HOPE FOR THE HOME: When the culture controls the church

This will be a series of reflective articles from having preached in approximately 1,000 churches during my 40 years in evangelism. The articles will address current worship practices in churches in America and how they evolved. Topics regarding marriage will resume shortly.  

The text: “ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

The dilemma – In historical biblical terms, “What is the purpose of the church?” When that is asked the reply is most often, “To what church are you referring?”                     The answer is, “The church which Jesus founded.” Then if Jesus instituted [the] church, why are there so many different types of churches? Very good question.

The original blueprint and objective for the church is found in Matthew 28:19-20, as listed above. So, how did [the] church based on the teachings of Jesus evolve into such a smorgasbord of beliefs and practices? After centuries of the uncompromising voice and authority of [the] church when did the culture begin to control the voice and influence of the church? That is our present-day dilemma.

The Bible-believing, Bible-preaching, Bible-teaching churches in America are now on trial. We are being charged with remaining silent, avoiding compassionate confrontation, and refusing to denounce all sins. In our desire to change our godless culture into a Christ honoring, Christ transforming culture it appears that in many ways our culture has transformed the church. What the late revivalist Vance Havner said years ago is equally true today, “If the church of the Acts had overlooked iniquity and by-passed evil and smilingly looked the other way while the devil sneaked into every phase of her life as we have done today, Christianity would have died in infancy.  The Early Church did something because it believed something.  We are trying to do what they did without believing what they believed." 

The church must take the witness stand and answer these charges brought not by the enemies of the church, but by the head of the church, even Jesus himself. The same Jesus who commanded five of the seven churches in Revelation to “repent or else” echoes the same words to every church in our nation today.

Are we going to decide to “fight for our brothers, our sons, our daughters, our wives, and our houses” as Nehemiah so eloquently stated in Nehemiah 4:14? Or are we going to close our eyes, shut our mouths, seal our Bibles, and silently retreat into the shadows?

We are not called merely to enter the fight and then leave the battlefield. When the battle is over, we are to be found standing resolute holding high the Word of God in our hands and salvation in our hearts. [End]

Jerry and his wife Becky are on American Family Radio weekdays at 4:20 PM (CT) and on Sundays at 5:35 PM (CT). Check out their resources for the family at HopefortheHome.org. Becky’s latest book, “The Bright Side of Blue” and Dr. Drace’s, “44 Ways to Strengthen Your Marriage” offer biblical principles and timely advice for dealing with the challenges and trials of life. You may order these and other resources by contacting them at: hopeforthehome@juno.com.