LET…. MY…. PEOPLE…. GO !!

Chapter five

Regarding evangelicalism, a very logical question I have never heard asked: “Is it working?”

You owe it to your people to ask yourselves this obvious question, “Is it working?” Is evangelicalism, your cherished religion that long ago replaced Jesus as “first love”, accomplishing the purposes of Christ throughout your congregations and your cities?

While considering this pointed question give regard to the maxim, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” If it’s not working will you nonetheless do “the same thing over and over”?

A brother once compared the local church to an oil producing factory. The factory always managed to produce sufficient oil to keep its machinery running, but scant leftover oil to export elsewhere. The local church spends most of its energy and abilities to keep its spiritual machinery running, but scant leftovers to be a blessing to the world for whom Jesus died.

Evangelicalism is a poor investment. Scant blessings flow beyond your church walls to your city and beyond. The bulk of the enormous amount of money collected is swallowed up by your salary and the housing people call “our church”. In short, your assembly generously donates to itself. These are the spiritual factories evangelicalism has created and maintains.

You justify your salary by making disciples, this (supposedly) in response to the command of Jesus, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.” But are the disciples you are making disciples of Christ Jesus or disciples of the awful religion you have imposed on them?

Your congregation is your mirror. They are what you, more than others, have made them to be. Examining them is examining you….

First question: Do your people speak Christ?

Jesus taught, “Out of the abundance of his heart the mouth speaks.” What’s in comes out. Rarely – almost never – do your people speak the name of Jesus in conversation, even with other christians. Someone seated in a booth near two evangelicals sipping coffee and chatting would never overhear the name of Jesus. Change the two to a dozen and the same applies. Your name might be spoken, perhaps often, but not His.

Second question: Are your people led by the Holy Spirit?

Jesus: “He will guide you into all truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak.” Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit is being sensitive to the “head of the church”. Obeying Him is obeying Him. Well, if its not Lord Jesus whom they obey, who is it? Jesus taught, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me.” We obey the one we love and we love the one we obey. Conforming to your long list of spoken and unspoken “commandments of men” is conforming to you and the religion that has endorsed you.

Next question: Are your people bearing “much fruit”?

Jesus taught that the christian who stops bearing fruit will be removed from Him. (“My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away.”) So yes, they do bear fruit. But do they bear MUCH fruit? Our Teacher: “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear MUCH fruit.” Little fruit disappoints; abundant fruit glorifies. Only those who keep Jesus “first love” bear much fruit.

Another question: Are your people following Christ or christians?

Followers of Christ within gospel churches are rare. Do they assume that following you is somehow following Jesus?

And another: Are your people laying up “treasures on earth” or “treasures in heaven”?

You have, by example and implication, given them permission to accumulate and hoard stuff. Their storage rooms bulge with unused and forgotten and expensive things and more things. Their homes are well- furnished and their wardrobes extensive. But all this stuff is costing them eternal rewards. Those who hoard now will “suffer loss”, eternal loss, later.

Last question: Do your people “Preach the Word”? (Paul to Timothy: “Preach the Word!”)

A few do but most don’t. Facebook and other social media outlets attest to that. Your people talk about their cat, their dog, a favourite recipe, what a great church service it was, pray for me because I’ve got a dental appointment coming up, etcetera, etcetera. Many suspect you would frown upon them publicly preaching the Bible to which you are quick to respond, “I have never told my people not to preach!” True, but you also never encouraged them to preach, not to the secular world and not to His church. (Bonhoeffer: “Not to speak is to speak.”)

Now let’s examine your spiritual condition to determine if your congregation really does mirror you. I will ask the very same questions, but exchange “your people” with “you”. (“You” being the entirety of worldwide evangelical leadership.)

First question: Do you speak Christ?

It’s almost impossible to totally sidestep Jesus Christ when giving a forty-five minute sermon to a christian audience, but you do come close. Lots of God but very little Jesus. “Praise the Lord!” occasionally, but “Praise the Lord Jesus!” never. (And almost zero Father and Holy Spirit.) Plenty of I and me and we and them but little of Him. (You can confirm or disprove this by simply listening to your past messages.) And Jesus is almost non-existent in casual conversations. When someone mentions the name of Jesus I notice. (As the song says, “There’s just something about that name.”) Over fifty years of christianity and many exchanges with past and present pastors, I cannot recall one occasion when Christ was mentioned.

Second question: Are you led by the Holy Spirit?

The answer to this question is a big, fat, emphatic NO WAY!! If you were led by the Holy Spirit you wouldn’t be preaching every sunday; the pulpit would be shared by many. And when you did preach, Jesus would be exalted, not ignored. (“He [the Holy Spirit] will glorify Me.”) You have long ago become a calendar christian – dutiful, punctual, professional, fully institutionalized. Sameness is lord – sweet, satisfying, serene sameness.

Next question: Are you bearing “much fruit”

Why do you seldom mention “the judgement seat of Christ” where it will be revealed the exact amount of “gold, silver, precious stones” as well as “wood, hay, straw” that you have accumulated throughout your entire christianity? Is it because you know in your heart-of-hearts that your “treasures in heaven” are scant? Do you dread giving the account of your christianity to Judge Jesus knowing that you have influenced Jesus’ brothers and sisters to embrace “commandments of men”?…. knowing you hadn’t come close to “finishing [your] course”? that you long ago abandoned “first love” and enthroned denominational lords in His place?

Another question: Are you following Christ or christians?

Surely it is obvious it isn’t Jesus Christ you are following.

And another: Are you laying up “treasures on earth” or “treasures in heaven”?

Hmmmm. Are church buildings “treasures on earth”? Did an efficient air conditioning system and the repaving of the parking lot have priority over Christ’s Great Commission? Are your salaries spent on earthly possessions or “lay[ing] up for yourselves treasures in heaven”? Will you hear those words, “Well done, good and faithful servant”?

Last question: Do you “Preach the Word”?

Jesus to the Father, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” Is your word (the words you preach) the same word which Jesus was referencing? Jesus: “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man.” Are your sayings Christ’s sayings? Paul to Timothy: “Preach the word!”. Do you preach the same word as did Paul and Timothy? Psalm 12:6: “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” Has the religion you propagate added to or subtracted from God’s “pure words”? Jesus: “In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” Aren’t all Bible-plus teachings “commandments of men”?

So, again, “Is it working?” Are the purposes of Christ being accomplished through your religion? Are your audiences disciples of Christ or disciples of christians? Is Christ’s Great Commission being obeyed or ignored? Is there any similarity between early church christianity and your christianity?

I repeat the maxim, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” Insanity is evangelical leadership – in dire need to be discipled (by Jesus Christ through His Holy Spirit) – attempting to disciple others. Insanity is adding to and subtracting from God’s infallible Bible while considering oneself a fearless defender of that Bible. Insanity is doing everything wrong and expecting good results.

**************************** And now another story….

Several years ago I experienced a “suddenly”. (As you know, the Bible speaks of many suddenlies.) Suddenly I was made aware, fully aware, that I have a sick soul. And this unexpected revelation didn’t bother me, not the slightest. Now I realize why I think nasty thoughts, and why forgiveness is such a challenge, and why I spew ugly words during occasional temper tantrums, and why I am so slow to learn, and why I can be such a jerk sometimes.

At that same moment I was made aware that everyone has a sick soul, to one degree or another. Sin has done that. How I compare with others, I don’t know or care. Hopefully most are not as flawed as I am; I suppose that somewhere on this planet there could be a few christians even more impaired. This I know: the only flawless Man to walk on planet Earth was a person by the name of Jesus of Nazareth. The rest of us are, at best, wannabes.

This sudden awareness made me fully realize how completely unworthy and unequipped I am to pass judgement on others. How can someone so spiritually sick criticize the spiritually sick? More specifically, what qualifications do I have to pass judgement on you? None whatsoever! (Jesus: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Jesus: “Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.” James: “Do not speak evil of one another.”)

But we are to judge evangelicalism and every -ism that defies the lordship of Christ. You have heard it said, “Hate the sin, love the sinner”. We should also “Hate religion, love the religionist”.

I have very harsh criticism toward the religion you have adopted as lord and provider and guide. But is harsh improper? Does Jesus disapprove? Let’s consider God’s Bible….

The Bible, like every book, has a tone. (I simply don’t know a better word than tone to describe the overall temperament and tenor and mannerism of Scripture.) That tone, it seems to me, is serious and incisive. (A.W. Tozer was one of few who communicated in a resembling tone.) Most authors and preachers have acquired an apologetic, hesitant, accommodating mannerism; tact takes precedence over candidness.

Jesus was a serious Man who spoke unapologetically. Hear His tone: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”…. “I have this against you”…. “Do you also want to go away?”. “Because of your unbelief”…. “You have left your first love” “First remove the plank from your own eye”. “You devour widows’ houses.”

Now let’s listen to Paul, the NT’s most prolific writer: “Is Christ divided?”. “Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?”…. “If you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing”…. “What communion has light with darkness?”. “Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?”

Yes, I write with a candidness you are not accustomed to. I stand firmly against the religion you so professionally propagate, that religion that regularly challenges the lordship of our Christ and robs from His Great Commission. My precious brothers-in-Christ, if my words offend, let them offend!