Where does your ministry fit?

Life-long church shoppers and grumpy conservative old men have pulled the Church apart—each side passing down an inbred faith that doesn’t seem to stack up well to the Bible. I find it necessary to express my hatred for poor pastoring with a venn diagram. I needed a tool just un-human enough to get my point across… the venn diagram works perfectly. I want to see churches preach the entire Bible.

Read and judge yourself, and what categories your church’s preaching fits in.

Stop Preaching Only What People Like
The church is not Burger King, and it’s not supposed to be ‘your way’. Churches in this area don’t care much about being faithful. When this church goes to the Bible they explain why what the scripture says doesn’t pertain to them. Whether it be monotheism, objective truth, homosexuality, male eldership, evolution, etc. The only person that can twist scripture more than this group is a certain serpent.

You’re Okay!
Health, Wealth, and Prosperity! It sounds so good until you read the Bible. You can’t have you’re best life now without a new life. It’s easy to slip into this category while trying to be ‘relevant’. You begin thinking “This might offend someone” or “I don’t want to be churchy”. If you consider your church a great marketing church, you may want to take a step back a few times a month and think about this. Am I sacrificing the truth of the scripture so that people will like me or my church?

Quit Being Normal.
I grew up in this church, and you probably did too. A bunch of middle class people thinking happy thoughts, and sprinkling god here and there. No apparent life change, no calling to repentance, no warning to non-believers. I am inclined to believe that this is the result of pastors not living and breathing the Bible. Please, I beg you with all sincerity preach the whole Bible, not just the easy parts that people like to hear.

The Kingdom of God is Coming!
These churches are few and far between, but change the world. They preach the Gospel of both grace and fear of God. Sin and salvation. Heartfelt holiness and outward focused mission. We all want to be in this church, but we can’t seem to lead the flock here. It’s hard work and will require sacrifice, but it’s what every church is called to.

You’re Mean.
I’ve had a ton of run-ins lately with people that reach out to the world (with a stick in their hand and a scowl on their face). These are the grumpy old people that remember when they walked 6 miles up hill to school—both ways. And they liked it. Honestly though people need to hear about God’s grace, because as you know so well… We are sinners. We we’re born in sin, and have no hope without Christ. Please. Please. Please. Tell them. Tell them Christ died for them, and they have hope.

What do you think? Are there any other venn diagrams that would help us think through our actions, and focus the Church?

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