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New And Improved


           Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” (II Timothy 2:14-19)

          Here we go again. Don’t quarrel about words. Avoid godless chatter. What do these things mean? One resource I checked suggested that this refers to quarreling about issues not clearly discussed in Scripture. ? I wish Paul would have provided examples of what he was saying.
As I think about it, though, there are words that are dividing the Church:
Emergent
Missional
Relevant
Seeker-Sensitive
         There are probably others, but they share a basic perspective that the Church is garbage and that they are the new, improved Church. I hear from some folks that the Church needs to be somewhere that the unchurched feel comfortable, and that we must do everything in our power to bring in new folks. And that’s true. But I also see those same churches effectively kicking the “old folks” (not necessarily aged, but those who don’t “get with the program”) to the curb.
         I have attended services at a church at which the pastor gave a gospel presentation every Sunday morning. It didn’t matter that the people who were there were the same people who had been there for the past four years. It didn’t matter that there was nothing in the message to educate, edify, or encourage someone who had been a Christian for a year or two. I’ve attended services where the music was too loud, and all the songs were unfamiliar, week after week. Long-time members have been shrugged off and told to "talk to the hand" because the church was focused on new blood. I've also heard those long-time members verbally abuse the worship team.
          And those who have been around for a while (sometimes including me) respond negatively to thrown out with the trash. And the quarreling begins. And quite honestly, some of the older folks behave worse than the new folks. Both sides are guilty. We need to reach the lost, but at the same time, we need to edify, encourage, educate, and involve those who aren't "new and improved Christians."

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