Church leaders are even “dumbing down” the standards God established for us in scripture. They are attempting to make going to church more attractive by avoiding words like personal holiness, consecration, daily sacrifice, total surrender, God’s wrath and other expressions that show a personal accountability to God’s holy standards.

Here is what Jesus had to say about this subject:

Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. Luke 9:23-26 (NIV)

A lot of pastors and ministries believe that the only way to reach the world is to give the unsaved people what they want. Many churches have followed precisely that theory, some actually surveying unbelievers to see what it would take to get them to attend.

In his book The Empty Church, historian Thomas C. Reeves says: "Christianity in modern America . . . tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient, and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, a fear as well as love of God. There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain. What we now have might best be labeled 'Consumer Christianity.' The cost is low and customer satisfaction seems guaranteed."

It seems like the overriding goal for many churches is increasing the numbers and worldly acceptance rather than a transformed life. Preaching the Word and boldly confronting sin are seen as old fashion, intolerant means of winning the world. After all, those things actually drive most people away. Why not entice people into the fold by offering what they want, creating a friendly, comfortable environment, and catering to the very desires that constitute their strongest urges? As if we might get them to accept Jesus by somehow making Him more likable or making His message less offensive.

Peter wrote the following for our edification:

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of Incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. 1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)

It is unbiblical to elevate entertainment over Biblical preaching and worship in the church service. We should completely oppose those who believe salesmanship can bring people into the kingdom more effectively than plain integrity of God’s Word!