Ephesians Chapter 2 verses 1-3 describes non-Christians this way “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”
In describing Gentile non-believers in Ephesians Chapter 4:17-19 Paul says this, “17 So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.”
Here is a brief summary of how these scripture verses describe non-Christians.
• Dead in transgressions and sins
• Followers of the ways of the world
• Followers of the ruler of the kingdom of the air (Satan Himself)
• Disobedient
• Gratifiers of the cravings of the sinful nature
• Objects of wrath
• Darkened in their understanding
• Separated from the life of God because of ignorance
• Having hardened hearts
• Having lost all sensitivity
• Given themselves over to sensuality with a continual lust for more.
This is not a pretty picture. These are not flattering words. Yet, this is the truth.
This leads me to ask some very important questions of my Christian brothers who follow the tenets of the church growth movement…
The church growth movement teaches that pastors should conduct sociological studies and ask non-believers why they don’t go to church and what they would ‘want’ in a church and its services. The church growth pastor is then supposed to change his services and messages to conform with the desires of non-believers so that his church will grow. Here are my questions… Since when did people who are dead in their sins, followers of the ways of the world and Satan, disobedient, gratifiers of the cravings of the sinful nature, objects of wrath, darkened in their understanding, separated from the life of God due to ignorance, having hardened hearts, having lost all sensitivity and given to sensuality with a continual lust for more… get a vote in how the church conducts its business? Why on earth should non-believers be allowed to dictate what the church says and does? Based upon how Scripture describes non-believers, it is very clear that they're never going to want to hear about their sin and their utter need for a savior. Yet this is the VERY thing they need to hear. So which is it going to be? Are we going to give non-believers what they want so that we can grow our churches or are we going to obey the LORD and give them what they need and risk keeping our churches small?
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Ephesians 1 decribes our relation with God with words such as chose(n), predestined, included, marked in him. All of these works describe God's action and our passive action. It's simple: 100% God, 0% us. This simple truth is something that Church Growth people either have forgotten or rejected.
Eph 1:13 makes it clear that only by hearing the gospel is how we are included in Christ and that results in our belief. Even faith itself is a gift of God. We couldn't believe without God's action for us.
When the Church Growth folks return to the gospel of our redemption through Christ, then they will be making disciples, not just church members.
Posted by: Steve | June 25, 2006 at 11:08 PM