Posted on 10/24/2018 9:43:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
I remember walking into to church for the first time after purposely staying as far from it as I could for 10 years. The music was loud, the crowds were big, and the environment was inviting. It was unlike any other church I could remember going to as a kid, and the people who made up this group were overwhelmingly kind to me. "This place is awesome" I remember thinking to myself. And I remember feeling something I had never expected to feel at a church; welcomed.
But the story doesn't end there. No. As quickly as I had stepped into an environment that felt accepting and welcoming, the tides began to change, and I was met with a sermon from a charismatic pastor that made me feel like I had just been slapped in the face. Not because he was speaking ill or being rude, but that he was telling me things about myself I didn't want to hear. This pastor was preaching things out of the Bible that opposed the way I was currently living my life. He said things I didn't like. He said things that made me get defensive.
But guess what? As uncomfortable as it made me feel at that very moment, his words were exactly what I needed. This type of discomfort is something all of us need to experience. To be reminded that a life lived outside of the narrow-road, reliant on flesh and personal desires is not the life God has destined us for.
Imagine
Imagine with me for a second. If I would have stepped into that church, only to be given a "feel-good" message that validated and approved everything I was currently engaging in because the pastor didn't want to ruffle any feathers, offend someone, or ruin the opportunity for gathering someone's tithe. How on earth would I have been expected to change? I wouldn't have. I would have left the church with no inclination that the way I was currently living was leading me down the path of emptiness. The conviction I felt is what led me to repentance, and the repentance is what led me closer to a life that reflected Jesus.
The Bible is clear that an encounter with Jesus will bring on a new life, an experience that places our old life behind us (Colossians 3:3-14). If your life looks the same after you claim to have encountered Jesus, did you really?
The church wasn't meant to always feel good. In fact, often times I've left church even more aware of the brokenness that I was when I first walked in. I'm left with hope, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about what I have to sacrifice in order to get there. Often times we see pastors preaching messages that illustrate Jesus as nothing more than the feel-good genie whose only job is to give you what you're looking for. You know, feel-good church...
Jesus will provide you with the job.
Jesus will provide you the finances.
Jesus will provide you the blessings.
Jesus will provide you the healing.
Jesus will provide you with a spouse.
Jesus will provide you with a promotion.
Unless He doesn't...
Do you see where I'm going with this? Can Jesus provide all that I mentioned above? Yup. But that doesn't mean he will. And it's not the job of a pastor to promise things to people that the Bible doesn't, especially when it comes to providing the way you and I specifically want. God will often contradict our personal expectations for our own benefit. It's about His will, not ours. The church was not designed to be comfortable, but instead, confronting of sin and a dispenser of hope.
Sure, a feel-good church might attract celebrities, mass crowds, sell books, get air-time on television, and bring a good tithe number each week, but that doesn't mean it's right. That doesn't mean it's biblical. And that doesn't mean that what one's doing is being blessed by God.
Can church feel good? Of course. But there's more to the story here. The purpose of the church isn't to make you feel good, but to magnify the name of Jesus through worship and teaching of His Word. There will be times of feeling good, but there will also be times of conviction and sacrifice that will undoubtedly bring on major life-changes. It's not always easy, but it's definitely worth it.
"Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land."—2 Chronicles 7:14
If the church never calls its people to turn from our selfish ways, what good is it? I'll take a Jesus-church over a feel-good church any day of the week.
It’s like the difference between the OT’s Yahweh and the NT’s God. Good cop and bad cop
The problem with feel-good churches is that it doesn’t feel good after you’re dead.
Ping!!
No, there’s no difference there. I know you’re an unbeliever, but try reading it again.
I don’t know that there are all that many “feel good” churches. Every one I’ve attended (quite a few, actually) had fairly strong messages directly from the bible, except for the small baptist churches I visited while in a southern gospel band. Those mostly got into the shouting about hellfire by a retired $30 a month preacher that didn’t prepare for any of his messages and it showed.
Fact is, Christianity IS “feel good” in a way. Joy doesn’t come from getting the house, the car, the promotion. Joy comes from being in Christ. It impacts how you view the hose, the car, the promotion and their acquisition. Those are not your main concern, just as the birds and the lilies of the fields don’t concern themselves.
It’s kind of like an adult still living with their parents, all their needs are met by the their hard work,
No, the OT and the NT God are not two sides of the same coin. God is just as much a perfectly righteous being who is a judge as he is a merciful God who rescued us through his Son, Jesus. We must all meet God’s perfect standard to escape his wrath...unless we realize we’re sinners, repent, and take the way out that Jesus provided. God is a God of great wrath...He is also a God of great mercy and He provided a way out of the path of His wrath for us.
Yahweh, with his flood that killed millions who displeased him, was wrath incarnate. Don’t see much of that in the NT.
I’m sure there are a lot of different definitions of what a “feel good” church is. But most are pejorative and describe a church where the pastor tells you that God will provide all kinds of good things for you without you having to commit to do anything or put any effort into it. In that sense, a “feel good” church is no different than any other “feel good” philosophy, like Socialism and the Welfare State. Give me what I want and make someone else pay for it. Christians aren’t immune to that Siren call and its no surprise that it infests certain churches like a cancer.
Nonsense! When Paul, Peter, James and John refer to the “Scriptures” they are only referring to the Hebrew Bible. Abba Father YHWH is the same, always, and forever. The New Testament is a commentary on the old. It points out that the “New Covenant” was completely described in the Hebrew Bible.
The judgment in Revelation makes that look like child's play (as far as numbers of people killed). And that is NT. Don't be so simplistic. The Bible says God is unchanging. Only the situations are different. There is a LOT of judgment coming.
Romans 14:17
That Righteousness thing is the kicker...
Lots of things will prevent you from entering into the Kingdom of God,
they are enumerated multiple places in the New Testament
Hmmm.
I’ve been in small Baptist churches throughout Alabama, Georgia and Florida the past 7 decades, but must admit I have somehow missed the “shouting about hellfire” stuff you apparently had to suffer through.
Was a member with a southern gospel group as well. Grew up in a small Baptist church in North Florida, and today I still go to a southern small Baptist church. Lived in the South my entire life, but for some reason I do not recognize the southern small Baptist church you describe.
It was all small churches. What is kinda funny is that the other members of the band were also Baptist and one day we did a “show” at a “christian” denomination. After the sermon, the guitar player said to me, “That was a weird sermon. It was like the pastor was just talking you me.”
Yeah. :)
I went to a baptist church in Seattle. There was none of that yelling nor the fire and brimstone message. Not much, anyway.
I don’t know that there are all that many “feel good” churches. Every one I’ve attended (quite a few, actually) had fairly strong messages directly from the bible, except for the small baptist churches I visited while in a southern gospel band. Those mostly got into the shouting about hellfire by a retired $30 a month preacher that didn’t prepare for any of his messages and it showed.
Fact is, Christianity IS “feel good” in a way. Joy doesn’t come from getting the house, the car, the promotion. Joy comes from being in Christ. It impacts how you view the hose, the car, the promotion and their acquisition. Those are not your main concern, just as the birds and the lilies of the fields don’t concern themselves
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I think he’s talking about the “Jesus is your buddy”, or Joel Osteen prosperity gospel.
I see Joel Osteen as a motivational speaker that, like most of them do, sprinkles in a bit of Christianity. I like the others because they use biblical wisdom to make their point while making it clear they are not delivering a “Christian” message, but a “how to live a more productive life” message. And, honestly, that is part of the message of Christianity.
But when this stuff is preached as “the” Christian message I kinda bristle. The key to the Christian message beyond salvation is not that Jesus will get you the car. It is that whether or not you have the car will no longer matter.
I have gone to Catholic Church every Sunday for 49 years. However, I was visiting a friend a few years ago and had gone to mass Saturday night. Sunday morning the family said you join us today. My six member family got in the car. We were guests after all. So off to mega church we went. I had only gone to non Catholic Churches for weddings prior to this Sunday. We arrived and were welcomed and band playing. Readings were read. The sermon I have to admit I remember it to this day. It was presented on white board and spoken very understandably. Do I remember the homily from 3 days ago? Hmmmmm. However, even though I remember that sermon from years ago, I still got the feeling the whole thing was over the top fake. Haven’t shaken that feeling to this day.
THANK YOU!!!!
Only for those who don't want to see the God of mercy revealed in the OT.
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