The Great Country Club Church

Some pastors cultivate great country club churches having magnificent architecture, accomplished musicians and a plethora of activities for all ages.  But the pervasive pall of spiritual death permeates every corner of the great edifice.  The pastor seldom talks of heaven, hell or Satan and, except for rare occasions, never talks about the desperate need of each member to confess sin with heartfelt remorse, strive for repentance, embrace faith and seek obedience to God.  The pastor doesn’t talk about salvation as it comprises: redemption from the bondage of sin, God’s forgiveness of sin, justification before a Holy God, adoption into the family of God, regeneration from the death of sin to a life of pursuing righteousness, travel along the path of sanctification, reconciliation with fellow Christians, unification in the Church of Jesus Christ and looking forward to glorification.  Instead, he concentrates on getting everyone involved in some activity akin to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.  By design, the congregation never knows exactly what they believe, why they believe it and what they should do about it.  Church members are simply encouraged to believe that participation in country club activities will make them pleasing to God.  Meanwhile, desperate turmoil lurks in the hidden corners of their lives just below the country club façade.  Such churches can absorb sharp deviations from traditional Christian doctrine because members are too ignorant to know the difference.