Whatever happened to holiness . . . in the Church?

There’s no way around it. The current state of the church in America is lukewarm at best, and apostate at worst. The modern visible Church bears little resemblance to the Church of the first century or even the Church of a century ago. The modern Church has blended so much and so well with the world that no one can tell the two apart.

Today, we have a brand of “Christianity” for every taste, sin and vice imaginable. Churches have thrown out the preaching of the Gospel and are are now catering to those who have one foot in the Church and the other foot in the world. People who refuse to deny themselves and take up their crosses (Mark 8:34), crucify their old self (Romans 6:6 & Galatians 2:20), sever their friendships with the world (James 4:4 & 1 John 2:15), and separate themselves (2 Corinthians 6:17), can now have their cake and eat it too. They can have their Churchianity and feed their insatiable lusts of the flesh at the same time. Welcome to the “Christian” Vanity Fair.

Whether your vice is a love for the Beatles, Elvis, The Spice Girls, Michael Jackson, Garth Brooks, heavy metal rock concerts, hip hop culture, rockabilly hot rods, clowns, poker, Las Vegas, bars, all things Gothic, homosexuality, pastors with “hot wives,” jokes with sexual innuendos, Hooters waitresses, an unhealthy fascination with earth worship environmentalism, narcissistic pastors who missed their callings to be video jockeys on MTV, making light of the Savior, Marijuana consumption, television, desire to be a rock star (but can’t make it big time), bathroom humor, psychics (and their magic soap), BMX stunt shows (and the gospel of bike safety), kick-boxing, belly dancing, aerobics, wrestling, Harry Potter, scantly clad dancers at Christian concerts, feminist goddes worship, get-rich-quick schemes, winning prizes, a 30-foot inflatable sex organ as a ministry tool, apostate sermon series’ entitled God Loves Sex, and all other sermons that have little to do with God and a lot to do with sex.

Now who wouldn’t want to attend churches and events like these if their Christianity consists of checking off “Church” on their list of things to do to be in good favor with God? If they have to sit through church they might as well be entertained.

Even this church boasts that they’re “fun, exciting, powerful, and relevant.” (They also happen to display a nuclear mushroom cloud on their website for some unknown reason). So, when did Christianity become all about YOU? When did the Church begin to cater to nothing but YOU?

Well, with all the frivolity happening in the Church today, I decided to illustrate the difference between what passes as Christianity today (as seen above) with Christianity from the past. The following excerpt from the Voice of the Martyr’s book, Jesus Freaks will serve as Exhibit A. Let this example speak for itself between now and then–what Christians live for now, compared to what they died for then.

The day of their victory dawned, and the martyrs went from the prison to the amphitheater as if they were on their way to heaven. Their faces were radiant. Perpetua followed at a gentle pace, as a great lady of Christ. The power of her gaze forced the spectators to lower their eyes. She sang a hymn of triumph.

At the beginning of the show, two of the men were attacked by a leopard and then mauled by a bear. A wild boar was then let loose on Saturus, but the boar turned on the one who unleashed him, goring him in the stomach. Saturus was only dragged on the sand. Then he was tied up on the bridge in front of a bear, but the bear refused to come out of his den. So for the second time Saturus was left unhurt.

Perpetua and a young woman named Felicitas were put in the arena with a bull. Felicitas fell, seriously wounded. Perpetua was tossed in the air, and her robe was torn. As soon as she got up, she ran to Felicitas and gently raised her from the ground. When the bull refused to attack them again, they were removed from the arena.

The show was almost over; Saturus was put in the arena one last time, the leopard was let loose, and with one bite, Saturus was mortally wounded.

Finally, those who were still alive were brought back in to be killed by gladiators. First, they gave one another the kiss of peace. Then all remained still and received the sword in silence. Perpetua was assigned a young, untried gladiator, who was not used to such scenes of violence. He stabbed her weakly several times between the ribs, but did not kill her, so Perpetua guided his wavering hand to her throat. (Pages 301-302)

The official song of Reformation Nation, At The Crossroads, should be an anthem for the Church today.

 

Book Review: The Road to Reality by K.P. Yohannan

After reading K. P. Yohannan’s book Revolution in World Missions, I was really impressed on how he grasped the realities of the lukewarm Church in America.

I just finished reading his follow-up book to that one: The Road to Reality. If he hit a home run with the book Revolution in World Missions, then he hits a grand slam with this one!

In this book he provides a scathing indictment of the lukewarm church and calls the Christian to quit living the lukewarm life. The book flows well and is a page turner. K.P. knows how to communicate well and gets his points across that will certainly leave an impression on you.

Here’s an excerpt from chapter 21:

The streets of India–especially in our bloated, overpopulated cities like Bombay and Calcutta–are maddening to Western visitors. Millions of homeless people are born, live, and die in them. Part toilet, part barnyard, part roadway–they are also the bedroom, living room, and marketplace for the poorest of the world’s poor.

In summertime’s furnace heat, the dust of centuries rises from them to fill your eyes, choking your mouth and nose. In the monsoon rains, the streets turn into vast seas of mud and sewage. In winter, the freezing pavements bring disease and death to those who have nowhere else to rest their starving bodies.

It was one of these nightmarish streets of Bombay that I was surrounded by an army of begging children. Already late and on my way to an important meeting, I tried to ignore the pleading children as I waited for the light to turn green.

Suddenly from the sea of hungry faces I heard a voice so distinct from the rest that I was paralyzed. In crystal clear tones I heard her speaking in plaintive Hindi, “Sir, my father died three months ago of tuberculosis. My mother is too sick to beg anymore. My little brothers and sisters have not eaten for two days. Please, sir, they are hungry and crying. Can you please give me a few pennies so I can buy some bread?”

The light turned green. But I couldn’t move. I was arrested by the image of this little girl who must have been about 9 years old. Her face was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, perfectly shaped with big brown eyes and long black hair.

Through the tears on her cheeks, the dust and the sweat, I could see that in different circumstances this desperate little waif could easily have been a princess. Her filthy hair had obviously not been washed or combed for weeks. She was barefoot and dressed in rags. But I’m still sure she had the potential of being a winner in the Miss World beauty pageant.

Then something else happened. It was as if another face came before my eyes right beside hers. It was another child, about 8, also with big brown eyes. But she had long, clean hair and a shining face. Her clothes were fresh and colorful–and she wore nice socks and tennis shoes. I knew her. She was the best student in her class. Each night she said her prayers and read the Bible. Her parents loved her. She had a comfortable home, air-conditioned from the Texas summer and heated in the cold winter. She had a comfortable bed with clean sheets every week. I didn’t know the name of the dirty little beggar girl, but I did know the name of the girl beside her. It was Sarah, my own darling daughter.

Then I heard a supernatural voice beside me ask, “What is the value of this beggar girl? Is she of less value than your daughter, Sarah?”

To read more, you’ll have to get the book, and I highly recommend that you do. The book can be purchased at Gospel For Asia by clicking here.

The persecuted Church in China featured on the CBS Evening News.

Underground Reality: Vietnam.

I am disappointed to report that Voice of the Martyrs is no longer offering Underground Reality: Vietnam. However, I am pleased to announce that it is now available for rent here from Netflix.

I highly recommend this video. This is a must-see video and it should be shown in all youth groups.

The DVD describes itself as follows:

See what happens when eight ordinary teens set out on a mission to meet the underground church in Vietnam. Travel with The Voice of the Martyrs and a group of American and Australian teenagers as they journey through cities and jungles in order to witness the everyday life of the Vietnamese underground church.

These teens come from the nominal, lukewarm Christian churches so common in America, Europe, and Australia, but by the end of their journey (which includes smuggling Bibles) you see their lives transformed by the realization of what it truly means to be a Christian when your life and liberty are at stake.

The two hour DVD is broken into four half hour episodes and will keep the attention of even its younger viewers.

Book review: K.P. Yohannan’s book Revolution in World Missions.

I recently finished reading K.P. Yohannan’s book Revolution in World Missions (1.5 million copies in print). I have to admit that, although I had seen in numerous times before, I had no intentions of reading it. But after my wife kept telling me about it as she read it, I picked it up when she was done and was very glad that I did.

This is a fantastic book, easy to read, and a page turner. Yohannan speaks of recent drastic changes in World Missions in light of today’s political and social climate, and he pulls no punches when it comes to the state of the Western Church. He steps on lots of toes in his examination of our comfortable Christianity in light of those truly suffering for the sake of Christ. And best of all, you can order this book absolutely free from the Gospel For Asia website.

Here’s an excerpt from the forward of the book by David and Karen Mains:
“. . . Those evangelists traveling into the unreached villages of Asia have more heart, more fervor, more passion to spread the Gospel of Christ than most of us who are surrounded by the comforts and conveniences of our Western world. We know because we have seen them and talked with them, and they have put us to shame.“

Not a book for the satisfied with the status-quo, don’t-rock-the-boat, nominal professing Christians, but definitely a book for those who have a heart for God, a heart for the spreading of the Gospel, and a heart for their neighbor… even if that neighbor is on the other side of the world.

Gospel for Asia Christmas program for native missionaries.

This Christmas I urge you to support our Christian brothers and sisters in the 10-40 Window who are in desperate need of our help with essential supplies to continue spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Click here to check out needed resources for native missionaries.

Click here to check out ministry gifts that help native missionaries.

Click here to check out church buildings, bikes and vehicles needed by native missionaries.

Click here to check out the animals you can help provide for native missionaries.

Remember, these are our brothers and sisters in Christ and they live in the poorest of the poor parts of the world. Please consider spending less on ourselves this Christmas and spending more on those who need the help.

Gospel For Asia sends 100% of the money you give to the mission field.

Book review: The Triumphant Church featuring Richard Wurmbrand, John Piper and Milton Martin.

This book, compiled and produced by the Voice of the Martyrs, is a three-part study from the writings of Richard Wurmbrand, John Piper and Milton Martin. An easy read, this book explores God’s perspective of the persecution of His Church. It not only offers first hand accounts of persecution and torture for the sake of Christ, but it also encourages Christians in how to face it. This book is only four dollars and can be ordered by clicking here .

Paul Washer lecture at HeartCry Missionary Society seminar.

Thanks to Chris for this video.

Angels watching a “modern” church service.

The acting won’t win any awards but the message should be heard far and wide. Of course, not everyone will agree with this; it hits a little too close to home for some.

What Have They Done To Your Word?

Standing for your faith sometimes costs you everything.

China begins to monitor the web using cyber police.

China will be using animated Cyber Police that will appear on internet user’s screens to warn them to stay away from illegal internet content. I find it interesting that this article came from Yahoo News because Yahoo has blood on its hands from past actions and it’s for this very reason I refuse to use the Yahoo search engine. If you are unfamiliar with Yahoo’s assistance with the Chinese government to turn in the identity of web users, then check out this article, or this article.

For those of you who are asking the question, “who cares about this, isn’t this all related to politics?” I submit for your consideration this link regarding what Christians endure in China. And if you’re still unconvinced, then here’s a whole list of links on news articles of Christian persecution in China.