The Bulletin
of the
Church of Christ at
New Georgia
Tim Johnson, editor
May 17, 2009
In
This Issue:
Gimmicks,
Games or the Gospel
by
Jerry Vinson
Guard
Your Heart
by
John Hendrix
Gimmicks, Games or the Gospel
A Gallup Poll taken a few years ago and mentioned on Paul Harvey's radio program surveyed so-called "Church goers" and "Non-Church goers" to see if there was a significant difference between the two groups in morality, behavior, thinking, etc. The final result revealed that there was no significant difference. The conclusion was, "As the world gets churchier, the church gets worldlier." Is it really any wonder?
Did you hear about the "Church of Christ" in the Houston, TX area that promoted their "World's Largest Hot Dog," and then they invited the public to come and take a bite out of it? Did you see the news report that mentioned that a few Catholic churches are offering "Theology On Tap," free beer and Bible study, to attract the interest of college students? Do you know of the Baptist church that is operating a full service McDonald's on their premises? What about the so-called "Non-Denominational" church that has opened a Starbuck's Coffee House in their building? Then there is the church in the Texas Panhandle that advertises its "X-treme Ministry," a play on the "X-treme Sports" craze in America. A young, energetic voice offers this sales pitch: "Do you want to get crazy? Do you want to have fun? X-trEEEeeeEEEME Ministry!" Lots of gimmicks, lots of games! But, what have these to do with the Gospel?
What do all of these gimmicks have in common? First, they are all attempts by a religious world to try to hold their own members, to attract more non-religious people, and to recruit the semi-religious. Second, these are marketing strategies that work in the secular business realm. Third, they are all appeals that use the philosophy of the world, the language of the world, and the desires of the world to attract people of the world. John described this mentality and those who hold to it this way: "They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them" - 1 John 4:5. John was referring to religious worldly men who used worldly means and a worldly message that would appeal to worldly people. We may be living in a different time than John, but we surely see this same mentality today in the religious world - just look around!
From hotdogs, pizza parties, free beer, fun, games and getting crazy, the religious world caters and panders to the non-religious world by offering them one big party with a dash of religion. A friend of mine recently said, "For many people today, it's all about the party - religion is only the decoration." And to that I must sadly and heartily say, "Amen!" "For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" - Romans 14:17. The religious world would do well to learn this.
Whether it is the promotion of "The World's Largest Hot Dog," "Theology On Tap" "Fast Food Franchises," "X-treme Ministries," or the next "new" worldly game or gimmick labeled as "Outreach," these are simply worldly methods promoted by worldly messengers to attract worldly people. The end result is a worldly church, no matter whether it is a denominational or a non-denominational church.
Neither Jesus, nor His apostles, nor His disciples in the first century, used these or any other worldly means and methods to try and bring sinners to Jesus. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations" never encompassed the gimmicks and games that typify much of the religious world of our day. Oddly enough, without the benefit of our expertise in marketing, promotions, games and gimmicks, the early Christians were able to "turn the world upside down" - Acts 17:6. In just over thirty years, the gospel reached into "all the world" and was "preached to every creature under heaven" - Colossians 1:5-6, 23. What a pity that our modern day marketers and promoters weren't there to share all of their knowledge and expertise. The early Christians might have accomplished such a noble task in at least half the time! [Note: There's more than a hint of sarcasm in those last two sentences. SK]
-- Jerry Vinson
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. (Proverbs 4:23, NIV)
Waters will sometimes gather under the surface of a hill or mountain and spring forth from its side in a bubbling brook. The water is good or bad depending on the earth and rock through which it passes. Usually it is wholesome and men love to drink near the source of a mountain stream. Sometimes, however, it is not. The mountain holds some sulfur or other bitter material and the water is foul.
In just this way the heart of man may take in all of the goodness of God's blessings and still put forth nothing but evil:
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man. (Matthew 15:18-20)
Guard your heart! All of the good things you hear, and all of the good things you may do, will be fouled by any bitterness and corruption within you.
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. (Luke 6:45)
Truly the heart is the source of the good or evil in a man. True obedience springs from the heart (Romans 6:17), and evil has no hold on a man except he takes it inside himself:
But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. (Luke 8:15, NIV)
But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:14-15)
So, the one who desires to avoid sin and do right must carefully watch his heart. An honest heart will be open to hear and learn the truth; a heart that is otherwise cannot be taught:
These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)
Once prepared to obey God, the good heart must be maintained; the guard never let down. A man who violates his conscience sears his heart and-though forgiveness is requested and granted-risks destroying his whole faith:
. . . Holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. (1 Timothy 1:19, NIV)
Our hearts-when properly conditioned with God's word-guides us away from the evil and towards the good (Hebrews 5:14). Disaster strikes when we repeatedly ignore its warnings.
The good heart is maintained through contemplation of good things:
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)
A Christian guards his heart by keeping it focused on the ultimate goal of pleasing God: an eternal home in heaven. A man who thinks and dreams of markets and money will mostly hope for wealth. He may gain it for a while. Those who most desire houses and cars will fill their minds with the ways and means to obtain them. They may possess them for a time. The people who continually long for their eternal home will think of little else than prayer, hymns and Bible study. Heaven can never be taken away!
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)
Everything precious must be closely watched. Our salvation depends upon our hearts. There is nothing more precious than this. Guard your heart well!
-- John Hendrix