Understanding our Purpose

Is it just me or has the church seemingly lost her zeal for the "Cause of Christ?" It seems that we have so many pieces of a 'religious pie' yet many of us are missing the very key ingredient. I'm referring to the fact that the church was left on earth by Jesus to manifest the life of Christ in everything we do.

His love, His compassion, His holiness, His honesty, His power, etc. should be radiating from our being as a beacon of pure light shining into the night telling all the tattered, worn and broken ships where to find safety, peace and joy. We should be fulfilling the Great Commission (found in Matt. 28:18-20 & Mark 16:15 and elsewhere in Scripture), we should let His Light shine (Matt. 5:16), yet it seems that we are focussed on everything else but this.

You have many churches which obviously have a 'private' mission statement that must read "Tell the world why other churches aren't right but we are." Now I'm all for calling out false prophets and teachers' doctrine, and I'm all for "contending for the faith" (Jude 3), yet I'm not in support of that becoming our mission. I believe our zeal for one item can cloud our vision and cause us to lose focus on the 'cause' of Christ.

There are many other churches which run sort of on the other side of that line by doing anything (and sometimes everything) to bring people together in a building on Sundays. They will eliminate 'offensive doctrines' and will not preach against sin, so that people will come to church on Sundays. But without the wonderful truth of repentance (which is a change of mind and thereby a change of lifestyle) people are not drawn by the Spirit of God to the Way, the Truth and the Life, they only become complacent, pacified members of a 'glorified social club.' Again, in this the church has lost its vision of the 'Cause.'

During this time of year, let us come back to the reason in which we are here. There is a world that is dying and going to hell and the Lord has commissioned us, His bride, to go forth and win them to Him.

Lord, fill me with Your Spirit and power, so that I would become an effective witness for You. Let me be led by Your Spirit at all times. Open doors for witnessing. Keep me focused on You and You alone. Amen!

Today's Worship Services

The typical church service is so far from what I truly believe the Bible says it should be. There is more entertainment than there is real worship. There is a lack of Holy Ghost conviction, and a "it's ok" attitude towards sin. There is not much labeling sin as sin, it's mostly sugar-coated messages of self help. It saddens me to watch some of these services on television. Loud music that sounds like a rock concert, ungodly apparel, ungodly atmosphere and a lack of glorifying God.
It is clear that God is not pleased with it. I'm not saying that we can't incorporate new songs or even new worship formats, but if the new songs or formats are trying to blur the lines between the world and the church so that the church will become accepted then we become anti-biblical. For even the Word of God says clearly, "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom 12:2). I wish I could put into words the things that are so clearly wrong with the worship services of today, but let me just let someone better speak about it; one by the name of Leonard Ravenhill.
I hope you enjoy this video. It touched me, and it also made me realize that I could not express what's on my heart fully, but this is a good start. God bless!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltUy58MtbeE