"Imperfect people Serving a Perfect God"
Dateline: Kneebound/thankful/repentant
A recent conversation reminded me of a serious situation that is going on in our country. The problem stems from the ongoing growth of what I will aptly dub "news channel pulpits" across the nation. It seems as though the days headlines have become the locus of the minister's mind and thus have bled into the preaching and prayers being delivered publicly during the assembly of the church. This issue is not exclusive to a denomination. In fact, this issue just may have grown beyond the limits of a small minority of churches to become more common than uncommon as I write this today. On any given Sunday a person can leave a church with the idea that "the news of the day" is more important than The Good News. Preachers preach on government agenda instead of the Doctrine of the King of Kings. Prayer leaders pray as though our calling is to be devoutly concerned about the state of the union rather than to be diligently obedient to the Great Commission. All of this has left us with a wounded and scattered body... some people are connected only through tradition and others are left as "church nomads" diligently and earnestly seeking a church illuminated by the Truth.
So what do we do? I don't have all the answers but I do have a suggestion. If you are currently a member (or leader) of a church that preaches the Bible and prays like the Bible, a church that does the things you read about in the Scriptures and trusts God to do the things He does in the Scriptures, I have two instructions for you-
1) Get down on your knees and ask God to forgive you for all the times you have complained about trivial things and personal pet peeves at your church (the food at the picnic, a bathroom that was not clean enough, the temperature of the sanctuary, the snow on the sidewalk, the program you don't like, the program you wish was there, the volume of the music, the unruly kid in the back row, etc. etc. etc.). Ask God to help you stay focused on what really makes a church "His Bride."
2) Stay on your knees and thank God for what He has given you. A place to worship Him freely and completely. A place to hear the Word of God rightly preached. A place to be a part of His Great Commission. A place where you can find other people who trust Him, love Him, and need Him. Most of all, a place that believes He is more important than anything else in the universe.
