Most people agree that the nations of the West are headed in the wrong direction regarding morality and culture. While it is very popular in some circles to blame presidents, congress (or parliament) as well as local elected officials, the Word of God makes it clear where to place the blame.
Because all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, we all sin and we all need second and third chances ad infinitum!
The Bible teaches that the church is supposed to influence the world as salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16), but instead the church has often been influenced by the world. The book of Ezekiel 22:26 sends a stern rebuke to believers who make no distinction between that which is common and that which is holy (by “common” I mean worldly things and values).
All of us have numerous areas in our lives that are broken and out of place. This is the result of a chain reaction through multiple generations due to the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve.
Although all human beings have been confronted with the guilt of their own sin (whether they have heard the gospel or not, the Holy Spirit was sent to convict the world of sin; read John 16:7-8), those of us who are believers have responded to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and have received Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
In this day and age, gifts and personality seem to be of premier importance in the Evangelical church. Many are building their ministries on the aura of gifted people with the manifestation of persona overshadowing the presence of God! All this, in spite of numerous biblical passages telling us that God opposes the proud and unbroken, and lifts up the lowly (see Isaiah 57 and Psalm 138:6).
There is no such thing as neutrality; everyone operates from a bias. The word of God teaches that our foundation for knowledge should be the fear of the Lord–not human reason, culture, science, or anything else.
Ever since books like Robert Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism, there has been an emphasis in the Evangelical church on individual discipleship. Other materials related to this subject like Dawson Trotman’s Born to Reproduce have greatly impacted my life and ministry, as I have made personal mentoring and discipleship the foundation of all I do.
However, books like Coleman’s use the gospels as the main reference point for discipleship instead of the epistles and the book of Acts. This can lead to a huge philosophical shift away from Jesus’ real discipleship method: the local church.
I. Congregations wish their pastor would preach messages relevant to their daily needs and struggles
1. Many pastors out of seminary are answering questions no one is asking.
2. Many pastors are preaching over the head of the average believer.
3. Many pastors are preaching abstract truth not easily applicable in the lives of the congregation.
4. Much preaching is too idealistic and not realistically taking into consideration the humanity of the believer.
There has been many articles of leaders in the media lately who take advantage of other people. This is a common pattern of abuse in which leaders use their positions of authority to take advantage of their subordinates or those looking to them for help.
There are many signs of abusive leadership, which can relate to leadership in the family, church, business, politics and/or any organization or voluntary association. Also, often abusers are themselves the victims of abuse.
Many in the Body of Christ are in a wilderness experience in this day and age. The wilderness is a place in Christ in which you are out of the house of bondage but you are not quite in the Promised Land. The Promised Land is when you are walking in the fullness of the Spirit and of Purpose in Christ Jesus The wilderness is a great time of testing, confusion, frustration, and it brings out the dark side of our soul because we are constantly confronted with our false self which manifests the most while we are in the fire. Many saints of old have called this period “the dark night of the soul.”
