Unmute American Pulpits

New research shows that while 90% of pastors believe the Bible has much to say about about today’s pressing political, societal and moral issues, fewer than 10% are talking about these issues (Barna survey).

Why?

One word: controversy.

Controversial issues affects attendance, participation in church programs and people’s tithes and offerings. But pastor, what about the condition of the souls you’ve been entrusted to shepherd? Is that not the most important issue?

Consider these startling facts:

—In one large “Bible-believing” church 60% of the couples did not know that living together out of wedlock was wrong.

—An increasing number of professing Christians also no longer believe homosexuality is sinful.

—Young people believe that socialism is good for our country and that Jesus Himself was a socialist, and they love Democratic candidates like Bernie Sanders. Why is this unbiblical and why does it show a lack of discernment?

—Most young people believe that Jesus preached love and acceptance, so we must love and accept everyone. It sounds true, but why is it a subtle lie?

—Many professing Christians believe that “Everything is OK and relative. People can believe what’s right for them.” Again, why is that wrong thinking?

—More and more of our young people believe we should appreciate everyone’s religion, culture or god, and that we should all learn to get along. Again, why is this such another very deceptive lie?

And the list goes on and on. These are rather popular belief systems in the church today. What are you going to do about it, pastor?

You’d better get in your study and prayer closet and receive grace and wisdom from God to preach for the times we are living in. You’d better let God break your heart over the sinful state of our society and the brokenness of many of our young people who are having a hard time making sense of it all. There’s never been a generation in America with more addiction, depression and dysfunction than this one. If you are not biblically educating your people in these areas, sadly, the world will fill the void.

By abdicating your responsibility to teach and train your people in these major areas that are large cultural issues, in favor of church members’ attendance, participation and giving, or whatever it is you deem more important—you as a minister and pastor are saying that the Bible is really not important enough or authoritative enough in shaping people’s lives. These modern-day political, societal and moral issues are too critical to continue to avoid them and be selective as to what portions of Scripture you or I teach and preach on.

More pure, authentic, biblical truth has been hijacked from Christianity in the last two decades than perhaps any other time in history.

Preaching the whole counsel of God and the issues that Satan is pressing on our culture, especially our young people, has never been more urgent.

Read the following scripture very carefully, noting the underlined portion of it.

“Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2, AMPC).

Did you know that two-thirds of Scripture is corrective? The Bible is filled with reproofs, rebukes, warnings and corrections. Yet most pastors and believers think those portions of Scripture are too negative or even legalistic. Notice that we are to preach with a sense of urgency—whether it is convenient or inconvenient, welcome or unwelcome.

We’ve got to preach this way again, showing people in what ways their lives are wrong—even when it is unfavorable, inconvenient or unwelcome.

I remember in my younger years we used to go to church to feel the conviction of God, and to go to the altar and repent and make it right. We loved preaching on themes like heaven, hell, sin and holiness. Now many Christians think it’s all too negative. There has been a diabolical silence on such themes in the church today. Satan has muted our pulpits. Even anointed, piercing preaching on the cross and the blood of Christ is being neglected.

Let me show you what Satan is doing.

He has introduced a false compassion into the church and used it to camouflage compromise. He has done this by accusing us of hate speech. So in order to compensate, Christians are compromising the truth and convincing themselves that they are being compassionate.

True compassion is being moved by the sin, lies and belief systems that are destroying people’s lives and keeping them in bondage. So-called compassion is actually cruel when it’s not mixed with biblical truth. The lack of absolute truth is eroding the moral base of our culture.

Unless the Bible becomes our complete and absolute standard of truth, the tide of evil will continue to rise in the church and in our society.

Never has there been a more urgent need for true spiritual physicians, preachers of righteousness and shepherds who are not moved by popular opinion, but care for the sheep. {eoa}