It's All About Me!

Is this what your church worship sounds like?



If so, there could be a problem!

When you think of "worship" think of "worth-ship." Worship should ascribe worth to God. A problem that Christians have noticed with  many contemporary worship songs is that they are inherently narcissistic. In other words, "me-centered." The following is just one example of a modern worship song that seems to be more focused on the emotional feelings of the worshiper rather than the God who is to be praised:

Hungry I come to you for I know you satisfy
I am empty but I know your love does not run dry

And so I wait for you, so I wait for you
I’m falling on my knees, offering all of me
Jesus You’re all this heart is living for

Broken I run to you for Your arms are open wide
I am weary but I know Your touch restores my life

This is the song of an empty-self. Notice that the subject in every single sentence above is the worshiper, not the one to whom worship should be ascribed! One of the things I have come to appreciate is the beauty and theological richness contained in older hymns and worship lyrics. Not only are classic hymns more likely to fulfill the purpose of worship, that is, ascribe worth to God, but they are also much more capable of teaching theological truth through their lyrics which is an added benefit for the congregation.

Contrast the above song with this classic hymn:

Holy, holy,holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty!
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou are holy; there is none besides thee
Perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.

Wow! Now that's what I call worship!

Apologetics: Why Your Church Needs It

(Rzim.org) by J.M. Njoroge

The ambiguity of the word apologetics provides the apologist with a natural icebreaker in public or private conversations on the topic: the apologist does not exist to “apologize” for being a Christian, or indeed for anything else. The assumption behind the pun is that the listeners would have a fair understanding of what apologetics is even if they cannot attach a formal definition to the concept. Unfortunately, this assumption is not always accurate.

During a conversation at a major apologetics event recently held in a large church, an attendee asked me what “apologetics” meant. I explained to her that apologetics is the branch of Christian theology that seeks to address the intellectual obstacles that keep people from taking the Gospel of Jesus Christ seriously. I gave her some examples of questions that are important in the context of apologetics. For example, why does evil exist if the world was created by an all-good, all-powerful God? How do we know Christianity is true in light of the numerous religions that exist in the world? 

I finished my answer to her by quoting 1 Peter 3:15, which instructs us to be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks for the reason for the hope that is within us. Her reaction was surprising. 

READ MORE...

Application Without Exegesis: A Destructive Trend

(Christiantheology.wordpress.com) by Doug Eaton

Exegesis is foundational to understand scripture’s application to our lives. The problem is that many in the church want to hear the application without doing the work of the exegete. In many cases this has also been translated into the way many preachers preach. In order to keep congregants happy, they are given large amounts of life application with little if any scriptural content. This puts both the preacher and the congregant in a dangerous position, because now neither the preacher nor the churchgoer is tethered to the text. Two major problems can arise in the life of the church member because of this. First, even if the application of scripture is correct, when it is challenged by those who disagree, the church member is left defenseless when it comes to defending this truth biblically. And second, if the application is not truly derived from scripture, then the church member has been sold some kind self-help scheme as if were a “biblical principle.” And when this self help scheme eventually lets them down, not only will they be disappointed in the church, but they may even start to believe scripture is no longer trustworthy. This is indeed a destructive trend.

Who's Waiting For Our Kids?

Questions to ponder...

1. Why does study after study show that our youth are abandoning the faith and leaving the church in massive droves?
2. Why do so few believers know what they believe and why they believe it?
3. How is it even possible for Christians to sit in the pews of their church for years and still emerge knowing nothing substantial about their faith?
4. Why is it that many so-called "leaders" within the church cannot even clearly articulate what they believe?
5. Why do Christian students have to spend thousands of dollars to attend seminary for training they should be receiving in the local church?

Is it possible we aren't doing our job?



In a culture where Christians are constantly bombarded with the secular philosophies of postmodernism, moral relativism, and religious pluralism, knowing what you believe and why you believe it is as important as ever. Despite how many within the church feel, we live in a time in which clear-thinking, sound theology, and a robust defense of the faith is crucial for the survival of our faith.

Given the state of our culture and the Church, is it any wonder we are losing our kids? Something has to be done, or as Josh McDowell has stated, this may be the last Christian generation.

What do you think?

Video used by permission from Brett Kunkle