There seems to be a great paradox in America today!
At a time when God’s word is available 24/7 via television, the internet and an ocean of social media, poll numbers shows church attendance and those who identify themselves as religious are in sharp decline.
The number of people claiming to be atheists is rising as well. Many who never attend church, read the Bible or engage with Christian teachings,( via the internet or traditional media) claim to be very happy and satisfied with their everyday lives.
Living next door are believers, who have a growing inner dissatisfaction in their Christian walk. Despite the trendy attempts to modernize church services and the amazing options for spiritual growth available to Western Christians, the health picture within the church walls isn’t very pretty. Those honest enough to admit it know something is badly wrong.
The majority of American Christians do not actively share their faith and thus never walk in the satisfaction and contentment of knowing they are making a personal difference. In short, they never lead anyone to Christ!
We have forgotten the happiest place in any hospital is the nursery!
How is this possible? Why are so many still lost?
A Forgotten Scripture
“…than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.” (Heb 11:25b)
Most modern preaching today is directed toward the hurting, the broken, and the depressed. And while everyone deserves to hear the gospel and be made whole, the church is often making little impact on those who are busy enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season! And this would be the majority of Americans!
If you sold bottled water would you only market your product to the dehydrated?
The church is failing to engage and thus reach a large number of the lost because 99% of the preaching is a soft message to the “broken”, and many sinners in America are very happy and content. In other words, since they don’t see themselves as hurting, depressed, or despondent, so they don’t need our message!
New Testament evangelism was always, law to the proud, and grace to the humble. Grace was and is available to everyone, but it came on the grounds of repentance.
If we are “all God’s children” as much modern preaching suggests, what is the motivation for a sinner to be saved? They already consider themselves saved because they believe the soft message being given to them that as long as God “loves them” they will be okay.
Modern preaching scratches a “God itch” everyone has, without requiring change!
Remember, it’s not our job to get people “saved”…Jesus already made that possible.
It’s our job to lovingly prove to people whether happy or not, they are lost!
What do you think?
