I am only speaking here of profound failures of the church streams and independent churches that claim to believe the Bible as fully true and confess the classic biblical confessions. I ask one question. How is it that the United States counts so many Evangelicals (all stripes), has been key in electing the present President and yet the culture is in step decline to very destructive directions? This culture decline is noted by very profound commentators like Dennis Prager, Victor David Hanson, Jordan Peterson. I could name so many others. The universities, entertainment media, the pre-university educational establishment, and the news media all embrace the most destructive causes. I won’t describe them. My readers can well describe them. Why is the Church quiescent as a minority fosters discrimination against believers, undercutting religious liberty, and requiring believers to endorse sinful lifestyles? Those who speak out are banned from social media! And why is the Church losing its next generation massively? I note three among many reasons all based in spiritual dullness and lack of discernment.
- The first major indication of the bankrupt condition of most Christians is that most send their children to the public schools and to secular colleges. In such schools they will be indoctrinated to the LGBTQ etc. agenda and the rejection of the traditional binary ideas of the sexes and the centrality of marriage. Inclusiveness excludes those with traditional morals. 40 years ago, we started a school and realized that we needed to take our children out. Children will be taught naturalistic evolution and prepared for unbelief. Jonny will become Joan. Parents are responsible to see their children see all through a Biblical world view. This cannot be done today in the secular schools. A few years ago, I read the biography of Rabbi Schneerson, the late leader of the Orthodox Chabad Jewish movement. I don’t agree with many of their views, but through his leadership they disciple their children and lose almost none! We simply do not disciple our children with depth and in a biblical world view. This is a profound manifestation of taking the easy way out among believers.
- The second failure is the lack of mass mobilization to push back. The gays bring out masses to promote their agendas. We bring out none or almost none. Where are those protesting the removal of Christian organizations form our universities because they do not allow members who reject their beliefs? Where is the massive protest against those promoting the legality of abortion to the ninth month of pregnancy. We are glad for 30,000 in the annual protest in Washington and there should be a million every year. Where is the massive protest against requiring Christians to give themselves to promote through their businesses lifestyles that they consider sinful? Where is the protest against the attempt of marginalization? We are largely with few exceptions quiescent.
- The third failure is to address systematic poverty. The emphasis of the New Covenant Scripture is on first preaching the Good News to the poor. The key to the poor is not just financial support, enterprise zones and other government programs. The real answer to the poor, restoring marriage and family among the poor and more is the Gospel which is the most powerful answer to poverty. Where is the Church members that should be walking on-masse in the ghettos of drug dealing and murder and making it impossible? Some could be martyred, but the price should be paid. Winning the masses of poor to the Lord and then discipling them is the one program that can really work. Yes, some are involved, but it is too few. The failure of the Church to be involved and effectively deal with systematic poverty is one of the greatest blots on the credibility of the American Church.