A few weeks past, I noticed a roadway billboard with a photo of an attractive young family with this notation: 'A CHURCH FOR THIS GENERATION.' Evidently a nearby church believes religion, as they see it, had to change for 'new' times. My first thought? Jesus didn't change, but people have changed and now need different religion-practice, which fit their emerging different life style and personal needs. Let's be honest. Most things change in our society because powerful people with money or masses of people seeking a comfort zone demand the change.
If I compare churches of yesteryear with the new wave non-denominational churches and even the traditional churches, I note the following: preachers used to spew hell-fire and damnation messages from the pulpits. The simple message, 'you best turn away from sin, confess and seek a pure life or spend eternity in hell's fire. Today's pulpit comments are more warm and fuzzy with more entertainment. The feel good sermon fits these times.
Lots of change happened in my journey. Doctors no longer make house calls but wait for you to come visit them where they can recommend a specialist you might see if some insurance guy two thousand mile's away gives the "Okay." My generation respected policemen and teachers. Today's generation calls police 'pigs' and blame teachers for childrens' failures. Parents of my generation would jerk a knot in a youngster's tail if he acted up in public. Recently, I was eating dinner in a restaurant where two little boys were chasing one another around tables with forks in their hands...their parents were smiling and glancing at nearby tables seemingly seeking a confirmation that their off springs were charming.
It was inevitable that churches would one day realize that people are not going to come to church and tithe when listening to sermons telling them they must change their ways after being raised to believe the morning sun pops out of their derriere's. Back in the day, church messages were fair and balanced, somewhat like Fox News.
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