The American Gospel

2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

The Word of God is clear that days are coming (or are already here?) when men will not want to hear the Truth of the gospel but instead create an alternative gospel, even an American Gospel. Instead of having a love for and desiring the truth, believers will begin to want to hear only that which makes them feel good and does not confront their old nature. “Christian happy talk”, one leader calls it.

In thousands of American churches now it is no longer acceptable to preach about subjects like: Jesus is King and has a Kingdom, sin, hell, money or the power of the Holy Spirit. A friend of mine recently spoke at a very large church, which was part of what used to be a charismatic denomination, which banned mentioning the words, “Holy Spirit” on the platform! Why? Because it was too controversial! These areas are considered taboo as they might “scare away” people from attending this growing number of seeker-sensitive ,mile-wide, inch-deep churches springing up all over the land.

The American dream has morphed into something very different from what our founding fathers envisioned. Initially it was freedom to worship and pursue freedom from tyranny, the ability to be self-reliant and to stand on our own two feet. But today as Americans we have been taught an American Dream that means to be free to be make money, have a home and live an excessive American life. Most of what is going on in America is not only not biblically normal, but excessive, perverse, unrestrained and allows an idolatry of that kind of lifestyle to flourish. Many American parents now have an excessive idolatry of their children to the point of self indulgence and excess. This is revealed by the amount of debt families get in to service their children’s every little whim. This obsequious fawning over their children isn’t healthy and creates spoiled and demanding little “angels”. It is because these parents exposed their children to just one side of things rather than allowed to face the very real obstacles they will face in life. A consumerist mentality of parenting,where indulgence and saying “yes” means Love,is clearly unhealthy. Of course what one generation does in moderation the next does in excess.

Overall when these believers go without hearing an authentic gospel message of self-denial and the cross, they end up with little capacity to function in”the real world” and when they face the very eventual setbacks and roadblocks of life,they may collapse. They have a great sense of God’s love for them until they are told “no” or they don’t get what they want. This is bitter pill to swallow but it is not heard in most churches. That’s why it is crucial to preach and declare the truth!
Look at some of the differences between what many are being taught versus what the Word of God teaches:

American Gospel                                                             Gospel of the Kingdom
God PLUS my options                                                         one choice-“Follow Me”
comfortable                                                                            uncomfortable to our flesh
unoffensive                                                                            offends mind, reveals heart
looks back                                                                              goes forward
convenience (all-important)                                             covenant
ministry determined by people’s needs                         Holy Spirit directed ministry
the people(Lao) rule(dicea)                                              apostles and elders rule
avoid conflict                                                                        conflict of Kingdoms
people-pleasing                                                                    God-pleasing
seeker-friendly                                                                      Holy Spirit friendly
get people “saved”                                                                make disciples
ministry done only by elite few                                        ministry done by Body
program-oriented                                                          worship apostolic teaching,prayer
“inch deep and a mile wide”                                             rooted &grounded inChrist
breeds spiritual babies                                                       brings maturity
attendees easily offended                                                  unable to be offended
go around the mountain                                                    takes territory
fruit is proud & puffed up                                                   humble,meek people
allows foolishness                                                              loves wisdom