November 24, 2023

Book Review: The Great Dechurching

The Great Dechurching (cover)Much has been said about the changing religious landscape in our culture over the last several years. Society as a whole is becoming less religious. Among those who continue to practice religion, many are attending worship services less frequently. There is a rising number of “nones” – those whose religion is “nothing in particular.” This has led to the coining of a new term to refer to those who are leaving their churches. They are the “dechurched.”

In a new book – The Great Dechurching – authors Jim Davis and Michael Graham tackle this issue. In the opening paragraph of the first chapter, they highlighted this statistic: “About 40 million adults in America today used to go to church but no longer do, which accounts for around 16 percent of our adult population.” They added, “This is not a gradual shift; it is a jolting one.”Continue Reading

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November 15, 2023

What Will Destroy a Congregation

Abandoned Church Building

If we were to think of potential threats to our local churches, a number of things could be added to the list. Paul made a list like this near the end of his second letter to the church in Corinth. Notice what the apostle wrote:

“For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances; I am afraid that when I come again my God may humiliate me before you, and I may mourn over many of those who have sinned in the past and not repented of the impurity, immorality and sensuality which they have practiced” (2 Corinthians 12:20-21).

When Paul wrote his first letter to these brethren, there were many problems he needed to address. When we read through the second letter, it is clear that they had made significant improvements. Even so, there were still issues that threatened the health of that congregation.

In the passage above, Paul described some things that would destroy a congregation. It would be helpful for all of us to consider these, even if we are not currently experiencing these problems in our church. If these problems ever do arise, we want to identify them and address them as quickly as possible.

As Paul described the things that would destroy a congregation, we can break them down into three main categories – destroying unity, destroying purity, and refusing help. Let us consider each of these.Continue Reading

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November 1, 2023

Sowing and Reaping

Sowing

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

God created this world, which operates according to the rules He has established. This was part of the foundation of His promise to Noah after the flood: “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). Each of these represented a natural cycle that God established in His creation. Yet one of these cycles – “seedtime and harvest” – referred to more than just a period of time. Harvest indeed follows seedtime or sowing. Yet the outcome of the harvest would depend – at least in part – on what was planted, when it was done, and how it was conducted.

This idea is universally familiar to us. Even if we do not engage in the work of farming, we understand this principle. So this illustration of sowing and reaping is used throughout the Bible to discuss more than just agriculture. We will notice a few passages that teach us about sowing and reaping to see what we are to do, what we are to avoid, and what the consequences are of our choices.Continue Reading

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October 18, 2023

The Christian and the “Victim Mentality”

Man with his head in his hands

A phrase that has become regularly used in our modern culture is “victim mentality.” When we hear this phrase, what does it refer to? Consider the following definition:

“Victim mentality is an acquired personality trait in which a person tends to recognize or consider themselves a victim of the negative actions of others, and to behave as if this were the case in the face of contrary evidence of such circumstances. Victim mentality depends on clear thought processes and attribution. In some cases, those with a victim mentality have in fact been the victim of wrongdoing by others or have otherwise suffered misfortune through no fault of their own. However, such misfortune does not necessarily imply that one will respond by developing a pervasive and universal victim mentality where one frequently or constantly perceives oneself to be a victim.

“The term is also used in reference to the tendency for blaming one’s misfortunes on somebody else’s misdeeds, which is also referred to as victimism.” (Wikipedia)

In other words, simply being a victim of something does not automatically mean one has a “victim mentality.” According to this definition, a person is exhibiting a “victim mentality” if they behave as if they were a victim despite evidence that their victimhood is imagined or exaggerated. Being a victim refers to a specific event or set of circumstances, whereas the “victim mentality” means one is constantly blaming others for their troubles and taking no personal responsibility for their actions, choices, or conditions in life.

This article will consider the popular notion of the “victim mentality.” Many people today constantly blame others for their circumstances, believe they are trapped in a miserable condition, and think they are powerless to do anything about it. Is this type of mindset compatible with the life of a Christian? Let us consider a few points.Continue Reading

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October 4, 2023

Withdrawing from Those Who Have Departed

Man walking away

When it comes to our responsibilities within the local church, exercising church discipline is often one of the more difficult commands to obey. This could be because we do not want to break ties with our erring brethren. It might be because we do not want to be accused of being judgmental or unloving. Perhaps we are not sure when or how to exercise discipline. All of these factors contribute to the fact that discipline is often neglected when it is needed.

However, what often happens (at least in my limited experience) is that those brethren who are unfaithful and need to repent have already stopped assembling with the congregation. They have, in essence, withdrawn themselves from the local church. What is our responsibility in that situation? Is it true, as some have said, that you cannot withdraw from those who have already withdrawn themselves?

Before answering that question, let us be reminded of a few passages that discuss church discipline.Continue Reading

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September 20, 2023

Looking Over the Preacher’s Shoulder

Davis: Looking Over the Preacher's Shoulder

James L. Davis (1865-1947) spent several years laboring to preach the gospel in Kentucky around the turn of the twentieth century. He enjoyed great success in many places he preached despite fierce opposition to his teaching. In his short autobiography, Davis described an older man who had been warned about his preaching and wanted to make sure he caught him when he said something in error.

“From there we went to Bethel where we had been badly misrepresented, and begun to preach the Gospel with very few to hear, but we succeeded in establishin’ the truth there with fifty-one additions.

“From there we went to Friendship and begin preachin’ the Gospel where this same pastor as above had labored hard to keep us out. We went there and he fled—Proverbs, 28:1. We begin preachin’ with very few to hear us. One of the old elders was so poisoned agin us that he did not think we preached the truth, and he asked the liberty to stand by my side and would look at the Scriptures as I would read it. He only had to stand a few discourses until the old man, with tears in his eyes, confessed that he wa’ wrong, that his mind had been confused by the modern pastors, and thus he remained my friend till his death.” (The Mountain Preacher, p. 14)

Because Davis had been misrepresented, this older man did not believe he would be teaching the truth. However, what he did was commendable. Rather than refusing to listen to Davis’ preaching, he listened carefully to see where he was wrong. When he realized that Davis was preaching the truth and that others had wrongly accused him of false teaching, he accepted his message and became friends with him.Continue Reading

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September 6, 2023

“I Am a Nobody”

Man Standing by Bench

“I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles” (2 Corinthians 12:11-12).

In this context, Paul was defending his apostleship while trying not to sound arrogant. Some in Corinth were attempting to discredit Paul and turn the brethren away from him. He was trying to combat this by defending his message without elevating himself. There are some important lessons we can learn from Paul in this.

He warned the saints in Rome not to think too highly of themselves, and this warning is just as necessary for us. He wrote, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3). We are not to overestimate our significance, just as Paul was to “keep…from exalting” himself (2 Corinthians 12:7). At the same time, we are not to underestimate our importance as the Lord and the angels in heaven earnestly desire to see our salvation (Luke 15:7).

It is often easy to think of ourselves the way Paul described – as a “nobody” – yet forget that we are “in no respect…inferior” to others in the sight of the Lord. How can we have a proper view of self and not have an attitude of arrogance or feelings of inferiority? Let us consider what Paul’s example can teach us about this.Continue Reading

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