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| WELS has promoted Church Growth - and lied about it - since 1977. Ditto LCMS - they are a little more honest. "WELS is failing," a PhD at Martin Luther College has admitted. Is it too soon to ask Kelm, Jeske, and Company to apologize and hand over the loot they have, spoiling the Egyptians at Fuller? |
Tal Bachman: Christians, Come Back
by Tal Bachman
The Bachman Beat
I remember when Christians used to actually believe in Christianity. Those were the days. (Some still do, but their numbers are shrinking.)
Back then, you could still visit an average (Protestant) church and hear a pastor actually teach real doctrine and share authentic insights. You could hear his thoughts on how to live an upright Christian life, or on why bad things might happen to good people, or how Christian marriages might be improved. And you could hear it all supported by actual Bible passages.
After the sermon, you could hear the congregation sing hymns affirming the importance of obedience, humility, faith, courage, or some other Christian virtue. They were something, the old hymns: bold, clear, impactful, sometimes even militant, like "Onward, Christian Soldiers" or "God of Our Fathers, Whose Almighty Hand", or particularly thoughtful, like "How Great Thou Art".
Things are different now. Wander into a typical Christian church these days, and, far from hearing a sermon challenging you to live an upright life, you're more likely to hear an unsuccessful attempt at a Jeff Foxworthy-style stand-up comedy routine, Hallmark-style stories of dubious veracity, and utterly vacuous "praise songs" which all sound like U2 album rejects from 1986. (They even feature the thumping eighth-note bass parts, echo-drenched guitar, and melodramatic vocal performances.)
Oh, and I forgot: At some point, you're also going to see the pastor dutifully hand the mic over to his overly-assertive, overly-eager, overly-made-up wife (presumably on pain of divorce, or possibly even death), who will then speak loudly and rapturously—all about herself—for the next half hour.
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GJ - I dare to say that if:
- Congregations taught Biblical sermons (fresh, new, every Sunday, adhering to the text, Luther, and Lenski;)
- Taught faith in Jesus as forgiveness and salvation;
- Used the social media to publish sermons and Biblical studies, streaming video to broadcast worship;
- Gave opportunities for special worship (Ascension) and Biblical studies...
They would be blessed with spiritual and membership growth, but only if the emphasis is on faithfulness rather than popularity, success, and Thrivent grants.
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| WELS sold this book to foolish pastors. Cho had a very special cell when they caught him embezzling. |
