Stepping on toes is a fine art. I was told recently that people want to come to church to be encouraged and lifted up, and they don't like to feel bad about anything. They might not even come back if you challenge them.
Am I in Bizzaro world? When did the Word stop dealing with the thoughts and intentions of the heart? When did repentance cease to be the herald's message for a world bent on self-destruction? How can we deal with the reality of our lives while perfuming our stench with false "uplifting" rhetoric?
As I have savored James McDonald's Vertical Church, I have gone through a personal renaissance. The idea of pleasing God and God alone is liberating. We live to God, not one another. We love and care for one another, but we must not worship at the altar of people pleasing. Our allegiance is to the God who saves and sustains us.
This chapter, "Unafraid Witness," puts our responsibility in sharp focus. We are to boldly proclaim the Word of Truth. We only cheapen the message when we try to make it more palatable. We act as if we can improve on the perfect message. We work to make foolishness common sense. We adapt the never-changing good news into something relevant to this always-changing age. We do a disservice to the God who saved us when we diligently work to sell the gospel. Our job is to boldly proclaim, not con or convince or manufacture or persuade or enfold or adapt or . . .
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