The Terrible Failure of the Secular Gospel

By Michael Brown

http://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/23142-the-terrible-failure-of-the-secular-gospel

Almost 20 years ago, the journal First Things published an article by a famous German theologian named Wolfhart Pannenberg titled "How to Think About Secularism." In the article, Pannenberg outlined the nature of secularism and how it threatened the church, also explaining how the church should not respond to the challenge.

Looking back, it's clear that many of our pastors and leaders have done the opposite of what he counseled, and we are paying the price for it today.

Pannenberg himself was orthodox in some of his beliefs and unorthodox in others, but I'm focusing here on his observations about secularism rather than his overall theology.

Tracing today's Western secularism back to the 17th century, he wrote, "A public climate of secularism undermines the confidence of Christians in the truth of what they believe."

So, it is not just a matter of Christians becoming worldly and materialistic. Instead, the secular climate undermines our confidence in the truthfulness of the gospel.

At the same time, Pannenberg writes, "In a secular milieu, even an elementary knowledge of Christianity, 'its history, teachings, sacred texts, and formative figures' [quoting Peter L. Berger] dwindles. It is no longer a matter of rejecting Christian teachings; large numbers of people have not the vaguest knowledge of what those teachings are."

This is exactly what we see today in America and Europe, where a large percentage of the population is completely ignorant of the fundamentals of the faith. Is it any wonder, then, that we find ourselves in such a moral and spiritual tailspin?

But this is only the beginning. As Pannenberg notes, "The more widespread the ignorance of Christianity, the greater the prejudice against Christianity," and when people do search for spiritual truth, they seek out alternative religions instead.

Is this not an accurate description of our nation today, with widespread ignorance of the gospel leading to an increasing hostility to the gospel, and with the assumption that true spirituality must be found in another faith (or outside of any particular faith)?

Truth itself is under attack, as Pannenberg wrote with almost prophetic accuracy: "In the view of many, including many Christians, Christian doctrines are merely opinions that may or may not be affirmed according to individual preference, or depending on whether they speak to personally felt needs. ... Missionary proclamation was once understood as bringing the truth to others, and was therefore both legitimate and extremely important. For many today, the missionary enterprise is a matter of imposing our personal preferences and culturally conditioned prejudices upon others, and is therefore not only illegitimate but morally offensive."

"How dare you impose your religion on us," shouts the world to us incessantly.

That's why the "destruction of [the very idea of truth] is key to legitimating a secularist culture, since the idea of truth touches on secularism's greatest vulnerability."

How then should we respond to the crisis of secularism? What did Pannenberg counsel? Read these words carefully, and then ask yourself if we have followed his counsel or if we have done the exact opposite:

"The absolutely worst way to respond to the challenge of secularism is to adapt to secular standards in language, thought, and way of life. If members of a secularist society turn to religion at all, they do so because they are looking for something other than what that culture already provides. It is counterproductive to offer them religion in a secular mode that is carefully trimmed in order not to offend their secular sensibilities."

He has hit the bull's eye with his analysis. But there's more: "What people look for in religion is a plausible alternative, or at least a complement, to life in a secularist society. Religion that is 'more of the same' is not likely to be very interesting."

To be clear, Pannenberg stressed that he was not arguing for "dead traditionalism," noting that, "The old-fashioned ways of doing things in the churches may include elements that are insufferably boring and empty of meaning."

Rather, "Christianity proposed as an alternative or complement to life in a secularist society must be both vibrant and plausible. Above all, it must be substantively different and propose a difference in how people live."

In other words, we must show the world something radically different. We must call the lost into something radically different. We must live lives that are truly different, characterized by the radical, wonderful nature of the gospel and the radical, wonderful new life we experience in Jesus.

Unfortunately, when we try to accommodate our message and method to the secular society, and "when the offending edges are removed, people are invited to suspect that the clergy do not really believe anything so very distinctive."

Why should people listen to us if our message and lives are just like theirs? If we are just like the world, what are we calling the world to? We hurt and bleed like everyone else, and we deal with the same problems everyone deals with, but our message really does bring transformation.

That means that, "The plausible and persuasive presentation of Christian distinctives is not a matter of marketing. It is a matter of what the churches owe to people in our secularist societies: the proclamation of the risen Christ, the joyful evidence of new life in Christ, of life that overcomes death."

And while stating that, "Authentic Christian teaching appropriates all that is valid in the secularist culture," Pannenberg emphasizes that it does so while taking hold of and proclaiming the very truths that the secularist society neglects or even disdains.

Sadly, so many of our American pastors have gone in the opposite direction, and as things have declined in our churches, they have reaffirmed their error rather than corrected it.

In short, they followed a worldly philosophy of accommodation (which is very different than wise, Spirit-led, cultural sensitivity), but rather than this bringing a wave of renewal, salvation and discipleship, it brought more spiritual decline in the form of superficiality and compromise.

Then, as these leaders continued to survey the spiritual landscape, looking at the defection of so many young people from the church and the increasing hostility towards Christianity in our society, rather than recognizing that the real problem was lack of deep commitment to the radical claims of Jesus, they watered down the message even more, removing even more of the offensive edges, lowering the requirements and emphasizing what is trending more than what is truthful.

Now, the floodgates of apostasy have opened wide, and yet so many leaders still do not recognize what has happened, continuing to put the blame in the wrong place.

Yes, by all means, let us be sensitive and compassionate in our outreach to the lost, and let us with humility give ourselves to bless this dying world, living as servants rather than as those who are "holier than thou."

But let us not accommodate the gospel to secularism. Instead, let us show how totally different and other the gospel is, how dramatically transformative new life in Jesus is, and how it is absolutely worth it to know Him and follow Him to the point that we joyfully swim against the tide of a very worldly world, having exactly what this society so desperately needs.

Then, empowered by the Spirit as we proclaim the truth and live the truth, we will change the world rather than the world changing us.

This article was authored by Michael Brown on Charisma Magazine's website on 4/28/2015. You can access the full article by clicking this link http://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/23142-the-terrible-failure-of-the-secular-gospel

God's Mind on Mastering your Finances

"Jesus spent more time teaching on money than on heaven and hell combined" Apostle Geoffrey  Kiriungi, Jesus Wave International

Breakthrough in money will cause an overcoming of 70% of demons. To be able to justify this claim, let us as first look at doctrinal concepts - the concept of abundance. You cannot rise higher than your faith. Your faith cannot go higher than knowledge because faith comes by knowledge.
Romans 10:17 'So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.'
Prosperity is provided in the redemptive work of God as one of the seven blessings of salvation.
Genesis 22:8 'And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.'
Provision is part of the redemptive work of God.
2Corinthians 8:9 'For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.'
God's mindset is that the only solution to poverty is by REDEMPTION.
Romans 8:32 'He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?'
Adam and Eve were in a world of material abundance (Gen 1). God saw that the abundance is good. Only after God had finished His creative process, was man introduced into an environment of abundance. God's idea was that man would multiply the abundance in the garden of Eden. Man was to super abound.
Gen 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
Gen 3:17-19 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eatof it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. 
The consequence of sin was the curse. Destitution and material poverty resulted. In other words, poverty is a spiritual condition caused by the fall. If poverty is  merely physical, then many people work extremely hard but never get relief. However much you earn cannot be a solution to your financial condition. Poverty is Satan's way to break human will and keep a person subjugated . It destroys hope for tomorrow so that we may not believe that abundance is God's will. Poverty is universal – New York to Nairobi, London to Lagos, the poor we will always have with us. This leads to compromising on the joy of salvation. The devil has used greed, evil, lust, deceit and covetousness to bring society under his will. That is why we have the rich over the poor, lords over slaves and men over the women. Satan has conditioned humanity to believe that God desires scarcity. This makes people think that lack is a major spiritual milestone, that we make do with less than we have. This has become the default thinking of man. However through the scriptures, we can restore our thinking and bring FREEDOM TO BELIEVE. Schools and economic systems teach us that supply will never match demand. However, we have seen at creation that God created a super-abounding environment. God has created in our inner being the desire for prosperity. Just look at children before they are taught to hate  prosperity. Each one dreams of becoming something big when they grow up.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they mighthave life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
John 10:10 Le voleur ne vient que pour dérober, égorger et détruire; moi, je suis venu afin que les brebis aient la vie, et qu'elles soient dans l'abondance. (Louis Segond Version - LSV)
The devil is a thief, and tries to steal the abundant life of god in a man. The French translation says that they may be in abundance.
2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
Prosperity has been abused by people who through smooth talk make money from others. This the bible calls filthy lucre.
Titus 1:1-10
Contemporary media constantly bombards the public with negative positions of prosperity taking advantage of people and making moneyof them. So what is God's Perspective?
Psa 39:6 Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches,and knoweth not who shall gather them.
Luk 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 
You have to be rich towards God and have abundance to yourself. Otherwise, it is dangerous because when things are not working out, one can easily blame God for not fulfilling His promises. It is dangerous to the point of backsliding.
Warnings
Mat 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Mar 4:19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
Mar 10:22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
Mar 10:23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
Mar 10:24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.
1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with manysorrows.
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after  righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.
1Ti 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
1Ti 6:15 Which in his times he shall shew, who is theblessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
1Ti 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
1Ti 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things toenjoy;


Blessings – Positive Attitudes No prosperity phobia – fear is of the devil and God cannot trust you. You must know that God does not have second class citizens. God is not a grandfather.
Psalms 34:9 O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Therefore, to desire good is to be a Christian. One of the requirements of an elder according to Titus is to be a lover of good.


3Jn 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
Psa 35:27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.
Deu 28:8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
Deu 28:11 And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.
Deu 28:12 The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
Pro 10:22 The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Riches are not blessing but blessing brings riches. Therefore get the blessing. Then every creativity in you will produce after its kind.
Psa 24:1 The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Ecc 5:19 Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
Hag 2:8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
Exo 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
Lev 25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
Psa 36:7 How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
Psa 36:8 They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.
Psa 36:9 For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.
Psa 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

This article is an excerpt from a message entitled "Mastering your  Finances" preached at Life Church International by the late Apostle Geoffrey Kiriungi, Jesus Wave International, a minister of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.