Definitely an epidemic of Christians failing to know what they believe and why they believe it.. but it would seem that the greatest contributor to the falling away we have seen in recent years is more a sin of leadership factor. When you look across the church and you see leaders (parents, worship, teachers, preachers, deacons, etc..) committing adultery, lying to cover up some sin, living for se...lf, looking nothing like Christ...
And the majority of the others in the church covering it up in the name of being peace-makers and enablers of false-humility.. or just not wanting to acknowledge the mess and filth in the church because it's easier to look the other way.. when good leaders are blackballed, gagged, and ousted time and time again so others eaten up with selfish ambition and lust for power and popularity can party in the pews...
Sounds so far fetched.. but it is the face of the church.. leaking out from behind the mask and now a gross undeniable stench before God. Gossip and rumors and slander against good ppl, adopted as truth by others based on titles and deception and selfishness, rather than TRUTH.
And in the meantime.. a generation of teen and college age Christians watching it all unfold.. watching mom and dad wallowing in the midst it, jumping from bed to bed.. devastated by the lame excuses offered by teachers and leaders they once admired... and we wonder at the great falling away we are witnessing.. we wonder how atheism and it's many lame theories has gained such a stronghold in a generation?... there is no one to blame but ourselves.
We may boast that our example is one thing.. but the great cloud of witnesses around us sees something very different… something that looks nothing like the Jesus we talk about.
Repentance.
It begins with each of us.
Adulterers and adulteresses should not be allowed to marry in the church.
Let them take such things of the world to the world and marry at the courthouse.
If a man has a past of pornography and affairs and such, don't put him in ministry over women and children… let him serve with other men.
If a leader demands that you take oaths to keep silent about secret conspiracies against the denomination over him, and blackballs everyone that doesn't throw their lot in with him... someone speak up.
Sin.
The church is eaten up with it.. and a generation is sick of it, lost hope, lost faith, lost trust... yes, have an answer for the atheists.. that's Bible.. but if we are sleeping with our husbands best friends and then standing on a stage leading a dance team as tho God is honored by our worship... what spirit is that of?... Or if we lead a worship team and sing and cry about the forgiveness God brings, while we are doing the women on our worship team?.. what the hell?
The great falling away is due to our failure.
Our failure to resist evil and flee from sin,
Our failure to hold ppl accountable for their sin as we extend mercy and love to them,
Our failure to speak when it becomes sin to remain silent,
Our failure to defend based on truth rather than what allows us to live lukewarm.
Repentance.
It is the only answer.
Not words.. but a turning away, a confession of the heart, a cutting off of certain privilege, an agreement that we have consequences that we need to embrace, a personal accountability even if leaders and those who love us offer us excuse.
Repentance to not only turn us from our sin.. but to turn a generation back to God.
Find a worship service, or create one, go in sackcloth and ashes (humility in appearance and heart), and ask God to come and judge you according to his wisdom and his mercy. Change whatever it takes , whatever he says, and walk a different way, the right way. And don't look at others expecting them to do the same.. look at you.. and pray that God would do the same work in every life that your life touches.
Pray for right leadership as the church is cleaned up, one by one,
by ONE. In the name of Jesus ♥
Amen.
And the majority of the others in the church covering it up in the name of being peace-makers and enablers of false-humility.. or just not wanting to acknowledge the mess and filth in the church because it's easier to look the other way.. when good leaders are blackballed, gagged, and ousted time and time again so others eaten up with selfish ambition and lust for power and popularity can party in the pews...
Sounds so far fetched.. but it is the face of the church.. leaking out from behind the mask and now a gross undeniable stench before God. Gossip and rumors and slander against good ppl, adopted as truth by others based on titles and deception and selfishness, rather than TRUTH.
And in the meantime.. a generation of teen and college age Christians watching it all unfold.. watching mom and dad wallowing in the midst it, jumping from bed to bed.. devastated by the lame excuses offered by teachers and leaders they once admired... and we wonder at the great falling away we are witnessing.. we wonder how atheism and it's many lame theories has gained such a stronghold in a generation?... there is no one to blame but ourselves.
We may boast that our example is one thing.. but the great cloud of witnesses around us sees something very different… something that looks nothing like the Jesus we talk about.
Repentance.
It begins with each of us.
Adulterers and adulteresses should not be allowed to marry in the church.
Let them take such things of the world to the world and marry at the courthouse.
If a man has a past of pornography and affairs and such, don't put him in ministry over women and children… let him serve with other men.
If a leader demands that you take oaths to keep silent about secret conspiracies against the denomination over him, and blackballs everyone that doesn't throw their lot in with him... someone speak up.
Sin.
The church is eaten up with it.. and a generation is sick of it, lost hope, lost faith, lost trust... yes, have an answer for the atheists.. that's Bible.. but if we are sleeping with our husbands best friends and then standing on a stage leading a dance team as tho God is honored by our worship... what spirit is that of?... Or if we lead a worship team and sing and cry about the forgiveness God brings, while we are doing the women on our worship team?.. what the hell?
The great falling away is due to our failure.
Our failure to resist evil and flee from sin,
Our failure to hold ppl accountable for their sin as we extend mercy and love to them,
Our failure to speak when it becomes sin to remain silent,
Our failure to defend based on truth rather than what allows us to live lukewarm.
Repentance.
It is the only answer.
Not words.. but a turning away, a confession of the heart, a cutting off of certain privilege, an agreement that we have consequences that we need to embrace, a personal accountability even if leaders and those who love us offer us excuse.
Repentance to not only turn us from our sin.. but to turn a generation back to God.
Find a worship service, or create one, go in sackcloth and ashes (humility in appearance and heart), and ask God to come and judge you according to his wisdom and his mercy. Change whatever it takes , whatever he says, and walk a different way, the right way. And don't look at others expecting them to do the same.. look at you.. and pray that God would do the same work in every life that your life touches.
Pray for right leadership as the church is cleaned up, one by one,
by ONE. In the name of Jesus ♥
Amen.
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