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There is an eternal battle between the church and the world and it’s still going on. The church, at it’s best, should affect society in a positive way. Yet the opposite remains true most of the time. Society creeps into the church more than the church alters society. The recent acceptance of openly homosexual ministers in many denominations is one example. Our parents and grandparents would have been horrified at the thought, yet many churches are laying down in fear rather than standing up and proclaiming God’s word. Many pastors struggle with knowing the best way to get people to come to church in the first place. Most recently the sweeping wave of reform in the church has been to make church “cool” with praise music, videos, free giveaways and anything that catches the eye. Some churches become so popular that they become mini-cities! Of course, going to church to be “in” isn’t anything new. Go to any town in America and ask around and you’ll find out the church to attend to see and be seen. That’s old, not new. So what is the answer? How can the church remain true to God’s calling and still be relevant in today’s society? I believe the church should be a refuge in the storm of “the world.” The church should be a haven of rest where we can block out the craziness of society and the stresses of life and refocus and center ourselves around eternal things. You can jazz things up like a circus or a Las Vegas act to be “cool”, but kids are more likely to like simplicity over confusion. Ever watch a kid shun the latest and greatest toys and instead spend an hour playing with a box? That simple box becomes a house, a rocket ship, a submarine and a hundred other things to that child’s imagination. There is no singular answer, to me. Let’s keep truth and holiness alive in our lives, in our actions and in our churches, as God demands. That is the only thing that will change society, one life at a time. See, church isn’t merely a congregation where you attend once or several times a week. The church that is defined by the Bible is worldwide, spreads across denominational lines and racial barriers (those lines and barriers are man-made, not God-made) and is comprised of Spirit-filled believers who are “not conformed to this world” but have rather been “transformed by the renewing of your minds.” (Romans 12:1-2) When that church stands together in obedience to God, then and only then can the church affect society as it should! It starts in the heart…. spreads through personal evangelism…. and when we unite together and stand for God good things will start to happen! Will you take a stand with us? Archived Gary's Musing Click Here |
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Gary's
Musings