Found this site: http://www.alittleleaven.com/ via a blog post: The Church of No People.
Before I was a Christian, I'd have found this site really funny, although I'd have broke off all contact with any Christian friends. Now I am a Christian, I'm just embarrassed. And a little worried.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi, thanks for the comment.
ReplyDeleteI'd agree - we are incapable of seeking God of our own accord, or as the article puts it - 'And if you want to get super-technical on theology, the Bible is clear that no one is a seeker. It is God who is seeking us. Bam!' There's a comment on there that I like - 'It’s pride to think we sought out God and found Him. We never would have looked if He hadn’t put that desire to know Him in our heart', which I think sums things up quite well.
I've heard a lot of statements from people who talk about 'winning souls for Christ', and they very often look to quantitative measures to judge their success. Fine, but how successful are they really? So they got x number of new visitors in the door, or y number of people to say a prayer, but how many of them are genuine followers? Back many years ago, I used to go out drinking in clubs in the area I grew up in. There were a few 'youth-orientated' church groups in that area that used to evangelise to people rolling out of the pubs and clubs in the early hours of Sunday morning. Some of my friends back then were met by these people, and some of them probably even responded in the affirmative to them. But none of them are actually Christian. Knowing my old friends, they probably just said whatever they thought would get them away quicker!
I'm not saying that evangalism is wrong - far from it. The Bible is clear that we are to go and make disciples. I just don't see how getting someone to say something they probably don't mean can be called a success. I'm trying to fit together in my own mind how the command to share the Gospel to all and God seeking the elect works, but I'd say that God knows who He has chosen, and we don't. We just share the Gospel and those who are chosen to respond do, those who aren't chosen don't. The emphasis there is on the Gospel, not signs, wonders and gimmicks. Personally, I don't see the point of getting up early on a Sunday just to sit through some entertainment show. I can do that from home with the TV. It's the Gospel that saves, not clever marketing. My own limited church experience has unfortunately demonstrated that people love the gimmicks, and I find this very saddening.
As for being embarrassed - the site linked to highights what I hope is the more extreme displays in churches. I don't come from a church background, and my family don't understand my faith at all. If they were to see some of this stuff, in particular the heretical new mystics content, they'd probably try and have me sectioned! All I can do there though is share the gospel with them, and if God so chooses, they will respond.
Maria :)