Friday, September 30, 2011

Qualified Elders and the Idolatry of Satelite "Churches"

"For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you...v. 5, holding fast the faithful word that he(the elder) has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict," Titus 1:5, 9.
     There is no time to mess around, we must cut to the chase here.  The American Evangelical Church, those who claim the title evangelical, is about to die.  It has given in to almost every crass whim of culture and is breathing its last breath.  The final sign of its impending rigor mortise is this: the satellite "church".  What I mean, to be clear, by satellite "church", is a "church" whose primary teacher/preacher is piped in on a big screen from miles(sometimes hundreds or more) away.  A recent survey showed that 59 of the 100 fastest growing churches in the country are of the satellite variety.  Friends, what this displays is a complete and total lack of discipleship and the fawning adulation of the celebrity pastor.  This trend is sweeping the church and even once reliable men like John Piper are allowing this charade to be played, miming the idiocies of the business conference world.  Mark Driscoll, James McDonald, Ed Young Jr. and multitudes of other popish pastors are emulating this silliness forgetting that their primary charge is to disciple others and furthermore, as Paul admonished Titus, select particularly mature and faithful men to teach and exhort their flocks.
     Having sounded the alarm, more will have to be said as the rotting edifice of American evangelicalism collapses upon itself.  While it may sound as if I am alarmed, I know that God will keep those who are His, He is sovereign, holy, gracious and just.  What arises out of this destruction will be a stronger, more faithful and more loving church in America.  It is in times such as these that we must, more than ever, learn, live and love the glorious gospel of our loving Savior!

1 comment:

  1. A shepherd that has a church large enough to plant a "satelite", should have a man who he has discipled who can preach. If not, he is spending too much time doing other things, maybe even idolatrous in his study of the word, to disciple men. I can't believe that a shepherd of a church of hundreds or thousands does not have one or more capable men who can preach and shepherd or learn to.

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