Comments on: Evangelicalism: A Modern Day Tetzel? http://www.exploringtruth.org/2007/10/31/evangelicalism-a-modern-day-tetzel/ Discovering God In His Word Wed, 20 Aug 2008 23:08:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3 By: Jim Swindle http://www.exploringtruth.org/2007/10/31/evangelicalism-a-modern-day-tetzel/#comment-2 Jim Swindle Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:42:08 +0000 http://www.exploringtruth.org/2007/10/31/evangelicalism-a-modern-day-tetzel/#comment-2 Thanks for calling us to truth. I live in a suburb of Houston, the land of mega-mega churches. Many evangelicals see nothing wrong, but some of these churches are avoiding or re-writing the gospel. One church took out a full-page, color ad on the back of the events magazine section of the Sunday newspaper to advertise its Christmas antique car show. In the foyer of that same church is a statue of the pastor baptizing someone. Can you imagine the apostle Paul saying, "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified--oh, and the antique car show as well"? Can you imagine Paul saying, "God did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel--but look at this statue of me baptizing someone"? Several local megachurches are now pastored by husband-wife teams, but I've not seen any of them discuss the theology of women as senior pastors. (I know that some people make a sincere argument for that from the Bible; these people don't seem to try.) Another megachurch spends money on things like a shaking platform for a Sunday sermon about an earthquake. As you say, people go to these churches because they feel better about themselves when they leave. They think that if the church approves of them, surely God approves of them. Meanwhile, some of the pastors and authors and conference speakers and purveyors of Christian wares receive a lot of money from all of this. Is there a similarity to Tetzel? I vote yes. I'm thankful to be in a church where our pastor is determined not to use tricks to get people into the church. The preaching of the word, accompanied by prayer and holy living, is bringing people. Our church's members are discovering that life isn't about their own success and happiness, but about God's glory. Thanks for calling us to truth. I live in a suburb of Houston, the land of mega-mega churches. Many evangelicals see nothing wrong, but some of these churches are avoiding or re-writing the gospel. One church took out a full-page, color ad on the back of the events magazine section of the Sunday newspaper to advertise its Christmas antique car show. In the foyer of that same church is a statue of the pastor baptizing someone. Can you imagine the apostle Paul saying, “For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified–oh, and the antique car show as well”? Can you imagine Paul saying, “God did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–but look at this statue of me baptizing someone”?

Several local megachurches are now pastored by husband-wife teams, but I’ve not seen any of them discuss the theology of women as senior pastors. (I know that some people make a sincere argument for that from the Bible; these people don’t seem to try.) Another megachurch spends money on things like a shaking platform for a Sunday sermon about an earthquake.

As you say, people go to these churches because they feel better about themselves when they leave. They think that if the church approves of them, surely God approves of them. Meanwhile, some of the pastors and authors and conference speakers and purveyors of Christian wares receive a lot of money from all of this. Is there a similarity to Tetzel? I vote yes.

I’m thankful to be in a church where our pastor is determined not to use tricks to get people into the church. The preaching of the word, accompanied by prayer and holy living, is bringing people. Our church’s members are discovering that life isn’t about their own success and happiness, but about God’s glory.

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