A Call For A Modern Reformation
Preface:
I wrote this blog the week after Easter Sunday as I saw what can only be described as a total mockery of the most crucial day in history when our Lord Jesus Christ conquered sin and death—reading and watching the myriad of perversions of the resurrection of Christ by pastors who should know and understand that God has appointed them to be overseers of the body to which Christ paid for with His blood. Yet, these places that call themselves a “church” but function as something that can only be equated with a circus sideshow have and continue to reap condemnation upon not only themselves but for those sitting in attendance who are now accomplices and partakers of the perversion for not standing up, and calling out the travesty that is sadly becoming the norm in many churches across America.
My heart was broken with sadness but also zeal, for I care deeply for the bride of Christ and the preservation of the integrity of the Scriptures and for how God has outlined to us how we are to give Him worship, adoration, glory, and praise. Yet, these circus churches have distorted, undermined, undervalued, and openly mocked the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and stand with almost zero opposition from anyone within the “congregations.” I write this as a challenge to everyone who calls themselves a regenerate believer as a warning, and for pastors and other church leaders to rally with me to go on the offensive and step up and stand toe-to-toe with those who oppose godliness, and not teaching with what occurs with sound doctrine (Titus 1). I pray this article encourages and challenges you to assess yourself and the place you take your family to for hearing God’s Word.
The Problem
We celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus Christ last Sunday. The fact that our Savior is alive and seated at the right hand of the Father was celebrated by churches worldwide (Hebrews 8:1). As I sat down, however, several individuals sent me videos of "Easter Productions" from various evangelical churches. What I witnessed was horrific and sacrilegious, as it made a complete travesty of the death, burial, and resurrection. The productions were blasphemous, as Mike Todd's church resembled the Grammy Awards more than the most significant day in which Christ secured our salvation. Other works have compared Christ's demise to that of Belle from Beauty and the Beast or Marty McFly from Back to the Future. However, these occurrences are only a tiny sample of the dramatic shift since the 1950s, which has become more apparent due to the digital nature and the ability to share information.
The church is being decimated by a disease that has invaded the church and has now formed deep roots that have spread across the evangelical landscape in America. Because mainstream churches have adopted, practiced, and promoted this form of Christianity above and beyond the orthodox understanding of church practice, the malignancy that has infected the church is almost unrecognizable as cancer. Many are fast to point out heretical doctrines and outside attacks on the church, but many are unaware, unwilling, and ignorant of the tumor festering within the local church. The Fundamentalist movement advocated for biblical and doctrinal clarity in the late nineteenth century. The modern church now promotes ambiguity and tolerance to gain worldwide acceptance.
Doctrinal clarity rooted in the texts of Scripture has been replaced by the opinion of the talking head behind the pulpit delivering "pep talks" and "spiritual self-help" applications that use a sprinkling of Scripture to appear biblical. There is very little, if any, promotion of doctrinal clarity. When one begins to draw clear lines on the orthodox doctrinal positions of Scripture, they are derided, ridiculed, and labeled divisive or pharisaical. Reflecting on the infighting that occurred during the alleged Asbury revival, evangelicals ripped each other to shreds on Twitter and other social media platforms, hurling insults such as "you are putting God in a box" and "you are not the spiritual police to question this movement." The problem with the arguments of both sides is that the Bible played a minimal role in the process. Here is where we require a Modern Reformation, reviving the authority and sufficiency of Scripture as the foundation of the church's life.
Doctrinal clarity rooted in the texts of Scripture has been replaced by the opinion of the talking head behind the pulpit delivering "pep talks" and "spiritual self-help" applications that use a sprinkling of Scripture to appear biblical.
The Authority of Scripture
In the contemporary evangelical world, those who deny the authority and sufficiency of Scripture in practice promote the mantra of unity. Under the banner of pursuing unity, one can amass a large following by bridging gaps and social divides across denominational and doctrinal lines and boundaries. This cancer destroys churches, seminaries, and Christians equally and is accomplished at the expense of biblical truth. Nothing is incorrect with the concept of unity; however, distinctions are required to define precisely what unites us. Is it a biblical truth? Or is it a form of social cohesion? David Wells explains,
Those who marched gladly under the banner of evangelicalism and had affirmed the truths of historic Protestant orthodoxy now began to look sideways. As the theological centre began to give way, there arose a multitude of evangelical amalgams with, among other things, Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, special interests such as feminism, the pieties of the World Council of Churches, and radical politics.[1]
Wells emphasizes that the problem faced in the 1960s and 1970s remains the same today. The authority of Scripture is diminished by theological negation and cultural assimilation. Gregory of Nyssa's words, "Let the inspired Scripture, then, be our umpire, and the vote of truth will surely be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words," are deemed irrelevant.[2] In determining the church's spiritual welfare, the Bible is no longer the judge; the size of the congregation is. Similar to Luther's time, pragmatism and numerical success have usurped scriptural authority; views such as Sola Scriptura are derided, and those who hold them are called dogmatic and divisive for holding such a view. Nevertheless, the people will fall when scriptural authority loses its rightful position in the church, and this is precisely what is happening in the modern church today. Where Scripture's authority is downplayed and minimized, theological liberalism prevails, and subjective opinions, emotions, and desires replace the objective truth of what the Bible outlines. However, if the church grows numerically, it is impolite to query its success, as "numbers don't lie." The issue is not the numerical expansion of the church but its spiritual vitality.
How Churches Are Falling
As churches seem to succumb one after another to a "woke" culture, gender confusion, and the need to define what the word "pastor" means, it is evident that Scripture is no longer the compass and guiding force for churches but rather the self. Mankind is no longer the image bearer of God; instead, God is made in our image to conform to our likeness, making him more "accommodating" and "inviting" so that those outside the church feel "welcomed" and "invited" to join. Nothing is intrinsically wrong with a church being hospitable and inviting, but who or what is being welcomed and invited? Is the welcoming focused on coming as you are and adjusting your needs and desires to Christ’s when you feel like it? Is it possible to feel invited but not to the end state of dying to self, taking up your cross, and following Christ? Or is the focus only on morality, which will ideally lead to a more "fulfilled and productive" life? The problem with the modern church is that the concept of hospitality and invitation has become the driving force for congregations seeking numerical growth and a sense of the success of the Great Commission.
Nevertheless, the spiritual pulse of churches, such as those that adhere to the mantra mentioned above, produces success in attendance, finances, programs, and social recognition but little or no actual spiritual development. Due to the high turnover rate of church membership, church membership is devalued, and every individual is entirely replaceable. Most churches have a church membership basis where the number of members does not correlate with actual church participation. However, the statistics regarding success on paper are undeniable, and the outcomes cannot be disputed. If you are unsure whether or not your church needs reform, ask yourself, "What would the church look like if all of its programs disappeared?" For instance, if the student ministry was integrated with the adults, the nursery was converted into a mothers' area within the sanctuary, and the church did not host exciting concerts, venues, and other "community engagement" activities, would the church still have high attendance?
Furthermore, what is the spiritual welfare of your church as a whole? Are you spiritually maturing, as evidenced by your increasing sanctification? Is there continual purposeful discipleship as described in Scripture? Or does discipleship look like whatever you want it to look like as long as you throw the term "discipleship" on it? There are several areas and items in which Christians can and should disagree; however, we must maintain unity through a Scriptural lens. Unity does not infer uniformity. Unity means we can remain united around the cause of Christ and the bond we all share and yet still disagree on minor theological issues. Uniformity insists that we all must agree on everything, and if either party has a differing view, then separation is required. The problem everyone must evaluate to what or who is my church in unity with? Is it in harmony with Scripture, or is it more unified with the cultural milieu? The historical observations of churches abandoning the trustworthy word that was taught (Titus 1:9) and instead making minor concessions to make their church appear to be “tolerant” and “accepting” has become the norm.
A thought I wish to leave you with in evaluating your church is your understanding of what should occur when you go into church for corporate worship? What are you looking for, what are indicators of a healthy church, and what are the lines of compromise you are unwilling to cross? Study Ephesians 4:11-13 and use this as your guide in developing your philosophy of what to expect from the church. Are you growing spiritually? Are you progressing in your sanctification and pursuing after holiness (1 Peter 1:16)? I often hear responses to this question such as:
“I enjoy serving in the church.”
“I am looking for accountability.”
“I am seeking community.”
“It is as I have always done.”
“I want my kids to have morals.”
Nothing is wrong with these items; however, if that is your primary motivation, do you need to reevaluate your expectations for church? If you are growing spiritually and are empowered by the work of the ministry, the statements above will come naturally. However, if your reason and purpose behind attending church begin with these, then you are approaching church incorrectly with false expectations. The expectations you have for the church come from biblical principles, not traditional expectations. If you go into church with the expectation that you will hear God’s Word taught and expounded, and be ushered into glorying God and praising Him, then you will be less likely to be disappointed if the other items are not necessarily the most vital points of the church. However, the question I pose for us all to ponder is, if you are growing, learning, and maturing in the faith because God’s Word is faithfully being taught, are you willing to overlook the other minor areas that may not be present? The church needs a modern reformation because the exact opposite is what has been steering the wheel for church attendees. There is a higher expectation of programs, facilities, and community than of growing and deepening your knowledge and walking with Christ.
The need for a modern reformation is here, and all believers worldwide are responsible for building their life, purpose, and understanding from the only source of truth, Scripture. Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone) is now viewed as a “divisive” issue that is not essential for Christian faith and practice. If this drift from Scriptural authority continues, if believers do not hold God’s Word as the only source of life, truth, guidance, and correction, then ambiguity will ravage Christians’ the church, and future generations. We need men and women to stand up boldly and lovingly to bring those in their spheres of influence back to the source of truth. I pray everyone reading this takes the time to evaluate themselves, their church, and their worldview and assess to validate if it is biblical or secular.
Coram Deo
[1] David Wells, No Place for Truth, 9.
[2] Dogmatic Treatises, Book 12. On the Trinity, To Eustathius