by the Church in America
(Click on the image above for a video on 2 Corinthians)
Reading the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Corinthian Church (1 and 2 Corinthians) you can see images of the postmodern Western Church. Even the best of the Western Churches are drifting or have drifted away from the teachings and the model of The Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are embracing a heresy, an apostasy in the name of Christianity.
You read about the demands of this generation for a gospel and a religion that better suits their life goals and their lifestyle.
So, in the 21st century, the church has responded, “We must adapt to the current culture in order to reach them”. And adapt they have. Speaking the words of the Gospel but presenting them in a brand new light of APPEASEMENT, WEALTH, SUCCESS, COMFORT, BOUTIQUE POLITICS, ELOQUENCE, EXCESS, and ENTERTAINMENT.
The result are in:
In an article by Christopher Howard, (Fox News) we read, “Religion is a topic that seems to be at the bottom of the list of what Millennials value. When asked whether religion was very important, a large number of young people said they “broke free” from their former religions. Stella, 18, a student of N.Y.U. said her parents raised her with two religions, her mother being Protestant and her father being Jewish.
“They really gave me the opportunity to pick where I wanted to go, and I picked neither,” she said.
Millennials acknowledge the shift in religious values from the former generation to now — some cite the age of social media and the exchanging of information as the reason for the disconnect.
“Femi, a student at Columbia University, feels like marriage has become “archaic.” “A lot of us, we were raised by our parents, and we saw those marriages kind of deteriorate, and even if they did stay together the love might have not been there. I feel as we progress these institutions, whether it be marriage or religion, they start to seem archaic.”
Many churches resent this proposition. But, the evidence is in, and it is clear: The Bible says to “Go…make disciples” and the verdict is that the church is making “congregants”, not disciples. Congregants who attend church in dwindling numbers, inviting people to the local church instead of introducing them to Jesus. Some even shout the name of Jesus on Sunday but remain silent about His Name the rest of the week.
Paul’s Dispute with the Church in Corinth, which is more true today, can be better understood in the video (above).
The Corinthians disregarded Paul because he dressed poorly, he earned a poor and meager living was under constant persecution, and he was not an impressive public speaker.
The Corinthian Christians admired and preferred wealthy and eloquent leaders and asked Paul to prove his authority.
Paul points out that the Corinthians preference for wealth and eloquence was a betrayal of Jesus and shows a totally distorted value system..
True Christian Leadership is not about status or self-promotion or success in ministry.
Paul says the Christians in the Corinthian Church are his proof, as God’s new covenant people.
Rather than seek wealth and status, Christians should embrace the paradox of the cross and the cruciform life that transforms them to love and serve.
They had to adopt and embrace a “Cruciform Life” and so must we.
Could it be that the breaking of the 5th Seal is beginning?
Jesus says, in Matt 24:9, “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
Verse 10. “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.”
We must remain ready.
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Let’s DO IT,
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Let’s DEMAND IT,
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Let’s DEVOTE ourselves to it.
Your Brother and Friend
Mike Young
TIME IS RUNNING OUT. WE MUST TURN AWAY FROM WESTERN POST-MODERN RELIGION, AND RETURN TO JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL AND PRACTICE THESE THINGS
Come and join us in the harvest, as we go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He commanded; and lo, He is with us always, even to the end of this age. Contact me for further information on how.
Whitestone Fellowship 