[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=kTjHx_oH_0s]
I know what your talking about…
I believe that is why God has kept me in the Bible belt area, because I see it everyday, and have grown passionate about seeing unbelievers as well as those who claim to be believers become passionate about Jesus.
I’ve grown up watching this very thing.
I am not methodist but I have been intrigued by these quotes from John Wesley:
- “I shook off the dust of my feet, and left Georgia, after having preached the gospel there, not as I ought, but as I was able.” – To me it sounds as if some people were trying to hold John Wesley back from preaching the way he felt he ought to preach, therefore he left because people did not want to hear him.
- “I am not afraid that the people called Methodists should ever cease to exist either in Europe or America. But I am afraid lest they should only exist as a dead sect, having the form of religion without the power. And this undoubtedly will be the case unless they hold fast both the doctrine, spirit, and discipline with which they first set out.” – This, I believe is the danger and the state of many churches in the “Bible Belt” – Having a form of religion without the power.
- “The Church recruited people who had been starched and ironed before they were washed.” – This reminds me of the assessment that Billy Graham made a few years back, that he believes anywhere from 80-85% of people in church are not saved. The church has gotten into the conforming business versus the transforming business. Instead of leading people to Jesus who can save and change people, we settle for changing people so they conform to us, a lot of churches could care less about their spiritual state, they are more concerned with their physical state.
Those quotes are pretty powerful. It’s scary what Billy Graham said. I’ll agree that I have seen quite my share of half-baked Christians since I’ve lived in the Bible-belt, although many of the ones that I know only wear Christianity as a title or an inheritance and are not even regular church goers.
It’s hard to imagine being a non-Christian and still attending church regularly. It would drive me absolutely crazy. But it happens. In fact, within the last couple of months here at Victory, several long-term church members have confessed to faith. A couple of them were preacher students or their wives.
It just gives you an idea of just how far behind we may really be.
Call me I want to see if you are interested in doing something for me…
Ha! Ha! I have clung to that John Wesley quote since almost the day we landed in Savannah as proof that it is a hopeless endeavour for us to to remain here 🙂
There is a monument at Ft. Pulaski, on the way to Tybee, where they actually first came into GA, and held their first “service” and prayer… it is pretty neat to imagine and then, as you are leaving the Fort there is a plaque that describes his ultimate frustration with the place… not surprising since not a lot has changed in ol’ SAVANiNevAH since his day !