It has been going on since the church got started. Churches and people in churches spend a lot of time criticizing other denominations or other churches. Let’s take Joel Osteen and Lakewood for example. Osteen has been bashed since the time he began preaching at Lakewood. The Catholic Church is constantly criticized and mocked by Protestants. Non-Denominational churches criticize the traditional churches that they left behind so they could do things the right way.
I just wonder what this looks like to the lost unchurched world. All of these negative things spewed from our mouths have to make people think, why would I want to go to church? We are supposed to be focused on making disciples of Jesus, instead we are focused on who does infant baptism, who has instruments, and the list goes on and will continue to go on for eternity.
The reason I bring this up is the other day on KSBJ(local Christian radio station) they were interviewing Joel Osteen. They were asking him about the criticism about him, his preaching style, and some of his comments that had upset some people. I was really impressed with what he had to say about it all. He talked about feeling the call to help others focus on the hope that they have in God through salvation that comes Jesus Christ. Isn’t that the most important thing; pointing people to Jesus Christ as their only means of salvation? Let us rejoice that others are preaching Jesus and not get wrapped up in details that are man made details. I am not saying you have to agree with everyone theologically, or that you have to like their preaching styles.
I am just saying that it is time the church comes together as one to show Jesus to the world. We may do it in different ways, with different songs, but we need to do it together.
Paul addresses this partially in Philippians 1: 18. “But whether or not their motives are pure, the fact remains that the message about Christ is being preached, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice.” So if you don’t like the style of someone’s preaching or of another church’s worship, that is ok. We can still rejoice in the fact that Christ is being preached. Paul could do this for people with impure motives but we can’t even do it for people who have pure motives.
About Me
- David Willy
- I am a husband and a father and I pray that I will continue to look more like Christ to my wife and children each day. I pray that all that I do will be used to give glory to the Father and Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Amen!
ReplyDeleteYou ask... "How does this look to the lost unchurched world?"
How about... "How does this look to God"
I'm pretty sure He is thinking "They just don't get it" when he is listening in on our conversations and hearing our negative thoughts about others. None of the things you mentioned (instruments, church size, baptism, etc...) are things that God calls us to be focused on.It all goes back to the Word and we are only called to make disciples and to love others (after the commandment to love God, of course!). We make this life a lot more stressful and more difficult by all the other puzzle pieces we try to bring in, and they just don't fit!
Good post brother!
Jessica
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I was mainly focusing on the damage that this does for our witness to the lost world. However your point "How does it look to God?" is a very important one to make. I am certain that God finds it disgusting. And yes we do make things way too complicated.
Awesome thoughts! Thanks for bringing them up.
Dave,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree. I heard the same interview with Osteen on KSBJ. After listening to it, I felt convicted that perhaps I had been too quick to judge him. I've never had a conversation with him and yet I had written him off as fake and preaching feel good Christianity.
We tend to be very judgmental when things don't fit into the nice, neat box that we think Christianity should be...and I'm a prime example of being too judgmental.
Hopefully and prayerfully, I can change. And to quote Rocky Balboa: "If I's can change...and you's can change. We all can change!"
Okay...I'm out of cheese.
I have been a little convicted about it too. I have defended him to several people but have still made the occasional joke at his expense. After thinking about that I started thinking about all of the criticism and realized it really is pointless. Focus on the similarity which is Christ and don't worry about the rest.
ReplyDeleteYou are right that we like it to fit into a nice little box.
Way to bring in a Rocky quote.
Great thoughts brother. I wish we did not spend so much time pointing out what we believed was wrong with everybody. Just think how the church would be if we used all the enegry we used talking bad about other fellowships and spent more time working with those other fellowships telling people about the love of Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteJohn 17
It all comes back to that judgementalism doesn't it? I mean, one of the scariest verses in Scripture for me is: The measure you use will be measured against you. Matt. 7:2 (Jeff version).
ReplyDeleteFor me, I wanna be sure and use the oil tanker measure of grace for everyone cause that's the kind of measurement I want heaped on me!
Jeff I agree. I like your oil tanker statement. It is certainly what I will need.
ReplyDelete