‘Rise Up, O Men of God!’
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It has often been noted that—tempted as we as preachers might be—we can never preach to the crowd that is not present. This column might be a bit unusual, then, as one might say that it is presented for the person who will never read it. At least in the case of the written word, however, it can be posted for all to see—and share.
Let me also preface my remarks by stating up front that many of the best responses we have seen in our service with The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry have been in small churches—sometimes to such an extent that it is almost beyond comprehension.
I will say it again—small churches (speaking of churches in the broadest sense) remain the backbone of this nation. Many of them are located in small towns, or even out in the country—but they are, in a very real sense, still holding the whole country together. Speaking more narrowly, in terms of the true body of Christ, I believe that many of her members attend smaller local churches.
The worldly mind might describe these churches as old-fashioned. When we get to spend a day with them, however, we often find that such a depiction is undeserved.
Many of these small churches—often with older congregations—have energetic and enterprising, sometimes younger, pastors. Some of these pastors have impressive credentials, exemplary families and a true desire to “labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim. 5:17).1 They preach enthusiastic, expository messages—faithfully, week after week—and they pour their hearts into it.
Some of these churches have a real legacy of teaching the Bible that goes back for decades. Every so often we find one that once had a pastor who went on to achieve notable accomplishments, and others have “(built) on this foundation” (1 Cor. 3:12).
Yet, over the decades, the church declined. I suppose it happened for a myriad of reasons. So often now it’s the baby boomers, the sons and daughters of our World War II heroes, who make up the majority of the congregation. These people have grown up loving Israel, and The Friends of Israel, and supporting both. It is from this group of people that I hear two types of statements, on a regular basis, which trouble me greatly.
First, on occasion, when I preach on Biblical prophecy, these senior saints will tell me wistfully that they haven’t heard anything like that in years. That always makes me happy—for the moment—but sad concerning the state of the church.
But there is another response that simply leaves me speechless. Their request goes something like this: “Pray for my son and his family. They go to Church X. That church has lots of __________, but it doesn’t talk about Israel, or prophecy. In fact, I don’t think that my grandkids are really learning the Bible there, at all.”
Perhaps the criticism is overstated in some instances. But the pain in their hearts is very real. It is almost like they are asking me to pray for an unsaved loved one.
What am I to do with these burdens? Perhaps I could write a column—speaking first to the pastors who were trained at dispensational schools, and took the pastorates of dispensational churches—claiming to be dispensationalists. Yet, now, at least practically, they have abandoned any semblance of preaching on Bible prophecy. Dear pastor, may I respectfully entreat you to consider the great need for this kind of teaching—at this pivotal time, perhaps very late in the history of the church age? If you are in need of help in these areas, I know that The Friends of Israel, in particular, stands ready to assist you.
I will speak more pointedly to the second group, the sons and daughters who have led the grandchildren away from the little country church. Dear friend, I would ask you: Was your decision informed purely by Biblical principles? Or did you leave mainly in the quest of something bigger, brighter and shinier? Was it based on the amenities they offer the family? But what will this choice mean for your family in the long run? And what will it mean for that little church that you left?
I can’t answer these questions for anyone, let alone everyone, and it is not my role to judge or fix all the problems. But if you are someone for whom these prayers are prayed, I would ask you to reflect on Paul’s restatement of the Great Commission in 2 Tim. 2:2, and then take the time to examine yourself, before the Lord, as to the place you are taking in that Divine equation.
I would also ask you, pastors and all people—especially asking myself first—to spend some time meditating on William Pierson Merrill’s classic hymn.2 Perhaps we could even sing it in our little church this Sunday. One verse is persistently haunting:
Rise up, O men of God!
The church for you doth wait,
Her strength unequal to her task;
Rise up, and make her great!
Paul Scharf 2023 bio
Paul J. Scharf (M.A., M.Div., Faith Baptist Theological Seminary) is a church ministries representative for The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry, based in Columbus, WI, and serving in the Midwest. For more information on his ministry, visit sermonaudio.com/pscharf or foi.org/scharf, or email pscharf@foi.org.
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>>I will speak more pointedly to the second group, the sons and daughters who have led the grandchildren away from the little country church. Dear friend, I would ask you: Was your decision informed purely by Biblical principles? Or did you leave mainly in the quest of something bigger, brighter and shinier?<<
Paul, speaking as a boomer myself (my parents both being part of the silent generation), and having been in a similar situation as these kids that left the church of their parents, I can say that many, if not most, of the cases you mention occur because of the way life goes, not because of a desire to leave the home church.
I also grew up in a very rural area (after my Dad, career military, stopped getting transferred around so much — before that, we moved many times). Our church was definitely a country church, but one where the Word of God was preached. After growing up, I didn’t leave because I wanted to get away from the church, but because job prospects where I grew up were pretty slim (unless you were in the military). Even if I had gone back to the same state, I would have lived far enough away to want to be part of a local church that really was local to me. I think most of the kids from that church in my generation now live elsewhere. I suspect this happens to most of the children in many small rural churches. Some can stay locally, but it doesn’t work out for many of them.
I don’t disagree that many grow up and want something shinier, but many grow up and go out because that’s the way life works and (maybe not coincidentally), the way the Word of God goes out and spreads to more places.
Dave Barnhart
I agree with you, Paul. Token use of the Bible is accepted, but not deep study — especially of the Old Testament or God’s plans for Israel. It doesn’t have to be a choice between good music (however we want to define “good”) and Bible, but it often is. The Old Testament and God’s purpose and plans for Israel is definitely on the “what’s not hot” list.
The question remains, “What to do about it to influence more churches in a positive direction?” After over 42 years of pastoral ministry, I never could figure it out, except for my own ministry. For a while we had great music (not that everyone was always happy) and an emphasis on the fact that ALL Scripture is both inspired and profitable, including prophetic portions and God’s plans for Israel. For a couple of decades maybe I saw this perspective dominate our church. My last ten years were years of decline. I suspect this is a common problem.
"The Midrash Detective"
Dispensationalism is not held by a majority of churches. It may in your circle, but in general it is not. It is also declining. We have seen the studies and even the articles on this site itself. Even in historically dispensational schools, I would say at least half of the students don't hold to a dispensational theology. So yes, the older generation pines for the teaching from the pulpit around a future Israel and an eschatology that is linked to things happening today, but as I have visited churches that is increasingly in a minority, and often only seen in older Independent Fundamental churches. As I have travelled the country and visited a wide range of churches, many of the Independent Fundamental Churches that I have attended are typically older congregations, have poor preaching, conservative music and too many are KJVO or other weird element that they hold onto.
You’re painting with a bit of a broad brush there. I attend one of those churches with an older congregation and conservative music (we have an orchestra rather than a praise band, and we still have a church choir). However, we are not in any way KJVO, and we have solid, expository preaching (no poorly-educated, hobby-horse preachers tolerated). I’d guess our congregation is pretty evenly split on beliefs regarding both calvinism and dispensationalism. Those lines can actually be walked, particularly when neither of those things is the focus of our ministry and worship.
Not everyone who doesn’t hold with modern worship or covenant theology is a country rube with weird elements of worship. We might be a dying breed, but trust me, we aren’t gone yet.
Dave Barnhart
Dave,
I didn't say it was an absolute, just many of what I have been exposed to. There are churches not like this, for sure. And it varies by region. I have had a hard time finding "new" churches that are dispensational. This includes church plants from graduates of fundamentalist dispensational colleges. The ones that are, are not nearly as vocal as dispensational churches founded in the 1970's to 1990's, where it was a key part of the foundation (i.e. signs in the church or key components of the church constitution stating pre-trib/pre-mil dispensationalists).
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