Call me out-of-date, but my earnest prayer is that America’s churches would wake up to realize that our world is in desperate need of the Gospel. I still wear a coat and tie when I preach, I have my congregants stand when the Word of God is read, and I base my messages solely from the authoritative and inspired Word of God. Some think I’m too “traditional” and others think I’m too “contemporary”. I laugh at both. If you believe that the Gospel and fervent prayer alone are powerful enough to reach lost souls, then you’ll quickly come to realize that it is indeed ALL you need.
Folks, decline in our church is not a modernization issue, it is a lack of the Gospel issue. Your technology, seating arrangement, and worship style has NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, to do with the Gospel. Why Christians are so hung up on the style of the church I will never begin to fully comprehend, but I find it quite pathetic when we argue over our church’s relevance rather than longing for people’s repentance. The Gospel was not built on preferences but instead on the perseverance of those who penned the words we know to be the inspired Word of God. How heartbroken martyrs would be if they could see the spiritual state of our churches. The greatest spiritual movements of history stemmed from folks being completely in it for Christ, not themselves. Everyone shows up for the Sunday concert but rarely will a good number turn out for a prayer meeting. Why? Because our churches deem it insignificant.
It’s time our churches stopped being so materialistic and became more evangelistic.
The Great Commission has nothing to do with what you wear and everything to do with what you say.
The power of our proclamation can often lead to a turnaround in their trials. Gospel conversations are worth having. Learn to share your story.