What The Church Needs Now

What the Church Needs Today

Col. 2:6-7

Col 2:1-9

2:1 For I want you to know what a great conflict I have for you and those in Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh,

2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.

5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.

6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,

7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Intro:

- We had a wonderful time this week at the MARBC State Meeting in Rochester, Mi.

- The preaching was powerful, not only in the fact that it was coming from dynamic speakers, but more so,because of its content.

- The theme for this year’s conference was: Biblical, Servant, Leadership.

- And God really touched, and spoke to my heart in several ways—but most definitely in the area of standing true as a leader in a compromising, un-biblical world.

What does that mean?

- It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that our society

today is in real trouble.

- Yes, our financial standing as a nation is definitely

troublesome.

- And yes, people by the millions are either out of work, or are just

about ready to be placed in that category.

- Our educational system is in desperate need of much help—

financially, moralistically, and the teachers in many of our

schools are in dire need of support and prayer.

- As a nation, our children have run amuck.

- And that’s not just in our big cities, but even in rural areas that

once were thought to have much less problems.

- Society today has come to a place where many are willing to trade

honor, truth, moral living, and commitment for self-happiness.

- Many people don’t have a problem today with abortion, same-sex

marriages, adultery, stealing, drugs, etc., as long as they

have nice houses, good jobs, lots of toys, and can take plenty

of vacations—self happiness.

It’s more about me, my, and mine…and less— much less about you, and especially anything to do with the God of the Bible.

- So, what we were reminded of at this year’s meeting had little to do

with the financial standing of our country today—although it was

discussed.

The real problem in our nation today has more to do with the erosion of biblical truth, and sound principles.

- And the problem hasn’t stopped at the doors of our churches.

- In fact, our churches today have themselves become citadels of unsound

living and teaching.

- Our pulpits, once filled with preachers preaching the Bible, have been

quieted with a finer, more sophisticated, politically correct form of

speech.

Let me translate that for you:

Churches that were once on fire for God are now just meeting halls

being led by men and women who are more concerned with filling their bellies than in preaching the entire word of God.

And as a result those who fill the pews of our churches today are immature, anemic, people, who are basically ignorant of biblical doctrine and what it really means to live like Christ.

- And out of this has arisen a generation of people who base their

decisions on feelings, bumper sticker slogans, and economical

reasoning.

- Sad the leader who dares teach and preach God’s Word amidst this

mindset.

- Heartbreaking because it’s from out of this mindset of worldly

wisdom that churches demean not only the Bible, but God’s leader,

therefore stifling the power of God.

It’s definitely much easier to teach and preach a more quieter, easy-believism, “loving” form of message, than it is to stand up and lead and preach and teach as Jesus taught His disciples to do in the Scriptures.

- We were challenged not to cave in, or begin to paddle downstream

with the ills of society.

- We were challenged to be true to the Word of God, and to lead

like Jesus and Paul taught us to lead.

- We were also challenged not to become cynical—pessimistic leaders