Unchallenging Church

Welcome! As we resume our series Unchallenging Church after a week of hiatus. Let’s continue from the point of the fully sustaining source which is God’s word discussed in Part 1. When we look at something that is a fully sustaining source, we understand it is imperative for our survival. Therefore, we would understand the opposite, that without this source there would be a struggle to live or in how we live. Consequently, there is a major struggle in today’s church as the word is being contextually manipulated and watered down. The contextual manipulation and watering are purposeful by the hands of those who are supposed to be the gatekeepers of this vital necessity. And due to the inability of people to comprehend and accept the truth of the gospel because they are spiritually blind and asleep, many false teachers and doctrines are able to thrive. This was true in Isaiah’s time back in old testament Israel and even Moses’s dealings with them as well. Read Deuteronomy 29:1-6. And so, it is also prevalent in the modern new testament church today. Paul actually refers to Isaiah’s writing in Romans 11:7-8 when discussing the hardening of our unbelief.

Now, again as previously noted, this surely is not the case for all churches. However, we would be naïve to think the majority of wayward churches do not represent the whole in relative perception. If we recall our textual scripture from Isaiah 29:9-16 for this series, God calls out the false hearts that are far from Him. This is the direction of the modern unchallenging church today which is creating a mass following of what I like to call “grazing believers”. These grazing believers are satisfied with entertainment that is “church” rather than the substance that is Jesus! These grazing believers regularly attend church but rarely pick up the word to seek God for themselves. They are not overly concerned with spending quality time with the sustaining source so as to be firmly rooted in it. They are completely satisfied, as long as the speaker says something they can pick and choose from the word to benefit how they see God fitting into their life.

This backward mindset makes it easy for most churches today to get away with the appetizer gospel. Most have figured it’s extremely profitable to serve just enough of the word not to offend. But just enough to keep you coming back. Is it not interesting that if you serve cookies daily to a child it will be completely ok with that, and would not challenge you otherwise? And if you consistently gave a cookie every time that child will follow you anywhere. But if you decided one day to give that same child broccoli or cauliflower, how dare you and now the child is unhappy and dissatisfied. This is an example of the struggle going on in today’s modern church. As most think in order to satisfy their members who are in need of real nourishment, simply give them a cookie. As a result, there is no challenge to ensure a deeper spirit filled and more holy reverent approach to the throne of God. Alter calls and accountability before His presence are a thing of the past, and have been replaced by agreeable weightless greetings in the halls before and after service. Many today are struggling with God’s written word and His principles. Because we try or desire to bend them to our own will, rather than challenging ourselves to be obedient to the will of God for His good pleasure. Read Phil 2:12:13.