Do you believe current church trends will rescue our nation? My guess is you don’t. If you don’t, you are not alone. A growing number of believers—many of whom will not say it out loud—question the value of attraction churches.
One day, I sat with some “hot names” in church growth in southern California. We had talked a lot about styles of worship, preaching and marketing. Being older than most of them, I felt a little bold. I asked them: “Can any of you give me the name of a mega church in Los Angeles in 1906? “
Not one of them could come up with a name. Then I said, “but you all remember the Azusa Street Revival, right? Why is that?” Because history remembers revivals and forgets mega churches.” The reason is simple; revivals make history by reforming society.
Those who praise the glories of mega churches never mention how they have no impact on cultural sin. In this golden age of mega churches, society is experiencing its greatest moral landslide. On their watch, the number of people who claim to be atheists has doubled. More anti-God legislation has been enacted than any other time in our history.
But do churches bear any responsibility for the moral landslide of a nation? Charles G. Finney sure thought so! He said, “If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are about to fall away, the pulpit is responsible.”
Some will say it is not fair to ask mega churches to reverse national destruction. But you also can’t have it both ways. You can’t go around extolling the wonders of these mammoth ministry centers and then say they can’t fix the nation. If they can’t fix the only thing that needs fixing, what is the point?
But people point out, “They produce musicals as good as Broadway” Or, “They give the average person hope” These achievements ring hollow. In a simpler time, they would be impressive. Not today.
This is no time for entertainment. This is no time for mild cures. Society’s condition has forced rule changes. A demon possessed culture needs a church with power to cast out devils. A culture reeling with unimaginable addictions needs a church were the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the fire of God is plainly presented.
Are these churches a distraction to revival? Let me offer this parable about distraction. A college football team is losing their homecoming game. Badly. Halftime is a welcome break. The people are relieved when the marching band takes the field.
The band leader sees how much the people are enjoying the distraction. He decides “we don’t need a second half; it is a good thing to just keep the show going.”
The lyrics of American Pie put it this way, “Now the half-time air was sweet perfume
While sergeants played a marching tune We all got up to dance Oh, but we never got the chance ‘Cause the players tried to take the field, the marching band refused to yield
Do you recall what was revealed The day the music died?”
You, dear leader of a mega church, must ask yourself, is my church the band that refuses to yield. Is my mega ministry a distracting substitute for revival? Am I keeping the church from starting the second half?
The Bible asks painful questions about times. Elisha’s servant Gehazi secretly took money and clothes from General Naaman after Naaman was healed of leprosy. Elisha asked Gehazi, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?”-2 Kings 5:26,26
In a time of mass murder, mass suicide, of hurricanes floods, and fire, is it time for pastors to parade wealth, and grant mild cures?
Haggai asked another painful question: “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” -Haggai 1:4 The modern application for this is simple: Pastor, are you building a personal empire, or the Kingdom of God? Will you allow a nation to go down in flames while you live in a bubble of false victory?
If we can truly confess that babble has replaced the Bible—that self-enhancement has replaced self-denial –that marketing has replaced miracles—and unconditionally surrender to the Holy Spirit, God will turn our churches into fire-breathing, nation-changing powerhouses.
Blessed Friend Mario, your questions and postings are so true, it has been like a breath of fresh spiritual air to read and hear your calling and election at work through your ministerial efforts. You’re revealing the quandary and notion that still lives in the hearts of all Christ’s true possession. But what to do!!… That’s the million dollar question. In this post modern church culture it has been so far deviated from the POWER of the Gospel, via the very mega church/Christian celebrity/Bully Star pulpit that you speak of, that – the million dollar question then becomes a trillion dollar question. Only thing my husband & I have been inspired to understand, is that the mainstream theological doctrine got SO far off track with the root causation being a false narrative riddled & woven through all church houses and teachings demanding and promoting a completely unbiblical tithe which is neither New Testament doctrine nor resolute Old testament doctrine. Resulting in a hybrid form of manmade Christianity that began its decent, possibly 100 years ago and has led us to the precepise of where we are today. A little Pharisaical leaven spoils the WHOLE lump. How do we turn back time and restart the accurate doctrinal clock?
Carolina, Your well stated comments ring so true. The carnal church, like any other alcoholic begins by admitting their condition. The Holy Spirit is about to tell those confess their wicked ways, the next step.
I also am very concerned about the lack of the book of Acts being lived in churches today Where is the presence
And power of the Holy Ghost The word preached should never be a sermon but be a message from the throne room of God All this super grace message being taught have given people in their minds an ok to sin. One minister told me if he sinned it would not be him that sinned it would be just his flesh his spirit could not sin. My reply to him was that was junk. When I sinned I did a better job evidently because it grieved all of me. It grieved my soul ,my body,and most definitely my spirit. We must teach truth or we are accountable to the church having no power to help the lost
Datha Thomas, it is correct, the counterfeit message titled hyper grace or radical grace or super grace, has fostered a spirit of unholy denial and unholy believing toward the living Christ we are all in service to. I can personally testify about the lack of God’s Presence and power that thinking did…when a close relative of mine used the gift of God’s Grace as an excuse to do as he wished, he ended up in prison for 5 years.
Mario, it’s coming my friend, true revival is coming. We have been hidden away for decades, the unknowns, being prepared for the last great move of the Spirit of God, and now we are slowing being released into the world. Great signs and wonders shall precede this latter day harvest, for the Spirit of God has spoken it. I am the one God says, that is about to move in the earth, the likes of which have never been seen before. I am near, even at the door..
Mario I was wondering what you think of Derek Prince.
Not his preaching delivery or style or even some of the shepperding movment problems that he repented of.
Its the content and depth of some of his teaching that is haunting.
I heard him speak recently in a recording about the end times and his predictions and interpertation of prophetic scripture was far more accurate than many others ive heard.
Alot of people i have fellowshipped with have no familiarity with his ministry.
I have found myself listening more and more to him in the evening and you in the morning.
Please tell me what you think about the combination of the two influenses as i am a pastor leading a flock of new converts.
Derek Prince was a great man with much to say to us today. A testament to his greatness was his willingness to admit the error of the shepherding movement.
Thank you for your reply and by the way i recieved a word from you during the healing revival in eastvale california last month.
The accuracy shook me and i am pressing in for the will of God.
I so appreciate you and your obedience to God.
Since my conversion in 1995 i have drawn life from your ministry.
You are a blessing.
I believe the revival coming will be mainly underground.
It will be home to home revival and it will be only a remnant of the present day church.
Think about this thousands of people saw the miracles of Jesus. Let us focus on the miracle of the feeding of 5,000 men. I believe we could say that there was at least 15,000 people there to hear Jesus Christ teach and perform miracles.
When Jesus Christ died on the cross all had forsaken Him.
But Jesus Christ rose 3 days later and in the next 40 days 500 manage to show courage to be around Him and see Him taken into heaven.
But out of that 500 that Jesus Christ instructed to wait and tarry for the Holy Ghost to come and receive power, there was a 120. That was 0.8% of one crowd that Jesus Christ ministered to.
Now let’s say there is 6,000,000,000 people on this earth right now. Multiply by .008 and you come up with 48,000,000 people.
48 million true Christians in this world, that are rapture ready.
Oh you say there is more than that in the USA.
Where is the evidence?
Church membership does not make you a Christian. Actually a vast majority of church members are liars. THey do not support their churches as they vowed to do. I am not talking about finances, which is one way, but there are other ways most church members vowed they would support their churches.
Why are our churches powerless? Most ministers and members are liars AND GOD HATES LIARS.
PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS.
My brother Scotty do you have a local church that you serve the Lord in?
Yes:
It is a small country church. Hardaway Assembly of God Chattahoochee, Florida.
Our Pastor is Robin Ryals, who preaches and teaches the Word straight. KJV.
We have about 40 on the average for Sunday morning services.
We still have services Sunday night and Wednesday night.
I minister some in the church. I am also a singer, but not much of the new stuff.
I am southern-gospel. I sing using my guitar, no soundtracks for me. I let the words of the song do the ministering.
I am 3rd generation Pentecostal. I am conservative and old fashion in my beliefs, some say legalistic, but I live with it.
I will be 65 Thursday, October 19.
I love it,it is so cool to know that God has his remnint, those that have not bowed to bail.
I hope and pray that the church you attend grows in influence and that you reach your area for Jesus.