As we learn to discern, we are forced to ask this question: What in the world is happening to the evangelical church? We have been watching men and women we have trusted form alliances with false teachers. Churches present secular rock music as entertainment during their worship services. Pastors have become much more concerned about growing the numbers of their congregation than growing deeper roots of faith in their flock. We have seen the church become zealous to help the poor, while completely negating and ignoring scripture’s clear commands for holiness and separation from the world. And, finally, we have watched the pulpit become a place to provide entertaining self-help speeches rather than the careful exposition of God’s Word. These aren’t all of the changes but these are certainly very tragic and important ones.
Wow.
Just writing all that makes me feel discouraged. But it is here. This is what the “Christian Church” has become. So what is going on? And how did we get here?
Many of you have enjoyed the guest post my brother, Pastor Dean, wrote on the Corruption of Christianity. A few weeks ago, I took the time to listen to the series that was the basis for this post. This was presented a couple of years ago and is an excellent overview to help us understand what exactly is going on and why. I believe you will find this series very much worth a few hours of your precious time.
Here are the links for the entire series–
What Is Happening to the Evangelical Church (Part 1)
What Is Happening to the Evangelical Church (Part 2)
What Is Happening to the Evangelical Church (Part 3)
What Is Happening to the Evangelical Church (Part 4)
What Is Happening to the Evangelical Church (Part 5)
What Is Happening to the Evangelical Church (Part 6)
What Is Happening to the Evangelical Church (Part 7)
If you have enjoyed this series and would like to hear more of Pastor Dean’s sermons, you will find all of them here.
You can find all the Learn to Discern posts here on this page.
I read your blog posts hit and miss. I have to say I appreciate your faithfulness to truth and to helping people live according to God’s Word. Please continue to share and challenge! I for one need it!
Thank you! Your encouragement is especially timely this morning :)
Just as happened with the word Christian, the term Evangelical is being washed out by our desire to water down the teaching of the word of God. Thanks for this timely reminder.
Yes! We can no longer assume that something labeled “evangelical” is going to be in line with the Holy Bible. Thanks for your comment :)
Just found your blog a couple of days ago. I was searching for more information on the heresy of Steven Furtick and one of your posts popped up. I have read a couple of your posts and am pleased to find yet another individual that studies the Bible in its entirety. I have listened to the first of the above listed messages from your brother, Pastor Dean. So fitting for today…. my family has had our eyes opened to so much truth involving music since our son began playing piano during worship at our church. Over the past year or so. there has been a burning of the scrolls so to speak, excluding music and artists from the archives all while examining new songs that seem to be almost fighting their own way in. It is a battle of sorts, however, truth seems to be prevailing through prayer, discernment, and God’s Word. I guess my question is, does your brother’s church livestream? Does he always offer podcasts? Is it appropriate to ask the name of his church? I intend to listen to the remainder of the above messages as I have time, but am also interested in listening to his messages to go along with the messages we have at our church. I enjoy incorporating B ok Biblical messages into my life throughout the week and am interested in hearing from him. Thank you for your time.
Hi Jennifer. So glad to have you here at Growing4Life :) I am happy to share my brother’s church website as well as their youtube channel with you. He is currently going through I Peter and it’s an excellent series! I hope you will also finish listening to this series as I found it so very helpful!
Here’s the link for his church–http://gcno.org/
And here’s the link for YouTube–https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuLlNNjDtLnNBjawHMst0uw
Thank you very much for the information. Looking forward to hearing more :)