I love Social Media. In fact, many of you who are reading this blog are reading it because of Social Media. I really enjoyed a recent viral post about Facebook privacy notices and witnessing just how fast that post spread. Many people instantly shared the post without taking the time to see if the information in the post was real or not. Why? It must be true because my friend posted it.
Speaking of sharing things of Facebook, am I the only one that finds it interesting how many people are attacking Perry Noble and New Spring Church lately? I mean there are constant posts, websites, and blogs attacking Perry and New Spring Church. Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong if churches like New Spring are not for you. Personally, I find it encouraging that Perry is making such an effort to put the bible into terms that are easily understandable. The people of my generation take for granted that we grew up in church and were taught the Bible. The reality is that there are numerous people who do not understand the Bible outside of, "we've always done it that way" or because they were never taught the Bible. Consider the Apostle Paul when he writes about sharing Christ to everybody in his letter to the Church of Corinth as he writes in 1 Corinthians 9:22-23;
19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Paul did not grow up in church and did not associate with, "church people". Rather he killed Christians as a sport (his name was Saul before God changed his life; see Acts 9:1-9). But God changed his life and would you believe that it did not happen inside the walls of the traditional Church? So Paul learned about the life of Christ and what it meant to follow the word of God. Paul grew to become one of the wisest men of the Bible next to Solomon and is credited for authoring several books in the New Testament. Why is this important? Because Paul knew that when we are trying to reach people for Christ, that we need to speak to people in a way that they can understand. How many times have you been to the doctor and had to ask them to speak in English? If you have ever had a conversation with a lawyer you know exactly what I am talking about.
I read a post shared on Facebook recently that attempted to question Perry Noble for his attempt to share the 10 Commandments in a way that people could understand them. The author of the article attempted to discredit Perry because Perry made the statement that the word, "Command" was not found in the Hebrew language (take a look at this website while you form an opinion http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/27_command.html ). Personally, I could care less if a word does or does not translate in the Hebrew language because the fact is, there are many words in the bible that do not directly translate from the original writings. Don't believe me? Don't share my post and do your own research. Perry was simply trying to share the Bible in a way that people could understand. As a parent, we set rules for our children not to harm them, rather to protect them and to give them a better life. Do you not think that God was trying to give us a better life by giving us the 10 Commandments? I do and could write an entire blog on, "why" but I digress.
The reality is that there have been thousands of lives changed by God through people like Perry Noble, the staff, and volunteers at New Spring. Similar to New Spring, I attend 5 Point Church in Easley and have witnessed the public attacks on my pastor, Dean Herman. I've heard it all from, "Dean drinks beer on stage!" to "They teach Calvinism (because of the name "5 Point"), and, "he talks about sex from the stage!" And no, Dean does not drink beer on stage, we do not believe in Calvinism, and he does talk about what the Bible has to say about sex. However, no one can dispute the life change we, like New Spring, see every week. Why? Because churches like New Spring and 5 Point have chosen to, "become all things to all people so that by all means I might save some." Better yet, they have chose to follow the example of Christ as they follow something known as, "The Great Commission" (Matt 28:19-20) 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Combine the Great Commission with what Paul has to say about how to save people, and I think you will understand why these churches are successful at reaching people.
Finally, when you share things on Facebook that might not be true, remember that it is today's version of, "I heard..." In other words, it is gossip a.k.a. sin. I am guessing that the Devil isn't very happy about the life change taking place at New Spring so he's pulling out all the stops to attack them. Before we attack a church because it may be different or hold different styles of worship, I would ask all of us (including myself) this simple question. When was the last time I share the love of Christ with somebody?
Father, forgive me when I mess up and when I fail to share you with others.
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