MARK 6:34 says,  “And Jesus, when He came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd:  and He began to teach them many things.”

Over the last couple of years I have searched for a place to exercise my spiritual gifts.  Whether it be Episcopal, Nazarene, Church of God, Lutheran, or Presbyterian, they all fell short of expectations. Probably of the sample of the churches I personally attended were not the best examples of the denomination.  This situation has caused me to think that there is a pandemic within organized Christianity. The common thread is a subtle change from the centrality of the Word of God to something that could arguably be considered as important; worship.  I deeply understand and seek to worship my God in word and deed but I struggle with the lack of spiritual depth that a constant diet of worship and praise seems to provide.

So what is the reasoning behind this subtle change in style and methodology?  Is it easier to sing and raise our hands than to rightly divide the word of truth?  Is it more palatable to feel good by ecstatically repeating words over and over in the cadence of a snare drum and brass cymbal than to dig deeper into the Word of God and perhaps find something in our lives that requires changing.

So who within the church today to supporting this well-meaning paradigm?  Today, in America, churches are full of sheep – not having a shepherd.  Within these churches across our country, hungry sheep wait to be fed and to be led into the things of God.  Unfortunately, multitudes are as sheep without a shepherd not willing to, as Jesus stated, “If you love me feed my sheep.”

And, unfortunately, while there is a yearning for God in the pew, there appears to be a falling away in the pulpit.  I not saying that much of today’s clergy is spiritually bankrupt, I am just saying it is easier to go with the flow.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God to salvation to everyone that believes; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Yea, I long for the day when more and more preachers begin refusing to “trim the truth in the name of tickling the ears of the people.