Articles
The Kind of Church the World Loves
The church and the world have always been, well, worlds apart! They have always been "at odds". The church is not exactly what the world is looking for to satisfy its pleasures. And to attract the world, so many churches have given into the demands placed there by the world it is at odds with! But to clear up any confusion let me give you a number of suggestions at the type of church the world loves.
1. A church with an honorable reputation, but inside is dead. A church that rolls over and plays dead to the worlds demands is dead in the sight of God! Rev. 3:1-6.
2. A church untroubled by heresy or outward opposition. One where compromise in all things reigns. One who is afraid of offending sinners. Mark 16:15-16. Gal. 3:26-27; 2:4-5.
3. A church that is well spoken of by outsiders. Luke 6:26.
4. A church that winks at moral evils in the community. One that accepts gambling, drinking, drugs, homosexuality as normal and good. See Rev. 3:1-6 again.
5. A church that has the preacher hold back on preaching on sin preferring feeling warm and fuzzy when they leave the worship services. And of course the preacher pulls his punches back on preaching the gospel! 2 Tim. 4:1-4.
6. A church whose members live with one foot in the world and the other in the church. 2 Cor. 6:17-18.
7. A church who does not practice discipline and refuses to withdraw from those who walk disorderly. 1 Cor. 5:1-13.
Of course this is the church the world loves but it is not the church that Christ built (Matt. 16:18).
—James R. Dungeon
