Mr. Sheets
Ξ April 1st, 2006 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Theology, Journal |
I’ve been reading a book by Dutch Sheets called “The River of God: Moving in the Flow of God’s Plan for Revival” ((C) 1998 by Regal Books). I’m enjoying the book and have a few noteworthy quotes from it…
“We have received the fullness of Christ, but we must stay filled with His Spirit. We can be 100 percent saved but walk in 30 percent power and efficiency. After speaking on the subject, Dwight Moody was asked why he needed to be filled and refilled with the Spirit. ‘That’s very simple,’ said Mr. Moody, ‘I leak’.”
This resonated with me as I reflected back on the “What is Church Anyways?” postings I did. Perhaps the shortfall of the chruch these days is an issue of efficiency. We REALLY believe and we REALLY commit to going to church, but we are just not that spiritually efficient. I just consistently feel that there is a scarcity when it comes to the powerful presence of God. I don’t deny that He is always present, but the part about edifying His people through signs and wonders is the part that I think is missing from many churches.
Another quote…
“A ‘What’s in it for me?’ gospel has taken center stage in our country. When we preach a humanistic (man [other than Jesus] at the center) gospel, we produce humanistic, self-centered converts. How could a humanistic gospel that never gets self to the Cross, but instead makes the appeal to the self’s motiviation, do anything else? Preach to people of the blessings, and they love it. Ask for a little sacrifice, and they quickly disappear. Little of anything is said about taking up and living at the Cross daily. Most Americans (and Canadians) don’t even know what it means. ‘Jesus paid it all so I can be happy.” This is really all that matter to them.
Only 3 to 5 percent of the people who donate money to a church tithe their income.1 Only 60 percent attend a church service weekly. Most never pray or spend time in the Word of God-unless they need or want something. The average Christian family of four in America today gives $20.80 a year toward foreign missions. The Church of America spends $5 billion annually on new religious buildings, while investing $ million a year to reach the unreached with the gospel. That’s a ratio of 5000 to 1-buildings over people, comfort over commission.2 There is very little concern for the cause of Christ.”
Italics are mine.
1. George Barna, How to Increas Giving in Your Church (Ventura: Regal Books, 1997), p. 20.
2. David Barrett, Our Globe and How to Reach It (Birmingham: New Hope Publishing, 1991)
The gospel as it is being taught has certainly been changed in our capitalist, consumerist society. Not everywhere, but there is not doubt that the self-help church is huge these days. And those number sure aren’t encouraging. The whole things reminds me of a video I saw. It’s called the “Me” Church. It’s hilarious.
THAT video reminds me of another great video, Real Christians of Genius. Check it out.
In searching for the first two videos, I stumbled across this one too which was funny. And this play off of the Terry Tate Office Linebacker series of Reebok commercials - Evangelism Linebacker
Anyways… Thats enough for today.