The other day, while I was reading, I ran into this outstanding quote.
“We cannot build Christian churches on a sub-Christian gospel. People who don’t want Christianity don’t want almost-Christianity.”
Moore, Russell D. (2015-07-10). Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel (p. 5). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
When I read a book, I look for nuggets. Little nuggets of insight that shifts my perspective, builds my convictions, or strengthens my resolve. I am quite happy if when finishing a book I walk away with one of these life changing nuggets! And….this was just one of those nuggets. My mind began to race in the simplicity and yet the deep truths of the above quote.
Crazy, isn’t it? Why have so many churches across our land bailed on the wisdom of God’s Word and replaced the gospel with another gospel… A gospel without power, and a gospel of lesser glory?
Friends, we cannot build our churches on a sub-Christian gospel….NOR do we need to! The gospel is still….”the power of God unto salvation!” This gospel still redeems the broken-hearted, it still has the power to forgive sins, and it still breaks the chains to the slavery of sin. Oh what a Savior is our Lord, Jesus Christ!
Let the gospel do its’ work. We do not need to soften its blow and thus steal its glory. It does not need us to prop it up and in some way make it more digestible. It will have its intended effect. Let it speak to the one who is in darkness and to the one God is bringing into the light. Again, “People who don’t want Christianity, don’t want almost-Christianity.”
I leave you with one more quote from Russell Moores’ outstanding book Onward. Speaking of churched kids he writes:
The gospel neither surprised nor alarmed them. They knew how to embrace just enough of an almost-gospel to stay within the tribe, without embracing so much gospel as to encounter the lordship of Christ.
Moore, Russell D. (2015-07-10). Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel (p. 70). B&H Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.
Thank you Tim, for the constant reminders to not let a watered-down or “almost gospel” seep into my mind and life! It has no power to save…or anything else for that matter.
I am so thankful to the Lord that at TCC we are being taught truth. Thanks for sharing the nuggets. The last quote you posted from Russell Moore was like thunder, they knew how to embrace just enough of an almost gospel to stay within the tribe……… WOW, what a sad waste.