Why So Many Christians Are Falling Away (and How We Can Help Them Return) — Part 1

The following program is recorded content created by the Truth Network.

The following is a prerecorded program. Why are so many people falling away from the Lord and what can we do to help start the line of fire with your host activist all the international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael grow your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the direct coalition of conscience, the president of fire school of Ministry to the line of fire valves are going 866-34-TRUTH 866-34-TRUTH your job is Dr. Michael Brown friends, this is Michael Brown you today and tomorrow is to dig into the many comments that you posted on Twitter and Facebook answering this question in your view, why are so many people falling away from the faith.

Now I post questions on a regular basis. I will get feedback want to see your perspective want to understand what you're thinking what you interact with things that I've said that I don't base truce on the pole on response, you learn a lot from it. In other words, if I asked for your opinion about the particular controversial subject as I can to help me to determine the truth, but it does help me see what you're thinking, in which her own point of view is what's actually out there and what's a hot topic and what is not.

In this case I have to be honest we were flooded with comments. I did not expect to receive so many hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of comments between Facebook and YouTube that indicates, as we have known, but it underscores it even more that many have fallen away in recent years, and that it seems to be a higher percentage of people than we normally see now. What's that, due to where they truly saved in the first place. These are all questions that were going to address, but my purpose here is not to point fingers that those who no longer believe if you're listening now and in the past you considered yourself a follower of Jesus, a Bible believer and you no longer do. You may be very hostile. You may be watching or listening to the broadcasts because you're angry and and and you just don't like what I have to say, but you feel you need to know what I'm saying because I influence people.

It could be because you're still wondering. It is impossible as the ray of hope that your beliefs are right, it contributed to hurting you and and that you're looking for an answer, but you just don't have confidence in, the more the truth of Scripture, the reality of God, but for whatever reason you're turning in. My goal is not to criticize you or fall to tie what was wrong with you, but rather address the real issues. The real problems that we do see them and try to come up with viable solutions. If you cannot read my book has God failed you. Finding faith when you're not even sure God is real. I believe it will really help. I believe you'll find it to be a timely resource either for you as a believer experiencing doubts use a believer wanting to help others for you as someone that no longer believes or knows someone who no longer believes I think you find to be a really really helpful resource. I asked one of our team members to go through the comments because there are so many hundreds want to make sure I got an overview of the main things that you had to say. I asked him to to go through them in and summarize things from start. I just want to share this list with you again this is not a particular order, but these were the most common themes that came up in terms of what you share what you posted. Going along with family traditions, but never genuinely saved or Ugandan intellectual information about God but but never encountered God personally. So many of said the reason that that a lot of people falling away and and I would think this is especially the younger generation may be raised in church without really coming to know God or experience God for whatever reason, this would apply all the more. I heard a preacher say decades ago. The reason that a lot of people backslid is because they never front slit so that that could well be the case of many from a Calvinistic viewpoint saying that people are never truly saved. Therefore, not really elect another idea that you were taught, and insufficient gospel believe everything will go well for you prosperity gospel is a whole chapter has God failed you saying perhaps it's wrong. Theology felt that those are problem to title the book has God failed you so Gardner fails, I yes yes of course he being God never fails.

We understand that, but many deeply feel as if he has failed them in writing the book and feeling the pain just in my spirit as I was writing feeling the pain of many who would read the book I want to address them where they were. Yes, this whole chapter in the book. This is maybe it is wrong theology that failed here and I'm to get into these in more depth and try to respond in a helpful way at any can give the antidote to the problem is much as possible, as it is our goal here to see the body healthy and thriving to to break the bondage's and yokes is as the that the body must I get so healthy and strong that the yokes are broken off of your every day to to confusion with faith and truth. Encourage go out and stand strong for the Lord. So wherever you are. Again, my goal is not to condemn or criticize, but to help right. If you do not want your help, but no one's making illicit note. No one's forcing you to listen but as long as you do listen to my best to help our soul. If I had been taught.

For example, that I'm joining the Army and and the whole purpose in joining the Army is that I'm I'm going to just getting really good physical shape really good mental discipline learn certain aspects of computer technology and then get a free scholarship or or or free funding towards my my college career afterwards and then I'm deployed on the front was, I should eliminate will that's what happens in the Army make its shot at math to kill the enemy. If you had certain expectations with the gospel. You just believe in Jesus and your always blessed me to prosper you give a dollar you get 100 back and just watch doesn't happen like that, you'll think the whole thing was not true.

Rather, recognizing you were just taught a false message of another another major thing that came up was was lack of discipleship in general that the church is not done a good job of making disciples. Another is is education and what's out in the media that that causes us to question the veracity of the Bible be teaching on evolution be teaching on ancient history. Another personal traumas and pain.

How can God allow these things to happen.

So if God is really there for his compassion of his love is if if the God of the Bible is really who he says he is then why did you let me go through this.

Why so much pain again. I want to address as many of these as possible in more depth. Another thing to come up a lot is it's not culturally popular to be a follower of Jesus. And when it comes to our teachings on gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans issues, we are going against the current of the culture, the spirit of the world's lot of opposition to that were Brenda's hateful, etc. another church is to experiential and entertainment based. Maybe the way a lot of youth ministries operate in particular the church is not give people intellectual backing for their face or answers to their questions so the one hand, we can by being so intellectual never bring people into encounter with God the other hand, we can put such an emphasis on experience that whenever ground people introduce you and to the extent that we preach a superficial message. We will see superficial fruit another state of the church of the lukewarm a lot of hypocrisy in the church people come to the Lord joined the church the this is it on outta here, leadership scandals, people who were hurt by the church.

I deal with that in death that has God failed you in the chapter about we are part saint and parts center deal with these very issues another Bulova. Many will grow cold. Jesus speaking of great apostasy. In Matthew 24. Could this be that prophesied time of apostasy. Apostasy because iniquity abounds.

Another is that people even hook the church but not leaving Jesus. So many of dropped out of church attendance are not counted on on the roles of the church or church attendance is weighing but maybe they didn't really believe the Lord another poor parenting going on children's church or youth groups to disciple their children. People are busy with life and running faster than ever before and distracted by so many things in maybe parents haven't poured into their kids and we sought to disciple them. Those so atheist or atheist who weighed in and I appreciate you being there. Appreciate appreciate you calling me on social media appreciate you tuning into the broadcast. Thank you for doing that in the midst of our differences. Whether you're there to mock with your they are just out of curiosity to learn with you there, just want to expose yourself different viewpoints. Either way out. I'd rather that you're listening and reading and viewing than not so there atheist who said what makes sense to leave the faith was the faith itself is not true course and has God failed you. I deal with the question okay. What if there is no God. Think through the implications of that cake. I just pause there for a second think about this last night with with human atrocities being committed.

I was talking to a policeman whose drive me from the airport to a TV shoot we're driving Sunday night and he was talking to me about child sex crimes that he had he had followed through on the detective and just terrible things.

What what adults had done to children videotape them and in other horrific things just utterly sick at absolutely sick evil evil and and you think there are cases there were people go on doing this for years, rape, abuse, even kill and never get caught, and then die maybe at 70 or 80.

Think of it. If there is no God, there will never be justice. You have to live with that reality, there will never be justice and for the victims.

Let's assume was killed at the age of seven or eight can never be set right that there can never be anything positive for that child that comes out or it could be that there's a crackdown on things after the atrocities against the child. Child predators are cotton something good comes out of it and that would be for the child himself or herself. Nothing good came out of it and nothing good can ever come out of Nazar McKenna created God in my mind to make me feel better.

That's the reality. There is no justice and things will not get set right, and ultimately, there is no purpose or destiny human life because we we are just the the random products of an unguided evolutionary process will that's a reality. If there is no God, no, Shirley is upsetting her know the God of Israel know that God is real and I know that is truly wonderful and compassionate and just and I know that with this I could set right in this world will get set right in the world to come. But are those those are atheists just encourage you to own what your atheism is a menu many of you have shaped your worldview and it may bring me some discouragement depression because things can never be set right in this world, but I would urge you to consider. Perhaps he was wrong. I said perhaps for your sake. Perhaps God is waiting on filename to light a fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown get into the minor fire now by calling 866-34-TRUTH dear again is Dr. Michael Brown joining us today on the line of fire your voice of sanity and spiritual clarity are few. Five days a week. We are digging into the question of why so many people have left the faith in recent years. Now it is true that around the world. The gospel continues to spread an unprecedented fashion. It remains true that in the last 50 years.

More people have come to faith. More people have been born again profess faith in Jesus around the world then not just any fifty-year. Church history, but any 500 year. Any thousand year. Any any 1500 year period, God is moving around the world and there is tremendous harvest but in many places where many people are being saved there being saved through a mixed message so they are getting born again, but with very shaky foundations and therefore unstable in some cases better bearing Baird bad fruit in countries where the harvest is unprecedented in numbers. I mean things that have never been seen in church history and in parts of Africa said looking Nigeria extraordinary massive harvest. I know some of the people on the front lines of it. Those those in Nigeria and those who come in as missionaries and evangelists. I know some of them well.

The harvest really is unprecedented and in many cases they are hearing a good strong clear basic gospel message, and then are getting plugged into healthy churches and in many other cases there is a real mixture. There is the carnal prosperity message that is added in there other things that can come from the pagan culture and witchcraft that get added in. And because of that there is often a mixture. So on the one hand, God is moving around the world. On the other hand, in many cases there is a lack of discipleship and certainly in Europe and America in the West in general. There is a lot of apostasy and falling away. I want to say this though it doesn't surprise me. Why, because for decades. Many of us have been crying out and lifting our voices and saying something is terribly wrong it here if if you think this is a matter some after the fact. Saying all look I told you so but I never did go back and look at my 1989 book, the end of the American gospel enterprise go back and look at my 1990 book how saved are we go back and look at my 1991 book.

Whatever happened to the power of God is the charismatic church slain in the spirit down for the count.

Go back and look at my 1993 book, it's time to rock the boat called God's people to rise up and preach a confrontational gospel and I'm just one voice among many, but one voice among many who for decades has been saying when not preaching a clear message when not preaching a biblically grounded message were not calling people to real discipleship so look you offer me a job right afresh out of college. You offer me a job you say hey listen, we just need you to come in. We see your skills and you get really terrific skills. All we need you for is from 10 in the morning till two in the afternoon and were going to pay you $300 a day. That's how much we value your skills like math. Amen. Ironman and and you do your job with joy, with excellence and you're enjoying this this hefty salary for some fresh out of college and then they say listen, we are going through some challenging times as a company and we had to change arrangements dramatically and usually a bunch of other areas that are not really your specialty so you have to be here center from 10 to 2. You have to be here from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon and actually have to cut your pay even though it's it's more hours we have to cut you pay from $300 a day. It's it's gonna be $200.

Attaches like you're mad I sign up for this year all the same way, when we preach a superficial what's in it for me gospel we preach to bypass the cross gospel we preach a gospel of personal empowerment. Then when were called to take stands been recalled to sacrifice we have to say no to the flesh were following Jesus costs us something like I'm out here.

No wonder those people truly saved or not. God is the judge, but we've got to address these issues. I'm not surprised to see how many have been pulled away by the culture because for so many years the church has refused to address sampling and the culture I'm in much of the church, but when I started speaking to LGBT issues, LGBT QT wasn't as prominent them in 2004 I began to but certainly there, but I began to address these issues and people thought you crazy man, why you get off on tangents is not relevant in your you ruin your calling in ministry is not all we did was part of what we did major books like a queer thing happen to America, we can find a publisher to put it out.

We can find a Christian publisher or second secular publisher little put out that Christian publisher. Several apologized to me subsequently at end people so that the contents are too controversial, but this is what's happening in the world to me right with compassion. No one said what I wrote was false.

No one said what I wrote was lacking compassion. No one in terms of the people it responded to us but is too hot to handle in a secular sell in 2 July infected it sold out and we have to we have to do a will and update things that that's was a major project before we reprint but but the fact of the matter is, at least we printed it a good amount for first run of the 700 page book hardcover with 1500 endnotes you sell 1011 test house self published that's that's actually demonstrating interest about the same amount with the books but the point is, people want to talk about it now. Some of the young people side with the LGBT activist rather than the parents side with LGBT quote Christians rather than the Bible and so many confuse themselves only a long time. It's too controversial.

While this is what's happening and people are hurting, we need to speak the truth in love.

So while I'm grieved. I'm not surprised that I see in some circles that the whole gospel presentation was purely an intellectual affair, giving people reasons to believe what I can get them to the point of putting their trust in God, but until they do put their trust in God and experience new birth themselves there, just to be intellectual Christians.

Let me just give me some of the other reasons that were expressed. Maybe that is commonly, but when we surveyed you on on Twitter and Facebook and said one of the main reasons why you think some of your falling away today 01 challenging challenges living up to holiness them always fall short of discovery good enough. I can't times bound by sin right so that could be one of legalism.

The other side of laws, regulations made by people rather than by God. Another the gospel is assumed to apply this specific concerns they have that slick. I had this need in the gospel and speak to it hedonism suggests the pleasures of this age, believing there's a conflict between reason and science and Christianity that can reconcile these things. I remember Dan Brown story mega best-selling author of the da Vinci code and other books you read his books.

You see underlying many of them as a gripe with religion was specifically Christianity were specifically Catholicism and after reading one of his last books and read a few of them to understand what was going on. Their disease is a scintillating author in terms of draws you in.

I haven't read da Vinci code, though for a panel discussion was can be part of the hostility drawn in by even though I knew that the whole narrative was based on falsehoods sought ransoms of the stuff and so look at what happened to this guy grown up is pretty much telling you, and in his novels that something happened to him growing up so I got online and that it takes 30 seconds. I mean it was there is nothing hidden. He talked about it openly, saying that he was a boy. He was raised by a thinking father, your mathematics, science kinda guy. His mother, a strong believer devout Christian played organist in the local church and he enjoyed the faith of his mother in the intellectual rigor of his father and he said that he would go to church and listen to statin talk, interact and stuff it and one day, maybe 13 years old.

If I remember correctly, he went to the priest or believe an Episcopal priest is Bob's church and and said that he was having a conflict between what he was reading in the Bible and what he was learning in science. According to Dan Brown the presets of good boys don't ask those questions now. It's a bizarre response.

That's what actually happened. Will that explains some of what went wrong in Dan Brown's own life to bring them to the place he is not mean that he's this wicked horrific person or is it went wrong with his life that he is doing miserably as human being simply mean in terms of the faith connection in terms of saying hey I can be rigorously scientific and full of faith and believing the word of God. Something went wrong somewhere in the process that have with others but see a lack of space in the church to ask questions or critique the beliefs of the church.

Another very big problem. That's why it has God failed grab a whole chapter permission to doubt trends have been happening elsewhere in the West, especially would catch up to the USA. This one was in the air intellectually and morally spiritually, sweeping through an "up with that church is to be home to politics certainly caused a lot to drop out when we became better known for political affiliation that are following Jesus deftly alienated a lot of people surprise number of Catholics talk about the pulp clergy abuse interesting so does medicine look look at what's happened. The scandals in France is now admitted Catholic Church in France that since the 50s to today. There been over 300,000 cases of sexual abuse of children known known known over 300,000 thing over 330,000 if a memory serves me right in France who can imagine can wrap their minds around this and how much damage has been done. How many lives destroyed how much trauma that's never going away.

Many people turn their back on God because of that, how much tarnishing of the reputation of Jesus horrific. These friends realities, what you will not take that up to with this discussion right after brakes day here on the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown is rejoining us in the special broadcast is all they they and tomorrow we explore the question of why so many are leaving the faith we looked at this from different angles.

In recent months and years to devote some significant time to really digging in, refocusing in to really understanding to digging deeper together again. My purpose is not to condemn God for bid my purpose is not to criticize or have more faith was the matter with you once again you know you what good does that do. How does it help you.

I berate you if I believe what a stupid question if if it's real and painful to you, even if it sounds easy or inane to me. How do I help you by belittling you for having the question or struggling with doubt and hate may be God's constituted me a certain way that what feels like a mountain to you like a molehill and me feels like amount sure I can help you right there.

Conversely, if something feels like a mountain to me in a molehill to you was still amount to me. It's still there and I need help with that. So let's do our best to really help the store best rather than point fingers criticize that that's that's assessed things honestly know.

For example, when it comes to scandals in the church.

What when it comes to people been hurt by the church when it comes to leaders who abused congregants like to defend the leaders of America. Unlike images rally around them because their their fellow leaders in my book, playing with holy fire. Wake up call to the Pentecostal charismatic church which came out in 2018. I deal with with abusive leadership and unaccountable leaders mercenary profits. Why because that's reality and I'm not doing it is God's policeman.

I'm not doing it is the corrector in chief. I'm doing it is is a God lover, a lover of the body deliver of people whose hurting and grieved and wants to help those who are being hurt if my goal was to make people look bad and get some reputation as a controversial issue. Who calls everybody out there every day on the show I'd be his name this morning name that one mock this woman like that one look at how righteous I am a look at how foolish they are. If I played a clip of someone in their right. I do it with pain and I do it with desire to see them right to see them helped. And that's God's harsh so I'm not here again to to be the corrector in chief. I'm not here to criticize those struggling with doubt if in fact I know someone and what they need is is kind of a holy slap in the face if you know what I mean. In other words, a wake up call.

Come on man, you're bigger than this your better than this. Your stronger than this. If I know that that's what that person needs then I'll give it to him just like a workout.

Sometimes I cry slow down, take it slow breath.

Don't push too hard, little by little. Do what you can do that's what you do sometimes with someone working out the site. Good shape right the state. I'm glad you're here don't don't be discouraged. You do a great much better than last week. She just little by little baby steps, right as it is another thing was like there is that you can do it just just set your mind to. So there are times for righteous rebuke.

There are times for godly correction, but a lot of times we need to do is get get in the boat with that person.

As the boat feels like it's sinking say not going along loving.

When this together right so let's address this big issue of people not hearing a sound gospel message people not being grounded in the truth and therefore their foundations or shallow. Therefore when testing and shaking comes easily forward. We won't debate whether they were really saved and not let God decide that, but certainly many who professed faith in Jesus. Many who, for years seem to be followers went through certain experiences and then fell away.

It was clear the foundations were that strong.

So what is the message were preaching my newest book revival or we die.

Let me draw your attention to it and I want to read some excerpts from from chapter 4, the chapter's title from amazing grace to amazing centers from amazing grace to amazing since chapter 4 in the book and if you have the book starting on page 45. Did you ever sing rock of ages. The classic hymn written by Augustus top lady something 1417 78 words ring true to this day. Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to the cross I cling naked come to the progress helpless look to the for grace foul I to the fountain fly wash me Savior or I die. That's why the first words of the hymn are rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in the what reason, outside of him. There is no hope. Outside of Jesus. We are totally and utterly lost that that's what we come to the cross naked and helpless that that's why we fly to the fountain of God's grace. That's what we cry out, wash me, Savior, or I die you watch we just need to scroll down on the pages. There it is either mercy or damnation in the owner who can grant mercy is the righteous judge who knows her every sin. So top lady wrote that the labor of my hands can fulfill bylaws, demands goodbye seal no respite, no good my cheers forever flow all could never sin a race now must save saved by grace, have mercy on us, Lord God, and save us very recently was the parish of those were damned. Otherwise, it's all over forever. This is gospel when one that's that's why the Jewish crowd at Pentecost heard Peter's message which you told him they were guilty of crucifying Jesus the Messiah quote they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the brothers the rest of the apostles, brothers, what should we do is translated in the NET Bible.

They were acutely distressed peers to the heart acutely distressed. The arrows of conviction penetrated own no crucify the Messiah what we do. The message at home. The divine arrow pierced the heart, the conviction was intense brothers, what shall we do, we go to Viterbo synagogue site. How can we make things right. How did Peter respond after calling his fellow Jews to repent and be immersed in water, promising them forgiveness of sins of the gifts of the spirit in Jesus name X records with many other words he warned them and pleaded with them, save yourselves from this corrupt generation to Peter exhorted them you urge them pleaded with. He warned them flied to the fountain of God's grace will you still have breath flee from the coming wrath. There's still time for mercy were far cry will this is from today's feel-good gospel gospel self-affirmation the gospel of self-esteem because which is really no gospel at all is explained on the five minutes in church history website top lady knew that apart from grace. It's not that we simply won't become better people were not just okay people apart from Christ know were headed for the wrath of God over us unless Christ washes us with his precious blood and gives us his righteousness, we die, we die. That's what top lady tells us with the Sam is one of the best known hymn of the 20th century was amazing grace, starting with those familiar words amazing Grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost but now found was blind but now I see more clearly see the depth of our sin, the more clearly we see the breath of God's mercy.

The more we realize the rigid nature of our rebellion. We understand the amazing nature of God's grace. It did today. We don't want to talk about coming to God as wretches that hurts her self-esteem and rather than telling sinners how Mazor's grace as we tell them how amazing they are and what it is so little conviction of sin. Today the wonder there's so many shallow conversions if they be conversions at all. No wonder so little depth and so much of the contemporary American church and friends are mind you saying the same things for decades, decades and others were saying them before me, the bottom line is that a progressive true revival we have to recover or rediscover the gospel. Conversely, one of the reasons we so desperately need revival is that we've strayed so far from the biblical gospel. In fact, we've turned the gospel upside down. The biblical gospel proclaims that human beings are terribly sinful in a God's grace is truly amazing. The American gospel proclaims that Lawson is a truly amazing that any talk of God's judgment is really terrible.

As regards grace is like icing on the cake for the center sure that sinners cake is really quite beautiful and wonderful as well. Set some special ingredients to make it taste even better. Amazing person and God is so into you is a really neat things to tell you about your future.

My friend is on the gospel.

Susan I could say by realizing how amazing they are deceived by written essay by realize how lost in her amazing God's graces that includes the message of his absolutely extraordinary law, but if the losses are so amazing was need to get saved.

What this is why Jesus even need to die for such an amazing person biblical gospel declares a person is monstrous that God sent his son to take her place to suffer for guilt.

They were told that such a message turns God into a monster who practices cosmic child abuse through gone from recognizing that man is capable of doing monstrous things to claiming that the God sent his son to die in our place did something monstrous. How could this be as for the deep things that God wants to tell a sinner about his or her future inconvenient truth is that they include one your guilt in God's sight. If you don't turn away from your sins and ask for mercy will perish to when they will stand before a holy all seeing, all-knowing judge will listen, take bribes, and when he doesn't care about public opinion on that day or your excuses will vanish in a site three. If you refuses grace. This one is good and the same Tim in this life. I don't want anything to do with you. Get away from me that in the world to come, he will say those words back to. I don't want anything to do with you. Get away from me forever. And then for if you acknowledge your guilt today asking for mercy believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead and confess him as Lord to wash away every sin cleanse you from the inside give you eternal life fully with his Holy Spirit make you his child change your heart desires enlisted in the service and spend eternity with you and unimaginable bliss satisfaction and joy.

Now were preaching the gospel right that was an excerpt from my chapter amazing Grace amazing sinners in the book revival or we die as you hearing those words. Maybe things are falling into place for you way that we start in the Lord. The way that we come to faith the way that we lay our initial foundation so important like a child being born in a healthy way. Being born in a dangerous and effective way they are affected by the Expo line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown. Looking back, friends to the line of fire, where we are in our best deal head-on with real issues with real complications with real problems as to why so many people are leaving the faith, leaving church, leaving the Lord. We can debate whether all of these people really knew the Lord and not for some it's a temporary backsliding for some. I believe they genuinely knew the Lord were genuinely born again and if genuinely rejected him of the say well if you truly say you can't fall away and therefore there never truly saved. Let's just agree on this.

At one time. Many of these people professed faith. At one time. As far as we knew many of these people were believers, but ultimately God ultimately knows, but as far as we knew these were brothers, sisters, friends, coworkers, fellow ministers of the gospel. Okay, we walked with that we knew and no denying that. As far as we could tell they were believers just the same as we were in right now. They no longer believe either in pain and questioning and hurting wanted to come back with afraid to open our hearts again could be you or outright sinking. Thank God I got out of the thousand cult but here you're still listening. Glad you are whenever the case is for many of these people from everything we could tell. For years they were genuine believers or for months. They were genuine believers and right now they are not walking with God or they don't even believe in God so you can judge there, so maybe they're just hurting and also the I'm not judging their soul. I'm not judging their soul. I've had people say look I was away from the Lord for 30 years but he never left me. He was always dealing with me. He was always calling me back and I know he bail me out of difficult situations, ones that mean if you were to die in that state. You still going to be with the Lord is that mean he was drawing back.

God knows God the what I can say is this.

If I see that person.

I will treat them as if they need to come back to God to be right with God. If I if I interact with that person.

I will interact with them as if they are lost right now and needing his grace and needing his mercy.

So I want to stay on this first point little bit longer than you take tomorrow show and dig deeper. Some of the major issues why people are falling away. One reason that there are preachers and leaders who preach a compromised message is because their own lives are compromised now. Sometimes it goes in the other direction. You hear some preacher screaming and yelling about the evils of sexual sin and condemning anyone will even have a lustful soft and here they are addicted to porn or having multiple affairs, and this is their their way of kind of I don't have the psychological term kisses on my background, but it's kind of this living. This double life or living in denial or compensating for the compensating for that the sin the evil that that there are not be righteous until they feel guilty so they preach against it, or it's just their way of covering up to show how holy they are rather secretly living in sin that can happen and there have been times when I've when I've heard someone ministering in a harsh way with no compassion, condemning others thinking Thomas's just doesn't feel right there. I'm not judging that there in that same sin themselves and look their plenty will accuse you whatever you talk all you must be struggling in areas where you talk about that and they did this. Don't know your C can be biblical and on the Lord and preaches bird but I've heard it at times.

There is a harshness. There is there is all a lack of care for those restrung this a lack of humanity and it's almost as if they're presenting themselves as so perfect and so flawless you think some seems funnier and I watched in front of my eyes were these people and get exposed for years of living a double life there. Others, though, and they go on the other direction that to cover their sin and their guilt.

They preach hyper grace now nothing. Everyone preaches hyper grace is covering their sin and guilt, saying that all but I've seen it happen. I've seen for example a guy pastoring a church has an affair with church secretary were organist whenever it was a mean old stories, but seen them happen and have an affair and then decide is going to divorce his wife is to remarry. This gal so it's adultery. It's adultery and is in an adulterous relationship and the woman is now committing adultery with according to the clear teaching of the New Testament.

Any any goes on from there. He gets his ordination removed from his original denomination goes out start some new church and and is just going to preach grace, grace, grace and and you always her bitterness towards the organized church or bitterness towards us all denomination preach against Judge mentalism and is just an and you think I'm her hearing on the radio and I thought sums funny here, but trust me I don't sit around scrutinizing and analyzing license preach what they are and thinking that I can have insight into their hearts miraculously and that I'm going to just be the judge that I do my best to receive and sink the best and then if there's error, then deal with the error, but it it or if I feel sums funny. I'll just step back. I never hear this guy thinking what in the world. I've never heard Grace preach Mrs. bitterness was such an edge such Judge mentalism on others. What's with this guy was the exact story I just told exact story I just told committing adultery with a gallows church, leaving his wife getting a divorce.

Marrying this other gal and being rejected for refusing the discipline in refusing the passive restoration repentance, so he was covering up. He was covering up the mess was beside the cop doesn't see our sin because there living in it and their unrepentant and is there a way of of covering over so-so friends.

Many of you been hurt by faulty message from a faulty leader. What I want to encourage you to do it and maybe you're still in the Lord. But things are shaky what I want to encourage you to do is is read dig your foundations. It is to go back to the word and find out what it really means to be saved and bring it. Maybe you'll find that you're getting born again for the first time and that you were in church but didn't really know the Lord or that you signed up for some carnal superficial message but didn't really get born again repentance of sin look to the Lord for salvation cleansing forgiveness receive the free gift of salvation enter into new life for others it's a matter of going deeper going deeper. Maybe you cried out to the Lord because your marriage was falling apart, you and your wife cried out at any helped you with your marriage, but that was kind of the foundation. God help me with my marriage rather than a recognize my need for God is a lost sinner a recognize why Jesus died on the cross, free and it's it's not so much about crossing every T and dotting every I was doctrinal perfection.

Look there, folks I know and they used to be Arminian when they became Calvin assessing now for the first time I've really been born again. Maybe they were never born again or not but I can assure you that becoming a Calvinist is is is that what makes you born again.

The reserve for your non-Calvinist follower of Jesus, they become a calluses make you born again and with all other respects my Calvinist friends. We have some differences of limitations. However, my Calvinist friends and I would absolutely agree on these gospel foundations being laid in on on a God first perspective start with with God and then it puts me in the right light puts you in the right light puts the cross in the right light.

Start with me and it puts God in the wrong light puts the cross in the wrong life. So I want to encourage churches to look at the foundations of what you preach and teach look maybe want to get people quote pray the sinners prayer. Maybe you have a healing ministry on the street and in and you go to folks in tell about God's goodness sake. I pray for you see your your your your pain of the right arm is hanging there. Pray for you and are healed well don't just make it the goal to close the deal on this.

Pray this prayer sign-up. Make sure that they understand the gospel. One of my friends. In fact, the colleague with the best street ministry that I know in the states. In other words, who's out there doing it. Praying for the sick, seeing miracles sing deaf ears open up seeing seeing people in wheelchairs get up and walk them in the real deal ministering to the homeless and the hurting and just get in the trenches caring for people. When he goes to lead them to the Lord. He preaches a clear message of repentance and if if they're physically able as the conditions allow for they get down on their knees on the street and pray together and he has them cry out for mercy and some are deeply broken. Those people get up, born again, dear.

When the stories of of of her.

Sure a few times was was a guy came to him, all grateful and thankful for him sharing the gospel with them and leading them to the Lord. This life is been changed in an my friend said I sorry don't know you. This course you goes, I have never seen you before, and then realized who it was. It was this homeless guy the street with a shaggy beard and and and rip closing and and now he was a new man.

He didn't even recognize him while that's that's how it should be reality being born again.

So let's start there and we dig into a bunch of other issues difficult, painful issues on on the next broadcast, but let's start there. Let let's start with reality about our sin. Reality about our need for mercy. Reality about the meaning of the cross reality about judgment that we deserve the forgiveness and mercy that's offer reality that the new birth means a new life. That means we die to sin and die to this world and die to self. Obviously, we consider cells that are fresh every day and we battle through that we need to revisit understanding my life longer by law, the price of the lawn to the one died for me rose from the dead, and I now live life in him, empowered by his grace and mercy indwelt by his spirit and purpose of my life from here on in his how about we start with really understanding what it means same. Another program powered by the Truth Network