Are you just a
Name?
(Being a True
Christian)
In 1 Corinthians
2:2, the Apostle Paul stated:
(1 Corinthians
2:1-5)
"And I,
brethren, when i came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,
declaring unto you the testimony of God. For i determined not to know any thing
among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And i was with you in
weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching
was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit
and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the
power of God."
Paul was afraid
that if he added his own wisdom or gimmicks to his message, he would detract
from the central focus of the gospel, Jesus Christ and His substitutionary
atonement. It’s a shame our ministers today don’t have the same passion at
heart. I think if Paul were evangelizing today, he wouldn’t be hip enough
to draw the young, entertainment loving, concert-going crowd. In New York City,
Hillsong Church’s NYC campus is pastored by Carl Lentz. In an article on Yahoo,
the first sentence reads, “Carl Lentz is not your typical pastor.” (Online Source) I knew it would only get
worse from there. The Hillsong campus in NYC is a megachurch, and their uncoventional
pastor looks like every other culturally relevant, hip, expressive young
upstart on the street. He has his tattoos, and his really cool
”half-shaved head and slicked-back mohawk.”
**With my own eyes i had seen that the world is
evidently in the hearts of many in this so called church, and it all starts
with the so called pastor of the church. He has not let go of the world
himself, and is leading others to okaying the sins of this world. When i saw
the video, and the way that the church was presented, there was no power, all i
saw was the world. How is there a change, how is Jesus in the hearts of the
people there, if they are still like the world? All they did was put the name
'Jesus' in their gatherings, and think that will be ok. This pastor is worrying
too much, on bringing the young people in, and striving to draw them in with
the world, that the truth is not being presented. The church itself was in the
dark, in the appearance of a night club. God does not except this at all. He
doesn't agree with drawing the world, WITH the world. God is Holy and Pure, NOT
of the world. We are to be CHANGED, REFORMED, and REBORN. Children of light, no
longer in the darkness. **
(John 3:3)
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God."
(2 Corinthians
4:5-6)
"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus
the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded
the light to shine our of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
(Ephesians
5:3-12)
"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or
covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither
filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not covenient: but
rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremongers, nor unclean
person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the
kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for
because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of
disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes
darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the
fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and of truth;) Proving
what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful
works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of
thsoe things which are done of them in secret."
--People squeeze into whatever space they can find
and take notes on iPhones as Lentz marches across the stage, peppering his
sermon with Bible verses, jokes, pop music lines and street slang.--
((“If you’re new to our church, we love you,” said
the 34-year-old Lentz. “Don’t be alarmed by the craziness you see. One time
somebody said, ‘Y’all are crazy in your church,’ and I said, ‘You ever seen you
dance drunk? Don’t be judging us up in church.’”))
-- Lentz apes the culture in order to build a
culturally relevant church that looks nothing like Christ. How can it look like
Christ when it looks JUST LIKE the world? Put plainly, mirroring the culture
will not produce godly converts, it will produce worldly, unrepentant
sinners.--
** (we were once slaves...) In order to follow
Jesus, and be free, we must remove the chains, and walk away from them, not
hold them tight, when Jesus gives you the chance to be free from them. These
people in this church are looking for a way to still live in their sins, and be
more accepting, in a way now, they proclaim that just by believing Jesus
Christ, and now going to a so called church, that so call speaks about Him, and
sings songs (rock, rap-in a 'Christian genre) that they are now a Christian. It
doesn't work that way. Ja rule (a rapper) was speaking in an interview about
becoming Changed, and going to 'Hillsong Church' and how when he went, that
they had turned a night club into a church. It was dark, and had strobe lights,
and disco ball, and the people there were skateboarders, and basically people
that come off from the street. All together. He said that he felt 'comfortable'
there, and he had made the statement, come as you are. When the preacher came
out, he had tattoos on his arms, had jeans, and a t-shirt on. (to look like one
that came from the street-an everyday person) **
--According to the article, most attribute the
success of the church to its “young, unorthodox leader.” In fact, the church
claims to attract a crowd of approximately 5,500 to its Sunday services. That is
a lot of warm bodies in one place! So, why all the attention? What does this
church offer that others don’t? One simple thing: Lentz has established himself as his own brand. He has more
than 67,000 followers on Twitter and 59,000 on Instagram, where you can find
pictures of him standing next to Jay-Z and NBA star Kevin Durant.--
-- Justin Bieber posted a picture of himself eating
lunch with Lentz, “talking ’bout our savior Jesus Christ.” (Emphasis mine.)
Hmmm… how important does one have to be to eat lunch with Justin Bieber! (Not being mean, but unless
you’re a 13 year old girl, no one will be much impressed with that.) Should any
pastor, who purports to be a minister of the gospel, exalt himself and
establish himself as a “brand?” Shouldn’t our desire be to exalt the Lord Jesus
Christ and bring glory to Him and Him alone? We can make idols out of anything
– even ourselves.—
(1 Corinthians
5:6-13)
"Your glorifying is not good. Know ye not that
a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven,
that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover
is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven,
neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread
of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with
fornicators: yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the
covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of
the world. But now i have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that
is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer,
or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have
i to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are
within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among
yourselves that wicked person."
(2 Corinthians
6:14-17)
"Be ye not unequally yoked together with
unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and
what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with
Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement
hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as
God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye
seperate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and i will receive
you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty."
--In closing, let’s take a look at one last point
from the article that I believe reveals how Lentz holds up against the really
relevant cultural question of the hour – gay marriage.When asked his views on
gay marriage, did Lentz take the straight and narrow path and stand on what
God’s Word has to say about the issue? No. He declined to discuss the topic
because he feels it is a polarizing issue that young evangelicals have said in
repeated surveys that they do not want to be a focus of church. What I read
that to mean is that Lentz won’t stand up and be counted as standing for the
truth of God’s Word because the issue would be polarizing to the point of
repelling the culture he strives so hard to attract. You can’t be a brand with
no audience to sell it to.--
(Luke 9:26)
"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my
words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own
glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels."
