MOV:The gimmick Gospel  by W.F. BELL

   "WORLD'S LARGEST CHURCH" - "WORLD'S FASTEST GROWING CHURCH" -
"AMERICA'S FASTEST GROWING SUNDAY SCHOOL" - "FASTEST GROWING CHURCH IN
THE STATE."

   These are frequently heard and frequently seen slogans in these
modern days. Isn't it silly to brag about numbers (either large or
small)? Where in God's Word does it tell us to gimmick people into
attending church services or Sunday School...? The answers to these
questions are obvious to all Bible readers. The modern "gimmick gospel"
is a FAKERY, FAULTY in its desired results, and FOOLISH in the light of
Scripture.

   What a perversion of the one true gospel is the modern "gimmick
gospel." Give-aways, gadgets, and games are weekly emphasized, to keep
the crowds coming! It's "Balloon Sunday" one week, "Ice cream Sunday"
another week, and "Clown Sunday" the next week. On and on the "gimmick
gospel" goes, going so far as to have "karate preachers" performing
their stunts, and "cut-off- your-tie" days. Some churches have a
carnival like atmosphere about them. Where such a fleshly show is
carried on, the Lord Jesus Christ is not being honored and it is easily
proved. Where are all those Sunday morning throngs on Sunday night?
Where are they on prayer meeting night? Has there ever been one new
church building built yet, that was built to house the Sunday night and
Wednesday night crowds? Where are the genuine results and the truly
changed lives brought about by the "gimmick gospel?" The answer is
simple: there are none. There cannot be anyone truly changed by the
tactics and techniques of men, that is, changed from sinners into loyal
subjects of King Jesus. Only God can change and truly convert poor
sinners! How little this is believed in our day.

   After getting thousands to attend Sunday School, what is taught to
them after getting them there? This is the crucial question. We are not
against churches bussing children and adults to Sunday School and
church services, if they give them the pure gospel after getting them
to come, and didn't have to gimmick them to get them there.

   We urge you to weigh carefully these solemn words: "Every plant
which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up" (Matt.
15:13). Do we believe this? Men can get "decisions" and men can
persuade folks to "come forward," but does that mean that God the Holy
Spirit has done a real work in their hearts? Some think so, but not
this writer. We "fear and tremble" when we think of being called of God
to preach and teach His Word! We take it seriously and care nothing if
our name is never recorded in the religious journals of our day. We
never want to preach a faulty gospel, but always proclaim that true
gospel that honors CHRIST and exalts the sovereignty of God in
salvation.

   If the "gimmick gospel" is the answer to all of America's ills and
problems today, why is there more deadness and unconcern for God and
His glory than ever before? The medicine is not working and it is not
working because it is faulty!

   We cannot ever believe that Jesus Christ once engaged in anything
foolish. Neither can we imagine the apostles of our Lord doing the
things that are being done today in the name of Christianity. We cannot
bring ourselves to see in the Scriptures that Almighty God is engaged
in a crash program to "hurry up and get people saved before it's too
late. God is on His throne. What need has He to worry and fret? What
need has God to rush and hurry up?

   "For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's
colt" (Job 11:12). What a humbling word is this! We are vain and yet we
would be wise! We are depraved and yet we want to help out "little
Jesus." Who is this Jesus? Is He "the beggar?" We declare to you that
modern preachers and modern churches are proving themselves to be fools
indeed, when instead of doing things Biblically, they take on the
world's ways and habits of doing things. The world sells their
merchandise and sells their sports, but the true gospel is not for
sale; it never has been and never will be. The gospel of grace is not a
bargain or something we merely try to get people to accept, but rather
a glorious message of good news, the good news of CHRIST and what He
has already done for poor, perishing sinners.

   Are you a sinner? Have you been laid low by God's convicting power?
Are you guilty and undeserving? If so, there is good news for you:
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners" (1 Timothy 1:15).

   Let us rid this country of the "gimmick gospel," for it is fakery,
faulty, and foolish. And in the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon: "We
can do without modern learning, but we cannot do without the ancient
gospel. We can do without oratory and eloquence, but we cannot do
without Christ crucified. Lord, revive Thy work by giving us the
old-fashioned gospel back again in our pulpits."

