HATS OFF to Andrew Stroms recent article!!!! I am so glad to see other Christians recognizing the ugly attitudes and indeed antics displayed by Tea Party Christians in America! Their actions and philosophies stand so contrary to God's Word and the true nature of Christ. Money, indeed is the root of evil in a lot of their political gesturing (not to mention stereotyping the poor and others...) No compassion if it costs them, but if it looks good or gets someone elected-- a token such as handing a turkey out on Thanksgiving will do--but only amidst themselves! Such tokenism will certainly not be acceptable to God. He knows their hearts! I am blessed beside myself to see others speaking out against this egregious political movement which plays their "God card" for their own agendas.
WHY the "TEA PARTY" is UNCHRISTIAN
-by Andrew Strom.
I write this as a conservative evangelical Christian. I am anti-abortion and hold all the usual 'conservative' views. But I have come to believe that the Tea Party is one of the most misguided and misleading movements in America - especially since it claims to be so "Christian".
I saw a piece written by pro-Tea Party activist recently who quoted statistics saying that the majority of Tea Party members are evangelical Christians. He coined the term, "Teavangelicals". He says they are going to have a new Awakening and "Take Back America". I don't know what kind of "Awakening" he is talking about, but it is very different from the true spiritual Awakenings of the past. America certainly needs a Revival. But not the kind that these guys are pushing. I believe it is a counterfeit of the real thing. And if we fall for the counterfeit, then the true can be utterly lost.
So what exactly is the problem with the "Teavangelicals"? Below is a very basic list of things that, in my view, make this movement truly un-Christlike and unchristian:-
(1) -An Unhealthy Mixing of Christianity with Nationalism-. When you "wrap the cross in the flag" so-to-speak, you instantly distort the entire message and essence of christianity. You are taking two totally different "kingdoms" and mixing them together. Jesus said: "My kingdom is not of this world." So in mixing Christianity with Nationalism, you are totally distorting what His kingdom truly stands for. Thus you get "Patriotic" actions such as saluting the flag or the Pledge of Allegiance being seen as "Christian" things to do. Marching off to war becomes a "Christian" activity. The two "kingdoms" are being completely confused. There is a great deal of this happening in the church in America right now - and the Tea Party is really pushing it. -Utterly distorting what real Christianity is all about.
(2) -Being Basically the Biggest Supporters of WAR in America-. (This is closely related to # 1). One US commentator seriously stated that without the support of the American Christians the war would be over much quicker - because they are the staunchest and strongest supporters of War in the whole country. Now, can you imagine Jesus being like this? Can you imagine Him telling his disciples, "I want you to support military invasions and the shooting, killing and destroying of thousands of people"? -Because that is what WAR is. Does it sound "Christian" to you? Can we find anywhere in the New Testament where true Christians had this attitude? NO! They wouldn't have dreamed of being the biggest supporters of War in their generation! Just think what a terrible testimony this is today - to all the unbelievers who are watching. How un-Christlike. No wonder they call us "War-mongers".
(3) -Siding with the Rich and Against the Poor-. This is the exact opposite of Jesus - as we see again and again in the gospels and the entire New Testament. Pay close attention to the following words of Christ- "Woe to you that are rich, for you have received your comfort" (Lk 6:24), "How hard it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven" (Mt 19:23) and "You cannot serve God and Money." (Mt 6:24). Jesus also said: "Blessed be you poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven" (Lk 6:20) and "I have come to preach good news to the poor" (Lk 4:18).
Can you imagine Jesus coming across like today's "Tea Party" Christians - where they seem utterly against the cause of the poor, and totally for the Rich and the 'Big Money' interests? Perhaps we have forgotten that Big Business exists largely for MAMMON and GREED. Can anybody tell me anything "Christian" about that?
(4) -HEALTH CARE - Denying it to the Needy-. (-Related to # 3). I am not talking about "ObamaCare" here. I have no comment on ObamaCare one way or the other. What I am talking about is a general attitude amongst Christians. I cannot tell you the number of emails that I've gotten from believers who want to deny poor uninsured Americans any decent Health Care. (I guess because they are lower-class and can't afford it).
Do you know that millions and millions of Americans are being denied basic Health coverage that is totally taken for granted in other countries? And that it is the CHRISTIANS who want to deny it to them? And do you know that there are multitudes of Americans who wind up bankrupt or losing their home simply because they can't pay their medical bills? Does that sound like a "Christian" ideal to you? Does it sound like something that believers should be fighting for? -Fighting on the side of Big Business against the "little people" who can't afford to pay? What kind of "Christianity" is that?
(5) -Pushing the Idea that "Political" Answers can Solve America's Problems-. To me, this is the worst deception of all - the idea that America's problems can mainly be solved with "Political" activism, or a change of government, or a new President. The USA's problems are almost entirely SPIRITUAL. It is because she has lost her way SPIRITUALLY that is causing all the other problems. And to get the Christians all caught up in a "Political" movement is a total distraction. A PRAYER movement - Yes! A "Political" movement -NO! It will not solve the problems in any real way at all. In fact, it is like a "counterfeit" Awakening - to push the Christians into Political activism instead of focusing on the SPIRITUAL. It is like a false savior - a "pseudo" solution. The problems in America are Spiritual - and they need Spiritual answers. Not this "counterfeit" that gets everybody caught up in Political fights.
In summary, I want to say that I believe that many of the attitudes and behaviours of the "Tea Party" evangelicals in America are totally un-Christlike and unchristian. They come across as ugly, mean-spirited and anger-filled. It is awful to see real believers caught up in anything so unlike Jesus.
I would like to challenge every Christian reading this to forward it to your conservative friends. Tell them to come and meet me over at our discussion board, if they think they can prove me wrong. I am open. If they think they can prove from the New Testament that Christians should be thinking and behaving the way these "Tea Party" people behave, then let them come. I will be waiting. THE CHALLENGE is LAID DOWN.
Here is the link to our Discussion Board to post your comments-
http://www.johnthebaptisttv.com/
PLEASE FORWARD this EMAIL TO YOUR FRIENDS.
God bless you all.
Andrew Strom.
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Churches Of Christ Address Race Issues
Churches of Christ aim to mend longstanding racial divides
By Bob Smietana, USA TODAY
Whenever legendary civil rights lawyer Fred Gray comes to Nashville, Tenn., he drops by the intersection of 24th and Batavia.
That spot was once home to the Nashville Christian Institute, a K-12 school for African-American members of the Churches of Christ once banned from Lipscomb University and other Church of Christ schools.
Long closed, the school is never far from Gray's mind. The man who once represented Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. paid tribute to it during a recent ceremony at which he received an honorary doctorate from Lipscomb — an institution that he once sued over its racial policies.
His honorary doctorate was part of a new movement aimed at healing longstanding racial divides in the Churches of Christ.
"There have always been white congregations and black congregations, with little exchange between the two," said Wes Crawford, preaching minister at Glenwood Church of Christ in Tyler, Texas.
While church and academic leaders tackle the issue from the top, two 30-something members of Churches of Christ in Nashville are building bridges at the grassroots level.
Brent High, a member of the predominantly white Brentwood Hills Church of Christ, and Micah Otis, a member of the predominantly black Scott Avenue Church of Christ, have organized a series of meetings between ministers at black and white congregations in Nashville.
Those meetings have led to ministers at several congregations swapping pulpits for a week and, in at least two cases, to churches holding joint worship services.
Otis said those meetings are just a start.
"We have still not gotten a conclusion on how to fix this," said Otis. "But that's the purpose of having the meetings."
Denominations divide
Most American Protestants divided over slavery around the time of the Civil War. Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians all split into northern and southern denominations.
Those groups were often divided by race as well — with separate denominations for African-American Christians like the National Baptist Convention and African Methodist Episcopal churches.
By contrast, Churches of Christ leaders have claimed their fellowship never split.
That's not exactly true, Crawford said.
Churches of Christ say their group is not a denomination. Instead they call it a fellowship or brotherhood. So they don't have any denominational boards to officially split, said Crawford, who spoke at a session on race relations at the conference on reconciliation.
But the fellowship has long divided over racial lines.
In the 1940s and 1950s, there was some interaction between black and white Churches of Christ, because of Nashville preacher Marshall Keeble.
The dynamic evangelist was one of few African-Americans welcomed at white Churches of Christ. He often convinced those congregations to donate funds to the Nashville Christian Institute — known to alumni as NCI — where he was president from 1942 to 1958.
Things changed in 1967, when the NCI board of directors closed the school amid dwindling enrollment and gave all its assets to Lipscomb.
Gray and other alumni sued, saying Lipscomb was hostile to African-Americans. They lost in court. But the case — and Keeble's death in 1968 — marked a further split between blacks and whites.
The two groups have grown apart ever since, said Tanya Smith Brice, a Baylor University professor who also spoke at the conference.
"We, as a body, have kept a friendly distance from each other," said Brice, who grew up in a Church of Christ. "We have parallel structures — one that is white and one that is African-American. We pretend as if we are one body, but we are not."
Randy Lowry, Lipscomb's president, said the school can't undo the past.
"All you can do is over and over again do what is right and hope that over time that you are not only making a different impression but you are having a different impact," said Lowry.
That spot was once home to the Nashville Christian Institute, a K-12 school for African-American members of the Churches of Christ once banned from Lipscomb University and other Church of Christ schools.
Long closed, the school is never far from Gray's mind. The man who once represented Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. paid tribute to it during a recent ceremony at which he received an honorary doctorate from Lipscomb — an institution that he once sued over its racial policies.
His honorary doctorate was part of a new movement aimed at healing longstanding racial divides in the Churches of Christ.
"There have always been white congregations and black congregations, with little exchange between the two," said Wes Crawford, preaching minister at Glenwood Church of Christ in Tyler, Texas.
While church and academic leaders tackle the issue from the top, two 30-something members of Churches of Christ in Nashville are building bridges at the grassroots level.
Brent High, a member of the predominantly white Brentwood Hills Church of Christ, and Micah Otis, a member of the predominantly black Scott Avenue Church of Christ, have organized a series of meetings between ministers at black and white congregations in Nashville.
Those meetings have led to ministers at several congregations swapping pulpits for a week and, in at least two cases, to churches holding joint worship services.
Otis said those meetings are just a start.
"We have still not gotten a conclusion on how to fix this," said Otis. "But that's the purpose of having the meetings."
Denominations divide
Most American Protestants divided over slavery around the time of the Civil War. Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians all split into northern and southern denominations.
Those groups were often divided by race as well — with separate denominations for African-American Christians like the National Baptist Convention and African Methodist Episcopal churches.
By contrast, Churches of Christ leaders have claimed their fellowship never split.
That's not exactly true, Crawford said.
Churches of Christ say their group is not a denomination. Instead they call it a fellowship or brotherhood. So they don't have any denominational boards to officially split, said Crawford, who spoke at a session on race relations at the conference on reconciliation.
But the fellowship has long divided over racial lines.
In the 1940s and 1950s, there was some interaction between black and white Churches of Christ, because of Nashville preacher Marshall Keeble.
The dynamic evangelist was one of few African-Americans welcomed at white Churches of Christ. He often convinced those congregations to donate funds to the Nashville Christian Institute — known to alumni as NCI — where he was president from 1942 to 1958.
Things changed in 1967, when the NCI board of directors closed the school amid dwindling enrollment and gave all its assets to Lipscomb.
Gray and other alumni sued, saying Lipscomb was hostile to African-Americans. They lost in court. But the case — and Keeble's death in 1968 — marked a further split between blacks and whites.
The two groups have grown apart ever since, said Tanya Smith Brice, a Baylor University professor who also spoke at the conference.
"We, as a body, have kept a friendly distance from each other," said Brice, who grew up in a Church of Christ. "We have parallel structures — one that is white and one that is African-American. We pretend as if we are one body, but we are not."
Randy Lowry, Lipscomb's president, said the school can't undo the past.
"All you can do is over and over again do what is right and hope that over time that you are not only making a different impression but you are having a different impact," said Lowry.
Click here to continue reading.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Criminalizing The Homeless
This is sad. Please read the article below about potential laws emerging towards criminalizing homeless people. If it is not bad enough to be homeless! Imagine having no where to go. Imagine people stereotyping before you open up your mouth and say one word. Imagine shelters being full when you seek refuge only to be regrettably turned away. Imagine as you huddle against a bush for warmth in a park only to be arrested FOR BEING HOMELESS. Where are these people to go? They already have no where to go! There are not enough shelters and not enough resources currently out there to deal with this issue. Most cities are struggling mightily with their budgets--more so than usual. And what about burdening the criminal system people so love to quip about losing their nickels on? The homeless are certainly precious in God's eyes, but with people they are often viewed with contempt! I would hate to see people arrested simply because they have no where to go--it just shouldn't be! The climate towards this poor group is becoming increasingly hostile. Sad indeed.
Cities' homeless crackdown: Could it be compassion fatigue?
By Yamiche Alcindor, USA TODAY
A growing number of cities across the United States are making it harder to be homeless.
Philadelphia recently banned outdoor feeding of people in city parks. Denver has begun enforcing a ban on eating and sleeping on property without permission. And this month, lawmakers in Ashland, Ore., will consider strengthening the town's ban on camping and making noise in public.
And the list goes on: Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, Miami, Oklahoma City and more than 50 other cities have previously adopted some kind of anti-camping or anti-food-sharing laws, according to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty.
The ordinances are pitting city officials against homeless advocates. City leaders say they want to improve the lives of homeless people and ensure public safety, while supporters of the homeless argue that such regulations criminalize homelessness and make it harder to live on the nation's streets.
"We're seeing these types of laws being proposed and passed all over the country," said Heather Johnson, a civil rights attorney at the homeless and poverty law center, which opposes many of the measures. "We think that criminalization measures such as these are counterproductive. Rather than address the root cause of homelessness, they perpetuate homelessness."
A number of organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against the city of Philadelphia this month in response to its feeding ban.
Mark McDonald, press secretary for the city's mayor, Michael Nutter, said the measures are about expanding the services offered to the homeless, adding dignity to their lives and about ensuring good public hygiene and safety.
"This is about an activity on city park land that the mayor thinks is better suited elsewhere," he said. "We think it's a much more dignified place to be in an indoor sit-down restaurant. … The overarching policy goal of the mayor is based on a belief that hungry people deserve something more than getting a ham sandwich out on the side of the street."
If people come inside for feeding programs, they can be connected with other social service programs and possibly speak with officials such as substance abuse counselors and mental health professionals, McDonald said.
Critics argue that bans on feeding and camping often leave people with no where to eat or sleep because many cities lack emergency food services and shelters. Meanwhile, citing people who violate such ordinances costs cities money when officials try to follow up on such cases and hurts people's ability to get jobs and housing, because many develop criminal records.
Click here to continue reading.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Roles Of The Salvation Army
Salvation Army serves thousands, but it’s a church first
The Anniston Star
By Laura Camper
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Seasons Of Change
A contemplative presentation below set mostly to Ecclesiates 3 and a classical piece " Adagio, for violin, strings and organ in G minor". Composer Samuel Barber.
Ecclesiates 3:1-8
1) To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2) A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted
3) A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4) A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5) A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6) A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7) A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8) A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Elevating Angels
The article below was received via email through Andrew Strom's ministry.
WHY ARE SOME in THE PROPHETIC MOVEMENT
Still NAMING ANGELS?
- Charisma Magazine.
-Jennifer LeClaire.
I recently heard a prophetic word that described an angelic visitation. Of course, I am all for angelic visitations. Both the Old and New Testament offer plenty of examples of angels appearing to peopleto deliver heavenly messages. But this angel apparently had a creative name. Its name was supposedly "Safe Passage."
It grieves me that we have to go around this mountain yet again in the body of Christ. Wasn´t the controversy over Emma - the female angel who purportedly started the modern-day prophetic movement -enough to put an end to this sort of nonsense? Apparently not.
Let me be clear: There is no angel named Emma and there is no angel named Safe Passage - and it´s assignment is not to escort you safely into new opportunities or to clear fearsome corners and honor your unsung courage.
However, if you Google the keywords "angel safe passage," you might see where a misguided prophetic pen could draw such erroneous inspiration. There´s a Safe Passage playing card that´s a prominent "white angel" in a Dungeons & Dragons-style game. In this context, "Safe Passage" is a sorcerer. On the more benign side, "Safe Passage" was the title of a script for a 1997 episode of Touched by an Angel. Either way, there is no God-sent angel named Safe Passage.
It just so happened that when I stumbled upon the so-called revelation of this angel named Safe Passage I was already studying the topic of angels. In fact, I was in the midst of reading Dr. Lester Sumrall´s Angels to Help You for a second time. Sumrall offered abundant Scripture about the reality of angels, the categories of angels-including their names and ranks - whatangels do, what angels know, angels and prophecy, what kind of people receive angelic service, and much more.
Angels are real. Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament. Angels are messengers. Angels are innumerable. The Bible mentions three angels by name: Michael, Gabriel and Lucifer. But beyond that, you have to go to religions like Zoroastrianism to find the names of angels.
Zoroastrianism, also called Mazdaism, is a religion based on a self-styled prophet named Zoroaster (also known as Avestan or Zarathustra). Zoroastrianism was once among the largest religions in the world, a political power in pre-Islamic Iran. Mazdaism believers prayed to angels like Ameretat, Asha Vahishta and Vohu Mano for protection.
In modern times, the New Age movement has an A-to-Z list of named angels, some of which are supposedly rooted in Scripture. There´s Abdiel, the professed "Angel of Faith." At the end of the New Age list, you´ll find Zuriel, the "Angel of Harmony" who has dominion over the sun sign of Libra.
As you can see, false teaching about angels has been circulating the world since before Christ was born and well after He ascended to the right hand of the Father. False teachings about angels was an issue in the early church and it´s an issue in the end-time church. "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:14).
Paul had an apostolic message for those who hyper-focused on angels and their "teachings" at the expense of exalting Christ. Paul was so bold as to say that if he - or an angel from heaven -preached any other gospel than the gospel of Christ he should be accursed (Gal. 1:8). Those are pretty strong words and ones that should be heeded before we preach sermons or pen articles that exalt angels.
Paul also said, "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God" (Col. 2:18-19).
Matthew Henry, an 18th century minister whose well-known commentary provides an exhaustive verse-by-verse study of the Bible, gets to the root of such angel exaltation: "They advanced those notions to gratify their own carnal fancy, and were fond of being thought wiser than other people. Pride is at the bottom of a great many errors and corruptions, and even of many evil practices, which have great show and appearance of humility."
Yes, angels are ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation (Heb. 1:14). That´s us! Angels are sent to execute God´s Word. By revelation of the Holy Spirit, David wrote, "Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word" (Ps.103:20). Angels stand ready to obey the Word of God and bring it to pass.
Yes, in a way angels may help provide us with safe passage. When we make the Lord our dwelling place, no evil shall befall us nor shall any plague come near our dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. In their hands they shall bear us up, lest we dash our foot against a stone (Psalm 91:9-12). But there is no angel named Safe Passage, at least none of God´s angels.
One last thought: John mistakenly fell down to worship at the feet of an angel who had shown him the revelations he recorded in the book of Revelation. The angel immediately told him to worship God (Rev. 22:8-9). We don´t know the name of this angel. If it were important, the Holy Spirit would have revealed it. I suppose some in the modern church would name him "Revelation," - some may even claim "Revelation" is a female - and that would be yet another error.
Let me end with the words of Jesus Himself: "Take heed that no one deceives you... for false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Mk 13:5; 22). Amen. -Jennifer LeClaire, news editor, Charisma
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Music In The Church
Interesting article on music (secular and Christian) in the Church below---it offers a lot of points to contemplate. Myself, I have no problem with some different genres of music if it Christian oriented and/or clean, but as the author eloquently expounds upon, what is the end motivation of this music? Is it to appeal to the flesh, generating crowds to be entertained? Unfortunately, too often the answer is yes! Also, interesting to note the Western world influence upon Nigerian churches. This article has got me thinking....
Nigeria: Rock Music and the Rock of Ages
By Femi Aribisala
I walked into the City of David parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos, for the very first time and was surprised to hear the choir playing the theme song from the blockbuster movie, Mission Impossible III. Don't get me wrong; the choir was excellent. But you start to wonder if you are not actually at a pop-concert as opposed to a church.
Newspring Church in Anderson, South Carolina (USA) even upped the ante. It was reported in the news that they started a church-service with the song Brick House by the Commodores. Part of the lyrics of the song goes like this: "The clothes she wears, the sexy ways, make an old man wish for younger days. She knows she's built and knows how to please. Sure enough to knock a man to his knees." How in heaven's name can anyone think such a song is appropriate in a church of all places? But then churches are no longer what they are supposed to be.
According to The Telegraph, Pastor Sunday Adelaja of Embassy of God, Kiev, Ukraine encourages his congregants to "shake their booty and praise the Lord." Reporting on one of his services, the new-spaper observes that: "As 'Pastor Sunday' prepared to make a grand entrance, the choirgirls shook their pompoms, the disco lights started to flash and a fanfare sounded. The lights cut out, and Mr. Adelaja emerged from a shroud of dry ice. Children holding flags of the world wafted round him and the choir bellowed 'Sanctus!'"
What exactly is happening here? Is it a worship service or a rock concert? Is Christ the bright and morning star or is the pastor the sup-erstar? I daresay some churches have gone astray.
Babylonian songs
In the single-minded pursuit of size and numerical growth, new-generation churches have re-configured the church-service into a show-business where men come to be entertained on Sundays for the "gate-fee" of an offering. The thinking is that by spiritualising popular music, the church becomes more attractive to unbelievers.
The danger in this approach is that the modern church becomes increasingly worldly. The playing of secular music in churches does not facilitate the conversion of the lost. Indeed, music is never used in scripture as a means of reaching the lost. Instead, music is primarily used as a means of reaching God, because the Lord inhabits the praises of his people. (Psalm 22: 3). However, God is not likely to be reached through "urban contemporary gospel." Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24).
Click here to continue reading:
Nigeria: Rock Music and the Rock of Ages
By Femi Aribisala
I walked into the City of David parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos, for the very first time and was surprised to hear the choir playing the theme song from the blockbuster movie, Mission Impossible III. Don't get me wrong; the choir was excellent. But you start to wonder if you are not actually at a pop-concert as opposed to a church.
Newspring Church in Anderson, South Carolina (USA) even upped the ante. It was reported in the news that they started a church-service with the song Brick House by the Commodores. Part of the lyrics of the song goes like this: "The clothes she wears, the sexy ways, make an old man wish for younger days. She knows she's built and knows how to please. Sure enough to knock a man to his knees." How in heaven's name can anyone think such a song is appropriate in a church of all places? But then churches are no longer what they are supposed to be.
According to The Telegraph, Pastor Sunday Adelaja of Embassy of God, Kiev, Ukraine encourages his congregants to "shake their booty and praise the Lord." Reporting on one of his services, the new-spaper observes that: "As 'Pastor Sunday' prepared to make a grand entrance, the choirgirls shook their pompoms, the disco lights started to flash and a fanfare sounded. The lights cut out, and Mr. Adelaja emerged from a shroud of dry ice. Children holding flags of the world wafted round him and the choir bellowed 'Sanctus!'"
What exactly is happening here? Is it a worship service or a rock concert? Is Christ the bright and morning star or is the pastor the sup-erstar? I daresay some churches have gone astray.
Babylonian songs
In the single-minded pursuit of size and numerical growth, new-generation churches have re-configured the church-service into a show-business where men come to be entertained on Sundays for the "gate-fee" of an offering. The thinking is that by spiritualising popular music, the church becomes more attractive to unbelievers.
The danger in this approach is that the modern church becomes increasingly worldly. The playing of secular music in churches does not facilitate the conversion of the lost. Indeed, music is never used in scripture as a means of reaching the lost. Instead, music is primarily used as a means of reaching God, because the Lord inhabits the praises of his people. (Psalm 22: 3). However, God is not likely to be reached through "urban contemporary gospel." Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24).
Click here to continue reading:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
