day.

[Abiding in His Word]

Reminds me of a video ~ (go figure)

"Drive Thru Church" - (video link)

I don't know whether to laugh or cry, Tevye. Off to watch the second one.... Just serve 'em up what they want....

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires....2Tim 4:3

[GodsStudent]

[mightymac]

I miss church. we dont go anymore mostly cuz I cant get everyone and out in time. Hubby doesnt come home from work until 4:30 am so he gets his best sleep when I'm home on weekends to mind the store. Maybe for the summer if I can get my son to go. He's my biggest problem and the one who never lets his dad sleep. (he's mildly autistic and is the biggest pest in the morning until his meds kick in... and he turns 21 next week!) all... morning... long...!

[FreeInHim]

Every day brings another storm – another hurricane – another tornado – another flood – another earthquake – another tsunami – another disaster – another tragedy – another invasion – another war – more disease – more drought – more depravity – more beatings – more deaths – more failures – more thievery – more injustice – more perversion – more lies and deceit – ever increasing in frequency and severity.

What will it take for us to once again fear God, believe and repent in humility and faith?

This is what I see, too. An absolute lack of fear of God throughout society. Even mug shots reflect the utter fearlessness of lawbreakers. Instead of a natural look of shame, mug shots now sport men proudly beaming and women haughtily glaring at the camera. Chins are up, gaze is straight into the lens. No shame, no fear.

The increase of lawlessness over the past couple of years is jaw dropping. I hardly recognize this country anymore, and the world seems well into the great falling away.

[brandon]

Folks,

I just want to add to this that the real church in America is walking humbly with her God. Much of this garbage we see today has to do with people wanting to feel religious or spiritual, but have never been regenerated. Regenerate people, born again people, are changed people.

People want to go to church because church makes them feel a certain way, or they want to learn good morals and be better people. Church as an institution is catering to this, because it's a business.

But church as a people is not so dull of heart as the examples posted.

And there are many, MANY examples of large churches that are active and engaging American cities with the true Gospel. Preachers have been railing against false religion and fake religious sentiments among the unconverted since the Old Testament prophets.

Jesus warned that where He sowed grain, tares would also be sown and would grow up together with the wheat. The separation happens at the harvest of His return.

[aaron]

Jesus warned that where He sowed grain, tares would also be sown and would grow up together with the wheat. The separation happens at the harvest of His return.

That's a great point, the weeds always grow fast and choke the fruit producing plants. Maybe in our day and age the weeds are just drawing too much attention to themselves and we need to ignore them and be about our father's business.

[Abiding in His Word]

That's a great point, the weeds always grow fast and choke the fruit producing plants. Maybe in our day and age the weeds are just drawing too much attention to themselves and we need to ignore them and be about our father's business.

There's no command against exposing them as weeds. Sometimes it's difficult to tell the difference in a garden unless one familiarizes themselves with the types of weeds. My experience with weeds is that if ignored, they will overtake the good plants so perhaps a little spiritual "Roundup" would be effective in treating them.

[aaron]

Good point, Abiding. My train of thought was that the emergents and progressives are publishing, blogging, and becoming self-appointed posterboys of new Christianity. They should be exposed and reproved and rejected. Maybe it just bugs me that they get so much attention and their churches grow so fast ... almost like weeds, I'd say.

[brandon]

24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”

[redeemed1953]

Apostate, in one word.