22 April 2005
The problem with the
“seeker sensitive” church is that it tries to compete with the culture on the
culture’s terms and values, neglecting the Biblical mandate that the church be
“salt & light” – different from the sin saturated culture. Competing with MTV and other cultural icons
will leave the church feeling defeated – and well deserved that feeling will
be.
We cannot out perform the
lost world in cultural entertainment methods or styles. And we will not win souls for Christ nor
make disciples of those who have been called by Him if we look to the culture
rather than the Bible for success and the pathway to it. The church is made up of believers for the
spiritual growth of the believers and the praise and worship of our Lord who
saved us from our sins.
Nobody ever was saved by
“spiritual entertainment” nor funny or gripping stories from the pulpit. A service that only provides such – which is
what many seeker sensitive services do – never has nor ever will bring a sinner
to repentance and the salvation that comes from being truly reborn in and by
Christ Jesus.
Those who are saved in what
seeker sensitive types call a “believers’ service” are saved by God’s Spirit by
His Word. According to Scripture – all
church services are to be “believers’ services”. Lost folk are to be welcomed, but not made comfortable in their
sin.
Let each believer search
the Scriptures for His guidance on all of life – including how we “do
church.”
After all, life and church
are His creations and Father really does know best!
*The Empty Pulpit by Mike Oppenheimer, available at www.LetUsReason.org
and The Call by Os Guinness, available at www.CBD.com