MOV:Insanity

   ------> INSANITY IN THE CHURCH <--------

   Is there "insanity" in your church? Or worse, is their insanity in
your heart?

   What is insanity in the church? It is human powered preaching. It is
being impressed by outward motivations to preach the gospel. Talk show
host do. TV evangelist do it. Churches do it. And many Christian
individuals do it. It is, in short, a reliance on the power of man
rather than the power of the Holy Spirit.

   It is programs, techniques and activities that seek to motivate
people to obey the gospel. What we mean is this...

   [1] Donating money to a church, radio show or church because of the
gift they will send you for your "love gift". Do you give money for
such reasons?

   [2] Do you give money or time to your church because of a giving
campaign? Then you are putting up with insanity in the church.

   [3] Are you impressed with a preacher who has gone to biblical
college?

   [4] Insanity in the church is preaching done with wit and
entertainment.

   [5] Do you enjoy the entertainment that flows from the choir? Do you
enjoy the church "services" that look and feel more like stage plays
than coming in contact with a living Holy God?

   ----------> CHARLES G. FINNEY <----------

   This insanity goes way back. So many hold up Charles G. Finney as a
mighty man of God. Well, this mighty man of God promoted insanity in
the church. As one book reports,

   "More then a century ago the evangelist CHARLES G. FINNEY advised
his brethren to try 'NEW MEASURES TO STIR UP EMOTIONAL EXCITEMENTS'"

   Any program or concept that seeks to excite the listeners about the
gospel is sin!

   -------------> D.L. MOODY <---------------

   Since money and numbers have become the goal of showing one to be
"spiritual" we see such outrageous and insane statements as this being
held up...

   "'Blessed are the MONEY-RAISERS, for in heaven they shall stand next
to the MARTYRS.' So spoke D.L. Moody almost a century ago, as both the
foremost evangelist and fund-raiser of his day."

   What total insanity! Truly, Christians out of their minds! Moody's
quote is out of MOODY MONTHLY NOVEMBER 1988. They are so insane that
they hold up this comment of Moody's as being godly, righteous and
holy! Can you believe this? May-be you can!

   ------------> PAUL <------------

   II Corinthians 11:17-30 In this self-confident boasting I am not
talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. Since many are boasting in
the way the world does, I too will boast. You gladly put up with fools
since you are so wise! In fact, you even put up with anyone who
enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or pushes
himself forward or slaps you in the face. To my shame I admit that we
were too weak for that! What anyone else dares to boast about--I AM
SPEAKING AS A FOOL--I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am
I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am
I. Are they servants of Christ? (I AM OUT OF MY MIND TO TALK LIKE
THIS.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more
frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again
and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus
one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times
I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have
been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in
danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from
Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at
sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and
have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have
often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything
else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who
is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not
inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my
weakness."

   So do you put up with "fools"? With "Super- apostles"? Do you send
or give money because of offer love gift offer number #530? Do you
serve in your church because of the motivational talks and gimmicks
given? Then you are being taken in by insanity in the church.

   How we boast of our numbers! How we boast of our projects and
spiritual encounters! How we love to let people know our our strong
points . After all, when was the last time you were in a church where
they boasted of their "weaknesses"? You haven't been because we have
lost connection with the head of Jesus and are insane!!!!

   -----------> PAUL AGAIN <----------

   I Corinthians 2:1-5 "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come
with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony
about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except
Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and
with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and
persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so
that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

   How unlike Paul's preaching is the preaching today. Paul came in
"weakness and fear". And that with "trembling"! Paul did not come with
fancy witted stories and humorous jokes. No, No! A thousand times no!
Paul came in with a demonstration of the Spirits power and work. Not
with shows, gimmicks and different ways to cause emotional excitement.
Paul was a Spirit-filled man, not a man insane.

   SOUND DOCTRINE BBS
