God is testing his people. Will his church continue his mission in the midst of an economic crunch? Will they insist on publishing abroad the only message that will bring eternal salvation to the billions of Earth's population?
A Catholic news service today touted the headline: "Recession Held as No Excuse for Abandoning Poor." Members of the Catholic hierarchy expressed concern that rich countries might abandon help for the poor when the belt tightens.
Biblically, the concern should be for the church's continued participation in the mission of God. Many are cutting missions first out of their budgets as offerings fall. Missions is the first to go. Churches forget that they exist to carry forward the work of God in the world. While they continue to invest ever more heavily in benevolence and disaster relief -- all the while, often, labeling that as missions -- the true task goes wanting. Proclamation, preaching, teaching the gospel, evangelism, fall out of favor.
Even the most conservative churches who stand on sound doctrine follow this trend. This influence can be traced directly to post-modernism. We feel averse to a straightfoward proclamation of Jesus as Lord and Savior, putting forth his claims, setting out the plan of redemption, calling men to repentance.
The great ship slowly turns from the course set by its captain.
