Why Do We Go?
The other day I was talking with an individual and they were telling me about an experience they had at another church. They said that when they went, the pastor was heated in his delivery as he preached against sin. This individual said that they would never go back because they didn't go to church to get "yelled at, they went to church to feel good". They said that since that day they have been successful in finding a church that meets their need. Now mind you, I just met this person, and I have never been to the church that was referenced, but the phrase "I go to church to feel good" left me very uneasy. I wouldn't want to sit under a mean-spirited pastor but neither do I want to sit under someone who is only going to make me "feel" good. When I read the Scriptures, it is very evident that God is much more interested in me "being" good than "feeling" good. He wants to make changes in my heart that will make real differences in my life. As a pastor, I have been around many doctors who had poor bedside manners, but were excellent doctors. And I have to say that I would much rather have one of them working on me than someone who made me "feel" good but didn't know how to treat any of my problems.
Agreed. The Truth is an offence; as THE truth, Christ is an offence; the cross is an offence. When I became a Christian, and first began attending a Baptist church, I made a comment to my pastor that his preaching made me think that he was following me around. Of course I knew that he wasn't. When sin gets preached against, at some point, it better hit home. If it doesn't, you might want to make sure that you're saved, but that's not my call: that's just how it affected me, and I'm usually a fairly good example of Joe Blow. After a while, I came to say that if I don't get offended by preaching, then I'm not getting the preaching that I need. Not that I don't enjoy a good Glory Land message, or redemption message; but sin is part of what we are, and to at least some extent, who we are; that's why the Gospel is an offence, Christ is an offence, and Calvary is an offence! Praise God! Offend me; offend the World, offend my flesh, and offend the devil. Coz
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