It occurs to me that many in the body of Christ are just "easy picken's" to the enemy. The average Christian is easily offended and easily distracted. Most are sense dependent taking what they believe not so much from God's word but from what they see, hear, feel, touch and sense from the natural world around them (I Cor. 2:14). Many are easily entangled with judgments, and being judged; remaining under the law (Gal.5:1). Many are busy with worldly things such as sports, programs, family obligations, career, money, and entertainment, etc. that conflict with being committed to the things of God (Matt. 6:33). Many have a dogmatic view of scripture. They are fixed, rigid, and convinced they are right. Often this manifests with people straining at gnats and swallowing camels (making mountains out of mole hills) like the Pharisees of old (Matt. 23:24). These things and more (and there is unfortunately a lot more) lead people to become disgruntled, disinterested, and either leave or stop coming to a church.
Let me try to explain this by examples. For one couple the idea that the Holy Spirit might give someone a dream and week long experience of hypersensitivity to spiritual things is just too much--so they left the church. What if this person's experience was real? What if it wasn't; can't we forebear others errors? For another, the idea that they could be wrong or not fully agree with the pastor is just too much. As long as the pastor stays within the their unwritten biblical standards or keeps the list of vitally important doctrines, they'll stay; however, cross one of those lines and that pastor falls from grace. Another Christian could not be in the same congregation with a recovering sex offender (really, I'm not making this up). Still another person could not attend knowing that a political rival attended (politics can get dirty). Easily offended? How about not coming out anymore because women actually teach and lead (there is no sense that the restrictions held by traditional male dominate churches could possibly be wrong; See Women and Men in Leadership Together)? I could go on and on...
I say "easy pickn's" because the enemy can easily knock them off the fence of being steady in God. It just doesn't take much for many to be distracted from the things that really matter. Our church has had a decline in attendance not because of ministry opportunities or the leading of the Spirit; quite the opposite. We have probably the most clear presentation of the gospel of grace I've even known. We have been practicing the truth in divine healing for over three years and have over 80 testimonies (see Testimonies) of powerful miracles (Mark 16:18). We have made it clear that we are no longer under law but under grace in so many ways--this has brought the freedom of Christ to us in greater ways (Rom. 6:14). Yet, like flies some have dropped away. Some have experienced great victory in healing only to stay stagnant. Some have given powerful testimonies of healing and then left the church. There are many ways to evaluate this phenomenon. One is to say that our programs, facilities, music and preaching just are not good enough. Another is to realize that this little church has found the truth and is practicing it. The results speak for themselves (John 10:37); however, the enemy has managed to sift members away--easily I might add again (Luke 22:31). The persecution for the word's sake has seen many just crumble (Mark 4:18). They get offended, they get disappointed, they get disgruntled, and soon they are not around. When Christians do not protect their spiritual life who will protect it for them? When we return to old ways of living and thinking (Christian views) it is like putting your hand to the plow and then looking back (Luke 9:62).
I believe that a core of disciples in our church are established in the truth. For these the idea of leaving or going back or letting things go or even staying the same are not in question. They know they've experienced greater grace and greater power in Jesus and would never want to go back. What is curious is that others have too but then let it go? What a strange enigma. With the vitality of churches centered on numbers, numbers, and more numbers, one could easily feel that we are not strong; yet, that would be far from the truth. Looking at numbers to decide the truth about a church is like looking at appearances to decide the value of something (I Sam. 16:7). God judges the heart and from the heart all things are decided in this life (Pr. 4:23). For the few (at this time), Lord of Lords BCC is a powerful church growing in the wisdom, knowledge, and confidence in God's already decided and provided grace in Jesus Christ (II Pet. 1:3). Amen.
P.S. Remember that our lack of spiritual emphasis doesn't change God's heart towards us; it changes our hearts towards Him! The things we focus on and attend to make our heart sensitive to; the things we ignore, slack off from, make our heart dull, callous, and hardened towards (Eph. 4:18). Why go to church? It is God's call for us to be there but also that we'd walk daily in His grace so that our hearts are always sensitive to His glory. We need His glory. Amen.
I say "easy pickn's" because the enemy can easily knock them off the fence of being steady in God. It just doesn't take much for many to be distracted from the things that really matter. Our church has had a decline in attendance not because of ministry opportunities or the leading of the Spirit; quite the opposite. We have probably the most clear presentation of the gospel of grace I've even known. We have been practicing the truth in divine healing for over three years and have over 80 testimonies (see Testimonies) of powerful miracles (Mark 16:18). We have made it clear that we are no longer under law but under grace in so many ways--this has brought the freedom of Christ to us in greater ways (Rom. 6:14). Yet, like flies some have dropped away. Some have experienced great victory in healing only to stay stagnant. Some have given powerful testimonies of healing and then left the church. There are many ways to evaluate this phenomenon. One is to say that our programs, facilities, music and preaching just are not good enough. Another is to realize that this little church has found the truth and is practicing it. The results speak for themselves (John 10:37); however, the enemy has managed to sift members away--easily I might add again (Luke 22:31). The persecution for the word's sake has seen many just crumble (Mark 4:18). They get offended, they get disappointed, they get disgruntled, and soon they are not around. When Christians do not protect their spiritual life who will protect it for them? When we return to old ways of living and thinking (Christian views) it is like putting your hand to the plow and then looking back (Luke 9:62).
I believe that a core of disciples in our church are established in the truth. For these the idea of leaving or going back or letting things go or even staying the same are not in question. They know they've experienced greater grace and greater power in Jesus and would never want to go back. What is curious is that others have too but then let it go? What a strange enigma. With the vitality of churches centered on numbers, numbers, and more numbers, one could easily feel that we are not strong; yet, that would be far from the truth. Looking at numbers to decide the truth about a church is like looking at appearances to decide the value of something (I Sam. 16:7). God judges the heart and from the heart all things are decided in this life (Pr. 4:23). For the few (at this time), Lord of Lords BCC is a powerful church growing in the wisdom, knowledge, and confidence in God's already decided and provided grace in Jesus Christ (II Pet. 1:3). Amen.
P.S. Remember that our lack of spiritual emphasis doesn't change God's heart towards us; it changes our hearts towards Him! The things we focus on and attend to make our heart sensitive to; the things we ignore, slack off from, make our heart dull, callous, and hardened towards (Eph. 4:18). Why go to church? It is God's call for us to be there but also that we'd walk daily in His grace so that our hearts are always sensitive to His glory. We need His glory. Amen.