One of the greatest compromises in the history of the Christian church happened right here in America in the last century. It was a broad-scale Evangelical sell-out of nearly everything in the church – All done in the name of appealing to the world. Sure they called this “sell-out” by more noble-sounding names. They called it: Being “seeker-sensitive,” or “attractional,” or they even called it “missional.” But in reality, it was really nothing more than a numbers game where they sought to draw more people into the church building by either changing certain elements of church life to be more alluring, or by eliminating other things that were offensive to people. The churches that were the most drastic and dynamic in this approach indeed drew large crowds of people – Which only led more churches to follow suit, lest they became irrelevant.
Now, of course, not every large church is guilty of these charges, and likewise, there are many small churches that are just as culpable (although they aren’t enjoying the results they eagerly desire). And so, you can’t judge a church solely based on the number of people who attend – But the discerning Christian will want to examine the motives and practices a church employs because it will reveal whether numbers have become an idol to them. Growth and numbers themselves are not evil, but there can be wrong motives for pursuing them. As we see Joab questioning David’s motives for numbering the people in 2Sam. 24:3 – “And Joab said to the king, ‘Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?’” That is the question that we really need to ask: “But why [do they] desire this thing?” All will likely answer: “To win souls,” or “To glorify God.” But the means that are used so often actually reveal these expressed motives to be false.
This fact is no more clearly seen than in how many of these churches make changes to the Gospel message itself. In an effort to add to their number they leave out the offensive elements of the Gospel. For instance, in many ways they don’t make much of sin:
1) Often times they refuse to call sin: “Sin” – But rather they redefine what is considered to be a sin to fit with how the world feels on various matters
2) Or they might just use terms that refer to sin in lesser degrees – They might call them merely: “Mistakes,” or “Struggles,” or “Illnesses”
3) Or they describe the primary results of sin to be temporal – They affect your psyche, they damage relationships, or limit your peace and joy, etc. (In this sense, their teaching is more about wholeness than holiness – They are more about realization than repentance)
4) They certainly don’t preach that sin is foremost against an utterly holy God, who will dispense His wrath upon sinners by casting them into an eternity of suffering and torment in Hell
Of course, the problem is that without calling sin for what it is, and calling people to repent and believe – There is no real turning to Christ. O they might pray to Him, (even to receive Him) thinking that they will receive help for their temporal struggles. But until they are made to know that their primary problem is not temporal, but eternal – They will never truly flee from sin to the Lord. They want Jesus, if they perceive He can make their life better, but not if it means having a Lord over them. The Jesus they want is more like one of those nice therapeutic support animals you see people carrying around in their purses. They want comfort, not really Christ. And that is what so many of these churches have reordered their ministries to provide: “Away with the preaching of hellfire and judgment!” “Away with the calls to repentance and holiness!” “Let’s just give the people what they want – The good stuff, the nice stuff.” “Just give the people a sweet-sounding Savior for their every felt need and surely they will come!” And indeed they did come.
But what will be the end of it all for them? God is the same as He has always been. So let’s read how He always deals with such as these:
Jer. 6:13-19 – “‘Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed; nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time I punish them, they shall be cast down,’ says the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ Also, I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’ Therefore hear, you nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth! Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people—The fruit of their thoughts, because they have not heeded My words nor My law, but rejected it.”
Thus, the end does not justify the means. May we never be taken in by those who would falsely apply salve to people apart from the truths of the Word. May we never cry: “Peace, peace,” where peace is not found. And may we never seek to add numbers at the expense of this truth.
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