I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written...

  - 1 Corinthians 4.6

But if men are permitted to add anything of themselves to the divine appointment, I question whether it may not perhaps seem contrary to that judgement of Deuteronomy: Behold, it says, the word which I command thee, thou shalt neither add to it, nor diminish from it.

  - Columbanus, Letter to Pope Gregory, Irish, 7th century[1]

There are a few important matters, concerning which the Scriptures are quite clear, but which contemporary Christians have opted to ignore, revise, or altogether reject.

Such as the Law of God, the work of shepherding, consistent evangelism, church discipline, and, well, making disciples.

In other areas – worship comes to mind – we retain the name and some of the forms, but we consider ourselves wiser than the Word of God and so prefer our own ways in “worship” to what God has plainly revealed.

It’s not just that these clear, Biblical elements have been set aside; other elements have been put in their place.

In the place of Law, acceptance, unqualified forgiveness, and an “ethic of love.”

In the place of shepherding God’s flock, programs, classes, events.

In the place of evangelism, the “seeker-friendly” environment of more and more pop culture and fun.

In the place of church discipline, going-along-to-get-along.

In the place of Biblical worship, pop concerts and celebrity preaching.

My sense is that these are crimes even worse than going beyond what is written in the Word of God. They actually intend to take the place of Scripture and establish new, extra-Biblical norms of practice for the Church today.

Why do we do these things?

It’s what the “folks” want. As when Saul sacrificed to the Lord because the people wanted it. We do these things, rather than obey the Word of God, because they draw people.

But we may be drawing people at the expense of turning God’s face away from us.

Having never – or at best, rarely – tried the Biblically-prescribed means for growing the Church, we simply latch on to whatever the “big church” across town is doing, and we latch on quickly before big church sucks the life out of us.

Meanwhile, the churches languish in ineffectiveness – unpersuasive, isolated from the moral and social issues of their communities, impotent to germinate an alternative culture of glory, honor, and goodness.

However, our ranks are still growing, and since continuing to attract people seems to be the quality standard par excellence for measuring success – yet another form of turning away from what is written – we keep on doing what we’re doing, and we keep on becoming ever more firmly anchored on the margins of society.

Who will stand up like Columbanus and cry, “Enough!”?

Psalm 50.16-21 (Austrian Hymn: “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken”)
“All of you My Word despising, who are you to claim My grace?
Praise may from your lips be rising, but you scorn Me to My face.
You approve of all transgressions, scheme against your mother’s son!
I will crush your vain aggressions and destroy what you have done."

What do you want me to do, Lord? Can I help to grow my own church in truly Biblical ways?

T. M. Moore, Principal
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