Sermon Tone Analysis
Overall tone of the sermon
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Imagine that it is hot day and you are at a barbeque.
Your host asks if you would like something to drink.
You reply, “why yes, I will have a coke.”
Your host returns with this.
4-6 coke bottles – each a different variety and says, “drink up”.
What is the first thing you will do?
Skim the labels and choose attributes of the one that best appeals to you.
I am sad to report that that is exactly how most people in America determine how they will serve the Lord.
They skim the denominational labels and then choose the attributes of the one that best appeals to them.
· Church A offers services on Saturday evenings, I’ll join that one so I can golf on Sunday mornings.
· Church B says women can’t wear makeup or cut their hair, I guess that one’s not for me.
· Church C has contemporary music, and I like to sing hymns.
· The prophet at church D attends the 11 am service, if I go there, we’d have to attend the 9 am service or everyone will know my business.
· The pastor at church E wears blue jeans and sips a coke when he preaches.
A lot of teens attend his church…
In this modern day of technology, provided the church has a website, you can even shop for a church on the internet.
Did I say shop for a church?
Yep.
That’s what choosing a church has become today.
Shopping around for the place that has what you want.
So, after you find one that looks appealing, the next step is to ride by and check it out.
If it looks ok, you’ll need to attend a service to see if it’s the right church for you.
After service, on the way home, you run thru your church check list.
· Did someone greet me at the front door?
· Were the bathrooms clean?
· Was the music too loud?
· Did the preacher talk to long?
· Did my kids have fun in Sunday School?
Ok, if it met all your criteria; maybe you’ll come back.
If it didn’t; you’ll go on to the next place.
Going on to the next place is a very American thing to do.
In fact it is so American, that we actually have a term to describe a person who goes from church to church, and never putting down roots.
It’s called church hopping.
You hop from church to church staying only as long as you are comfortable before moving on.
Paul warns the church about these people he refers to them as
14 infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
Ephesisans 4:14
There have been many books and articles written about how to attract people to your church.
· There are books on marketing the church,
· books on children’s ministry,
· books on men’s ministry,
· books on out reach programs,
· books on how to pastor specific age groups,
· books on how to launch a missions program
Then of course there is the cell church, the one that has a cell~/study & worship group for every taste.
· So if you like to quilt
· Or like to swim
· Or run in marathons
· Or go to movies
· Or shoot pool on Thursday evenings they have a group for you.
And if you don’t like any of those choices, that’s ok, they’ll start a group with your interests.
The important thing is getting people in the door.
My experience with churches that offer programs for every whim is that getting in the door isn’t a big challenge, but keeping them inside, getting them to service, getting them to Bible study, discipling them is.
The entrance to many of those churches becomes a revolving door.
For every on that enters another one leaves.
Now my pastor colleagues all say the same thing when we have this church building discussion.
“Didn’t Paul say we’re supposed to meet people where they are?”
Aren’t we supposed to be all things to all men?”
Actually what he said was 1 Cor 10:32
32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way.
For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.
In other words, Paul is saying meet them where they are, but don’t keep them there.
Grow them up: teach them, and lead them to salvation.
They need to know who God is.
They need right relationship with Him.
They need salvation from their sins.
Invariably, people ask me what kind of church I attend?
What denomination are we?
My standard response is that we are a non-denominational, evangelical, Christian church.
So what does that mean?
What is this label we wear?
Non-denominational means that we are not affiliated with a denomination.
We as a church do not pay tithes or dues to a parent church the way the way Catholics send money to the diocese or they way the Lutherans send money to the Synod.
Now you would think Christian in our label would be self explanatory.
It would define us as followers of Jesus Christ.
But since the Mormon church labels themselves as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the label Christian doesn’t insure following Christ.
Just as with the example of different types of Coca~~Colas, a more precise label is needed.
We could have chosen the label “born again Christian”.
"
Born again Christians" are defined as people
· who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ
· that is still important in their life today
· and who also indicated they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.
Sounds good?
And we do fit into that category, However just like you can have Diet Coke or Diet Coke with Lime the label evangelical Christian is a better fit.
"
Evangelicals" are Christians
· who meet the born again criteria (described above)
plus seven other conditions.
· Those include saying their faith is very important in their life today;
· believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Jesus Christ with non-Christians;
· believing that Satan exists;
· believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works;
· believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth;
· asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches;
· and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.
When you look at what is taught in this church, you will agree that we are a non-denominational, evangelical, Christian church.
The label is important.
What you believe, what you profess is important.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: Romans 1:16
I believe everyone knows who George Gallup is.
He founded the organization that takes the pulse of national opinion.
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