Musings of a Snickerdoodle

In Robots or Rebels, Robert Pruitt addresses the modern manifestation of legalism that has been around since the Church first appeared in the times of the Apostles, the ones stuck in true legalism he calls 'Robots'.   He also warns about rebels, who turn from legalism and flee to antinomianism.   As he says in the book, " "Rebels do not love Christ and do not desire to look holy before anyone.   Robots, on the other hand, desire to look holy while not realizing that true holiness only flows from the heart and life of one who sincerely loves the Lord Jesus. "        "Too many preachers and teachers today proclaim a gospel that saves from the penalty of sin, while not necessarily saving one from bondage to sin."   This leads to many who profess faith but who have no works, no holiness, to show that they are actually alive.   They do not have any evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in them, no evidence that they are among the ones Go...

Why do so many Christian organizations become secular within a generation or two?   How does one build a focused ministry that doesn't change its core purpose?   Peter Greer and Christ Horst provide some excellent answers in Mission Drift:   The Unspoken Crisis Facing Leaders, Charities, and Churches .   They have examined and analyzed various ministries, some that have stayed focused on their Gospel focused mission, and some that drifted away from that focus have become secular in focus, not spiritual.  The authors make the interesting observation that "It is often Christians who seem most likely to be the biggest critics of bold Christian distinctiveness".   They quote the Christian Founder of Quaker Oats speaking of people "who are much interested in the loaves and fishes, but not at all in the faith."   They bring up organizations that were Christian at first, but now only help with material needs alone.   Greer and Horst also make th...