It’s the weekend already! My calendar over the next couple of days is really full. Our Sunday School class is having a get-together tonight (hopefully some koinonia will be involved). Tomorrow we are going over to my parents to spend some time with them. Sunday afternoon, our church will be ordaining Johnny Burdick for the ministry. Johnny served for two years as our youth minister and has been called as the pastor of Magnolia Baptist Church in Whigham, GA.
My survey question runs a bit deeper this week, but I would really like to know what you think, so if you have any idea on this at all, please speak up.
What do you think is the greatest threat facing the church today, and what is the biblical solution for it?
I truly hope your weekend is filled with God’s blessings.
20 responses so far ↓
Cameron Cloud // August 25, 2006 at 6:29 pm
Good question. Here’s my simple-minded answer:
Problem: Lack of true spiritual growth and maturity.
Biblical solution: Genuine discipleship.
Ryan Setliff // August 25, 2006 at 7:15 pm
What do you think is the greatest threat facing the church today, and what is the biblical solution for it?
Arminianism. The solution: The Gospel of Grace!
Wait a minute….
Perhaps it’s not Arminianism, but rather legalism and works-righteousness. The Solution: The Gospel of Grace!
On second thought….
Perhaps it’s not legalism and works-righteousness, but rather easy-believism and antinomianism. The Solution: The Gospel of Grace!
Well, I haven’t keyed in on one single problem, but I have keyed in on a solution: The Gospel of Grace!
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
—Ephesians 2:8-10
rbj // August 25, 2006 at 10:14 pm
To many false interpretations of the BIBLE being taught by the so called evangelist that interpret the WORD OF GOD to suit them! Cameron and Ryan also I think has some good points also ? As for me I will stick with the good old time religeon that was good enough for our Mama,s and Papa,s cause it was taught straight from the BIBLE ! LOL to all the Believers and the Nonbelievers ! RON.
Steve Sensenig // August 25, 2006 at 11:18 pm
I didn’t realize that the Gospel was for sale on Amazon….
hehe (sorry, Ryan!)
Cameron pretty much took my answer. Surprisingly, I don’t believe the biggest problem is institutionalism, or heirarchy, or building funds, although I think all of those are potential factors that contribute to it. But it is just as Cameron has said. Lack of true spiritual growth (possibly even lack of genuine “conversion” taking place) and a whole mass of spiritually immature people running around trying to find the latest “word from God” without having a clue that Jesus came to offer them direct access to the Father themselves. Sometimes I wonder what people think Jesus bothered to come and die for…we go on living in an old covenant mentality that separates us from what God has given to us in Christ Jesus.
sigh But I guess I better step down from the soapbox and save it for my own blog!
Have a blessed weekend, Gordon. (By the way, our trip to Florida has fallen through at this point, so I’ll have to figure out some other way to get down your way to visit!)
steve
Alan Knox // August 25, 2006 at 11:21 pm
hmmm… there have been some great answers. Can I add two more?
Problems: Pragmatism and traditionalism.
Biblical solution: biblical solutions.
Bonnie Calhoun // August 25, 2006 at 11:31 pm
Whoa, I’ll leave the Calvinist/Armenian thing alone
I think the biggest threat to the church today is the watering down of the Gospel.
Churches wink at sin, and call it progress…well that type of progress I don’t need!
After taking out all the pages and verses they don’t like all that is left is the covers and maps!
Anonymous // August 26, 2006 at 9:09 am
We have lost our first love – Jesus.
Solution – Start courting again,
Beverly // August 26, 2006 at 9:34 am
Wow, I agree with Cameron and Bonnie, others, too.
We’re like the church at Laodocia (sp?) We’re lukewarm and we’ve left our first love.
Learn again to fear and be in awe of who God is, and fall in love with Jesus all over agian.
Danny Kaye // August 26, 2006 at 10:07 am
Whew!!! Now that is a loaded question!
I will admit that the first thing that came to my mind was the acceptance of lethargy. We are far too willing to let each other live in a state of comfort. Not the comfort of our physical lives, although that is a stumbling block for some of us.But I am talking about the comfort of not calling ourselves and others higher in accordance with Col. 1:28-29. I think we have a good handle on digging deep with “uncomfortable” doctrine and thoelogy, and can get pretty fired up about them. But I am not convinced that we are as eager to have our characters challenged and to challenge others. I believe the one thing that holds us back from doing that is that we know we will have to change some pretty basic characteristics in ourselves if we are going to call others higher.
But I think that anonymous boils it down to it’s essence: We have lost our first love. All the suggestions mentioned above (except the Cal/Arm thing) fall into that catagory.
I believe the solution is to not be afraid to repent of lethargy.
(Yeah…I could be wrong.)
Kelly // August 26, 2006 at 10:47 am
Just having joined the Baptist church recently, I don’t really have an problem or answer if seen yet. But I can tell you one reason I left the Methodist church. The minister there was throwing in subtle hints that he believed it was ok to ordain gay ministers because we all sin. Although I know we all sin I didn’t believe that an unrepentant sinner should be up there ministering. Yes all the sin is the same to God, so it would be like a thief continuing to steal being the minister. Some churches are turning there eys to some sin because the might offend someone. I don’t know what the answer is. I’ll leave this one open for someone else… got any answers out there?
Dyspraxic Fundamentalist // August 26, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Same problem as yesterday- Denial of the Gospel of Free Grace.
We still have the false gospels of Popery, Wesley and the Puritans.
God Bless
Matthew
Kc // August 26, 2006 at 2:56 pm
The inability to perceive ourselves as the Church.
May God greatly bless this new minister.
Katie Russell // August 27, 2006 at 7:58 am
To expound on Cameron and Steve’s comments, I think that not only a lack of spiritual growth is a problem, but as a result of that I think that lack of understanding of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is also a problem. Most of the time I find that people don’t want it because they don’t understand that it’s a gift from God and is given to us so we can be empowered to witness and fulfill the great commission. (I think of it as an extra tool that helps us overcome the enemy in an even more powerful way and it strengthens our relationship with the Father.) Some religions don’t even believe in speaking in tongues even though it’s in the Bible! I think it is widely misunderstood and has been percieved as something that only wierdos do. A biblical solution would be to research this topic and pray that God will provide wisdom and understanding. Also, I’ve found that it helps to find teachings that go into depth of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I believe that the Father will reveal himself and his gifts to those who truly seek.
Jonathan Moorhead // August 27, 2006 at 11:00 am
Boy, it’s hard to pin down to one thing. I would point to lack of discipline in the church, lack of concern for doctrine, pragmatism, lack of shepherding, and lack of persecution.
jel // August 27, 2006 at 6:20 pm
this is my thinking, and if I’m wrong , it wouldn’t be the first time. let’s just go back to the Basic, grab your bible, some people , some food , and go the river bank, Fellowship!
Jada's Gigi // August 28, 2006 at 10:06 am
I think the US, no, the world, is sadly lacking in true examples of the Bride of Christ…Where She lives, He lives,… the true gospel is proclaimed, there is real conversion, things change and look much more like the church in scripture…
Solution….tear up everything and start over?
It is being done by some people in some places..
Jada's Gigi // August 28, 2006 at 10:07 am
I think the US, no, the world, is sadly lacking in true examples of the Bride of Christ…Where She lives, He lives,… the true gospel is proclaimed, there is real conversion, things change and look much more like the church in scripture…
Solution….tear up everything and start over?
It is being done by some people in some places..
BTW…I heard Danny Funderburk in concert this past weekend….:)
Gordon Cloud // August 28, 2006 at 10:52 am
JG, Where did you hear Danny? He is one of my all-time favorite tenor singers.
Dionna Sanchez // August 28, 2006 at 1:58 pm
Well, I didn’t have time to read all of the answers – but mind would be: soft-coating the Word, and trying to attract people so much that the church doesn’t really look distinct from the world – but rather looks a part of the world.
Solution? God tells us to speak the truth in love, and to live in this world but not to be of this world.
I am blessed that my church is part of the solution and not the problem.
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