Renae on the Cast Net

Family Camping at Ft Pickens this Week

Harming the Church by Catering to People Who Don't Care

Do you ever wonder why some people never watch football?  Of course not.  It's common knowledge that some people like sports and some people don’t.

The same basic principle is also true about the church.  Some people like it and some people don’t.  Some people have a genuine interest in spiritual matters, while others could give a flying flip about them.  Some people truly care about the Church Jesus died for and others could care less.

Some people have such a lack of interest in God that the last thing they will do is gather in a building and listen to a speaker talk about Him.

Now suppose you wanted to boost attendance in a football stadium.  You’ve already got the attention of those who are interested in football, so how do you reach those who aren’t? Well, you could put on a rock concert for the half time show which would attract in a few more faces.  You could also feature a high profile celebrity and that would attract a few more attenders, at least for a while.  Finally, to keep the regulars happy, you can squish in a 15 minute game among the other forms of entertainment. 

That way, there’s something for everyone.  Right?

Maybe.  But it’s not good football anymore.  It’s not even a good rock concert.  It’s just a hodgepodge of watered-down elements.  But you’ve discovered that by doing multiple things in a compromised manner you can get more people in stands.

When did church become like that?  When did teaching people about God become less important to us than headcounts?  I don’t know for sure, but the effects are obvious.  

There used to be a time when sermons involved the pastor just getting up and talking and sharing content from the Bible.  If you wanted to learn something, you actually had to pay attention and listen to what was being said.  If you wanted to grow, you had to actually pray as you listened and ask God to show you what was applicable to you.

Vertically focused worship and Biblical teaching is not enough anymore.  Unless there is a plethora of options and/or stage entertainment, people will leave.  Why?  Because they don’t really care about God or the church... only what it offers them (and doesn't require their commitment).  Spiritual development has become something we try to squeeze in between the fun.  And just like the football game, it's not even good church any more... just a hodge podge of watered-down elements.

And guess who really gets hurt by our tendency to cater to those who don’t care about God?  Those who DO care – that small minority of souls who would actually like to grow and learn what it means to be a real Christian.  They’re being deprived of real nourishment in these lightweight snack shops.  In fact, they would grow faster if the place wasn’t  over-crowded with so many tares... that we have planted ourselves!

If you want to pack the pews, just say what people want to hear.   If you’re going to preach the hard truth, just be sure to slip it in between two thick slices of “blessings.”  Everyone wants to hear how blessed they are going to be…. how favored they are… how happy they can be… and what God is going to do for them.

No one wants to hear about what they should be doing for God.  We want to be reminded we are His children, but not His servants.  Why?  Because children get everything handed to them on a platter… while servants lay down their lives in sacrificial service.  We want to hear about our future inheritance, not our earthly responsibility.

Let’s get real about the Church.  We are not failing God if people leave.  The world hates Jesus and always will.  Not even Jesus retained everyone who came to listen.  We are failing God when we push Him (and His Word) from the spotlight and use entertainers wearing club attire to keep carnal people in.

As it turns out, Jesus isn’t bait enough for the crowds.  He’s a stumbling block to them.  How dare we repackage Him into an image of our own making?  If the gospel isn’t offensive to the carnal nature then it is no longer the gospel.

There is no nice way to tell someone they are sinful by nature, haven fallen short of God’s standard, are headed to the lake of fire if their name is not found written in the Book of Life, and to be saved we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.  Look to the Bible and you never see Jesus tripping over Himself chasing after people who walked away after one of His teaching sessions.  Nor did He apologize for saying something harshly.  When Jesus saw hypocrisy, He confronted it head on.   He verbally shredded the false shepherds of His day.   He never concerned Himself about political correctness either.  His parables were blunt and in-your-face.  He demanded righteousness from His followers, and packed in plenty of graphic warnings in His teachings about what would happen to those who rebelled against God.  He never watered-down the message to attract those who did not care about God.  He spoke the truth forcibly so that He might draw those who DID care about God.

If people (in the church) are bored by the Bible and the truth contained in its pages, then let them leave.  We should never deprive those who DO care for the sake of those who don’t.    We shouldn’t be making house calls and personal visits begging them to return, apologizing ten different ways because their conscience was pricked by the Word of God. 

What passes for “loving the lost” these days is actually “catering to carnality.”

The universal Church is made up of Christians only, for these souls have been baptized into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit Spirit, and only He has that power.  Therefore, the local church is a gathering place for believers to be nurtured, developed, and educated into disciples.  Yet, her doors are wide open to anyone and everyone who would love to join us... including the unconverted.  It is here they can hear the Word and be converted (by God's engrafted Word that saves the soul).  If, on the other hand, they decide they are not interested, we let them go just as they came.  Just as a skating rink is for skating, not baseball, the purpose of local church is to talk about God and make disciples…. not entertaining the fallen nature.

We can talk about church growth until we are blue in the face, but as long we keep doing everything possible to attract those who could care the least, we’re only hurting those who care the most.

Homemade Vinegar Pepper Sauce

Living in the South and loving to cook is a culinary adventure.  In the South we have access to more unique foods than most regions of the U.S.;   Okra, Rutabaga, Turnip Greens, Turnip Roots, Collards, Kale, Mustard Greens, Black Eyed Peas, Southern Peas, Crowder Peas, Squash, …. on-and-on it goes.

One unique feature of Southern meals is the use of Vinegar Pepper Sauce.  We love to douse our greens, peas, and fried okra with this simple yet delicious seasoned vinegar that adds just the right kick to our favorite dishes.  I even use it as an ingredient in a homemade seafood sauce (handed down from my father).

Have you ever added vinegar pepper sauce to a bowl of greens?  If you have, you know what I mean.  You are instantly hooked!

I grew up with a bottle of vinegar pepper sauce sitting on the table.  A few years ago I began growing peppers in my garden which gives me a lot of enjoyment; they are colorful, ornamental, eye-catching, delicious... and my pepper plants always produce more than enough!  I cook with fresh peppers as they are coming in.  I also freeze peppers (after chopping) to use over the winter, especially for chili, stews, and spaghetti sauces, etc.

Then there’s the vinegar pepper sauce.  I always put up several bottles of this homemade product.  I usually give a few bottles as gifts, and keep enough for myself to use on greens (collards, kale, etc) as they are harvested from my garden during the winter months.

This is a picture of a few bottles I put up yesterday.  The peppers came from my garden, and I bought the bottles from Hall’s Hardware in Milton.

I plan to put up several more to use as gifts.

I really get a lot of enjoyment from the simple things.

Muscadine Grape Coming Along

Blackwater River

Muscadine Grapes

After three years of tending these vines, the grapes are finally coming in.  It's very satisfying to finally see 'fruit' of my labor.  Patience really is a virtue.

Today's Catch

Caught 32 mullet today.  I was using a 9 ft brail cast net, while wading.  

Renae and I went to Ft. Pickens and fished on the Sound side.  The wind was blowing from the north about 5-6 mph, the tide was high, and the surface was choppy.  Needless to say, the conditions were rough.

I was wading over waste deep, and the waves were coming over my shoulders, and throwing into the wind was next to impossible.

However, there were SO MANY FISH SWARMING IN SCHOOLS that it was hard to miss.

After we got home, we cleaned all 32 fish.  I filleted them and Renae skinned them. 

Dang!  She is dangerous with a sharp knife!

Wade Fishing

When We Backslide, a lot of things happen, and None of Them are Good

“The way of the transgressor is hard” (Proverbs 13:15)

Backsliding.  It’s an interesting term, isn’t it?  It says what it is.  It needs no explanation.

You’re saved.  You love the Lord.  You express your devotion publically.  You’re doing well, and then you fall into sin one way or another.  Perhaps you slipped or you plunged… either way, you knew full well what you were doing.

Now look at you. 

God seems so far away, and the closeness you once had with Him a distant memory.  You remember when you felt so close to God, so clean and pure, and so happy in Him.  You delighted in reading His Word, and perhaps even teaching it to others.  You used to love gathering together with the Lord’s people singing hymns, worship songs, and praying together. 

But not now.

Something in your heart has died.  The light has gone out.

And you know it.

No amount of wine, fine dining, amusement parks, camping, road trips, hanging out in taverns, lounging by the pool, sleeping in on Sunday’s, or whatever… can replace the spiritual void that now exists in your life.

Husks of corn are fit food for swine, but cannot satisfy the hunger in the prodigal's belly... neither can worldly entanglements provide nourishment for your soul.

What’s wrong?  You have backslid.  It could involve sins of commission or omission, or both.  Either way, the joy you once had in the Lord has disappeared.

This is a miserable place to visit… and no one in their right mind would ever want to live there.

When this happens, a hundred things takes place.  None of them good.  Here’s my short list:

You are treating Jesus with contempt.  Your turning to sin is an insult to Him.  It's as much a slap in His face (or more) as the Roman soldiers did to Him the day He was crucified for your sin.  Does His sin-sacrifice mean so little to you that you now have left Him and embrace the world?

You have lost your first love for Him.  Read Revelation 2:4 and be fearful.  Also read Revelation 3:14-22 about the believers who had grown “lukewarm” in their faith.  They were under threat by Jesus Himself to be “spewed out.”

You resent reminders of your spiritual status and your need to repent and return to the Lord.  These friendly reminders from friends, family, or spiritual leaders feel like a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.  Your spouse points out you no longer read the Bible, and you explode.  A friend from church calls to say they have missed you, and you grow angry.  And, had no one called, you would have used that as an excuse against the church.  Anger is ruling your life.

The backslider becomes critical of the church, Christians, preachers, and Christianity in general.  “They’re all hypocrites.”  Or, “They’re all so judgmental.”  Or, “If that’s what a Christian is, then I don’t want to be a Christian.”  On and on it goes.

The backslider can wax eloquent on the faults of the church… and yet, there was a time in your life when you didn’t feel that way.

The backslider rationalizes his/her new lifestyle while indulging in behaviors he/she would have previously shunned.  This needs no elaboration.

Worship of God loses its meaning.  The backslider stays home or finds something else to do on the Lord’s Day because their devotion to God has been lost.  Now, cleaning out the garage, sleeping in, or going to the beach is more important.  The Lord’s Day has now become Sunday Fun Day.

His/her testimony is compromised and credibility is shot. You once lived for the Lord in deep devotion.  You  espoused the virtues of  godly living.  Your testimony was clear.  And people noticed.  Your family, friends, and co-workers were impressed with your commitment to God.  

But now they notice something else... how far you have backslid... and it makes a deep impression on them.  But not a favorable one.  Only contempt.  In fact, they probably think it was all a put-on.  That it wasn't real....

But it was real.  You know it was real.  God knows it was real.  

And that's exactly why God has to do something about it.... to bring you back to Him.

God will intervene, bringing chastisement.  Pain and correction are the backslider’s future.  The Bible is clear, God chastens His children who stray.  (See Hebrews 12:4-12).  He does this for the express purpose to get us to repent and return to Him.  He uses pain and correction to produce the fruit of holiness in our lives. 

He doesn’t do this to the unbeliever.  He does it to His children who have strayed.  It's guaranteed to  happen.  Look it up.

However….

After he humbles himself and repents, and after he is back in church serving the Lord and enjoying the close fellowship with Him and His people, the believer looks back and wonders: “What was I thinking?”  And he is so grateful for the loving kindness of the Lord.

Don’t ever backslide.  The way of the transgressor is hard.