Title: Goal of Gifts (20)
Series: Ephesians
Author: Stephen Whitney
Text: Ephesians 4:11-13
At Rick Warren's Saddleback church in southern California they used a new method to reach people - special types of music for specific audiences. They have several worship centers each featuring a different style of music to entertain a different group of people before Rick preaches which is then broadcast to all of the different audiences.
The music or worship time lasts for about 40 minutes. For one audience they offer southern gospel music, at another they use rock and roll, at another they use bluegrass and at still another they use contemporary. The point is that Rick is trying to offer people entertainment so they will come to hear him preach.
Charles Spurgeon in the 1860's faced the same issues about people wanting to be entertained when they came to church.
He wrote an article titled: Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?
"The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church.
'Go ye into the all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.' That is clear enough. So, it would have been if he had added, 'and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel.' Then again, 'He gave some apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers, for the work of the ministry.' Where do entertainers come in?
The mission of amusement produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other as fruit from the root. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire."
THE GIFT - ministers :11
These offices are mentioned in the order of their importance to t ...
Series: Ephesians
Author: Stephen Whitney
Text: Ephesians 4:11-13
At Rick Warren's Saddleback church in southern California they used a new method to reach people - special types of music for specific audiences. They have several worship centers each featuring a different style of music to entertain a different group of people before Rick preaches which is then broadcast to all of the different audiences.
The music or worship time lasts for about 40 minutes. For one audience they offer southern gospel music, at another they use rock and roll, at another they use bluegrass and at still another they use contemporary. The point is that Rick is trying to offer people entertainment so they will come to hear him preach.
Charles Spurgeon in the 1860's faced the same issues about people wanting to be entertained when they came to church.
He wrote an article titled: Feeding Sheep or Amusing Goats?
"The devil has seldom done a cleverer thing than hinting to the church that part of their mission is to provide entertainment for the people, with a view to winning them. My first contention is that providing amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function of the church.
'Go ye into the all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.' That is clear enough. So, it would have been if he had added, 'and provide amusement for those who do not relish the gospel.' Then again, 'He gave some apostles, some prophets, some pastors and teachers, for the work of the ministry.' Where do entertainers come in?
The mission of amusement produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other as fruit from the root. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire."
THE GIFT - ministers :11
These offices are mentioned in the order of their importance to t ...
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