It’s not too often that I’m at a loss for words…but I was last night when I went to bed and read over the Sunday paper. Now I love a good cappuccinos (skinny cap with a shot of caramel, thanks!) and I also like to look nice but this new brand of church has me confused and grieving.

Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage?with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:2-5

I like technology and think that as God’s people, we can certainly use progress and technology to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. This denomination/church claims that when one would walk into the church they would see the message in a way that appeals. Hmmmm, the question is not about the message being appealing, rather WHAT message is being presented?

People are being encouraged to come to church to receive the freebies like “coupons for beauty treatments, clothes, interior decorating, meals, discount shoes, kitchen renovations and more.” One’s social life can be complete at the church with activities like, “group golf, enjoy family movie nights or join the Xbox gang ? a group of teens and twentysomethings who play computer games on church big screens between services.”

One attending woman said that God has given them a beautiful life and while this is true, there are many other people to whom God has given a different road to travel. I am concerned that this church is preaching the faith, health and wealth
doctrine, which is scripturally unsound and false.

It can be worthwhile to spend money on technology and equipment in order to proclaim the message of Christ but it certainly needs to be balanced. Of course, relationships and meeting the true needs of people are far more important than the latest and greatest gizmo’s. Mind you, I feel the same way in traditional churches where lots of money is spent on ornate decorations and sculptures…I’m not anti-modern, nor into tradition for the sake of tradition. I am concerned about the foundation that this church is laying. It can preach the right words but true faith is caught, as well as taught. You know…actions speak louder than words and all those proverbial sayings. Is the gospel of Christ being preached and thus drawing people or is it the false lure of money, fun, and other things that satisfy the lust of the flesh. What is the ‘good news’ being preached by this church? Is it the grace of Christ or the ‘good news’ of satisfying the worldly lusts of the flesh (under the guise of Christianity)? When Jesus is revealed to us, He will also be revealed in us. This could/should/would compel us to be prepared to deny ourself and follow Him…we need to give our every worldly care to Him.

My faith isn’t about what feels good. It isn’t about what prospers me. It isn’t about what appeals to my ego. I am thankful that God called me and washed me in the blood of the Lamb…that I wasn’t brought to the faith by education nor by the emotional, feel-good satisfactions of my flesh. I pity those that have found Christianity through having their material possessions and needs met, for they are missing so much!

So, what can I apply to my own life from all this? Well, quite a few things. 1) Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning (remembering that he appealed to her sense of ambition and ego) I need to be diligently studying the word of God and keep abiding in Him so that I will not be led astray…that I may stand firm and continue to develop a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Corinthians 11: 3

2) To teach my children well. To teach the attributes of God…His purpose for His bride, what pleases Him, the nature of true worship, the role of the Church, and how easy it is for man to fall prey to satisfying the lusts of the flesh.

2 Corinthians 11 is worth a read.