"It could hardly be more ironic that the biblical content of worship services in the last hundred years, and especially in the last twenty-five, has been drastically reduced. The word-content of public services has been reduced by those whose motive is to grow the church. This is the equivalent of removing gasoline fro the gas tank of cars by those whose motive is to empower automobiles. The unchurched and various seekers are put off by Bible reading and exposition, they say. The answer to this problem for many has been to eliminate them. Sermons are no longer expositions of Scripture, but psychological, financial, career, and familial counseling. Felt needs for improved circumstances in this world are addressed. Little or no Bible is read. Seekers don’t like to sing, they say, so the music ministry has been transformed into performances by professionals that the audience watches. However, the mythical seeker does like the rock/pop genre, so praise bands are ‘in.’ The biblical content of the songs has been reduced because ‘unchurched Charlie’ can’t understand the language of Zion. Seekers are turned off by prayer, so prayer has largely been eliminated. The net biblical content of the church’s public services today has been fatally reduced. What do we call services in which the Bible is not being read, preached, sung or prayed? What can we hope will be the effect of such services in the long run? If we are born again, sanctified, and made wise by God’s word, what will remain of such ministries once their goals of popularity subsides?. Despite the fact that Evangelicalism is America’s largest religion (Business Week, May 23 rd 2005), having a larger share of U.S. population (26%) than Roman Catholicism (22%) or mainline Protestantism (16%), it is far too shallow to sustain itself for long,.The decline of interest in the Bible, knowledge of the Bible, and public use of the Bible spells catastrophe for the church’s future. No, if Jesus’ words mean anything, then know that we much remain faithful to our task to sow God’s word." Terry Johnson
Posted on: Fri, 02 Aug 2013 23:23:39 +0000