Where Are The Voices

I have spent a great deal of thought and time about whether or not I should write this post. I wish not to sound like a bitter old man, nor do I wish to come across as one who sees nothing good in this world. But I have to write what is in my spirit and on my heart.

Where are the voices?
Where are those voices that call us back to remember what the church is here for?
Where are the voices that call us to accountability? The voices that stirred us to step out of complacency and apathy. The voices that awakened us to the need to take up our cross and follow daily........not once a week.
I'm not saying they aren't out there....they just aren't speaking to the church at large. They aren't crying for us to wake up before it's too late.

This all came about for me as I was driving home yesterday. I was flipping down the dial of my radio, searching for something to listen to (that's a whole other story) when I hit the "Christian section)....usually 93.9 to 88.3 on FM. Station after station was playing "Christian" music...Every song was about how wonderful God was. How wonderful His blessing's are. How wonderful life is with Him. How wonderful the church is.  Now before you go off on me and say I've lost my mind, hear me.
If you receive a steady diet of such songs (A friend of mine refer's to such as "ear" candy) you wind up believing that you and everyone around you in church must be o.k. You never actually look deep into your own heart checking it under the light of God's word to see if there are things that you need to address. 

If the messages you hear on Sunday morning are all about pop culture and "your destiny", then you won't be challenged to take up the mantle Christ gave His church in the first place. I like the way the Message Bible reads concerning this:  II Timothy 4 -  You're going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food--catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They'll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you----keep your eye on what you're doing. Accept the hard times along with the good Keep the Message alive and do a thorough job as God's servant.

I am all for encouragement! I am for exaltation of His church...but not at the expense of allowing sin and self to hid in the shadows. To do so would make a mockery of the cross. We need those voices that call us to repentance. We need to be held accountable to Christ and to each other. I fear that the church is closing the doors upon itself to become some sort of club where only the members enjoy the benefits. There is a whole world outside the doors of our churches that is lost and headed in the wrong direction. Such poor unfortunates view the church as one would a Chaplin on a cruise ship. Not much need for his services.........until the boat starts to sink, then everyone wants him.

People choose churches these days, based on what they can do for them. How many programs does the church have? What is available for the children? What extra curricular activity do they have....Very seldom does anyone go to the leadership of the church and ask, "Is the word of God being taught here?"
There is a quiet assumption that since it carries the name "church", then it must be o.k.
Jesus didn't die so you could enjoy the church softball team. He died for His church. When that spear pierced His side, and the blood and water came forth...so did the church, His bride. Just as God took a rib from Adam's side, God took the church from Jesus' side.

Keith Green said it best in the song "To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice."
"To obey is better than sacrifice. I don't need your Sunday's and Wednesday nights. Cause if you can't come to me everyday.....then don't bother coming at all."
We need those voices who speak beyond the walls of the church, directly to the center of our hearts. Calling us to remember what our real purpose is.
1.) Worship God
2.) Serve others through doing the works of Christ.
That is it.
Simple.
Direct...
Not complicated.
We need to remember the voices that God has given to us, some of whom have died and no longer are with us.
Men and women such as Leonard Ravenhill...
A.W. Tozer...
Vance Havner....
David Wilkerson...
Keith Green...
Mark Heard....
Dietrich Bonhoeffer...
Amy Carmichael....
Fanny Crosby....
and the list goes on and on..
People who stirred us from our slumber to take the message to others.

God on you...
mb