"95 THESES to the MODERN EVANGELICAL CHURCH"
-by Greg Gordon.
[Founder of Sermonindex.net]
1. The “church” at large has forgotten that the chief end of man is to glorify
God. (Rom 16:27; 1Cor 6:20; Mt 6:9; 1Cor 10:31)
2. Christians ignore most of the methods, practices and principles found in the
book of Acts. (Acts 2:42,44; Acts 2:46; Acts 2:38)
3. Many treat “church” like any other social club or sports event that they
might attend. (Acts 2:46; Heb 10:25; Acts 1:14)
4. We’ve made Christianity about the individual rather than the community of
believers. (Rom 12:5; 1Cor 12:12; 2Tim 4:16)
5. In most “churches” the priesthood of all believers isn’t acknowledged and
the role of pastor is abused. (1Pt 2:9; 1Cor 12:12; Eph 4:11-13)
6. The “church” as a whole has lost the concept of their being grafted into the
promises given to Israel. (Rom 11:15, 17-18, 20, 25)
7. There needs to be a recovery of teaching the whole counsel of God,
especially in expository form. (Acts 20:27; 1Tim 4:6, 2Tim 2:15)
8. We take it too lightly that we have the blessing and honor of having God’s
Scriptures in our possession. (Ps 119:16; Acts 13:44; Neh 8:9)
9. There has never been more access to the Word of God, yet so little reading
of it. (1Tim 4:13; Neh 8:1-3; Ps 119:59)
10. Some read the Scriptures to attain knowledge, but do not practice what they
read. (Jam 1:22; Mt 7:21; 3Jn 4)
11. Worship has become an idol in many “churches”. The music often resembles
that of the world. (Amos 5:23; Phil 4:8; 1Jn 5:21)
12. The world is shaping the views of the “church” more than the “church”
shaping the world. (Rom 12:2; Mt 5:13; 1Cor 1:22-23)
13. The “church” spends more money on dog food than on missions. (2Cor 9:6; Lk
21:2; Acts 4:34-35)
14. We take lightly the cost of discipleship laid out by Jesus Christ and do
not deny our lives. (Lk 14:33; Lk 14:26-27; Mt 8:19-20)
15. There is a lack of true discipleship and making others to be obedient
disciples. (Mt 28:20; 2Tim 2:2; 2Tim 2:14)
16. Many subscribe to the error that parts of life are to be spiritual while
others are to be secular. (1Pt 4:2; Col 3:3; 1Jn 2:6)
17. Modern Christians often find Jesus’ command to sacrifice and serve
abhorrent. (Phil 2:21; Jam 3:16; Rom 12:1-2)
18. Self disciplines in the Christian life such as fasting and praying are
considered legalistic. (2Tim 2:21; 2Tim 1:8; Mt 6:17)
19. Little thought and contemplation is put towards the lostness of men, the
seriousness of the Gospel. (Phil 3:8; Gal 2:20; Heb 10:34)
20. We are living with an epidemic of cheap grace with flippant confession and
shallow consecration. (Lk 14:28-30; Lk 14:26; Jam 4:8)
21. Since the inception of the Church, the Gospel had the requirements of
repentance and discipleship. (Acts 2:38; Lk 14:26; Jn 8:31)
22. Now forgiveness is offered without repentance, discipleship without
obedience, salvation without sanctity. (Heb 10:29; 4:11; Lk 13:24)
23. Introspection, counting the cost, godly sorrow over sin, are all foreign to
many in the “church”. (Acts 2:37; Ps 119:9; Heb 6:1-2)
24. The modern church loves itself more than its neighbor. (1Cor 3:3; Gal 5:13;
Phil 2:3)
25. The church must repent of its idolization of personality, and of business
principles. (2Cor 2:17; 1Cor 3:5; 1Cor 12:23)
26. Many elders and pastors of the “church” sadly are fleecing the flock to
supply their own wants. (Jn 10:12-13; 1Pt 5:2-3; Rev 2:15)
27. The qualities most in demand in today’s pastorate are frequently foreign to
the Scriptures. (1Tim 3:2-3; 1Tim 3:5; 1Tim 1:5-7)
28. The professionalization of the pastorate is a sin and needs to be repented
of. (2Cor 11:13; Gal 3:1; Gal 2:6)
29. There must be repentance for the ambitious desire and idolization of the
celebrity pastorate. (3Jn 9; Jer 17:5; 1Cor 12:22)
30. Pastors must trust the Spirit, not statistics. (2Sam 24:1; 1Cor 1:25; Rom
8:14)
31. Modern day prophets are being stoned by criticism and neglect. (2Tim 4:3-4;
Gal 1:10; Jer 1:7-8)
32. God’s prophets are ill-treated and shunned by most “christians” considered
too harsh or extreme. (Jer 6:10; Isa 6:9-10; Gal 4:16)
33. The prophets prophesy falsely, priests rule by their own power; and my
people love to have it so. (Mt 24:4, 11-12; 1Cor 1:19, Jude 8 )
34. There are many false gospels being preached from pulpits in our day. (2Cor
11:4; Gal 1:8-9; Jude 16)
35. There is an epidemic of a “mock” salvation message. It is correct in
doctrine, but false in reality. (2Cor 3:6; 1Jn 5:11-12; Rom 8:9)
36. A salvation that does not make men holy is trusted in by a deceived
multitude. (Jude 4; Rom 8:1; Rom 6:17-18)
37. There is a needed perseverance in the truths of the Gospel without
unbelief. (Eph 1:1; Heb 6:11-12; Heb 10:26-27)
38. A great need is to see “christians” become saints in actual experience.
(1Jn 2:29; Col 3:5-8; Tit 3:8)
39. Many professors of religion are forbidding people to be a part of the holy
body of Christ. (Mt 23:13; Ps 119:1-2; 2Pt 1:3-4)
40. Preaching has become all about the happiness of man and not the glory of
God. (Jn 6:26; Rom 4:20; 1Pt 4:11)
41. Preachers give smooth words to entice men, yet very few give any words of
correction or rebuke. (Jer 6:14; Pro 1:23; 1Tim 5:20)
42. Run from gospels that focus on our success and prosperity in the name of
Jesus Christ. (Jn 2:16; Acts 20:33; Jer 6:13)
43. Run from gospels that focus on self-improvement. (1Tim 6:5; Heb 12:14; Jam
4:14)
44. Run from churches where men, and not Christ, are glorified. (Col 1:18; Jude
25; Jn 16:14)
45. Run from churches where there is no Bible, no cross, no mention of the
blood of Christ. (1Pt 1:18-19; Eph 3:13; Rev 1:5)
46. Run from churches where the worship leaves you cold, where there’s no sense
of God’s presence. (1Cor 5:4; Ps 80:14-15; Jer 12:11)
47. Run from churches where you’re comfortable in your sin. (1Cor 14:25; Heb
10:30-31; Heb 4:13)
48. Run from churches that use the pulpit of God for a personal agenda. (Jude
10-11,19; 3Jn 9)
49. Run from those who preach division between races and cultures. (Jam 2:4,
Gal 3:28, Rev 5:9)
50. Run from ungodly, spasmodic movements and endless empty prophesying. (Jer
5:13; 1Cor 14:33, 1Jn 2:16)
51. Run from preachers who tell mostly stories and jokes. (Eph 5:4; Tit 1:8;
2:12)
52. Run from those that are only after money, who use one gimmick after another
to get your money. (2Pt 2:3; 2Cor 12:14; 1Cor 9:18)
53. The phrase “accept Jesus as your personal Saviour” is not found in the
Scriptures. (Rom 10:9-10; Col 1:13; Acts 26:20)
54. Evidence of true conversion does not seem important to modern day
Christians. (1Jn 2:6; 1Jn 4:17; Mt 7:20)
55. Thousands of sinners think of God as having only one attribute: Love! But
they continue in sin. (Rom 1:18; Acts 5:11; Ps 2:12)
56. “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!” has hindered true
evangelism. (Rom 3:19; Acts 26:18; Phil 3:18-21)
57. A Gospel of love and grace only, without the law of God being preached.
This is a doctrine of Satan. (2Tim 4:3-4; Rom 2:4-5; 3:19)
58. There has clearly arisen a careless mixture of 20th century reasoning with
God’s revelation. (Col 2:8; Rom 1:25; Gal 1:6)
59. Decisionism and the “sinner’s prayer” has been a major cause of false
conversions in the “church”. (2Pt 2:1-2; Eph 2:4-5; 2Cor 5:17-18)
60. Many will be surprised to hear Jesus say, “I never knew you, depart from
me.” (Mt 7:22-23; 1Cor 6:9-10; Gal 5:19-21)
61. Men have taken the place of the Holy Spirit in confirming men in their
supposed salvation. (1Jn 2:3-5; 2Ths 1:8; Gal 6:12-15)
62. The doctrine of hell and eternal suffering is something little grasped by
most professing “christians”. (Mt 13:42; Jam 5:1; Ps 9:17)
63. The judgment seat of Christ is perhaps one of the most neglected topics in
the modern pulpit. (2Cor 5:10; Rom 14:10; 1Cor 3:13)
64. The second coming of Christ needs to be re-instated as the church’s general
thrust and burden. (1Jn 3:2-3; Col 3:4-6; 1Ths 4:14-17)
65. The church has lost the fear of God and has over emphasized the love of
God. (Heb 12:28-29; Lk 12:5; Heb 10:31)
66. The church has left evangelism to a few trained professionals. (Acts 8:1,4;
Acts 4:29; Rom 10:14)
67. Repentance is considered a one-time act in modern evangelism rather than a
way of life. (Rev 3:19; Heb 12:17; 2Pt 3:9)
68. The Lordship of Jesus Christ is something that is not taught in many
pulpits. (Acts 2:36; 1Cor 12:3; Rom 6:18)
69. Many in “churches” are not open to correction, church discipline or rebuke.
(1Cor 5:5; 1Cor 11:31-32; Heb 12:7-9)
70. Some preach salvation as a theory instead of persuading men to come to
Christ. (Jn 5:40; Col 1:28; 2Cor 4:5)
71. There has been a loss of the fullness and majesty of the gospel. (1Tim
1:11; Jude 25; Rom 15:29)
72. There is little mention of sin or the depravity of man from “church”
pulpits. (Jn 3:20; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5)
73. Covetousness, consumerism, and coddling of the world’s goods does not
appear wrong. (Jer 22:17; 1Jn 2:15-16; 1Tim 3:3)
74. Little is made of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in churches or in
evangelism. (1Cor 15:14-15; Acts 4:10, 33)
75. The “church” has relied more on technology than God. (Zech 4:6; 1Cor 1:21;
2:4)
76. The prayer meeting is considered one of the least important meetings in the
“church”. (1Tim 2:1; Acts 4:31; Phil 4:6)
77. Pastors have never prayed less than they do in the “church” today. (Jer
10:21; Phil 2:21; Eph 6:18-19)
78. Very few are waiting on God for His direction and purpose for His Church.
(Eph 1:11; Ps 37:7; Isa 40:31)
79. The “church” has many organizers, but few agonizers. (Phil 3:18-19; Rom 9:1-
3; Jer 9:1)
80. We need to have the gifts of the Spirit restored again to the “church”.
(2Tim 4:2; 1Cor 14:39; 1Cor 12:31)
81. A serious, sober, self-controlled Christianity is very seldom found or
preached. (2Pt 3:11; 1Pt 4:7; Jude 3)
82. The “church” at large has forgotten how to pray. (1Jn 3:22; Acts 6:4; 1Ths
5:17)
83. Many “churches” are more dependent on tradition than the leading of the
Holy Spirit. (Mk 7:13; Acts 16:6; Acts 13:2)
84. Multitudes of professors preach and teach: that you cannot be freed from
sin. (Rom 16:18; Rom 6:1-2; 2Pt 2:1)
85. The Apostles and Christ always preached the possibility to walk free from
sin. (Tit 2:11-12; 1Pt 1:14-16; Rom 6:19)
86. Sinners are not saved to sin, but rather, saved to holiness and good works.
(Rom 6:13; Eph 2:10; 2Pt 3:14)
87. Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the
sinner. (2Tim 2:19; 1Pt 4:17-18; 2Tim 3:12)
88. A baptism of holiness, a demonstration of godly living is the crying need
of our day. (1Tim 6:3; 2Ths 3:6; 2Ths 2:13)
89. Many are confused about obedience, and good works that are readily
mentioned in the Scriptures. (Tit 3:8; Jn 10:32; Rev 3:15)
90. Little emphasis is put on the plan of God to make us like Jesus Christ in
“churches”. (1Pt 1:14-16; 1Jn 2:6; 1Pt 4:1)
91. Christ did not die on the cross to obtain a worldly “church” but for a
“glorious Church.” (Eph 5:27; Tit 2:14; Col 4:12)
92. Christ does not come into an unregenerate and impure heart as many
contemporary theologians say. (2Cor 5:17; Mt 5:8; Eze 18:31)
93. A holy Church is God’s blessing to the world; an unholy “church” is God’s
judgment upon the world. (Mt 5:14,16; Eph 4:1; 1Ths 2:12)
94. If Christianity is to make any headway in the present time, it must be
proved to be more than a theory. (2Ths 3:6-7; 1Ths 4:1,11-12)
95. Unbelief has gagged and bound us as risen Lazarus! We need release in this
final hour! (Heb 3:12-14; 1Cor 3:21-23; Heb 11:6)
