Different World

I know times are changing. Every generation sees change. Much of it is for the better. I prefer an automobile to a horse and buggy. I’d rather use a computer than a typewriter. There are any number of changes I find personally appealing and beneficial. I’m generally not opposed to change.

But, when it comes to the church, I’m uncomfortable with change. I’m not thinking of the changes that are incidental like the times we meet on the Lord’s Day, the order of our worship (two songs and a prayer, Lord’s Supper at the beginning or end of the assembly), or even how many songs we sing.

The changes that concern me relate to much more important matters like:

• The purpose of the church
• Respect for the Bible
• Commitment to the Lord

When I was young what folks looked for in a church home was an emphasis upon God. We came to worship and to be reminded of His love, mercy and grace. We wanted to hear His word taught and preached. We wanted to be able to worship according to the pattern of the New Testament. We desired fellowship with others who shared our commitment to Christ and the Bible. Those were the matters which mattered.

Today it is a different story. It is no longer enough to love God, teach truth, and worship faithfully. Folks are looking for much more in a church home. Worship need not be Biblical, but it must be contemporary, novel, and entertaining. Assemblies are more focused on what worshippers want, than what God desires. Correct me if I’m wrong, but shouldn’t worship be directed toward the One who is worshipped, and not toward the worshipper? I think Jesus said something about that (John 4:24).

It is no longer enough to live and teach the truth. People want to know what the church will do for their kids. They want the church to provide “day care,” recreation, and social interaction for their youngsters. But, was the purpose of the church to replace the home? Sure, the church can assist the home, but it cannot replace it. What we really should desire is a church where God’s plan for marriage and family is emphasized. No youth minister, Bible class teacher, or preacher can satisfy God’s plan for the home as effectively as godly parents who are willing to invest time, talent, and resources in their own offspring.

It is no longer enough for the church to meet on the Lord’s Day around the Lord’s Table to observe the Lord’s Supper. Now churches must also provide “fellowship activities” to fill the social calendars of their members. I like to eat as much as the next guy, and I even enjoy being with others in social settings, but when did that become the standard for selecting a church home?

It used to be that people expected to hear the Bible preached (2 Timothy 4:1-5). With many that is no longer the case. Sin, guilt, judgment, and hell are now off limits in many pulpits as folks ought not be made to feel uncomfortable in worship. They would rather be entertained than enlightened, laugh than learn, conform than be challenged to sacrifice and serve.

The world’s got it wrong!

We must be careful not to conform to the world’s standards (Romans 12:1, 2; 2 Corinthians 6:17; 1 John 2:15-17).

It may be a different world, but “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).