The following letter was sent to a professing Christian I have gotten to know outside of the church through my secular job. I removed his name of course. I post this to see if God may be pleased to use this in anyone else's life that it may apply to
Hey Brother Xxxxx:
Sorry, I’m just getting to this e-mail, it’s been a tad busy for a few days. Xxxxx, I appreciate the friendship we have developed even though it has just been through the bank. I feel like I can be honest, and share these things with you. This way you will know how to pray for me, and know where I’m coming from as a pastor and Christian.
The Lord has brought me a long way, and of course I still have a long way to go. God saved me in December of 1986 (I’m thinking about having my 20th spiritual birthday party this December), and I began pastoring in November 1997. I have done a lot of reading, and talked to a lot of Christians and pastors over the years. Some of the things I share with you may seem judgmental, but it is because I love the Lord and His creation that I say these things. I do hope that it falls in the “speaking the truth in love” category (Eph.4:15). Like the Apostle Paul I can say: 1) By the grace of God, I am what I am; 2) I remember from whence I came and that I was once a child of disobedience; 3) I do not differ from another. Yet, there are some serious problems in the body of Christ that I would like to share with you…
What should a church be like? Well, we both know there are many aspects to the ministry, and that no one local church is perfect. Yet, there are many that are definitely no where near where they should be. A local church should be God-glorifying, Christ honoring, and bible centered. They are to worship in Spirit and Truth through the songs sung, prayers prayed, and the word of God proclaimed, received and obeyed. Most churches today are more man-centered than they are God-centered in doctrine through song and preaching/teaching. Such churches are putting tradition and experience ahead of biblical truth. Many churches today are more concerned about numbers, money, or thinking they can “slip” people into the Kingdom of God. So they are more about entertainmentism, feel-goodism, and compromising the gospel. They compromise the Gospel by not dealing with the sin problem and the need for a “repentant” faith in the Person and Work of Christ for salvation. Often, it’s things like “Just ask Jesus into your heart” and “Give your life to Christ.” It is getting harder to find churches that still proclaim the biblical gospel of the perfect life, perfect sacrifice, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that saves those who trust in Him for who He is and all He has done with a repentant faith. It is getting harder to find a church who really gets into the word of God, and Christians who really want a church that gets into the word of God. Both are more concerned about programs and music and feeling good about themselves. For many, it is not the “Lord’s Day” but the “Lord’s Hour.” 30 minutes of music, announcements, and offering; 15-20 minutes of preaching; 10 minutes for an altar call. Those churches that do go longer, usually go longer with worship in song and other things, but keep the preaching short. Then the preaching is usually topical messages, and they barely skim the surface about really finding out what God’s word says. Churches like ours that have expository preaching can hardly keep people there because Christians that are supposed to love the Lord and His word don’t “really” want to hear from God and all He has to say, so they move on looking for a church that keeps it short, topical, and doesn’t preach and teach anything that may “offend” them. Some of them want the so called spectacular and exciting stuff like the tongues speaking and healing. Tongues is the speaking of a human language that is unknown to the speaker, but known to the people of that nation/land. Not the unintelligible non human stuff that so many pentacostal, charismatic, and word-faith churches are promoting and speaking. God certainly continues to heal today. But He heals according to his will and good pleasure. If people really have the gift of healing, they need to get out to the hospitals, nursing homes, and personal homes. But usually, these churches do not want to really get in to the word of God through verse by verse teaching and preaching.
Again, I’m not any better than anyone else. But by God’s grace, I will not, cannot compromise on the gospel and proclamation of His word. I’m looking for Christians who love God’s word as they should. If they are saved, they will want to hear from God through His word. They will not be able to get enough of Him. God’s word is His means to find out all about Him, His plan of salvation, and His will and ways for the lives of His people. I’m looking for Christians whose eyes have been open to see these problems, and who want to worship and serve the Lord with me through a bible centered church that lifts up the Person AND work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and gives praise and glory to the One who created and redeemed a people to worship and enjoy Him forever. But again, it is through His word that these things are accomplished. I’ll be honest with you Xxxxx. I hope I’m wrong. But out of the approximate several dozen churches in our town, I think there is only a small handful of them that are doing these things. And yes, by the grace of God only, our church is one of them. My church was doing this before I got here. I’m just continuing the ministry that the founding pastor started as God enabled.
Please pray with me and for me. Check out these things for yourself. If God shows you that these burdens I’m sharing with you are indeed true, ask Him what He would have you to do. How much does your church really get into the word of God? Is the “biblical” gospel being proclaimed there? Is the worship in TRUTH and not just in Spirit? Prayerfully consider these things and what the Lord may have you to do. Continue to check out our church website, and read some articles and listen to some sermon messages.
I love you man, I’ll be praying too. I hope that you accept this e-mail in the spirit and heart that it is intended to be. I close with the following Scriptures for your consideration. It will be a lot, so please take the time you need to read and consider them. I have an “instaverse program” that is just in the KJV (because it was free, LOL). Let me know if you want to get together to discuss these things, just do it by e-mail, or just let it drop. Thanks brother. May God receive the glory He alone deserves... Brother Bret
Hey Brother Xxxxx:
Sorry, I’m just getting to this e-mail, it’s been a tad busy for a few days. Xxxxx, I appreciate the friendship we have developed even though it has just been through the bank. I feel like I can be honest, and share these things with you. This way you will know how to pray for me, and know where I’m coming from as a pastor and Christian.
The Lord has brought me a long way, and of course I still have a long way to go. God saved me in December of 1986 (I’m thinking about having my 20th spiritual birthday party this December), and I began pastoring in November 1997. I have done a lot of reading, and talked to a lot of Christians and pastors over the years. Some of the things I share with you may seem judgmental, but it is because I love the Lord and His creation that I say these things. I do hope that it falls in the “speaking the truth in love” category (Eph.4:15). Like the Apostle Paul I can say: 1) By the grace of God, I am what I am; 2) I remember from whence I came and that I was once a child of disobedience; 3) I do not differ from another. Yet, there are some serious problems in the body of Christ that I would like to share with you…
What should a church be like? Well, we both know there are many aspects to the ministry, and that no one local church is perfect. Yet, there are many that are definitely no where near where they should be. A local church should be God-glorifying, Christ honoring, and bible centered. They are to worship in Spirit and Truth through the songs sung, prayers prayed, and the word of God proclaimed, received and obeyed. Most churches today are more man-centered than they are God-centered in doctrine through song and preaching/teaching. Such churches are putting tradition and experience ahead of biblical truth. Many churches today are more concerned about numbers, money, or thinking they can “slip” people into the Kingdom of God. So they are more about entertainmentism, feel-goodism, and compromising the gospel. They compromise the Gospel by not dealing with the sin problem and the need for a “repentant” faith in the Person and Work of Christ for salvation. Often, it’s things like “Just ask Jesus into your heart” and “Give your life to Christ.” It is getting harder to find churches that still proclaim the biblical gospel of the perfect life, perfect sacrifice, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ that saves those who trust in Him for who He is and all He has done with a repentant faith. It is getting harder to find a church who really gets into the word of God, and Christians who really want a church that gets into the word of God. Both are more concerned about programs and music and feeling good about themselves. For many, it is not the “Lord’s Day” but the “Lord’s Hour.” 30 minutes of music, announcements, and offering; 15-20 minutes of preaching; 10 minutes for an altar call. Those churches that do go longer, usually go longer with worship in song and other things, but keep the preaching short. Then the preaching is usually topical messages, and they barely skim the surface about really finding out what God’s word says. Churches like ours that have expository preaching can hardly keep people there because Christians that are supposed to love the Lord and His word don’t “really” want to hear from God and all He has to say, so they move on looking for a church that keeps it short, topical, and doesn’t preach and teach anything that may “offend” them. Some of them want the so called spectacular and exciting stuff like the tongues speaking and healing. Tongues is the speaking of a human language that is unknown to the speaker, but known to the people of that nation/land. Not the unintelligible non human stuff that so many pentacostal, charismatic, and word-faith churches are promoting and speaking. God certainly continues to heal today. But He heals according to his will and good pleasure. If people really have the gift of healing, they need to get out to the hospitals, nursing homes, and personal homes. But usually, these churches do not want to really get in to the word of God through verse by verse teaching and preaching.
Again, I’m not any better than anyone else. But by God’s grace, I will not, cannot compromise on the gospel and proclamation of His word. I’m looking for Christians who love God’s word as they should. If they are saved, they will want to hear from God through His word. They will not be able to get enough of Him. God’s word is His means to find out all about Him, His plan of salvation, and His will and ways for the lives of His people. I’m looking for Christians whose eyes have been open to see these problems, and who want to worship and serve the Lord with me through a bible centered church that lifts up the Person AND work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and gives praise and glory to the One who created and redeemed a people to worship and enjoy Him forever. But again, it is through His word that these things are accomplished. I’ll be honest with you Xxxxx. I hope I’m wrong. But out of the approximate several dozen churches in our town, I think there is only a small handful of them that are doing these things. And yes, by the grace of God only, our church is one of them. My church was doing this before I got here. I’m just continuing the ministry that the founding pastor started as God enabled.
Please pray with me and for me. Check out these things for yourself. If God shows you that these burdens I’m sharing with you are indeed true, ask Him what He would have you to do. How much does your church really get into the word of God? Is the “biblical” gospel being proclaimed there? Is the worship in TRUTH and not just in Spirit? Prayerfully consider these things and what the Lord may have you to do. Continue to check out our church website, and read some articles and listen to some sermon messages.
I love you man, I’ll be praying too. I hope that you accept this e-mail in the spirit and heart that it is intended to be. I close with the following Scriptures for your consideration. It will be a lot, so please take the time you need to read and consider them. I have an “instaverse program” that is just in the KJV (because it was free, LOL). Let me know if you want to get together to discuss these things, just do it by e-mail, or just let it drop. Thanks brother. May God receive the glory He alone deserves... Brother Bret
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