Why Build a Church? ...Why Go to Church?

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth:

but the Word of our God shall stand forever."

Isaiah 40:8

Eighteen years ago George Barna wrote a book entitled Marketing the Church. In the book he wrote, “The audience, not the message is sovereign.” It’s a notion that thousands of pastors and churches have unwittingly swallowed as if it were Scripture. It has been parroted in virtually every major book on church leadership since; and it’s being taught in seminaries across the country. The basic idea is that people’s“needs” must shape the pastor’s message. Opinion polls and listener response become barometers that tell a pastor what to preach.

Now compare that with the words of the Apostle Paul, who said (in II Timothy 4:2-5), “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned to fables.” Do you think Paul would have agreed with Barna, who said we must adapt our message to the preferences of the audience at the risk of having them reject the message?

Absolutely Not! Paul told Timothy: “Preach the Word! …in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” As your pastor, this is what I am called to do – not to follow the fads and fashions of our culture. Not even the evangelical fads that have assaulted the church in wave after wave over the last two decades. You know what I’m talking about: “What Would Jesus Do?” Bracelets, “Prayer of Jabez” stuff, Purpose-Driven merchandise (complete with the authorized trademark symbol.) Remember the “Toronto Blessing?” What about “Promise Keepers?” and all the Left Behind Books?

Why do I call them fads? Because that’s precisely what they are. They weren’t around thirty-five years ago, and they’ll be gone in ten. Why have Christians become so susceptible? Why are evangelicals so keen to jump on every bandwagon? In a word: simplicity. The fads water-down the Word of God: Scripture is more often than not out of context. The message is soft and generic and non-threatening so it doesn’t rebuke anyone’s sin; endanger anyone’s shallowness; threaten anyone’s comfort zone; or challenge anyone’s worldliness. The fads hardly ever take a stand on the controversial issues. God’s Word is unmistakably clear on today’s controversial issues!

I’m convinced that those who do not get back to the business of preaching the Bible will soon see their churches die – because the Word of God is the only message that has the power to give life!

Now. . . as the shepherd of a congregation in the midst of constructing a new church building, I’d be inconsistent – even remiss – if I didn’t challenge Crane Chapel to remember what the Church is all about! We’ve been working our way through the Book of Acts – the Building the Church Series - and I hope you’ve been listening. We definitely live in an entertainment hungry world with an increasingly entertainment hungry church. Christians today are having a harder time facing the serious stuff of life because they aren’t hearing the serious stuff of Scripture. Faith does still come by hearing, and hearing the Word of God! Why are we building a church? To preach the Word!!

Now. . . Why are you coming to church?

- Pastor Mark Goossen

"Heaven and earth shall pass away:

but my words shall not pass away."

Mark 13:31