___________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Removing Christ from Christianity
_________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Problem #7 ~ Contemporary Christianity has caused the church to focus on the wrong kind of growth:
A church can grow one of two ways:
1. Growth in numbers
2. Growth spiritually
Contemporary Christianity has made numbers more important than spiritual growth. While preachers are busy seeing who can have the largest congregation, the people are not being fed the word of God. What number can a minister “effectively” minister to? I am not talking about preaching the word I am talking about “ministering” to. The church is not struggling because of the lack of preaching it is the lack of ministry.
Because “entertainment” draws people we opt to entertain at the expense of ministering!
NEWS FLASH ~ you are not supposed to feel good every Sunday that you leave the church. If you have some known and un confessed sin in your life, and the proper ministering is going on you will be convicted by the Holy Spirit. Since most people do not like being convicted and being made to feel bad, to make sure you don’t leave we sink to the level of entertaining to make you feel good so you’ll stay.
You cannot be all that God would have you to be if you are not being fed God’s word: The Bible!
o 1 Peter 2:2 ~ there has to be a hunger for the word of God
o 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 ~ Proper study will cause us to grow into the deep things of God
o 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 ~ The deep things of God are available to you; IF YOU WANT THEM
o Matthew 18:19, 20 ~ It only takes a few for the Lord to be in the midst.
o 2 Peter 3:18 ~ we are supposed to be growing spiritually!
o John 8:31, 32 ~ It is the word that will make you free
o 2 Peter 1:3-8 ~ God has given us all we need to grow spiritually
Are you growing spiritually? Spiritual growth includes:
o Increasing in your knowledge and understanding of God's Word
o Decreasing in your frequency and severity of sin
o Increasing in your practice of Christ-like qualities
o Increasing in your faith and trust in God.
How do we grow spiritually?
o When we read and apply God's Word to our life: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
o When we walk in the Spirit: Galatians 5:16-18, 24-26
o When we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in everything we do: Romans 6:11-14
o When we do what the word says: James 1:23-25
1. Growth in numbers
2. Growth spiritually
Contemporary Christianity has made numbers more important than spiritual growth. While preachers are busy seeing who can have the largest congregation, the people are not being fed the word of God. What number can a minister “effectively” minister to? I am not talking about preaching the word I am talking about “ministering” to. The church is not struggling because of the lack of preaching it is the lack of ministry.
Because “entertainment” draws people we opt to entertain at the expense of ministering!
NEWS FLASH ~ you are not supposed to feel good every Sunday that you leave the church. If you have some known and un confessed sin in your life, and the proper ministering is going on you will be convicted by the Holy Spirit. Since most people do not like being convicted and being made to feel bad, to make sure you don’t leave we sink to the level of entertaining to make you feel good so you’ll stay.
You cannot be all that God would have you to be if you are not being fed God’s word: The Bible!
o 1 Peter 2:2 ~ there has to be a hunger for the word of God
o 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 ~ Proper study will cause us to grow into the deep things of God
o 1 Corinthians 2:9-16 ~ The deep things of God are available to you; IF YOU WANT THEM
o Matthew 18:19, 20 ~ It only takes a few for the Lord to be in the midst.
o 2 Peter 3:18 ~ we are supposed to be growing spiritually!
o John 8:31, 32 ~ It is the word that will make you free
o 2 Peter 1:3-8 ~ God has given us all we need to grow spiritually
Are you growing spiritually? Spiritual growth includes:
o Increasing in your knowledge and understanding of God's Word
o Decreasing in your frequency and severity of sin
o Increasing in your practice of Christ-like qualities
o Increasing in your faith and trust in God.
How do we grow spiritually?
o When we read and apply God's Word to our life: 2 Timothy 3:16-17
o When we walk in the Spirit: Galatians 5:16-18, 24-26
o When we rely on the Holy Spirit to guide us in everything we do: Romans 6:11-14
o When we do what the word says: James 1:23-25
_______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
Spiritual growth occurs when Christ is on the throne in our lives and not self!_________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________
Problem #8 ~ Contemporary Christianity has made celebrities out of our ministers
What a contradiction since the word “minister” comes from a word meaning to serve! Contrary to popular belief your pastor does not walk on water!
o The New Testament places strong emphasis on imitating leaders.
1. Hebrews 13:7
2. Philippians 3:17
3. 1 Timothy 1:16
4. 1 Peter 5:3
Is your Pastor one you would want to imitate? He should be!
o The New Testament lets us know ministers are servants:
1. Acts 20:28
2. 2 Timothy 2:19-24
3. 2 Timothy 4:2, 5
What a contradiction since the word “minister” comes from a word meaning to serve! Contrary to popular belief your pastor does not walk on water!
o The New Testament places strong emphasis on imitating leaders.
1. Hebrews 13:7
2. Philippians 3:17
3. 1 Timothy 1:16
4. 1 Peter 5:3
Is your Pastor one you would want to imitate? He should be!
o The New Testament lets us know ministers are servants:
1. Acts 20:28
2. 2 Timothy 2:19-24
3. 2 Timothy 4:2, 5
4. Mark 10:45 ~ Christ our example
Make sure your pastor does not have this book in his library
Problem #9 ~ Contemporary Christianity makes us believe we don’t have to give up anything to follow Christ.
We don’t have to make any sacrifices, “God will accept you just as you are” Some sacrifices we must make:
1. Hebrews 13:9-16 ~ The sacrifice of praise
2. Luke 14:26 ~ Christ has to be first in our lives
3. Matthew 6:33 ~ Forsaking all else and seeking the Kingdom first brings blessings
4. Psalm 51:17 ~ Total brokenness before God
We don’t have to make any sacrifices, “God will accept you just as you are” Some sacrifices we must make:
1. Hebrews 13:9-16 ~ The sacrifice of praise
2. Luke 14:26 ~ Christ has to be first in our lives
3. Matthew 6:33 ~ Forsaking all else and seeking the Kingdom first brings blessings
4. Psalm 51:17 ~ Total brokenness before God
Prayer: Father in heaven; help us to conform to your way of thinking and not what is popular. Give us ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church and a heart to be obedient to what has been revealed. The end result being our lives lived in such a way that you are glorified and praised!
Our next post we will deal with the subject " Yashua or Jesus" does it matter what we call him?
