I published the following article in Jan. 1997, in our local News Paper
In the Sunday, January 19th edition of the Atlanta Journal, Section R, my interest was drawn to an article titled: “A Growing Movement---Full-Service Churches offer programs and activities geared to America’s consumer culture.” The article goes on to give an example using First Baptist Church Woodstock, GA. It describes the “eloquent 235,000 square foot facilities, staffed with 22 professional ministers, a membership of 7,689 and one of the fastest growing congregations of Metro-Atlanta.” It also says that “it is part of a national trend: The Full Service Church.” The journalist (Gayle White) says its calendar for January offers everything from a senior adult chili cook-off to a super- bowl party. Ms. White quotes Scott Thumma, DD in Sociology of Religion, “In offering a range or a multitude of places to minister or to be ministered to, these churches function as a KIND OF MALL.” Thumma further says, “Programs are like little boutiques.” The article quotes one person who recently moved from the Atlanta area to another state and Major City as saying he is “shopping” for a church.” This, in a limited way, describes the sad state of the affair of religion in America my friend. Religion is just merely another consumer product. Competition is the name of the game. One quote in the article states, “People accustomed to luxurious stores and professionally produced ENTERTAINMENT do not want to settle for amateur religion in second-rate facilities.” The First Church of Jerusalem, made up of a total of 120 members, assembled together in a crowded, stuffy, upper-room, no doubt would not have appealed to modern day religion. But it was that church and those like it in faith and practice that Jesus Christ shed His blood and died for. The fools are not those leading this “growing movement,” but those who flock to and support it. You who give your time, talent and money to it are being taken; I’m talking about big time taken. This movement and its leaders are not interested in your souls; they are interested in your bucks. You pay for the oil to keep this machinery running smoothly. Those who are taking you are the same crops of “flesh merchants” that the Apostle Paul warned the Church at Philipi of in Phil. 3. They’re chips off the old block of the ancient Pharisees whom Christ my Lord charged with “compassing land and sea to make one proselyte and when made he was twofold more the child of hell.” My readers, for your soul’s sake hear me and ponder well my words; there will be no “chili cook-off and super-bowl parties” in hell. Eternity without Christ will be no amusement show. Show time will be over when the soul breathes its last farewell breath and says goodbye to this Old World. Heaven, on the other hand will not be a “super-mall” with never ending “boutiques” well stocked with dainties of carnal pleasure. Heaven is a place where never-ending praise will be lifted up to Christ, the Lamb, who was slain that sinners might receive washing and cleansing for sin. But that praise begins here in redeemed souls. A redeemed soul is a soul that has been made aware of the awfulness of sin from which it has been redeemed. A person does not become aware of this as he or she shops the boutiques of super-market religion, rather as a supplicant at the throne of sovereign mercy. May the God of heaven and earth purge the land of these religious humorists and show-time entertainers, or at least may they be led to enter their proper profession of “Prime Ministers of Humor,” and perform in the name of entertainment not religion. While there is a place and time for laughter the Holy God of the Bible finds no humor in lost and misguided humanity. The compassionate God of Glory still appeals, “How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity. And the scorners delight in their scorning and fools hate knowledge? Turn ye at my reproof.”(Prov. 1:22,23)
Older
Top
