What the Church Can Learn From an Entitled Generation!

I recently read an article that has gone viral about Millennial's leaving the church.  (http://www.recklesslyalive.com/12-reasons-millennials-are-over-church/)  

According to this article:

"Church attendance and impressions of the church are the lowest in recent history and most drastic among millennials described as 22-35 year olds.

• Only 2 in 10 Americans under 30 believe attending a church is important or worthwhile (an all-time low)
• 59% percent of millennials raised in a church have dropped out.
• 35% of millennials have an anti-church stance, believing the church does more harm than good.
• Millennials are the least likely age group of anyone to attend church (by far)."

There is another video that went viral about working with millennial's.  In this video the speaker focus's on the entitlement mentality of this generation. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MC2X-LRbkE

Although I agree with the author's on most points, there are Biblical realities that started with the fall of man and the salvation of man.  These are the realities that every generation needs.  I think every church has to meet two criteria's to be effective:  Why am I here?  (Purpose) and Who am I to God? (Identity).  

So, here is my very abbreviated opinion.  I began preaching when I was sixteen.  I did it full-time for years, so I am saying this as some one who was guilty.  There are many well meaning churches and preachers that, like I was, are still teaching the law.  The messages are on sin and judgement.  What you can and cannot do.  Whether this comes from teaching the law of Moses, (Uh-Oh ~ I am going to touch someone's sacred cow- read disclaimer) the Red Letters of your Bible or from some denominational position.  Unfortunately, this leads to an Orphan mentality.  It creates a mindset of never being good enough.  Instead of teaching about who we are in Christ!  (Just look at the first two chapters of Ephesians and how many times Paul used the phrase "In Him!")  I think the "entitled" mentality of this generation allows them to see right through this.  In most churches I imagine them thinking, "Why should I go to church to have them tell me that I am not good enough?"

All that being said, I do see this changing.  Churches are starting to realize that we can never be perfect, that is why we need Jesus. That through Him all things are possible, I am the righteousness of God, I have the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba father, etc.  The Bible says, "Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are NO LONGER UNDER A TUTOR. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:24-25

Romans 3:21;24 ~ "But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in^[a] Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for
ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALL SHORT
of the glory of God, and
ALL ARE JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE
through redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
 

We adapt styles for the new generations, for example what is commonly called contemporary worship, but the method never changes, "God chose the foolishness of preaching to confound the wise."  C.S. Lewis was at a seminar on world religions and after learning about all the different religions, he overheard some people talking about what is the difference between them and Christianity.  He replied the group with one word, "Grace."  Every other religion had a set of rules regulations that you had to follow and attain for your salvation.  Only Christianity is not about what we have done, but about what was done for us."

What generation would walk away from church, if that church taught them what it truly means to be a son or daughter of God, instead of somebody who never meets the mark? 

Any way I could go on, but won't!

(Disclaimer - Jesus was under the law and spent His life raising the Law to it's true standard - Unattainable.  If we teach this as our standard then we are telling this generation that Jesus is not enough.)

The Awakening of an Apostle

Many of us would never argue that we experienced great grace when we got saved.  We knew that we had been forgiven much and passed from death to life.  However, most of us also had a sense of our own self-righteousness; the view that our own works somehow made us more acceptable to God.  After all, for the first time in our lives the Bible was alive and our prayer time brought us into the throne of grace.  However, in order to fully understand grace we have to go through an awakening.

Nobody in the Bible wrote more about grace than the Apostle Paul.  In fact, his message on grace was so radical that it was often misunderstood.  In fact, Peter said that some of Paul’s teaching was ‘hard to understand.’  However, did you ever consider where Paul came from?  In his own words, he was a “Pharisee of Pharisees,” as regarding the law “blameless.” 

So when he became a Christian do you think that he was made completely perfect and did not have to go through any “transformation?”  (To answer that, think about your own experience.)  Paul came into Christianity “blameless,” full of self-righteousness.  Yet he also had been given a revelation of Grace.  So let me show you Paul’s growth in grace.

In A.D.  57, the Apostle Paul told the Corinthian Church, “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle. . . But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect” 1 Co. 15:9

In A.D. 62, he told the Ephesians, ” To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ.” Eph. 3:8

In A.D. 64-65 Paul told Timothy, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. 1 Tim. 1:16

What happened in that eight year period?  Did Paul backslide?  Did our ‘blameless’ apostle fall into sin?  My guess is that Paul began to realize more and more that all those things he once relied on for his righteousness were filthy rags.  Remember these were the things that he once used to boast in. 

Paul’s standing in society as a religious leader was very important.  Pharisee in its Hebrew form means, “The separated ones.”  They also saw themselves as chasidim or “loved of God.”  After all they were perfect, why wouldn’t God love them more than others?  My guess is that Paul worked very hard to be a Pharisee of Pharisees.  However even Paul missed the mark.  His righteousness was as filthy rags and rubbish. 

My prayer is that we come to know the grace or undeserved favor of God in reality, deeply and clearly and thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it. And therefore, cease from our works and enter His rest.

Colossians 1:5-6 (AMP)
⁵ Because of the hope [of experiencing what is] laid up (reserved and waiting) for you in heaven. Of this [hope] you heard in the past in the message of the truth of the Gospel,
⁶ Which has come to you. Indeed, in the whole world [that Gospel] is bearing fruit and still is growing [by its own inherent power], even as it has done among yourselves ever since the day you first heard and came to know and understand the grace of God in truth. [You came to know the grace or undeserved favor of God in reality, deeply and clearly and thoroughly, becoming accurately and intimately acquainted with it.]

Hebrews 4:9-11 ⁹ There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.¹¹ Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

God Will Lift You Up!

Today in a message by Joseph Prince, he brought up a great illustration.

John 15 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” This verse has been used many times to imply that God is going root you up and throw you out when your not bearing fruit. However, “he takes away” is not an accurate translation. In fact, in the Greek αἴρω literally means ~ “TO LIFT UP.” He then talked about something he learned while on a trip to Israel. The owner of a vineyard showed him a vine that was lying on the ground, because it did not have a trellis to climb. The owner explained that as long as it was on the ground it could not grow grapes. The owner did not cut off the vine and throw it away. Instead he lifted it up and connected it to a trellis so that it could grow and bear fruit. God isn’t out to get you. He isn’t out to cut you down. (That’s the devils job.) God wants you to bear fruit. So those seasons of your life when you’ve fallen from the trellis and are not bearing any fruit ~ Remember that God is there to lift you up! Fruit will come!

The Quest For Revival

I am writing this post out of heartbreak from an article I just read.  In my life I have had the opportunity to be in some powerful services.  I have been apart of many "major" revivals.  I stood in line for hours in a thunderstorm at Brownsville waiting to get in.  Back in 1994 I went to the Toronto blessing.  I have been in meetings with the Gray's from Smithton and several times with the staff from Brownsville. 

That being said, I am asking the same thing as the title of the article I read, "What Happened to Brownsville's Fire?"  Please click on the title to read the article.

If you have read any of my blogs then you will notice a trend.  I have an opinion on how to sustain revival.  I have my opinion on where most revivals go wrong. 

If you were part of Brownsville then you know that almost every message was repent, come running to the mercy seat, get your heart right with God.  Through this message countless lives where brought into the Kingdom.  People were set free and the Body of Christ saw times of refreshing.  However, the message of the law that leads us to Christ is the beginning.  The Bible says that the law is our tutor that brings us to Christ. (Gal. 3:24) "But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor." ~ Gal. 3:25 What should happen in every move of God that begins with repentence is that we move past it into the victory we have in Christ. 

Revival can be sustained for a season with preaching of the law.  The Bible says that the law has glory.  But it is a glory that is fading. (II Cor 3:7)  However, if the message preached switches from the law to the glory found in Christ and being made His righteousness, now we have a message that can bring people from glory to glory.  (II Cor. 3:9)

People shouldn't leave "revival" hurt, dusallusioned and in despair.  They should leave passionate, full of the Spirit ready to shake the world! 

( II Cor. 3:7 - 11) But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stones, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? For if the ministry of condemnation has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory.

 ( II Cor. 3:12 - 18) Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

SCARE THE HELL OUT OF YOU

In my second post for today I am going to deal with holiness through grace.  This is where people misunderstand grace the most.  Some people say that if you teach people grace then you are giving them a 'license to sin.'  I don't know what your experience is, but I have noticed that most people do enough sinning without a 'license.'  The Bible, however, teaches quite the opposite.  You could never attain righteousness through your own works, likewise you can't attain holiness through your own works.  It's funny how easy it is for us to get saved and then live in a way that we try to impress God through our own works. 

The reality is that this 'works' message starts many times before salvation.  How many people are told, "You are going to have to change if you want to become a Christian?"  How many altar calls are nothing more than scare tactics?  Thomas Hooker, the founder of the state of Connecticut, believed this way.  One of his friends told him, "Mr. Hooker, you make good Christians before men are in Christ, as ever they are after would I were but as good a Christian now, as you make men while they are preparing for Christ."   Wait!!!!  I thought we become a new creation after accepting Christ?

This is a far cry from a story told about D.L. Moody ~ A young woman came to see him and she said, "I want to become a Christian, but I just love to dance, I tried to give up dancing to become a Christian, but I just can't."  (She was most likely talking about partying, as we know not all dancing is wrong.) 

D.L. Moody said to her, "Why, little lady, just give your heart to Jesus, and you can dance all you want to."  That convinced her, so she gave her heart to the Lord and was born-again.

A number of days later this young lady met D.L. Moody on the street.  She smiled and said, "Mr. Moody, I see what you mean now.  The 'want to' is gone!" 

What different approach.  One was mans attempt to control the situation and force perfection onto a non-believer.  The other was simple trust that God is big enough to complete the work He begins in us.

OK -  To keep this blog short I am going to wrap with a couple of verses and small commentary.

The church grows and bears fruit when we TRULY understand God's grace.

Colossians 1:6 ~ "In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace."

Grace teaches us how to live right.

 Titus 2:11-12 ~ "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age"

Grace gives us the ability to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.

Hebrews 12:28 ~ "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."

There are a lot of things we can do that outwardly have an appearance of holiness.  The Pharisees where masters at this.  However true holiness comes through grace.  Maybe next time I will blog about how the Bible teaches us to walk this out. 

THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE!

It has been a while since my last post, but I have been thinking about these particular posts for some time.  If you have read any of my posts then you know that I have spent a lot of time on the subject of grace. 

According to the Bible the Good News of the Gospel is that it is the "gospel of grace."  We are no longer under the law.  In fact in Galatians 2:21 the Bible says, "I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die."

However, this is a subject of controversy.  No doubt we have all heard the phrase "sloppy Agape or GREASY GRACE."  A while ago I sat down with a couple of men who are considered leaders of leaders and was sharing with them about grace and how much understanding it has changed our lives.  The atmosphere in the room changed as I received a stern warning to watch out learning about grace.  That the grace teaching could lead into all forms of error for example. . . Pluralism.  When I left this meeting I felt genuinely sad that our adversary the devil has done such a good job of misleading God's children about one of the most important truths in the New Testament.  Think about this. . . Before Azusa Street what kind of response would you have gotten talking to Christians about Speaking in tongues?  Before the healing revival what would most believers think about healing?  Before the Latter Rain Movement what would you have been told about laying on of hands and impartation?  Before the Charismatic Movement who really taught about the gifts of the Spirit?

My point is this ~  This last one hundred years and more has been a time where God is rapidly restoring truth to His body.  Grace is one of these truths!

PERSONAL TESTIMONY OF GRACE

Angela and I had been trying for a couple of years to have a baby.  We had been prayed for by multiple people.  We dealt with all the "What could be wrong questions."  As you can imagine there were many well intentioned believers who had all kinds of reasons of why.  In fact I can remember sitting with a lady who prophesied over Angie that the reason why she couldn't get pregnant was because she was not doing enough in ministry.  How disheartening. . . This really effected Angela.

Around this time God began teaching us about grace, unearned and unmerited favor.  We realized the foundation of our faith is grace. (Eph 2:8-9) "For by grace are you saved"  It was during this time that we began to rest in the truth of His word.  Within a couple of months she became pregnant with our first son.  A little less than two years later she became pregnant with our second son.

We did everything we knew to do.  It wasn't until we rested in Gods promises that we saw Him act.  How often do we struggle in life trying to accomplish things in our own strength, when the reality is that His grace is sufficient?

I DON'T NEED YOU ANY MORE. . . .

There is a trend in our post-modern society that breaks my heart.  I am excited that we live in a time where people question what was and has been.  I am excited that this has led to a rise in creativity and people hungry for truth.  However, I have noticed a trend, even among "Christians," and that is to try and create their own truth.  You can call it values clarification (whats right for you may not be right for me) or situational ethics.  Whatever you call it, people are falling into error.  It's as if we have become so proud as to believe our opinion is ultimately the truth.

When I was youth pastoring a parent came into my office in tears because her "Christian" daughter had been experimenting with drugs.  When her mom confronted her she tried reasoning with the Bible.  To which the daughter replied, "That is what you believe."

I was upset over this.  I hear this kind of thing to often.  In fact the decisions that some people make often makes the same statement.   That next week in youth group I used an example of a board game.  The players of the game don't create the rules.  The creator of the game creates the rules.

Here is the first mistake we make.  God IS NOT LIKE US.  We do not have the right to create a God in our image.  That is called idolatry. 

 Ps. 50:16-21 "But to the wicked person, God says:  “What right have you to recite my laws
   or take my covenant on your lips? ¹⁷ You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you.
¹⁸ When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers.
¹⁹ You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. ²⁰ You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. ²¹ When you did these things and I kept silent,
   you thought I was exactly like you."

Romans 1:21-23 "What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life. They traded the glory of God who holds the whole world in his hands for cheap figurines you can buy at any roadside stand."

The second real mistake is a lack of believing that God's word is truth.  Either it is and we had better know it well enough to live by it, or why waste our time.  If you are one of those who don't believe God's word is truth ~ Then you better make sure you're right, because this is one area you can't afford to be wrong.

Jesus brought us Grace and Truth:

John 1:17 "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

God's Word is truth:

John 17:17 "Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth."

David said, "I have hidden your word in my heart    that I might not sin against you." ~ Ps. 119:11

Jeremiah 15:16 " When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty."



2 Timothy 2:15 " Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Hosea 4:6 "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"

The Bible tells stories of what happens when each person does "what's right in there own eyes."  It never turns out well.  There is truth ~  Be one of those that is fed up with mans religious traditions, but more importantly be one of those that is hungry for the truth of God's Word.  The Bible calls the quest for real "truth" noble.  (Acts 17:11)  It's a quest that will change you're life forever. . . And it's good!!