The Effect Of True Preaching

Written by:  Deacon Tim Butler

There are so many churches set up on many of the streets of America today.  You may find a church on virtually every street corner or every other street corner of every block in many of our high crime communities.  Why so many churches and yet still so much sin?  What is the primary goal of the church?  What is its mission?  Has the church lost its way?  Has the church changed its mission?  Has the church fired its Chief Commander and High Priest and appointed another?  What has gone wrong?

The reason there are so many churches planted on every street corner or every other street corner of every block is because church has become big industry instead of ministry.  Greedy men recognize that church people have become easy prey.  They no longer take heed to the warning in the Bible.  The Apostle Paul warned that after his departure grievous wolves would enter in among the saints, and sparing not the flock (Acts 20:29).  Jesus also warned us to beware of false prophets, which He said would come among us while dressed up in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15).  But churchgoers don’t believe Jesus when He said that greedy preachers will come among us or that a preacher would intentionally deceive the congregation.  No one wants to challenge what is being preached and taught in the church today.  No one wants to question where all of the money goes.  No one wants to question why the preachers of the Bible did not focus on money while many of today’s preachers won’t preach unless they are paid.  This is why churches are popping up on every corner.  The “con men” (wolves) have figured out how easy it is to bamboozle churchgoers.

The reason why there are so many churches and yet still so much sin in the high crime areas are because there is no deliverance in prosperity preaching.  If preachers would preach the gospel, then people would be delivered from their sins.  If they would tell the people that the wages of sin is still death (Romans 6:23), then many would forsake their sins.  They need to let the people know that God said it is wrong for men to lie with men as they would a woman and it is wrong for a woman to lie with another woman (Leviticus 18:22), (Romans 1:26, 27).  The preacher should tell the people that no whoremonger, or unclean person, or covetous man, who is an idolater, have any inheritance in the kingdom of God (Ephesians 5:5).

It appears that the role of this “so called church” is to make people happy.  They seem to be more interested in making people feel good than making people feel guilty about their sins.  The Apostle Paul admonished Timothy to preach the word instant in season and out of season, reprove and rebuke, because the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts they shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.  And they will turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

So many churchgoers have no clue on what it’s like to be a Christian.  How many times have you heard a person invite someone to his or her church and say, “Come to my church because you’ll have a good time”?  Or “When you come to my church, bring your dancing shoes because we get our party on”.  This is what church has become to many people.  They go to church and they leave the services never feeling guilty about the sin in their lives.

Jesus never intended for the church to make man feel good.  The “preaching of the cross” should cause men to flee from their sin.  It should cause men to feel guilty about their illegal cable connection.  It should cause people to feel guilty for buying illegal merchandise on the street corner.  It should cause men to feel guilty about having a secret mistress in their life.  It should cause men to feel guilty about lusting over another woman.  The true preaching of the cross should cause men to feel guilty about their hidden sins and cause men to repent.  If your church is not making you feel guilty about your sins then your church is not of Christ.  Jesus said the duty of the Holy Spirit is to reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (John 16:7-8).  There is no mention in the Bible where by the Holy Spirit come to make men feel good.

We wonder why so many so-called Christians are living immoral lives.  One of the reasons may be that they are being fed a sugar-coated, water down, distorted word by a “feel good” preacher.  It never ceases to amaze me how these so-called people of God could continue to put up with some of the shenanigans that we see displayed in many of the churches today.  No, it’s not every church, but it is far so many of them.  Many of these pastors refuse to preach holiness and the need for repentance.  Therefore, sin is running rampant in the church along with the world.

Is God pleased with this “feel good” gospel?  GOD  FORBID !!!

Posted: 06|30|09 at 8:09 am. Filed under: Minister Butler's Articles.
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