On Self Denial

Putting Comfort in the Gunny Sack, Getting Rid of Self

Rodney Stark, HT from Bill Hull, in a book called, The Rise of Christianity, says in part:

It is my observation that our consumerism hyper-active impatient church has hijacked the idea of spiritual formation We have a habit of co-opting virtually anything to try and reach our real goals, bigger churches, a growing business, or to maintain control of our dreams and goals. When we walk into the door of a church it seems as though we are in a negotiation mode, “God, how much of my life can I still control but still reap all the benefits of submission?” This has been done with evangelism, prayer, service to the community, and now with developing a stalwart inner person who will be showered with noticeable blessing from God. Is there a way to address the inner life without it being selfish? Is there a way to move the church from predominately consumers focused on self to committed followers who are predominately serving others? I think there is, and it begins with how we define what we call the gospel.

This morning in worship: are we fooling ourselves? Are we about seeing how much of our life we can control and have comfort about, still sowing and reaping a look of submission before men, and all the while really and truly edging out God's call to the whole of life being His?

G. Mark Sumpter