Saturday, February 16, 2019

Why Do We Do What We Do at Church?

"In the New Testament, and especially in Acts, the primary focus of the Church's energies and efforts was to make disciples of Jesus Christ -- that is, converting people into those who would devote themselves to living for God's glory, in accordance with the teachings of Christ.  The means and methods were essentially prayerful, Spirit-empowered proclamation of the Gospel and teaching of the Word, evangelizing the lost, and edifying (transforming) the saved.

"Today, so much of the American Church's focus seems to be on providing religious goods and services to the 'saved' -- centered on an essentially therapeutic and enjoyable concert-like event on Sunday mornings (or Saturday evening, if more convenient).  The focus on sanctification of the saved, and conversion of those whom Paul calls "the disobedient" (not "seekers"), in the Church's weekly gatherings, meetings and events seems to have been profoundly obscured and, frankly, replaced."

-- Jon G. Baldwin, "Towards Revival and Renewal"