What Price Will the Church Pay?

Well I've got an interesting situation. I'm in the middle of a clash with a very popular worship leader. It all started with a weekly e-mail I get from him. The e-mail contains the most popular songs, other worship relevent things, and a story or advice on how to handle certain situations.

Well this weeks story told about a friend of his who was visiting a church in NYC (you can read the whole thing at www.worshipideas.blogspot.com). His friend mentioned that the message was on getting out of debt, and that they would give away $1,000.00 to one person in the congregation that week. Now pardon me and my big mouth, but I politely left this comment: "Maybe I missed it but at what point did they actually preach from the Bible? Call me a skeptic but it sounds to me they were preaching a fluff gospel."

This was his response: "I wouldn't call you a skeptic, I'd call you a genius. Since Chris didn't give details about the sermon, that you can conclude the content is "fluff" proves that your power of deduction is astonishing. I'll bet they didn't even have a sermon, since all of these new-fangled churches are just so... shallow. And since New York City is a horrible, drug-infested place, I would guess this wasn't, in fact, even a church, but some sort of cover for one of those drug parties they have up there."

To this I responded: "Chris said that the message was on getting out of debt. That seemed to me to indicate all the detail he thought important.

I'm glad they've started a successful church in such an unchurched area. I'm not gonna say this is the case at this church, but the church has paid a high price for popularity before."

Now, aside from his slightly contemptuous response to me, lets focus on something else. How high a price will the church pay in order to be accepted? Many are already compromising on such issues as homosexuality. There are some who are willing to say all will make it to Heaven, or God doesn't care how closely you follow the Commandments.

This is unacceptable. The church is getting to the point where it will compromise on anything in order to pick up a few members, be accepted by society, and stay tax exempt. Jesus warned against people who distort the Gospel. The church now needs to realize that we can't have an untheological devotion; or an undevotional theology. Now is the time to fearlessly proclaim the Gospel to all people, not compromise to gain acceptence. I'm not accusing the church mentioned at worshipideas of doing this, I'm just saying several churches have.

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Ephesians 6:13, KJV

"But he [was] wounded for our transgressions, [he was] bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace [was] upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

God bless you all!