"Not my Grandmother's church" or 'Which road are you going down?"

Sharing with you a few thoughts about some things I have been reading lately.  Seems the Lord has brought to me several thoughts with the same theme. 

I have been reading a book about 'the Church' and what we need to do to make it relevant to those who attend today.  The author stated that today we want to say 'Come to our church.  It is new and different.  It is unlike your Grandmother's old dead and dying church.'  Is this right or wrong? 

Gail was reading Jeremiah 6:16 this morning and brought to my attention this verse.  He didn't know what I had just read about the church in my book.  

Thus says the Lord; "Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls." 

I think this verse is saying to pay attention to what you have been taught.  Your ancestors, if listening to the Lord, will know the way.   We should look to our Godly ancestors and learn from them.  

The problem is that some of our Grandmother's churches have been off-track.  We left a denomination that was once strong and healthy and God-honoring but now is not teaching the truth. So thankful that there are some churches that still teach the True Word. We must be wise in this area. We must see if 'the church'- our church is preaching what the Bible says.  Is it living in obedience to the written Word? 

My book said that young people today want to hear the Truth.  They are a generation that wants what it wants almost instantly and without hype or nonsense. It wants to know what is true and real and what is from God.  

So in giving them this we need to go to the Word.  We need to learn what the Word says from Godly teachers and churches.  We can and should use what the old Godly preachers taught us from their sermons and their commentaries.  Their words have stood the test of time to still be true. 

So: let us preach Truth....seek Truth...but let us also be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Have you seen the 'Jesus Revolution' movie? It is a good one.  I particularly like that the pastor, Chuck Smith, was preaching the Word and he was open to the Holy Spirit.  But he did not let the church get off track when the opportunity presented itself.  We need to have sound Godly doctrine but be led by the Holy Spirit.  

We must have wisdom, balance, and obedience!