It is an unspoken rule. It is one of those topics which brethren never discover. It causes many members of the church today to squirm in their seats, and get defensive and nobody seems to know, why! It is the reason many brethren want to “change” the posture of the preaching and welcome into their hearts preachers “to itch their ears.” Without question, if unchallenged or un-noticed, the message delivered will take a skew to the left in an effort to destroy the “sound preaching” of the “once delivered faith” from years back. Who is my hero?
The “changelings” among us have different heroes! You will find them amazingly uncomfortable with the preaching and preachers of a generation, past. They have unfortunately been taught the doctrine of compromise, they fear controversy, and have never been taught to fall in love with the truth!! These brethren are blissfully ignorant of the battles waged which delivered their forefathers from denominationalism and have been taught to make fun of these “old-timers” and the ignorance of the “days gone bye.” Walking into their libraries or viewing their computers, one will find the false teachers and false teaching all over the place, yet not find those who “led their fathers and mothers out of Egypt into the promise land.” Those “extremists of yore” have not much esteem in their eyes. Alexander Campbell, Ben Franklin, Foy Wallace, James Bales, nor R. L. Whiteside have been replaced with Billy Graham, John Bunyan, Max Lucado, or Charles Spurgeon. The fields of debate were the greatest tool the church of the late 1930-50’s had, has been “quietly put to sleep.” Their favorite refrains are: “we will not hurt your feelings,” “you can ask us a question and you will not receive a mean-spirited answer that is intended to convince you of your error,” (that part is not mentioned) or “we are just Christians.” These “moneychangers” were driven out of the Temple, but strode back in on velvet carpet!! Jesus did a harmful thing to them that we will NEVER do; He overturned their tables. Matthew 21:12-13 He announced woes on the scribes and Pharisees. Matthew 23:13-33 Confrontation was an art the Lord was masterful in using, today “running and hiding” is our art of the day. When brought before the Sanhedrin, Peter cried out; “We ought to obey God, rather than men.” Acts 5:29 You will not find that attitude or art being utilized in the pulpits of today’s “apostles of appeasement,” one wonders why! After all, controversy calls attention to the differences between us and our “denominational brethren.” The “doctrine of appeasement” when seen will revoke their license to “bring the church into the 21st century.” Like Pilate, they would just like to “wash their hands with their “grace and dry them with luv” so they can join all their brothers in the quest to “preach unity”!!
For years we seen “sheep leave the flock” and possibly never know why. We have heard pleas for faithfulness in keeping the plants watered in front of “our church,” but never do we see the Prodigal son come back home, in fact, we are going to his house for supposed “bible (?) studies.” Achan has buried his gold in our tents and Joshua is not losing battles (because there are none being fought), and the souls of the indifferent are “satisfied in a United Church Pentecostal,” yet we never hear from the announcements, prayers, or messages concern about Mary Smith or Sam Jones whose eternal welfare may hang on our concern!! We have bought that line that “as long as you are churched, somewhere, they are fine.” Today, when faithful brethren attempt to stand firm for biblical truth, and defend the gospel, you never hear of this report, you hear of how many 100’s are in attendance and how many young people attend our Sunday School drama club for the next church “play” about “Abraham and the whale,” (excuse me that was Jonah) or Eve being confirmed as the next full time preacher for the downtown church or Sister James that led a beautiful closing prayer Sunday morning!
