Tag: church
New Research Shows Christians Aren’t Reading Their Bibles. Thanks Captain Obvious!
Posted on July 14, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
You are never going to believe this. A new study reveals a major problem among Christians and those who regularly attend church> It’s probably not what you are thinking either.
Sure, we all have problems, no one is perfect and no one goes through a day without making a mistake. But one of the biggest problems plaguing Christians right now could very well be the source of many other issues happening among the family, community, and culture.
According to a new LifeWay Research study, only about 45% of people that claim to attend church regularly say they read the Bible more than once a week. In other words, 55% of people attending church regularly don’t pick their Bible up at any other time than on Sunday. A recent article reports:
All You Need to Know About the Supreme Court Marriage Decision
Posted on June 30, 2015 in Marriage, Public Policy, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
We’ve all heard and read about the recent marriage ruling by the Supreme Court. The number of articles, blog posts, and interviews commenting on this landmark ruling is astounding. That being true, there is no reason for me to comment on the ruling at this time.
Instead, I’ve constructed a detailed list of the articles posted by top voices on the issue. From research analysts, political analysts, pastors, theologians, and cultural commenters, these articles look at the decision from every viewpoint and angle.
I urge you to read some of these articles and have a well-constructed response to the inevitable conversation that you will be involved in soon. Don’t be unprepared. Be informed and able to clearly articulate your position.
What The Supreme Court Said:
Christianity Today: Here’s What Supreme Court Says about Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Freedom
“So the question becomes: How will gay rights and religious rights be balanced? Below is what the justices said in today’s majority opinion and four dissents, as well as a summary of related survey data. Essentially, the majority believe the First Amendment gives religious groups and people “proper protection” to “continue to advocate” their beliefs on traditional marriage. But the dissenters are more skeptical, and concerned that “people of faith can take no comfort” in the ruling.”
Making Church “Cool” Has Failed. Stop It. Please.
Posted on June 23, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
If you want a picture of what a few progressive Christians want in a church, look no further than the writing of Rachel Held Evans. The picture presented by Evans is a combination of hipster religion and liberal social policy, aimed, it seems, at attracting young people that are otherwise more interested in social media and selfies.
I get it. The effort to create a brand of church that is marketable to the young has become popular; not with everyone, but popular nonetheless. So we have coffee shops, light shows, a ministry tailored for every member of the church, and an entire brand designed to set us apart from every other church in town.
Maybe I’m getting old, but those things are far less appealing to me today than they were 10 years ago. And, it seems, Rachel Held Evans is not really impressed with it either. She wrote an article that appeared in the Washing Post expressing her displeasure with modern attempts to make church “cool.” We would most likely find a great deal of agreement in our rejection of what many church-trend-followers claim is a cool church.
I can stand in solid agreement with the idea that less is more, smaller is better, simpler is more effective, and deeper is needed. The last thing we need in our churches is louder music, more lights, branding, and old people trying to wear skinny jeans. We could use a little more reverence, in-depth study, confessing sins, and the kind of fellowship that leaves you longing for more.
So Evans and I can find mutual agreement in our rejection of “cool” church. Where we tend to disagree is what that looks like and means practically. For Evans, it seems to be a sort of utopia that I’m not sure can exist in a sin-filled world. In her article, Evans shares several ideas that she believes is needed in the church today. They are:
The Southern Baptist Convention is Church-Planting Itself Out of Existence. Is That Good?
Posted on June 16, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
Church plants are on the rise, so are the “nones” and the “dones.” The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is getting smaller. Not only do I think these trends will continue, I think they are a good thing for Christians, the Gospel, and America.
I’ll confess that I am highly interested in church cultural trends. I’m not just a theology geek, but a geek in general that is fascinated by trends that I can see happening around me. When I read a statistic that matches up with the reality in my community I am curious. The trend of shrinking denominationalism coupled with more churches being planted is both fascinating and obvious. These trends, in conjunction with the rise of the “dones” is also interesting and obvious.
Christianity Today recently reported several statistics that are worth noting relating to the Southern Baptist Convention:
How to Protect Your Church: Supreme Court Marriage Ruling Could Mean Trouble for Marriage
Posted on June 8, 2015 in Marriage, Public Policy by Nathan Cherry
The Supreme Court is preparing to rule on the issue of marriage. Potentially the court could decide that same-sex “marriage” is to be recognized across the nation regardless of state laws – effectively overriding current state laws. If this occurs one area that everyone will be watching to see how it is affected is the church.
Will the court ruling, if unfavorable, demand that churches recognize same-sex “marriage”? Will the ruling demand that pastors perform same-sex weddings against their religious convictions? Those questions are left unanswered at this time but many are taking proactive steps to protect their ministry.
Citizenlink has put together a short video with some information pastors and churches will find valuable in preparing for whatever ruling is handed down. In conjunction with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Citizenlink is sharing resources designed to protect churches and pastors in the event of a lawsuit. I highly recommend that this information be shared with any pastor or church leader now, don’t wait.
Have You Ever Heard of “The Dones”? You Probably Know Someone in This Group
Posted on June 2, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
I’ve been having this conversation more with people who are curious about this particular group. It’s becoming noticeable that the “dones” are rapidly growing into an easily recognizable group. Whereas at one time a few people knew someone who was once solidly committed to their faith but has since walked away. Now, many people such a person. In fact, you might talk to that person often and not even know it.
The “dones” exist because the church is broken. Now, we’ve all known the church is broken for a long time. And no one of any kind of theological depth would expect it to be anything but broken. The church is filled with sinful humans that, despite the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, continue to sin. But the church is also broken because it has morphed into something it was never meant to be.
The Church is Partially to Blame for Efforts to Redefine Marriage
Posted on May 20, 2015 in Marriage, Sexuality by Nathan Cherry
Abigail Rine is a professor of English at George Fox University. Each year she hands out a reading assignment to her gender theory students designed to provoke them. She recently decided to assign the book “What Is Marriage” by noted Princeton professor Robert P. George, Ryan T. Anderson, and Sherif Girgis. The book is a simple explanation of the conjugal view of traditional marriage.
Rine reports that the book, which is a manual of sorts on the traditional view of marriage as it relates to procreation, was offensive to her evangelical students at her evangelical university. Let that sink in for a moment.
But Rine said something that needs to be admitted: the church helped create the effort to redefine marriage.
I don’t mean that the church altered biblical teaching or even advocated marriage redefinition. Certainly some churches have done this but the vast majority of churches today continue to adhere to traditional biblical teaching of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. What I mean is that how the church handled the issue of marriage and sexuality in past decades aided the rise of marriage redefinition efforts.
Rine writes:
Steps Every Church Can Take to Defend Biblical Teaching on Marriage
Posted on May 13, 2015 in Marriage, Religious Freedom by Nathan Cherry
As I discussed yesterday, the Supreme Court is preparing to rule on the issue of marriage. More specifically, whether or not it should be legal in all 50 states for homosexuals to marry. This decision will have a major impact on every person regardless of which way the court rules.
Several years ago I was involved with educating churches and pastors on what steps they could take to protect their churches from lawsuits due to changing cultural norms. While many churches were receptive to such instruction, some churches believed it unnecessary. Few churches today seeking to protect their religious freedom think being educated is unnecessary.
Groups like The Gospel Coalition have been more cautious in recommending to churches steps that can be taken to protect their pastors, facilities, and religious freedom. So when I see recommendations from The Gospel Coalition, in conjunction with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), I take notice.
In a blog post not long ago, The Gospel Coalition recommended five ways churches can protect their religious convictions and freedom amidst a changing culture. These are five steps groups like ADF and the one I worked with were encouraging years ago; they are more critical today than ever.
The five steps are:
I wish I could get this article read, studied, and learned in every church. It’s not that it is some previously unknown theological truth that will amaze with its depth and riches. Quite the opposite. It’s a very simple teaching grounded in biblical truth that should be known by churches, but is, sadly, not.
The bottom line is this: the pastor/overseer/shepherd/elder of the church is answerable to God, not you.
While I love our democratic-republic form of government here in America, it has, unfortunately, caused a little chaos in the church. Many church members have this idea that everything must be voted on, and everyone has to agree. With that in mind we want to vote on who the leaders are, what ministries will and will not exist, and how every dime of “our” money will be spent. The result is a church where the biblical leaders are little more than talking heads and puppets acting on behalf of the people.
But that’s not how God designed the church and certainly not how He intended it to be operated.
Mean Churches: How to Spot Them and Avoid Them
Posted on April 15, 2015 in Theology by Nathan Cherry
I wrote not long ago about mean people in the church. Sadly, if you’ve been going to church for any length of time, you’ve had an encounter with someone that is known to be mean.
It seems I’m not alone in my discouragement over the growing number of mean people (and mean churches) that give Christ and His church a bad name. In fact, if you’ve never read about “The Dones,” you will find it fascinating. This group, which is the fastest growing group of people is characterized as: once faithfully committed church members walking away from the church because they are tired of the abuse inside the church.
One common trait among The Dones that I have noticed is that they say they are fed up with the mean-spirited, abusive people in the church. One person recently wrote a letter to Lifeway President Thom Rainer saying:
“The non-Christians I associate with are much nicer people than the members of my church.”
As stinging a comment as that may be, it is also very true in many cases. I’ve often said that church people are some of the meanest I’ve ever known. An old adage says “if you want to learn to fight, join a church committee.” I didn’t say it was a good adage.