Church Life: By What Standard?
By
Apostle Cedric Moss

Almost two decades ago, I had a very eccentric professor in college who would always give unusual advice. He once told us if we were ever in a test and could not answer the questions, we should make up our own (test) that we knew the answers to. In other words, he was telling us to set our own standards for evaluation. He never smiled, so it was hard to know whether he was joking. Fortunately, I have never been in a situation where I needed to test his advice, but I doubt it would work in any event.

As I ponder what Church life has become and means for many people, it seems like they are following advice similar to my professor’s: They lay God’s Word aside and set their own standards of conduct and evaluation in the Church. Many pastors and teachers have abandoned sound theology for good “feelology”, because many in their audience measure messages by how they feel about them (sermons). So many pastors’ sermons have become pop psychology with a few Bible verses sprinkled here and there.

Some people see the church as a spiritual Rotary Club; they join and leave based on personal convenience and preference. Increasingly, words like covenant, sacrifice and commitment are becoming extinct. For many, gone are the days of divine direction to find a church home. Many “shop” for a home church as spiritual consumers, looking for what it can offer them and not what they can offer.

Over the next few weeks, the Lord willing, I plan to offer commentary on these and other aspects of Church life. These aspects should be of concern to all who follow Christ and long for His Church to mature and for His Kingdom to come in fullness. Today, I begin by offering a lighthearted poem that I came across a few years ago, entitled “Preach a Sermon, Preacher”. It is taken from Willie Crew’s book, “Playing Church”. It aptly describes the approach and experience of many in churches today.

“Preach a sermon, Preacher, but don't preach very long;
Just tell a heart-warming story, but don't condemn the wrong.
Say not a thing about specific problems,
Because that's something we don't want to know.
We're just here to feel real good, so don't mess up the show
*
Preach a sermon, Preacher, but don't preach doctrine plain.
Let others guess at what is meant; don't ever call a name.
We'll sing your praises loud and long, and keep you many a day,
But preach it clear and you will hear, "Brother, be on your way."
*
Preach a sermon, Preacher, but say nothing of our duty,
Tell us all about God's grace, and picture Heaven's beauty.
Leave out things that we must do, we're busy making money;
Keep it short and off the point, and make it sweet as honey.
*
Preach a sermon, Preacher, but say nothing of our sins;
Don't speak of hell, repentance, or other stuff that offends.
Tell us about how Jesus loves each and everyone,
And how He'll forgive us, no matter how our lives are run.
*
Preach a sermon, Preacher, but make sure we're entertained.
With the right technique, there's sure to be new converts to be gained.
Tell us about church youth programs and our gospel band,
With these we're sure to win more souls, and give our Lord a hand.
*
Preach a sermon, Preacher, and speak of the day we die,
Tell all the folks about our home beyond the starry sky.
Preach a sermon, Preacher, make it strong, preach us straight to Heaven,
Tell us that since we have church membership, we get eternal living.”

Preview of Next Week
The work of the ministry is referred to as the call of God. However, many are wondering if some people, instead of being called, are being lured into ministry by the glitz and glamour that is so foreign to Biblical ministry. Join me next week as I consider the subject, “Ministry: A Calling or a Luring?”

Apostle Cedric Moss serves as Senior Pastor at Kingdom Life World Outreach Centre. Comments and feedback may be directed to him at: apostle@kingdom-life.org.

Church Life: By What Standard?
By
Apostle Cedric Moss

...As I ponder what Church life has become and means for many people, it seems like they are following advice similar to my professor’s: They lay God’s Word aside and set their own standards of conduct and evaluation in the Church. Many pastors and teachers have abandoned sound theology for good “feelology”, because many in their audience measure messages by how they feel about them (sermons). So many pastors’ sermons have become pop psychology with a few Bible verses sprinkled here and there.

Some people see the church as a spiritual Rotary Club; they join and leave based on personal convenience and preference. Increasingly, words like covenant, sacrifice and commitment are becoming extinct. For many, gone are the days of divine direction to find a church home. Many “shop” for a home church as spiritual consumers, looking for what it can offer them and not what they can offer...



What you have written is a problem in all religions these days! It is not exclusive to the Christian faith. There seems to be a mass movement away from traditional beliefs in favor of, as you say, a feel-good faith lead by charlatans who are cashing in on this, all to human and understandable, phenomenon

Many people enter my faith, Buddhism, trying to feel better about themselves but they don't want to do the "work" or hear any bad stuff. As a consequence they don't feel better because they don't live the Buddha life (or, for the Christian, do not live the Christ life.) My faith, and yours, offers a REAL feel good feeling but one has to do the "work." One has to live the life, not just hear about it. I fear that many worshipers go to their place of worship to "ride on the coat tails" of the teacher. They never develop their own strength, but live on his. They can't stand on their own two spiritual feet.

Most people are not looking for a meaning to life but an experience of life. Part of that experience is to develop our spiritual side. Many faiths have lost the ability to prepare their people to do that.

For those who wish a real and long lasting "feel good" sensation I would advise that they live the faith WITHOUT looking for joy, peace, and "feel good." When the faith is lived properly, those things will naturally follow without effort and they will be real and not just a Sunday thing.

As Christians, we are not called for uniformity--we are called for unity. I would agree that with most faiths, our major difficulties lie in interpretation of Spiritual Truth as it was given unto us. Currently, for instance, we witness radical elements of one faith in the Middle East taking the lives of others "in the name" of their religion. Even here in the USA there are radical groups that use violence and intimidation to further "their cause". (Please note that even the KKK touted itself as a religiously based group).

While not attemptimg to speak on behalf of any given faith, I must point out that Jesus Christ has taught us to hate the sin, but love the sinner. However we realize that even within the same household of faith, there are many nuances of interpretations, conditions of faith belief and practice, just to name a few. But at the same time, there is an unmistakeable foundation that we as Christians cannot ignore: The Holy Bible, which is the standard by which all that we do and say should be measured by and not the measurement of our emotions. Even Jesus agonized in the garden what was before Him as His humanity stood in stark contrast to His Divine side: (we know what side won out.)

It is through THE ALMIGHTY that we are offered choices in many matters of faith, sometimes it is a choice of the "greater good" as well as right or wrong. For believers, Jesus encourages us to:
" ... seek (ye) first, the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. (Matthew 6: 33)

As Christians, we are not called for uniformity--we are called for unity.
Thank you drwfra for your well considered and constructed reply. I think you are going to be a "mine" of useful information. I look forward to your replys. As to the above I must say that, is that not that the same thing? Without uniformity there can be no (or at least little) unity - at least from the Christian standpoint.

...I must point out that Jesus Christ has taught us to hate the sin, but love the sinner.
I have always had trouble with that statement. Particularly from the Christian standpoint. The sin is a part of the sinner's make up and the history of the faith shows that the sinners was smashed because of his sin - the sin was not addressed, only the sinner.

...Jesus encourages us to:" ... seek (ye) first, the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. (Matthew 6: 33)
Here I agree with you. Once the "kingdom," whatever you perceive that to be, is realized, everything else is added. That is Buddhist as well as Christian!

As Christians, we are not called for uniformity--we are called for unity. I would agree that with most faiths, our major difficulties lie in interpretation of Spiritual Truth as it was given unto us. Currently, for instance, we witness radical elements of one faith in the Middle East taking the lives of others "in the name" of their religion. Even here in the USA there are radical groups that use violence and intimidation to further "their cause". (Please note that even the KKK touted itself as a religiously based group).

Not just the KKK or other religions in the Middle East but Christians them selves. http://www.macha.free-online.co.uk/7day-extracts/malleus-malificorum.html

While not attemptimg to speak on behalf of any given faith, I must point out that Jesus Christ has taught us to hate the sin, but love the sinner.

Please give me chapter and verse where Christ said this.

However we realize that even within the same household of faith, there are many nuances of interpretations, conditions of faith belief and practice, just to name a few. But at the same time, there is an unmistakeable foundation that we as Christians cannot ignore: The Holy Bible, which is the standard by which all that we do and say should be measured by and not the measurement of our emotions. Even Jesus agonized in the garden what was before Him as His humanity stood in stark contrast to His Divine side: (we know what side won out.)

It is through THE ALMIGHTY that we are offered choices in many matters of faith, sometimes it is a choice of the "greater good" as well as right or wrong. For believers, Jesus encourages us to:
" ... seek (ye) first, the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. (Matthew 6: 33)