Easy Believing

I have a friend who attends a church in the upstate. When commenting on the church he calls it an "easy Jesus" church. He explained the church this way: "They talk about me a lot, no real sermons about sin or repentance, about sacrifice or the cost of following Christ. The messages make me feel good and the preacher is done in 20 minutes. The small groups feed me food and we discuss our opinion on things, and the worship service is really entertaining." Does this describe your church?

With the advent of the seeker sensitive church that has evolved into the emergent church, this type of attitude is more and more prevalent in Christian circles. The attitude that we cannot offend anyone because they need to be in church, so we stay away from real biblical discipleship, and the tough lessons that are the main teaching of the bible. This man-centered gospel championed by people like Robert Schuller, Joel O'Steen, Joyce Meyer, Rick Warren, Rob Bell, Brian McLaren and many others draws huge crowds. It pleases the people who attend and focuses on issues near and dear to our hearts. We are the center of attention, and we like that. So what's the problem?

Well, if we are to sincerely come together in true worship, God must be the center of everything. And in order for God to be in His rightful place, as the center of everything we do, God's word must be at center stage. True biblical preaching has been replaced by entertaining people and a clear biblical exposition of scripture by a service more heavily weighted toward music, drama, interpretive dance and other such things. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for great music, and imaginative worship that glorifies God. But not when it limits the clear exposition of scripture. In order for people to grow, God's word must be preached and taught. Problem is, when that happens, toes get stepped on, and many don't like that.

In the bible, whenever God's people came together for worship, God's word is always at the center of the service. Expounding God's word takes precedence over everything else. Great Old Testament chapters like Nehemiah 8 show that God's people thirsted for His word, so much so that they stood for hour upon hour, day after day, listening too and taking in God's word. Nehemiah 8:6 rightfully declares they "worshipped the Lord" in doing so. Paul once preached so long in the Book of Acts that a young man fell asleep and fell from a second story window. Paul raised him from the dead. Like I said, I'm all for great music and creative worship, but no place in the gospels does Jesus enter a synagogue or the temple and lead the people in singing, announce a drama, or do an interpretive dance. He preached and He taught. He above all knows what it is to worship in "Spirit and in truth."

But today, if a sermon goes beyond 25 minutes, or a church service ends after 12:00 noon because the preacher went long, you'd think a mortal sin had been committed. The congregation has many better things to do on the day that is supposed to be consecrated to God. You see, even in more traditional services, the seeker sensitive attitude of church being about me instead of God is more prevalent than not. In fact, a church that does practice and emphasize mostly preaching and teaching is called irrelevant today. Maybe in the people's eyes, but not God's. In God's economy, nothing is more important than making disciples. And that happens with hearing, learning, knowing and then practicing God's word. If church is about me, and not God, how can that happen?

But the word of God and a service that seeks to please people and to not offend, are not compatible. Their is no way the bible can be preached and taught in it's "whole counsel" and not offend us. If we have sin, the bible will offend. And since we are all sinners, there is no way we can read or listen to sound teaching and preaching, and not have our hearts pressed upon. I know this, when I do hear preaching, I want to hear a message that will convict and challenge me, not tell me how good of a person I really am. I know that's not the truth. Me, Jeff Phillips, in my natural man state was so pleasing to God He had to send His Son to die for Me. Don't tell me I'm really good at heart. As the bible says, "there is none righteous, no, not one.(Romans 3:10)."
Yet apparently today our churches are full of good people. Friends, if we believe that we are good in God's sight, we've fallen for the trap of easy believing.

Their is nothing easy about being a disciple, a follower of Christ. Their is nothing easy about denying ourselves and living and walking as Christ did. It is often sobering, and deflating, to look into the mirror and realize how short we fall of God's standards and expectations for us. It is not a church service, a small group, a great song or activity from where we should derive our self worth in God, and interpret how greatly He is moving in our midst. But rather, from self examination and discipline as we continually conform to Christ. Is the church you attend one that makes you feel good, or one that gives you the truth and often leaves you feeling guilty before God. While it may be tough to understand, change, real change, cannot occur without conviction of our sin. And conviction of our sin comes when the Holy Spirit confronts us with the Holy word of God.

What type of church do you attend? One that caters to your interests and desires, or one that leaves you ashamed before God from time to time? That's the difference between easy believing, and biblical worship. I know this, as a pastor, if their are people listening to me preach who are overtaken by sin, and they leave feeling good about themselves; I've failed God. Is your church one that focuses on anything but biblical teaching and preaching? If so, what are you going to do about it? Do you truly desire to be a disciple of Christ, or are you content to suffer easy believing, content to have church be about you, instead of God?