20's and 30's leaving the church? What are the reasons?

In a sermon I heard yesterday from my church, my friend and pastor commented on how younger people in their 20's and 30's are leaving the church and are not disciplined enough to come to church. While I see what was said, I must give some of the main reasons for this happening. Some will be of no surprise, others might be. Just to note, this is not an attack but a critique, observation, and rebuttal as to why my generation is not as interested in the evangelical church anymore.

1.) Lack of Discipline.
This was the point that was made in our church's sermon on Sunday. To be sure, this is a reality with some twenty and thirty somethings. Simply put, they would rather stay home, go out on the lake or river, go shopping, or get some home improvement jobs done. It usually involves sleeping in until about nine or ten and then getting up to do these things. I would be lying if I told you I haven't some of these.

2.) Irrelevance.
Since my generation is the generation that voted in Barack Obama, is concerned with going green, and cares about social justice, they find the evangelical church out of touch. The ones that go this route and stop attending because they feel churches don't care about recycling for instance, often times say the church is irrelevant. They usually come from an evangelical background full of legalism and stupid seeker sensitive gimmicks that are truly out of touch. This group of twenty and thirty somethings devote more time to volunteering at shelters and promoting their favorite political candidate while sipping coffee at a Starbucks on a Sunday morning. Obviously there is nothing wrong with those things at all! But to replace them with church is what they are doing.

3.) Lack of Doctrinal Preaching
This heading is the one that touches me the most and quite frankly there are a lot more twenty and thirty somethings out there that don't go to church because of the lack of doctrinal teaching. Mind you, I am not saying we should not go to church. The church is where the word is supposed to be preached and the sacraments rightly administered. But what are we to do if there is nothing? Many young people, so frustrated with the Church scene not because of irrelevance in the sense of not being culturally hip but irrelevant because there is no proclamation of the gospel are becoming so restless and upset that the only thing to do is give up. Again, it doesn't make it right! We desire the OBJECTIVE announcement of the forgiveness of sins only found in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. We don't want "how to sermons." No more "how to be a better husband, how to be more devoted, how to have more joy in your life, how to be financially blessed, how to be a better Bible reader, and how to be a better fill in the blank." My generation may want to go green, support Obama for President( or Ron Paul for that matter), drink Starbucks, drive smaller cars, and so on but we want OBJECTIVE truths! Tell us about the virgin birth, Jesus' perfect life, the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the ascension. Tell us them in historical form that two thousand years ago, this is what happened and that he secured the salvation of His people. Give us the body and blood of Christ that was broken and spilled out for us. Give us the water with the word that buries and raises us Christ! My generation is planting churches......this may be our only option anymore. This doesn't mean we cant  find these things in Baptist, Lutheran, Anglican, and Presbyterian churches, because we can. I guess if you lived in the Midwest like I do you would understand fully. It's difficult here. I will be posting on that very subject next time. Thanks for reading.

Seth
S.D.G.

Praying for the Persecuted

Last week, I was once again reminded how much our brothers and sisters in oppressed countries need prayer. With the execution of an Iranian pastor that seems inevitable(if it hasn't happened already), we need more awareness of what goes on in other countries. My problems are so small. In fact, are they really problems at all? I encourage everyone reading this to visit the Voice of the Martyrs website here at www.persecution.com. Please request a free copy of Richard Wurmbrand's book Tortured for Christ. Also, you can request a free subscription to their monthly magazine. Please promote the awareness of the persecuted church.

It is a humbling thought to know that many persecuted Christians pray for us Christians in the free world. How humbling! How disgraceful to us American Christians that we cant pray for them. The gospel gets out by God's word being preached. When gospel churches are established, the preached word and the sacraments feed the people of God and the love of these people goes forth to their communities and their villages and cities.

Pray for them....the ones persecuted for the sake of Christ and His Gospel!

Just A Few Thoughts

Well, I have had a rough week it seems. Things aren't going so well with my job and it seems like things are kind of caving in. But then I remember a little prayer I prayed not too long ago. I asked God to strip me of everything that was in the way of my being in the Pastoral Ministry. Since the time of my praying that prayer,  things have crashed at work. Now, don't get me wrong, I cant take this and say....."welp, God is doing this and that and this is His sign." It may or may not be. It may be just something that I hate that I'm going to have to endure. It may be a cross I have to bear for a certain time and somehow God will be glorified through it.

Lord, humble me through this.....I want you to be glorified.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen

John 1:12-13. Election and Responsiblity: Both Sides of the Issue

                        I have been reading through the first three chapters of St. John's gospel for the past few days and have really enjoyed digging deep into these chapters. I am using the "John MacArthur method" of reading a few chapters at a time but reading those few for about a month at a time so it will soak in. I have read these chapters in John's gospel plenty of times. But, it really struck me when i read verses 12 and 13."But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:12-13(ESV). If we look at verse 12, we see that those who received him, he gave them a right. That right was to become an adopted child of God. Let this be an encouragement to you dear person. If you have received Christ, wanting freedom from the slavery of sin and recognizing that there is no other way to life than through Christ, he has given you the right to be a son. That is a "done deal" of sorts. You are responsible for repenting of your sin and trusting Christ and have the promise that you will be saved and given new life. This is a glorious truth for the repentant sinner that God turns away nobody truly seeking salvation. Those who have correctly identified themselves as unrighteous, ungodly, unrepentant, unseeking(dont know if that is actually a word). Those who recognize his lordship and complete authority. You see, there is a certain way to come to Christ. It must be done in humility and sincerity. There were many who believed on Christ as we see in John chapter 2 who it says Jesus "did not entrust himself to them." The reason for that is not that he simply didnt want to, but because they came to him only seeking miraculous signs and demanding more. They wanted nothing of his salvific offer.

                       Then there is a flip side to verse 12. After it promises us that those who believe, he gives the right become a son, then we see that it was done not according to our own "free-will," but rather, the will of God himself. There is so much that could be said about this, but it simply says that those who received him, became sons and that it was according to God's will, not man's! This is clearly the teaching of the sovereign, divine call of the elect. So wait a minute.......verse 12 tells us if we receive him, we can have him and be saved, but verse 13, tells us its not according to our will but God's? Yes! The holy scriptures teach both. The bible tells us to repent and believe while also telling us that God has chosen some to salvation before the world was even created! Sounds sort of contradictory doesn't it? Sure, from the outset. But, what a glorious mystery it is. Yes, a mystery. Not the emergent "it's all a mystery and let's just embrace mystery" sort of thing because there are things that are plain and clear. But the mystery that somehow these two truths are reconciled and only God does it! God has chosen but tells us to receive! If you are not a Christian or you are on the fence, repent of your sins and believe the gospel of Christ! If you are a Christian, rest in the fact that God willed your salvation before you ever thought of repenting! Rest in this glorious truth.



Soli Deo Gloria
Seth

Return to Real Gospel Preaching!

There are many different interpretations of true gospel preaching. The most familiar form of what I have been associated with in Baptist circles is that of "fiery preaching." They say true gospel preaching is where you get a crowd excited and worked up and preach loud. Now, I am not against loud preaching, but gospel preaching as previously described was and is something that is associated with Finney revivalism and pietism. See, gospel preaching is not a form of speech but what you preach. Is the truth of Christ bearing the sin of rebels being proclaimed faithfully in your congregation? Not "you need to do such and such and then God will approve." No matter what form or how monotone or loud a preacher is, is that central truth being taught? Is it being taught that Christ's unmerited favor is given to those who believe? Is it being taught that Christ's righteousness is given to us as clothing to cover our filthy rags? Is it being taught that God the Father put our sin and hell on his son? This is the gospel. Is our evangelism reflecting this or are we aiming for quick decisions? Pastors and laymen alike, examine your preaching. Are you truly preaching the gospel? If you are not, maybe without even realizing it, please dive into Romans or Galatians and soak yourself with the gospel.

Seth
Soli Deo Gloria!!

Rule Keeping

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20, ESV)

So, it is has been a long time since I have posted. It's been nearly a month since my last post but things have been really busy. Last night, I had some conversations with a few people that I work with about Christianity. I found that both that I talked to, had one common objection to Christianity. The one thing was.........rules or legalism. My friend Emily said that her main objection to Christianity would be the rules. Now, if you notice the verse I put at the top of the post it tells us that no one will be justified by the law. Now, God has a law and it should be obeyed but, we cannot keep the law! When churches preach and teach rules, legalism, or moralism without any gospel, it leads people to utter despair. When you hear from the pulpits such things as "you can do better," "be a nicer person," "don't go to that place, it is sinful," "don't do that," "you have to do that," etc. We know that the law, or God's rules are meant to give us knowledge of our sin. The law, was not intended for us to keep and then we would be saved. God does not show any favor to anybody that tries to gain God's acceptance by keeping rules. So, should we not follow the law in our Christian life? No, that's not what I'm saying at all. But God's favor is with His Son. Jesus kept the law in it's entirety. He obeyed every last bit of it. He resisted all temptation to sin. He proved His deity. He lived on our behalf and kept the rules because we couldn't. He lived in our place but then died in our place and His shed blood is what justifies, sanctifies, and will glorify us! My charge to all of you(especially Emily), is don't rely on rule keeping. God looks at that as filthy rags. Look to Jesus! Look to the dying and bleeding Saviour for salvation. You cant keep the law. You're not good. I'm not good. Christ kept the law. Christ took upon your sin! Look outside of yourself and your goodness and look to His goodness and His cross and be washed in the blood!

Seth
Soli Deo Gloria!!!

Learning about Christian Living from..........yardwork?

Okay, so yesterday was my day off. I love having a day off in the middle of the week. It breaks up my work time and it gives me a day to relax and get some things done around the house. Well, my wife was off too so she made me do some yard work. Actually, I kind of wanted to do it since it involved power washing! At our house, we have fence that is probably at least 25-30 years old. It looks gray and dirty and probably hasn't been cleaned for a while. So, I power washed some of it yesterday. As I was doing it,(and maybe it's the preacher inside of me) I began to ponder the cleansing power of the gospel. I know, weird right? As the water blasted away years of dirt and grime, I thought about the power of the blood washing away my sin. My sin, blasted away like that dirt with a powerful blast from the fountain filled with blood! Now, I didn't get it 100% clean. That would be almost impossible. That too, reminded me that I will never be perfect in this life. I will continue to sin. I will not be perfectly clean in this life. Although I stand fully clothed in the righteousness of Christ, my life will still be marred by my sin and rebellion. Needless to say, the part of the fence we got done, looks great!

Now on to weeds. Yep, that's right. Weeds. I noticed we got some funky lookin weeds in our yard that are growing crazy fast. One of them was nearly 4 feet tall(not kidding). I wondered about that too. Why weeds? Why do weeds sprout up with nice looking grass? Why do they sprout up where you have rocks and landscaping? Well, for one thing, we didn't get our yard sprayed this year. But, it made me think about how we know from scripture, that weeds or unbelievers grow up with the grass or believers. The difference is that the weeds are planted by Satan to disrupt the work of the gospel. The same is true with the sheep and the goats. The goats are the unbelievers and the sheep are the believers. They all go to church together, server together, sing in the choir together, and do whatever else is involved in church life. Yet, many are disguised to thwart the gospel. So, that's what I learned from my yard work yesterday! Go work in your yard and see what you learn!

Seth
Soli Deo Gloria!!