Social Gospel Trend in Expenditures

I recently saw a church sign (central Ar, a SBC) that said, "We support community athletics." The biblical ethics of church expenditures out of the general fund includes the expenses of the church, the support of the pastor, the support of a widow indeed according to biblical qualifications, missions, expenses of messengers, Christian education and general benevolence (for those of like faith and order). When a congregation supports food drives, secular education, medical needs, or financial support for needy in the community out of the general fund, she begins to place emphasis on the social gospel - address the physical needs of the community. The benevolent offering for the saints of Judea (like faith and order) was a special offering - not out of the general fund (Paul reminded the church at Corinth not to wait to take up one when he came). A special love offering for church members that need financial help in extreme situations will usually be more than an amount taken from the general fund by passing a motion. It will promote the spirit of giving by those members that participate. The benevolent offering was not part of the individual member's church offering, it was extra. In these tough financial times, a church could very well get in financial difficulty in the general fund by doing what appears to be a good thing rather than leaving it to a love offering. Some would even use the examlpe of Jesus feeding the 5000 to prove that the church Jesus built did so out of the general fund, even though Jesus multiplied the lunch of a young boy. If true churches aren't careful, we will get caught up in social gospel ideas of funding phsycial things out of the general fund and will not give to missions, etc. as we should.

Casual Christianity

When I go to a religious bookstore, I scan a lot of books while I'm there. That helps me keep up with religious trendy thinking. I saw a book by George Barna (the poll guy) titled The Seven Tribes. It was a book dividing all religious thinking into seven tribe families, one of which was casual christianity. On p. 42, he equated casual christianity with the biblical example of the Laodicean church (rather an interesting concept). He noted those in casual christianity failed to make God a priority, lack love for those that do not agree with them, embrace nonbiblical teaching, tolerate sexual immorality, ignore sin and have only a superficial faith. He concludes that casual christianity falls way below biblical standards. These remarks are not an exact quote, but from notes I took while in the bookstore. I got the gist right. I'm always surprised when someone in print (non ABA writer) makes a statement I agree with.
God was not casual about man's need of a Savior, the command about altar building, Moses' need to take off his shoes at the burning bush, the high priest wearing his accouterments for official duties (can you imagine him in laced up boots, jeans and a casual shirt?), true worship being both spiritual and according to truth, scriptural baptism (a form we might call casual baptism is alien immersion), the Lord's Supper (casual communion would be open), the inspired Word of God preserved by God (casual Bible - new versions) the need for Jesus to shed His blood and die, etc.
Casual christianity is all about reinventing worship - I can best express it in terms of "roll your own." Some cigarette smokers in the 1960's still bought papers, filled one with loose tobacco and rolled their own cigarettes. Some were pretty shabby looking - fat, thin, crooked. We might conclude casual christianity is pretty shabby looking compared to true worship in spirit and in truth.

Rude and aggressive spirit of clappers

The ABA messenger meeting had more clapping than ever. It has been on the increase the past few years. In the past, I have seen a couple of young preachers be very in your face with their clapping antics. I have seen church members of clapping churches that acted very aggressively at youth camp and at other places. The rudeness of clapping to rub it in when someone lost a vote at the messenger meeting revealed an attitude problem. The subject of clapping in worship should be reexamined from the Bible. There are 9 references to clapping, none of which involve true worship. When people seek changes to worship such as clapping, they try to steam roll over all who don't jump on the bandwagon. Why clap? to give God a hand? (He doesn't need one) to appreciate a performance? (Special music even by little children is not a performance) to have a more interactice worship? (Get the flesh involved in what should be a spiritual service) Why clap? to give the devil a means of watering down true worship.

Messenger Meeting Points of Interest

I have attended the ABA Messenger Meeting 32 of the last 33 years.
I love the color guard and the pledge - MB are flag waving Americans.
The wonderful choir from County Ave MBC led by James Bull was very uplifting.
The powerful Moderator's Address concerning revival.
Annual sermon in KJV in text only and commended fund raising.
A crowd of 2700.
956 messengers, yet the vote of about 1100 on the next meeting place.
Is it open communion for a missionary to be given permission for observing the Lord's Supper with the mission? Overwhelming majority (all but 4) voted it was not.
Rudeness of clapping after a vote was taken to exult over one who lost the vote.
A 261 to 220 vote to put a man on to receive designated funds as a missionary who was divorced and remarried and the discussion revealed many were willing to take verses out of context to try to prove a missionary with 2 living wives was acceptable.
The mission offering was $10, 973.
A 310 to 244 vote to postpone indefinitely not to consider men for any missionary support that had been divorced and remarried.
The missionary recommendation form leaves it possible for a man to just say he is married without revealing he has previously been divorced (a don's ask, don't tell policy as it stands).
Supporting divorced and remarried men as missioaries is much like open communion - just let each one decide for himself if he qualifies biblically.
Special mission program involving 6 missionaries from 6 countries around the world representing Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Australia.
ABA missions is now 191 missionaries, 31 countries, budget 2.7 million
5% literature increase.
5 cent across the board quarterly cost set aside for replacing equipment, will amount to about $60,000 per year.
Writers got a 10% raise, BM and EIC got a 3% raise.
Sec. Treas. of Missions withdrew offer of raise when opposition was expressed.
Procedural problems hindered messengers from taking a stand on sexuality and marariage.
How few messengers were present for SS committee report, decisions on Thursday.
Going to the mike to speak 3 times - nominated 2 men who were elected and to speak for the Bible qualification of a preacher (or missionary) being the husband iof one wife. "Brudder Mawderater, blue mike."
Watching my son-in-law serve as head teller.
Apparent inability of some messengers to vote and discuss at the appropriate times.
The joy and encouragement of seeing friends from around the country and having fellowship with them.
Having our granddaughter spend 2 nights with us in motel at Springfield and getting to see her at the meeting.
As Messenger Meetings go, it was better than most (a mixture of disappointment over the growing number who voted the way they did and the joy of the discussion being brotherly even in times of disagreement.
Seeing my LMBIS friends at Springfield was great.
The joy of the final Amen and leaving for vacation in Branson.