Porn in the Pulpit

By Dave Macy —— Bio and Archives January 10, 2010

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Reading the religious poll results from the Barna Group and the Pew Research Center can be a cold slap in the face. The reality of Christian America’s shift away from faith in God and sound doctrine is evident by some staggering statistics. Perhaps the most telling of all the research trends showing a watering down of “old time religion” and the emergence of a post modern Christianity that embraces a liberal theology far removed from the truth.

When many theological seminaries are producing graduates who are skeptical of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, LORD we have a problem! When surveys show many who claim to be Christians don’t even meet the criteria of being truly being ‘born again’ or regenerated, LORD deliver us!

Post modern Christianity that embraces a liberal theology

But perhaps the most shocking news coming from these surveys concerns the men (and women) in the pulpit. In any given month at least 50% of priests, pastors, and ministers have visited at least one pornographic website. If that many who are leaders of the church of Jesus Christ are being promiscuous with porn is it any wonder those who still fill the pews are experiencing a real lack of the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit from those who are commissioned to preach God’s word? Why this decay? Why is the church worldlier than ever? There are many reasons: Liberal theology that denies the inerrancy of the Holy Bible; the attempt by many churches to grow in numbers instead of making disciples; churches that love tell you ‘God loves you’ but don’t preach the need for Repentance.

People need to be preached the truth from God’s word instead of some Easy Believism message

The Christian ‘experience’ today is often filled with professionally produced skits and dramas, exciting bands with the latest worship music, church coffee shops, and a come as you are invitation. That’s all fine IF at the core of the church is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People need to be preached the truth from God’s word instead of some Easy Believism message that focuses on self and not on God. All too often the message delivered from the pulpit has been downloaded from a website or purchased from a sermon source instead of methodically drawn and rightly divided from the God’s holy word. Too many people in the pulpit see it as a job instead of a calling. It is no wonder so many churches are shrinking, while many of those churches that are growing in numbers are meeting many of the personal needs of those who attend and often none of the spiritual. Jesus said that ‘many are called, but few are chosen’. Most people are taking the easy road that leads to destruction. The church of Jesus Christ need not be about the business of paving that road. Christ warned of false teachers and leaders who seem innocent as sheep but are ready to devour you like wolves. Be careful to see what kind of fruit they bear before partaking of it! Is this all new to the church? Peter, Paul, Jude, and James were well aware of the dangers the church faced two thousand years ago. Their warnings, like the whole word of God, are timeless and still relevant for the church today. Pastors need to be rooted in truth and sound doctrine rather than trying the latest ‘faith fad’ and marketing scheme. When the pulpit message reverberates with the power of Jesus Christ and is anointed of the Holy Spirit, God is glorified souls are saved. If this all sounds too simple, well it is. The message of Christ is plain, direct, and redemptive--and simple. Only man, in his own desire for glory, has made it complicated.