Starving Saints, Part One
Posted by James MacDonald on March 23, 2007 08:12 AM | Comments (13)It's all true. Everywhere I go I hear it. Like a tragedy as visual as the starving peoples of sub-Saharan Africa, the saints in North America are starving. Most followers of Jesus Christ attend churches where the content of the message is geared toward wooing worldlings with watered down content that won't offend. "Keep them comfortable," "give them time," "don't upset or alienate," these are the watchwords of watered down churches. Much more could be said about the unbiblical foundation for that kind of evangelism or how it mitigates against discipleship in the ones it does win, but the purpose of this post is to consider how it starves the saints.
"Feed My Sheep!" Thrice repeated in John 21, it was the strongly emphasized and nearly final command of Jesus to Peter and the rest of the apostles. It was not a suggestion, it was not a point worthy of consideration, it was a clear and simple command from our master Jesus Christ. "Whatever else you do, feed the sheep."
Jesus often talked about His sheep and how we need to "hear His voice" so we can follow Him (John 10:28-30). Sadly, today the majority of believers come and go from church in a dutiful manner and drive home with a gnawing in their spiritual stomachs because their souls have not been fed. The Word of God has not been opened and expounded, they have not been challenged or chastened by the sanctifying truth of Scripture (John 17:17). They have heard a pep talk on some self help issue aimed at the 'least among them.'
The legitimate mission of evangelism, the job of the 'church dispersed,' has replaced the worship of God by His people and the edification of the saints, the biblical objectives of the church 'gathered.' Truth is diluted or displaced by self generated 'talks' on perceived issues of importance. These inventions come from communicators who regard their own thoughts more highly than God's Word, sadly somehow believing that they are assisting the work of the gospel by avoiding the words of the Lord Himself. Such arrogance, go figure? These same messages so lacking in biblical truth are aimed at an audience that too often has no concept of what they are missing. Starving and they don't even know it. Junk food is all they have ever known, and they have no reference point to relieve their hunger or remedy the ache in their gut. The thing that is missing, the thing they are longing for, the only thing that will feed them is what God's Spirit was sent into the world to bring . . .
Jesus said; "But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (John 16:7-9, 12-13)
Comments
Posted by: Marilyn | March 27, 2007 08:14 AM
I am one of those starving although I cannot call myself a saint - I have been away from God for many many years and recently have had my faith restored and I am searching for teachings such as the ones you give in your broadcasts..I cannot tell you what a blessing your sermons have been - I wish I could hear this type of ministry all the time but you are right - churches today just don't do it for me..thank you for being there and please continue these broadcasts - if I can be replenished with God's word then there is hope for millions....
Posted by: Brad | March 27, 2007 09:31 AM
Isn't it still the narrow road? These mal-nutritionists are blind and starving as well. So concerned with offending people, with what they are ashamed of themselves. They run from conviction because they cannot stand the conviction of their own hearts. The vison for the church is not the church. They are too blind to see that the only thing growing is the number of people. Thousands of trees that bare no fruit. Instead of making disciples they are making immature missionary salesmen to sell their church, and they are using a shallow view of Christ to accomplish their goal. I hope your book rocks their face with the power of the truth and the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Maybe we can market your book on the front page of outreach.com, and title it, "New and Improved Church Growth Ideas, Now with 10x the Church Growth Powers Guaranteed to Grow Your Church or Your Money Back." I think it will sell like hotcakes!
Posted by: Andrea | March 27, 2007 01:09 PM
I leave starving from church most of the time, but God is faithful to me. I have been fed by your teaching Pastor James, on-line and at MBC. God seems to know what I need and thankfully I have the opportunity to listen to walk in the word and Harvest on-line. This been incredibly valuable to my hungry spirit.
Thank-you so much!
Posted by: Tiffany Granderson | March 27, 2007 03:23 PM
True. We are starving, longing for a good Bibical, Christ centered church. Are there any in the Houston area near Clear Lake? It's so dry. So many churches, so many deceptive teachers. Thank God for KKHT and broadcasts like yours. God's word brings life. Pastor James, thank you for teaching the word without filter, but with grace.
Posted by: David Riffel | March 27, 2007 08:39 PM
What is it about you, James? You hit the nail on the head! It’s like you can read all of our minds. Like so many others I leave church with that same gnawing feeling; we just have not been fed. What bothers me is that as an elder I seem to be a lonely voice crying in the wilderness. We’re all about “connecting people to Jesus†(and so we should be) but “helping them become his fully devoted followers†is pretty much left to the wayside. My real question is, how can God use me as an agent for change in my church?
Posted by: Ray W | March 28, 2007 06:20 AM
These men rightly note that we as Christians have for years put many non-biblical restrictions on people. But in ridding themselves of these non-essentials they have also thrown out the truth of sin, separation, and judgment for a skewed view of the gospel that is solely centered on grace. It is a denial of the power of the whole gospel and a denial that it is the supernatural power of God that brings someone to the point of a decision for repentance, not soothing words of a "new gospel".
Posted by: Brandt | March 28, 2007 04:30 PM
Pastor James: I am more convinced than ever that we need to have "seeker sensitive churches". :)
Let me explain...
GOD is SEEKING men and women to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. GOD is the seeker.
God is seeking for anyone who searches for God and He turns up empty (Psalm 14:2-3) No one gets some idea on their own to seek God.
Some through God's sovereign grace will hear His voice seeking them. Yeah, we need to be seeker sensitive. GOD is the Seeker. He has a word for those who will be found.
The heart of God for people.
We need to point people to the One who first loved us.
Posted by: Doug | April 2, 2007 03:55 PM
In my experience, people eat junk food because it's easy and tastes good (at first). I doubt that will change much. God works in many ways, sometimes through junk food. But for those who advocate a healthy diet, like you James, hopefully it's not just the "consumers" in the consumer-driven churches, but the "pushers" of the junk food, that will read your book. So many who write to this blog say the same as me: "if I were close, I would attend Harvest." We're desperate for a good meal, but if we can't get to Harvest, should we open our own restaurant? Maybe Harvest should franchise more ;). My point is that for those of us in the hinterlands to see change, new churches will have to be born (from new leaders) or the leaders of these anemic churches, who will tell you all day long about the lives changed, how God is prospering their church, etc., will have to change. Or, maybe a better networking b/c maybe there are churches like you're talking about in a realistic distance and I couldn't find them. I visited 30 (!!) churches in my area and found none that sound like what you're talking about.
Posted by: leslie | April 9, 2007 10:53 AM
Billy Graham was the greatest preacher on the gospel, ive ever heard, and now he's gone...
James, now, i think its your turn! There are so many people that i know that need to hear YOU preach GOD's word!
Posted by: taylor | April 10, 2007 10:06 PM
I just want to say thank you for not watering down the word of God, for dedicating yourself to preaching the true word, and for feeding the souls of many in our great church and throughout the nation who listen to WITW. My husband and I moved back to the Chicago area a little more than a year ago now after being on the east side of Cleveland for 3 years. I attended a wonderful church there called Fellowship Bible Church, pastored by Jamie Rasmussen. My husband is a Head Golf Professional for a private club here, which was the reason for our move, and to which I begged God for only moments after we landed in Ohio. More grateful than ever for being back "home," I struggled to find a good church for 5 months. I began to think after attending church after church, and researching churches in our area on the internet, that maybe I would never find anything as good as what I had there. I was in a very bad spot and ready to give up when God landed me at Harvest. To which that very day I came up to you and told you I would be calling this my new home. Each day I am more and more thankful for His faithfulness and my new home church-Harvest. Words can't describe how spiritually full I am from the Word you preach without apology! Thank you.
Posted by: Brian Marsh | April 15, 2007 09:59 AM
Right on brother MacDonald - The preacher's sole job on Sunday morning is to show his flock the Glory of God - "feed my sheep." Sadly, many, might I say most of the elect are starving for the Glory of God.
Posted by: Faith | June 12, 2007 03:02 PM
So, what do I do? Right now I'm not attending church because I haven't been to one yet in my town where I feel fed spiritually and connected in fellowship. I am so discouraged and I feel like I'm wasting my time by even going. But then, I feel conflicted because we are called not to abandon fellowship with one another.
I'm torn, I'm discouraged, I'm hungry for both God's Word and Christian friendships...
I just don't know what I should be doing now.
I am extremely blessed by WITW and Christian radio.
Thank you, James and God Bless.
Posted by: Stavro | February 28, 2008 12:40 PM
I was starting to wonder if it were I who had gone nuts. Nice to see someone else with a similar concept.
I think huge churches full of immature believers can the biggest determent to our faith as a whole. In other words, churches will become the embodiment of the very things that push people away from Christianity because of the individual members' failure to thrive.