Again, absolutely!
Thus identifying himself as totally unqualified to be a house church presbyter. (Which is what a "growth group" leader should be.)
It is very telling that the groups are being called "growth groups". That is an indication that numbers (especially those people who write big checks) are more important than discipleship. Discipleship has all but disappeared from the church. One assistant pastor once told me that he wanted "hassle-free" Christianity. That's fine for infants. I wonder someone like Polycarp, had he heard such nonsense on his way to martyrdom, would have wept or slapped this assistant "pastor."
About 30 years ago, Keith Green wrote a song called "Asleep in the Light." It is even more apropos today.
https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=XL3vnQSr7eA
ASLEEP IN THE LIGHT
Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down,
Don't you care, don't you care, are you gonna let them drown,
How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done.
Oh Bless me Lord, bless me Lord, you know it's all I ever hear,
No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear,
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, and He cares for your needs,
And you just lay back and keep soaking it in,
oh, can't you see it's such sin?
'Cause He brings people to your door,
And you turn them away, as you smile and say,
God bless you, be at peace, and all Heaven just weeps,
Cause Jesus came to your door, you've left Him out on the streets.
Open up, open up, and give yourself away,
You've seen the need; you hear the cry, so how can you delay,
God's calling and you're the one,but like Jonah you run,
He's told you to speak, but you keep holding it in,
Oh, can't you see its such sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark, That the church can't fight, cause it's asleep in the light,
How can you be so dead, when you've been so well fed,
Jesus rose from the grave, and you, you can't even get out of bed,
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, come on; get out of your bed.
How can you be so numb, not to care if they come, you close your eyes and pretend the job's done,
You close your eyes and pretend the job's done, Don't close your eyes; don't pretend the job's done.
Come away, come away, come away with Me, My love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, My love.
(Lyrics courtesy of Last Days Ministries, Keith Green encouraged everyone to duplicate and distribute and use his works)
Young people are drawn to ISIS because, as evil as they are, they stand for something and are willing to leave home and family to fight and die for it. Are the disciples of Kreflow Dollar and Joel Olsteen being taught to be willing to leave home and family to fight and even die for the salvation of the enemies of God. Does anyone teach what it means to fight the good fight?
We argue about nuances of doctrine here in these forums. I don't think God is too concerned with our opinions of what He thinks. I imagine He looks at us like children dressing up in their parents' clothes and playing "grown ups."
It breaks my heart but I don't know what I can do. My wife and I were missionaries in Russia for a couple of years helping establish a Bible College for the unregistered Pentecostal Church. It ruined me for "normal" Christianity when we came home. It seemed like they were just "playing church." The first church service I attended turned out to be an anniversary celebration for the pastor. Everyone was glad-handing and back-slapping. One person asked me if I had been in Alabama. I said, "No; Russia." I went in, said hello to a woman who I knew worded with poor children and then I left. It was like being at a birthday party in the midst of the Blitz. Total cluelessness.
I'm considering buying a small piece of desert land, building a bee-hive hut and becoming an eremitic monk.
jim
