Page 5 - Good News August 2019 paper

any U.S. churches today that we have to be bigger than the us to build character in our lives is
have “forgotten” their guy down the street and how to a foreign thing to so many people
Mpur pos e , b e c o m i ng get more people in the building. because it hasn't been taught and
entertainment-driven social When you're focused on that, explained from our pulpits.”
organizations eager to blend in you'll never preach anything
with secular culture instead of that's controversial and you'll The pastor is gearing up for the
focusing on Biblical discipleship, always be trying to figure out how release of his latest book, Every-
Pastor David Jeremiah warned. to get more people to come.” thing You Need: 7 Essential Steps
to A Life of Confidence in the
“The Church is coming under The New York Times best-selling Promises of God. In it, he unpacks
attack; it's forgotten what the author pointed out that ironically, 2 Peter 1, outlining the seven
Church is supposed to be,” churches that focus on enter- essential steps to live a life of Dr David Jeremiah
Jeremiah, founder of Turning tainment and fail to present the confidence in the promises of
Point Radio and Television whole Gospel are actually driving God. his greatest lies is that it's fine to
Ministries, told The Christian millennials and Generation Z “just float” through life. “Paul
Post. away. He cited research from “2 Peter 1 says God has given us writes in Philippians that we are
Barna Group and the Cornerstone everything we need for a godly to ‘work out your salvation with
“We're not an entertainment Knowledge Network which found life; not 'some things' - every- fear and trembling,’ but in talking
service; we're not here to see how that 67 percent of millennials thing,” Jeremiah said. “I see to many Christians, it's not some-
close we can get to what the world prefer a “classic” church over a people running around trying to thing they seem to comprehend,”
does. But there's so much of the “trendy” one. find the things they supposedly the pastor said.
world in the Church and vice need as believers, and here is
versa that we can't tell the diffe- “Here in California, we see God telling us, 'I've already given “On the other hand, Satan tells us
rence. We have to hold to the interest on the part of millennials you everything you need.'” He that it's all well and good to work
truth. We have to get nourished. If and younger for the Bible and for added that in Romans, God out- on our salvation, but when we
it's not happening, you're a social truth,” the pastor said. “Most of lines the character qualities He don't do it well or mess up, he
organization and not a church.” the time, we see statistics about wants His people to grow and swoops in and says, ‘see, I told
how people are leaving the develop: virtue, knowledge, self- you it can't be done.’ But when
Jeremiah, who also serves as Church, but in many respects, control, perseverance, godliness, you mess up, you don't give up.
senior pastor of Shadow Moun- young people are demanding brotherly kindness and love. You keep on growing.”
tain Community Church in El more truth, more teaching, and
Cajon, California, explained that less entertainment. They're not “What I've tried to do is take each In an era of uncertainty, Jeremiah
amid a nationwide decline in interested in shallow expressions of these characteristics and not said he hopes his book encou-
church attendance, far too many of religion.” only explain them but give rages readers to live a life of
churches have become “obses- practical ways readers can use confidence in the promises of
sed” with remaining relevant. He told The Christian Post that them,” Jeremiah said. “I encou- God and take ownership of their
many Christians feel uncertain rage readers to take these salvation. “I’ve been through two
“There's an incredible motivation when it comes to living each day precious promises from God and rounds of cancer, and one thing
on the part of everyone to be as followers of Christ - even memorize them, keeping them in I’ve learned through that is that
successful, and a lot of times though God equips all believers your spiritual hard drive. Then God truly is all He promises to
people program their churches to with everything they need to walk verbalize them. When we share be,” he shared. “And wherever I
see how many people will sit in confidently as members of His those truths with others, it'll help go, one of the things we talk
the pews on Sunday,” he said. Kingdom. This, he said, is often a them and embolden us, deepe- about is how we’re all living under
“There's nothing wrong with failure on the part of church ning our commitment to the tremendous pressure today. But
getting people there, as long as leadership. Scriptures.” that can be mitigated when we tap
you share the Gospel. But there's into the power God gives us,
no glory in just a number.” “Christians have two major mar- “Get a journal, and when you find downloaded into our lives
kers in their lives: When they Scriptures that speak to your life, through the Bible. We need to be
“Don't worship at the attendance become Christians, and when write them down and build your memorizing Scriptures and
altar,” Jeremiah advised. “A lot of they go to Heaven. But most spiritual inventory so that when practising them. When we do
good things happen in churches Christians don't know what to do you face issues, you are equipped that, we get the benefit of the
when there aren't huge numbers in between those two markers, with the promises of God,” he promises of God that He so
but the pastor has prepared a and that's because churches continued. Jeremiah warned that clearly lays out for us in His
good message and there's don't teach them,” Jeremiah said. Christians “shouldn't be ignorant Word.”
worship. We get off on this thing “The whole idea that God expects of Satan's strategies”- and one of https://endtimeheadlines.org 1/8/19