Merry Christmas and Thank You!

Thank you to everyone who has visited this blog over the past year. I appreciate the comments, and I pray that we can continue in 2007. Have a blessed Christmas!

Megachurch issues part 2

This will be my last post on this issue, but I needed to talk about this last point. "Megachurches," as they are called here in the United States, have become the trend in Christianity lately. I see pastors who desire to have these types of churches. Never mind God's will anymore; keeping up with the spiritual Joneses has taken priority.

How have we come to this place? We have deviated so far from the original commission that we have convinced ourselves that God's priority is to make us comfortable and happy. I do agree with the statement that "Jesus came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comforted," but we as a country are by no means afflicted.

Let's face it - we are allowing the materialistic objectives of the world to creep into the church. The focus has become more about being trendy than about preaching the uncompromised Word of God. Come to church, get a free car wash! Come to church, relax, and have a cup of coffee! It seems totally opposite of what we as one church are called to do - go out into the world and preach. This type of marketing is what is becoming the priority in many of our congregations today.

A very good friend of mine told me a profound statement that I will never forget. He said "if you get them with a gimmick, you have to keep them with a gimmick." So, if you are lured into a church because of free coffee, soon that will not be enough. Sooner or later, you will become tired of that and want more - maybe free breakfast! We have only one thing to lure people with, and that is Jesus Christ. The moment we deviate from Christ, we lose focus. It is time for us to regain our focus.