Posts
New Article and Book Update
2 hours ago
Sunday, December 07, 2008
lack of Gospel
"People must go to church to hear the gospel because there aren't people in their lives who are living the Gospel. Unfortunately, those people who aren't living the gospel are the ones preaching it on Sundays."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
I rarely hear the gospel preached on Sunday morning--Our preaching is filled with moralism and I too often leave impoverished for good words.
I love that quote. Its hard to take any "leaders" of anything seriously when they are anti-gay, then get caught with male prostitutes, are brought up on 7 charges of corruption but still run for re-election, molest children in the church, offer to sell a Senate seat to the highest bidder.....the list can go on and on.
The officials within it are roaring lions;
its judges are evening wolves
that leave nothing until the morning.
Its prophets are reckless, faithless persons;
its priests have profaned what is sacred,
they have done violence to the law.
The Lord within it is righteous;
he does no wrong.
Every morning he renders his judgment,
each dawn without fail;
but the unjust knows no shame.
- Zephaniah 3:3-5
...
I share this not to judge those to whom it might refer, but rather to remind that there is HOPE. The Lord is within, the Lord is righteous! Think about God all the time.
ps. bradley, thanks for the ever continual inspirations.
Brian, I can relate. Often what I hear is the Gospel being run through the American filter. We are well aware by this point in dialogue all the bits and pieces that come along with that.
Nathan, it has been a travesty and a shame what many Christian leaders have done. As I was thinking over a friends' decision to separate his youth group into a 'white' youth service, and a 'black' youth service. It almost made me vommit.
Ben, incredible reminder from the scriptures that God is God. Thank you my friend for this.
All... I know some incredibly devious, wicked men who are pastors. I also know some incredibly integrous, wonderful, compassionate, loving men who live and preach the gospel. One of whom I worked with for over 8 years. My statement in this post is more to the point that if people would live the Gospel in the lives of those around them, then those around them wouldn't need to go to church to 'hear' the Gospel.
I hit my head on the underbelly of your piety...then realized I was the one who was upsidedown crashing to the ground on which my own ignorance and arrogance both stand. What is the goal of the Sunday gathering? Seemingly it offers a time for all of "us" to feel good about being "us". Yet, those who are not "us" want nothing to do with "us" because we are not real. Then the shift moves us towards making sure we are doing all we can to help others. We are not sure what the gospel message should be doing to move forward the efforts begun by the author. I would like to see who the real Brad is through all of this. Strike a nerve you did; rightfully so...probably.
Thanks for the healthy reminder. When I stand behind the sacred desk this morning, I will unashamedly offer the Gospel message with all these comments in mind. It would be a shame for all of us to offer our opinions without an opportunity for an accountable option to change what you are hearing, etc. Thanks again for the reminder. At the very least, I need to keep my heart from hardening into a cynic.
duane! great to hear from you man. i always enjoyed our days hanging out at seminary as the two oddball single guys new on campus. i think i still have a wrist injury from all of our hours spent on the ping pong table.
it does sound like i've struck a nerve or two with quite a few people from this quote. however, most didn't leave a comment or opinion. i value yours.
i was aiming at striking nerves actually, but not arteries:)
this quote is a broad generalization and certainly dos not apply to all paid professional pastors. of course there are many women and men who are paid professional pastors who preach the Gospel weekly and live it as well. i know of many personally. by the same token there are many womena nd men who are paid professional pastors who try to preach the gospel weekly, but never live it in their day to day lives.
my attempt in using this quote was to remind us pastors that we often times become too insulated within the walls (literally and figuratively) of our churches. its as if most of us have bought into a lie that says the best way to 'reach' the 'lost' is to invite them into our churches. we spend all of our energy throughout the week 'preparing' for our weekly services, or our small groups, or running the 'business' of the church. its as if we believe the ONLY way to effectively show the love of Christ to someone is to get them into our church.
so, we invite them and we pray over and over that they'll 'show up' and be effected by what it is we're saying from the pulpit. when in actuality the answer to our own prayers may be that we quit investing so much time into our services, stop hoping and praying that they'll 'show up', and walk across the lawn and show the love of Christ to that person where they live.
if we lived the gospel of Christ as a part of their lives by loving for them, caring for them, listening to them, and sharing our lives with them, then we wouldn't need them to come to our church. instead, most of us have bought into the lie that they 'must come' because it's 'best' for them. and while they continue to live 100ft away from us, we are so busy within the church that we might as well live 100 miles from them.
i certainly don't have it all figured out yet. i don't even have 1% of it figured out. experience has taught me that i'm wrong more than i'm right. but i welcome your comments duane. i love being able to have conversations about these thoughts and ideas and there is so much i can learn by listening.
thanks man.
Seminary days were loads of fun. Seems like a million years ago.
Back to the blog. I am worried that our generation has become so cynical with regards to the established church that we will cease to do anything. What happens when we no longer want to spark a movement in an environment that shows all the signs of lifelessness that we leave it altogether. You and I both have friends that we went to school with that are no longer in any form of ministry. I spoke with on such friend the other day. Disenfranchised is the word he uses to describe the church.
When I read a quote like the one you posted, I am concerned about the life of the church.
It seems like, I too must listen and not throw tomatoes, nor think that I have anything worth of value to say; however, too late for however's...there must be something positive going on in the church somewhere. It just seems that when I listen to or gather with other clergy...the first thoughts or words used to describe the church mirrors the quote you opened this post with.
I am optimistic that there must be someone, somewhere that is doing what the quote seems to leave any room for a remote possibility.
I'm done ranting...It's just that the church is ours for the taking. Whether yesterday's generation is willing to give it up, it's ours. What we do with it and how we choose to describe it will dictate what we leave for those who come after us. Is it worth leaving behind? Perhaps not as it is; but as it should be.
Post a Comment