God causes the growth. (We don't.)John Farley
Pastor-Teacher Sunday, November 12, 2017 God causes the growth. (We don’t.) Col 2:8-10 Post- Modern: Post-modernism has found an effective vehicle to get inside: the emergent church. The vulnerability they exploit is declining church attendance, particularly among our young people. Nearly two-thirds of evangelicals under thirty-five believe that non-Christians can go to heaven. 76% of evangelicals aged 18-29 do not think that one religion is true and others are not. Among Americans age 18 to 29, 43% do not identify as Christians (Protestant or Catholic). The younger you are, the less likely you are to take the Bible literally, … …or to believe that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, as opposed to a book of moral precepts. The lie is that we have to change how we do things - including our message! - in order to bring more people to Christ. The Bible does not tell us to aim for large attendance. Churches and pastors who preach the gospel and teach the Bible will NOT BE POPULAR. Act 20:27-32 God in His word tells us that HE will cause the growth. We are to grow UP in all aspects into Christ. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Eph 4:15-16 Or giving young people what they want - experiences and blending in with the culture - …rather than what they need - truth. God in His word tells us He is definitely is against changing the message to appeal to worldly people! Gal 1:6-9 The Bible tells us to preach the gospel and teach the word of God. To reprove, rebuke, exhort, instruct, and encourage. There will always be other groups who can offer them a better experience or movement. Super Bowl Halftime Show
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Emotional appeal?
We will never be able to compete with the world using experiences or entertainment or emotional appeals. And we’re NOT supposed to! None of them have the one thing that makes people free – God’s word, the word of truth, the gospel. Joh 8:31-32 Eph 1:13-14 The church is the pillar of TRUTH. Not the pillar of storytelling, or entertainment, or religious experiences… ….or stimulating presentations, or magnetic personalities. 1Co 2:1-5 2Co 4:2 |