The Fruit of the Tolerance Movement in the Church

It was never the intent of the Lord for us to sit idly hidden behind four walls. He created us to have an interactive relationship with Him, to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. To be about our heavenly Father’s business, to go out into all the world (not to be conformed to this world, but to transform it; to allow the creative power of His Spirit to manifest miracles through us), and to be wise and lead others to Him. (See John 4:23-24; Luke 2:49; Romans 12:2; Mark 16:15-18 and Proverbs 11:30.)

The Word says we are to raise the spiritual foundations and reestablish the pathway for our future generations. One of these foundations is the supernatural power of faith. The next generations need to be taught how to inhabit this spiritual realm of the Holy Spirit.

It is sad to say that, because of religion, scores of people today are turned off and embittered toward the church. Many parents no longer teach their children about Jesus. Our future generations are ignorant concerning the most important part of life, Jesus Christ. About 15 years ago, my mom was stunned by a little boy’s question during VBS, “Who is Jesus?” Regrettably, countless numbers of people, both the young and the old, do not understand the answer to this all-important question.

While I sat on a plane from Guatemala to Minneapolis, a young lady next to me, after she learned that I was a Christian author, inquired of me about my beliefs in God and my personal opinions concerning current issues. This woman was raised in a Christian home and lost her father to a terminal illness at a young age, but had a mother who faithfully held the family together during the difficult years that followed. This young woman attended a Christian college, but she did not know the Lord. She was currently angry at the church for the stance it took against current social issues, such as homosexuality and wanted to know what I taught my children concerning the tolerance movement. I shared openly and honestly my deep Christian faith, but I kept the doors of communication wide open for further discussion. I shared with her the following testimony about the effects of the tolerance movement that I have witnessed.

One time as I walked into a hospital for the terminally ill in Guatemala, I was asked to pray for a dying man and his family. As I sat down next to the person, I couldn’t help but note the spiritual confusion of the institution where this man was dying. In an attempt to be tolerant of different religions, this institution hung a collage of different religious figures on the walls and displayed various religious statures and trinkets. This hodgepodge of conflicting religions caused an uncertainty concerning faith and sent forth a subliminal message that they themselves did not know what to believe and that they lacked faith. This atmosphere of doubt left this family in a state of despair. They lacked the security and support to believe for a miracle, they had no hope and, without hope, they had no faith. The tolerance movement produces doubt, unbelief and insecurity.

This young woman made another comment to me. She said, “This prayer stuff doesn’t work for me.” I replied, “No, it won’t work if you don’t believe. Prayer is communication with God and you cannot have intimate fellowship with someone you do not know. It is like talking to a spouse you do not have.”

She went on to explain to me that her generation is more knowledgeable and accepting of different religions because they are taught to do so in public school and, as a result, she felt they were better than the previous generation. I explained to her that I am not religious and that religion is dead. She was a little taken back by my response. But I continued to explain to her that I believe in having relationship with Jesus Christ.

With tear-filled eyes, she continued to challenge me with deep questions about the Lord. Even though her remarks spilled over with unbelief, I would not allow her doubt to dictate my responses. I shared with her many testimonies filled with supernatural healings and miracles. She had never encountered a believer in Jesus who actually walked in miracles before. She started to see God in a whole new light. The bitterness she harbored toward the church and Christians lessened. As we stepped off of the plane, we hugged and she said to me with a tender tone in her voice, “You have given me many things to think about.”

Dear heavenly Father,

We ask You to forgive us for being religious in our spiritual walk, for being callused in our hearts toward You, for being filled with the things of this world but empty in our spirits and void of hope for others. Help us to be living testimonies for Your glory, which draw and woo people to You. May we take serious our call to be witnesses to the lost, to be tools in Your hands to repair the breach and to mend the violations of mistrust that we have caused in others. May we be Christians who act out what we say we believe and walk in the miraculous so that the world may know You are the one, true God.

In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Excerpt from Greater Than Magic. Becky Dvorak is a healing minister and the Destiny Image author of DARE to Believe and Greater Than Magic.