Apostasy is not a word we often study in leadership circles. However, the term becomes very applicable when discussing the leadership of God’s church. Apostasy is a falling away, a forsaking. Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 that there will be a great falling away (Greek apostasia) from the faith during the end times. Are we there? Is the church leading the way to the pit of hell? Sadly, many churches lead the way, draw the map, and mark the trail for others to follow. Take this opportunity to read the book of Ezekiel (maybe concentrate on chapter 16) and replace the words Judea, Israel, and Jerusalem with “the Western church” or “The United States.” The similarities are sobering.
Leaders in many churches have abdicated their roles and responsibilities. A survey by George Barna indicated that nearly 50% of pastors serving today do not have a Biblical worldview! The same survey indicated that about 7% to 9% of regular church attendees have a Biblical worldview. Is it any wonder when their pastors are teaching false doctrines? They can’t give what they do not possess. How would a pastor teach or disciple without a belief in the Bible and God’s directions? Pastor, if this is you, it is time for you to self-deport from your pulpit or Elder Boards; it is time for you to step in and relieve the false teacher of his role. These false teachers allow the church to fulfill Isaiah 30:9-11. The congregations do not want to hear the truth and be held accountable. False pastors are causing God not to be placed before the church. Even worse, in my opinion, false pastors are masking the good news from those genuinely seeking God’s Truth. They are leading God’s people astray. That blood is wholly on their head!
Whichever title you go by in the church, pastor, teacher, elder, or bishop, you are the leader and the watchman on the wall. Are you telling your congregation that murder (aka abortion) is ok? Or are you choosing not to address the sin at all? Are you telling them there are more than two genders when the Bible tells us there is only male and female? Do you perform LGBTQ weddings, or have these lost persons in the pulpit, teaching classes, or in leadership? That is apostasy. With regard to LGBTQ, the addicted, or other demonic or mental illnesses, hear this clearly: your church should reach out to all in the community to lead them back from their sin and/or secure help. Christ’s love is not found only in the four walls of your building. Get outside, meet these communities where they are, and share the gospel. When they are ready, invite them to church for fellowship and additional discipling. They need Christ and need to hear God’s truth and His love. However, these traumatized communities cannot be in leadership or teach until they humble themselves, pray, and repent from their sin. They need mentors and those willing to disciple them to help their transition into the body.
What else are you allowing in your church that may not overtly violate Biblical standards but slowly leads your church into normalizing cultural behavior that does not support God’s teaching? Are you or your staff building sermons around celebrities who do not uphold Biblical values? Are you treating their behavior as normal or good? Calling evil good and good evil is apostasy. Check your financial priorities. Are you taking a million dollars to rebuild a lobby so that you can install a coffee shop? Why not use that money to feed and house the homeless, storm victims or rescue boys and girls trapped in the sex trades? Are you praying regularly? Too many churches have set schedules so that the prayer time is a nod to God, moving quickly to the 20-minute sermon before the service must end to allow the next batch through the door. What if the Holy Spirit moves, and some want to accept Christ or need healing prayer? Are you willing to interrupt your “service flow” to accommodate salvation, the Holy Spirit, and healing prayer? Is an altar call an integral part of every service?
Church leadership needs to take responsibility for cultural failings over the last 60 years. As Charles Finny said,
“Brethren, our preaching will bear its legitimate fruits.
If immorality prevails in the land, the fault is ours in great degree. If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it. If the world loses its interest in religion, the pulpit is responsible for it. If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible for it.
Let us not ignore this fact, my dear brethren; but let us lay it to heart, and be thoroughly awake to our responsibility in respect to the morals of this nation.”[i]
We, the leaders of the church, have a responsibility to fight the apostasy in the church and culture. We may not have started it, but we need to end it. If we don’t step into the battle, we will be responsible for the continued degradation of government, the church, family, education, and the media. We can no longer tell our congregations to stay out of politics because it is too dirty. God made government and expects our people to engage at the local, state, and federal levels to insert His influence. We cannot tell our sheep that it is ok to “love” someone of the same sex or cohabitate with the opposite sex outside of marriage. We cannot normalize their revolt against God’s design of man and woman. Those who have not been taught the whole truth of God stand in the public square and openly fight against God’s Word in schools, homes, and the media. If any of this goes untaught, our flock may think they are saved but will be heading to the pits of hell. We are responsible (Ezekiel 3:20 & 21).
My brothers and sisters in church leadership, we cannot blow this opportunity. Stand on the Word. Stand for God’s truth and teach it unashamedly (Matthew 10:32). Boldly profess His Word, healings, miracles, and wonders (Acts 4:29-30). If mainline denominations have invited apostasy to rule their churches, we are not forced to comply. We can separate and start something new with God as the focus. We may lose money, attendees, friends, and family in the process, but God will see. He never leaves us or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6). God hates the apostasy of the church (Revelations chapters 1-3). It is the same if we commit apostasy by commission or omission. Break the mold.
[i] Finny. G. (1873). The Decay of Conscience. The Independent.