I was watching the Republican debate the other night…ok, I was watching the clips on YouTube last night, but it’s the same, right? Anyway Charlie Gibson went around the circle at one point pointing out that each candidate (except Ron Paul) was accused of changing their views to move into the mainstream of the party. My question is this, if these are the best the party has to offer, and none of them were “mainstream”, does the mainstream really matter? Does it even exist? Besides, with them all running to the party’s middle, how are they different? There is a rare exception here and there: McCain and campaign finance reform, Huckabee and the Fair Tax, Romney and that hairdo… But they mostly seemed to be arguing about who believed the “mainstream” thing first.

I see this happening in the church as well. There are so many who just want what the candidates want: for everyone to pick them. So, rather than having convictions and sticking to them, they take a poll; instead of teaching the Gospel a purely and plainly as possible, they tell the people what they want to hear.

Before I go any further, I don’t think it’s wrong to get input from your congregation and focus on their needs - felt and unfelt - or to talk about the things they want to talk about. But so many go far beyond that.

Many conservative/traditional church leaders roll hard on the supposed sins of the culture. Those things that heathens do: drinking, smoking, cheating, homosexuality…things that church people don’t do, or hide well, and therefore they don’t have to change. All the while they ignore the idolatry and greed that is living unacknowledged within the fellowship. Others turn the Bible into a self-help book. They offer high self-esteem, material blessing, health and happiness…as promises God will keep - if you’re a good and faithful believer.

Many progressive/emergent/mainline leaders have heard for so long that “tolerance” is what people want, that that’s all the gospel is to them. An encapsulation of the many one-liners I’ve heard on the subject over the last few years is this: “Jesus came to speak out against the religious establishment, and to welcome those who have been excluded, however they are. The purpose of the gospel is to show love to others (in this life), and the true expression of that love is to do, and encourage, whatever makes them happy. The only real sin left is exclude someone for any reason.” This leads to - among other things - today’s church leaders, specifically evangelicals, being identified as Christ’s biblical rivals, simply because they are the religious leaders of the day.

Both of these paths will attract people. Both of them can grow a church. But neither will lead to lives changed by the Gospel, or people turning to live in service to Christ.

Technorati Tags: Church, gospel, mainstream, teaching

2 responses so far...

preacherman

January 8th, 2008

Charles,
I want you to know that I love your post brother.
I also want you to know that I love this blog. The look and layout is awesome.
I added it to my favorites.
Keep up the wonderful posts brother.

Charles

January 11th, 2008

Thanks, I appreciate the encouragement.

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