This Gospel Is Confrontational

1Co 4:15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
1Co 4:16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.

I sometimes wonder if Paul and the other Apostles would recognize us.

We have come to a place in time where the conventional wisdom instructs us to go to great lengths to be "seeker friendly" and do nothing whatsoever to ruffle anyone's feathers.

The modus operandi of many seems to be something like this...Make friends with people, tie them into the social structure of your church, sell them on your programs and how sweet you are, and when the time is right, sort of slip up alongside them and gradually edge them toward baptism in Jesus Name.

This approach can be seen in the websites of many churches, where there are lots of pictures of photogenic people and no doctrine to be found. This seems to be the complete opposite of Paul's methodology.

Paul disputed in synagogues, cast devils out of people on the streets, trumpeted the Oneness of God without apology, and generally raised cain with the religious status quo.

I'll be honest...in the past I have tried the soft, gradual approach with some people. It doesn't seem to yield much in the way of long lasting results. You wind up pouring a lot of time and energy into people only to see them mostly feel the "spirit" lead them elsewhere when they are finally confronted with some undiluted truth that crosses their flesh or theology.

People who, on the other hand, are brought to a crisis of belief by strong preaching, either make a decision to fall on the stone and be broken, or else they harden themselves and move on. But the ones who yield are much easier to disciple and teach. It seems that I have an easier time working with folks who are begotten by the gospel than folks who are won mostly through people skills.

I am not advocating rude, obnoxious behavior. That is a no-brainer. But I do think the Apostolic, Biblical model of preaching is strongly confrontational. Loving, and steeped in burden, but strong as lye soap and straight to the point.

I want people to like me. I want them to think I am nice.But most of all, I want them to come face to face with the Truth of God's Word.

Ladies and gentlemen, this Gospel is confrontational.