There is a growing prevalence of churches that want to draw people in to present the gospel. These churches, commonly referred to as “seeker friendly” churches have been one of the biggest trends in Christianity in the postmodern world. A comparison would be the analytics of Major League Baseball. Some people champion it; others loath it. For these seeker friendly churches are engaged in the advance usage of analytics and marketing. In the effort of not being dismissive in a traditionalist “get off my lawn” way, I want to examine, giving a fair shake, this prevalent trend in Christianity.

In the early church, it was inconceivable that churches would attract large audiences to present the gospel. During the time of persecution, Christians building coliseums for worship would have been lit as candles to light those coliseums while lions were fed to their brethren in an evening pagan spectacle. During the reign of the Papacy, this second phase of Christian history built cathedrals, however these architectural feats were never intended to be mission fields, rather home bases. The post-reformation segment of Christendom saw large gatherings and generational revivals but a large church does not equal a “seeker friendly” church. In American history, we have seen some readily obvious cycles of rebellion and repentance with the Great Awakenings. We aren’t in one of those periods of repentance as a society; we need to be, but I digress. If you build it and they will come is an entirely new phenomenon for physical churches.

I am unsure whether this phenomenon of seeker friendly is the result of the rebellion in our societies or a response to. However, many prominent proponents of seeker friendly churches have questionable theology such as Andy Stanley. Andy Stanley’s Deep and Wide is the bible for seeker friendly churches. There’s obvious problems with the seeker friendly church model that stem from belief systems that counter scripture, the Popularity Gospel as I have coined it.

But the original question was not contemplating the theological legitimacy of seeker friendly churches. Rather we are examining the use of church as the mission field which these famous megachurches’ methods have permeated into many bible believing churches. The origin comes from theologically void sources, however legitimate churches use much of these methods to increase the audience of the church, but I am wondering how these methods can increase the size of the church.

1Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 NASB

So if the church is to be the mission field why then is the church not interested in preaching the gospel every Sunday? Sermons on money don’t save. Sermons on not being “judgmental” don’t save. Not even sermons on loving your neighbor save. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 concisely articulates a saving message that Paul seems to have preached regularly during his time in Corinth.

Comfort

The Good News of Jesus Christ is a call to a painful death to self, daily. No work-around backdoor preaching in a way non-believers can agree with is a sufficient substitute. Using the physical building and programs as a mission field is an unprecedented means modern Christianity finds itself in. By no means, should we turn down innovative ways to baptize believers and make disciples. However, these means must do exactly that. If the church is to draw non-Christians, specifically church adverse people, in with music, atmosphere, and accommodations then the duty of the Church to Christ is to present the gospel daily.

We are currently forming the American Conservative Movement. If you are interested in learning more, we will be sending out information in a few weeks.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has one goal. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not impeachment of the President. She’s supporting it now because she has to for various reasons ranging from a revolting left within her own caucus to acting as a smokescreen to protect Joe Biden and other Democrats (possibly including herself) who have engaged with the previous corrupt government of Ukraine. But it’s not what she wants because she knows it will fail in the end.

Her actual goal is to clear the stink of impeachment off the Democrats before the 2020 election. Yes, it’s going to stink. Thanks to the antics of Adam Schiff and others, it’s already stinking pretty badly and it hasn’t even had very much time to rot in front of American voters. She wants to get in, check off the impeachment box on her list of “accomplishments” as Speaker, and move onto the next component of obstruction that she’ll hope to ride into the 2020 election.

We cannot allow that to happen. This stink must remain firmly attached to the Democrats who support impeachment all the way through to election day next year. They need to wear impeachment like an albatross of shame around the necks, and they must not be allowed to shed it until they’re ousted from office.

This is important. The press is going to help them “move on” after it’s done. But conservatives must keep pressing it. We cannot allow it to fall off the radar as we’ve done so many times in recent elections. Benghazi should have sunk President Obama, but he was let off the hook. The Brett Kavanaugh confirmation debacle should have helped Republicans expand their control of the Senate, but it was old news a month after his confirmation just in time for the 2018 midterm elections. Time and time again, Democrats hand Republicans something that stinks, and Republicans fail to capitalize on it during elections.

If former FBI Director James Comey had let Hillary Clinton off the hook for her email scandal a month earlier than he did, she might have won the 2016 election. That’s how bad Republicans are at capitalizing on Democratic mistakes. Impeachment is such a mistake, a huge one. And if Republicans don’t handle it right, they’ll let it slip into the history books instead of letting it carry them to big gains in the House and Senate.

President Trump will be fine. He’ll capitalize on it without even trying and will use it to win his reelection. Down-ballot races must do the same. Any Republican running against a Democrat who supports impeachment should use that as the anchor that sinks the incumbent into a dark electoral pit. They should hammer this debacle until their opponents’ names are synonymous with “impeachment” among their constituents.

We must help them.

If your representative supports impeachment, make certain everyone you influence knows just how bad that really is. Today, it is allegedly popular with many. But it’s going to end up stinking very badly, and that odor must stick to Democrats like glue.

We are currently forming the American Conservative Movement. If you are interested in learning more, we will be sending out information in a few weeks.

An op-ed I posted a few hours ago has drawn more people to reach out to me to see if I’m turning against President Trump, yet. One particularly well known “Never Trumper” direct messaged me on Twitter to congratulate me for seeing through the President’s lies. He was shocked to find out my call for the President to sanction Turkey didn’t mean I was turning against him. I still intend to support the President’s reelection efforts and will be voting for him in 2020.

There’s a big difference between criticism and opposition. In today’s ultra-tribal political atmosphere, too many people deal with absolutes. If they oppose a candidate or a party on a single issue, they suddenly oppose that candidate or party on all issues. It’s rather strange seeing former “conservatives” who are now embracing Joe Biden or Elizabeth Warren while still pretending to be pro-life, defenders of capitalism, protectors of religious freedoms, 2nd Amendment proponents, and believers in limited government.

But it’s not just the “Never Trumpers” who are the problem. Some of the President’s most devoted fans have willfully molded their conservative worldviews around his. They’re latching onto his “bring the troops home” mantra regarding Syria, though the troops aren’t actually coming home. They’re preparing to be “common sense gun control” advocates in case the President signs universal background checks or red flag incentives into law. They do these things without considering if President Obama did either of these things, they’d be all over Twitter calling him treacherous and anti-freedom.

My perspectives on President Trump are simple and honest. When he does well, I praise him. When he does poorly, I criticize him. My praise has greatly outweighed my criticisms, but invariably any time I criticize his actions I’m attacked by overzealous members of his base and approached by “Never Trumpers” looking to add me to their ranks.

Friday evening, I posted a thread that demonstrates why I won’t be a “Never Trumper” any time soon. It’s worth reading to understand why I can criticize the President while knowing I generally support him and approve of most of his policies.

People often ask me why I support @realdonaldtrump, especially "NeverTrump" conservatives who have unhinged themselves from the GOP and, in many cases, reality. I could list his accomplishments but perhaps it's better to list what the @POTUS hasn't and won't do…

— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) October 12, 2019

There's a saying that goes, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them."

The Democrats have shown us who they are. In fact, they have been more honest about their intentions to eradicate important aspects of America than they've ever been before.

— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) October 12, 2019

When people complain to me about the things they don't like about President Trump, I take it with a grain of salt. They're just ignoring the existential threat to America that his opponents represent.

I'll stick with the President for America's sake.

— JD Rucker (@JDRucker) October 12, 2019

I can call for President Trump to sanction Turkey and still be fully supportive of his presidency and reelection efforts. Criticism on one issue is not opposition as a whole… at least it shouldn’t be. Patriotism must be driven by honest assertion of our beliefs.

We are currently forming the American Conservative Movement. If you are interested in learning more, we will be sending out information in a few weeks.