A small congregation got together and purchased an outdoor reader board.  It was now the pastor’s duty to assign what would be placed on it.

For the next 5 years, cute and harmless sayings would appear on the sign.  The people of the community were pleased that this church did not offend them.  But the membership of the church did not increase either.

About 6 miles away another congregation was able to purchase an outdoor reader board.  The congregation left it up to the pastor as to what would appear on the sign. 

For the next 5 years the public witnessed messages regarding the condemnation of God to all that is wicked.  Though the public was a bit displeased by the messages, the number of those who attended steadily grew.

Spurgeon, Wickliffe, Graham, Moody, Wesley,  Fox, Bunyan,  Luther, and thousands more.  What did they preach?  How might they have used the little reader board?

As we write what we do, let us consider the impact.  If we write to please the public, they will be pleased.  But to what end?

I once looked into having a company make a website for my blog.  One of the key opportunities he offered was a system that would keep track of what people looked at and read.  He told me that if this were in place I could tailor make my messages to match what the people wanted to hear.  He tried to convince me that this would increase my readership.  I told him if I cared about that, I would not write at all.

So many cute little pictures with tiny sweet messages.  So many honey coated words.  So very many palatable and tender thoughts.  All the while the world plunges on a tender slide toward hell.

If we write to please them why bother to write at all?  But on second thought, maybe that’s all that’s in the writer’s hearts.  The offense of Christ Jesus is a forgotten truth.

..How many excellent opportunities are passed over for the sake of pleasure? 

..How many times will the church assume humanity wants to obey God? 

..How many times is sin let in the door of the congregation and embraced as if a friend? 

..How are many churches any different then social clubs? 

..Where is the fear of God? 

..Where is the message of hell?

.. Whatever happened to the word “repent”?

By His Grace