April 07, 2024
Greetings and blessings to all of you. The polls are in. It says that church attendance is getting lower especially since the plan-demic (COVID). But even before then polls stated that attendance was/is only higher in some congregations that have weak teachings, lacking the hard truths of Scripture and poor theology. On Christmas, Easter, and other special holidays you will see an excellent example of this.,,these churches are packed. The “myth of influence” has affected the minds of the people in our culture. It means that the gospel advances only if the public say so. They must say ‘that church is popular and has a large public favor”. It says that a Pastor or other believers can somehow persuade sinners into the kingdom of God by developing a more attractive message.” In 2 Tim. 4: 3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up themselves teachers and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables.” This myth of influence says that we can attract the lost to the church if we create alliances with the right people who have worldly influence. An example is Solomon who married all those unbelieving ladies for political expediency. In I Kings 11:4 “for it was so, when Soloman was old that his wives turned his heart after other gods and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God”. The myth of influence says in the minds of people that the church enthusiastically embraces the progressive social movement; willing to open the doors to all aberrant behaviors without expecting a change towards a heart for/of God. We live in a fallen world. In I Tim. 4:1 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons…”. Our Lord clearly revealed that the sinner’s resistance to God’s Word is the natural response of all fallen humanity. It is universal and profound. So, by having a huge church building with a Starbucks and a library in the foyer, four big screens, huge worship team with many instruments …the sinner’s resistance cannot be altered or influenced. The pursuit of cultural influence inevitably leads to the development of a nonthreatening message of inclusive salvation without true repentance and a feeble attempt to eliminate all offenses. Jesus only had 12 followers(disciples) and they were Faithful and Dedicated even unto death.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC