Bonus Blog: Have We Lost Our Minds?

My son, Bobby, wrote a blog recently talking about the tendency of youth ministries to be entertainment driven rather than Bible driven. Bobby rightly said that God knows what high schoolers are capable of and we should take that seriously and teach them the Bible.This blog received a well deserved "Amen!" from Bobby's Uncle Scott (my brother). What began in youth ministries has come to full bloom in adult ministries as well. Much of the church, especially the seeker sensitive branch, has mastered the art of church fun and games. Of course, here in Texas we are big into this like in so many other things. There are huge ministries that have lots of hype without content (think Joel Osteen and John Hagee).

Also, Texas is big on chuch tradition seen in strong denominationalism like Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, and Church of Christ. Of course, Catholicism is big here as well. Many are caught in a religious system that is void of real life. They are a perfect example of 2 Timothy 3:5, "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." The church today is misled and under nourished which makes it unable to discern what really matters.

An example can be seen in the importance so many Christians place on politics. It is like they think we can bring in the Kingdom through the ballot box. John McCain just named Sara Palin as his vice-presidential running mate. Mrs. Palin's choice will please many Christians because she is pro life. However, I have a question. How can a governor or vice-president be an effective mother to her five children? Mrs. Palin's oldest son is 19 and serving in the Army, but she still has three daughters at home (ages 17, 14, and 7) and another son who was born in April of this year. From my understanding of the Bible, being a mother is more important than being a governor or vice-president, no matter how much good you might be able to do in those positions. How many Christians will think about this extememly important biblical issue?

Speaking of women ... Last Sunday Irving Bible Church had a woman (Jackie Roese) preach in their worship services. That's Irving BIBLE Chruch. You can read about it here. You'll notice in the article that Tommy Nelson, pastor of Denton Bible Church said, "I believe this issue is the carrier of a virus by which liberalism will enter the evangelical church."

So if the happenings at Irving Bible Church are the carrier of a virus, what is the source? Well, I can tell you that Mrs. Roese received a Doctor of Ministry degree in preaching from Gordon Conwell Seminary. Problems in the churches usually start with the seminaries where pastors get their training. The threat for evangelical churches is not from liberal seminaries, but from the vast number of what I'll call lukewarm seminaries. These seminaries aren't cold - they haven't denied the faith. But they aren't hot either. They serve up heaping bowls of lukewarm mush to their students. They are soft on a growing number of theological and ecclesiastical issues.

Barak Obama has said that he is running for President because of the fierce urgency of now. How many Christians have a sense of the fierce urgency of now? If things are going to turn around spiritually in this country, it will not come through the ballot box. It will come when Christians and churches feel the fierce urgency of the truth and will totally commit themselves to learning it, living it, and declaring it boldly and courageously.

Do you have a fierce sense of urgency? Are you as passionate about Christ and the church as many are about their candidate and political party? All seven or eight of you who read this blog, let's encourage each other to that fierce sense of biblical urgency.