We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer
Therefore let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. --Basil of Caesarea
Once you learn to discern, there's no going back. You will begin to spot the lie everywhere it appears.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Make the Church Attractive?


We have been told that we have to make the Church attractive to the man outside, and the idea is to become as much like him as we can.  There were certain popular padres during the first world war who mixed with their men, and smoked with them, and did this, that, and the other with them, in oder to encourage them.  Some people thought that, as a result, when the war was over, the ex-service men would be crowding into the churches.  Yet it did not happen, and it never has happened that way.  The glory of the gospel is that when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it.  It is then that the world is made to listen to her message, though it may hate it at first.  That is how revival comes.  That must also be true of us as individuals.  It should not be our ambition to be as much like everybody else as we can, though we happen to be Christian, but rather to be as different from everybody who is not Christian as we can possibly be.  Our ambition should be to be like Christ, the more like Him the better, and the more like Him we become, the more we shall be unlike everybody who is not Christian.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “Studies in the Sermon on the Mount,” p.37


This is something all those “seeker-sensitive” and “market-driven” pastors should pay attention to!



5 comments:

Ron Livesay said...

I have, over the years, heard how important it is to make unbelievers "feel comfortable" in church. That runs counter to the Scriptures and to common sense. If unbelievers "feel comfortable" in church, there is something wrong with the church. I guess we should look at how "comfortable" Jesus made the Pharisees feel.

Glenn E. Chatfield said...

Amen, Ron!

Joe said...

In my humble, but correct, opinion, if Jesus, through the Holy Spirit, does not attract people to Him, they cannot be attracted by any superficial means.

Ron Livesay said...

You are correct, Joe. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to bring people to Christ. No "stinking gimmicks," no matter how impressive, will bring anyone to the Lord. "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead" (Luke 16:31). That Scripture should put an end to so much of the nonsense we see in churches today.

Anonymous said...

Amen to the post, and to all comments thus far!

-Carolyn