A Room FULL of Church Folk

When Salt Has Lost Its Savor

"Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another." Mark 9:50

There is an interview that Donnie McClurkin recently did with comedian Steve Harvey on TBN. While I don't watch TBN and I don't follow Steve Harvey, it seemed clear that Steve is going through some challenging times right now. In his time of need, he reaches out to the "church" for understanding, guidance, and support...and the "church" let him down. I am speaking of what calls itself the "church" in our current day and age, which may not necessarily be what God calls the Church.

While Steve seemed sincere in this interview, he was also sincerely wrong about a number of things when it comes to God. Being under the influence of such hirelings as TD Jakes has left Steve with a muddled and erroneous view about God and what it means to serve Him. Steve continually speaks of "some God" in a way that makes it apparent he has not yet had a personal revelation of who God is.

But this is not about Steve. It is about the church. No one knows God...until they know God. That is how every single person is prior to meeting Jesus Christ. But the purpose of the Church is to be the body of Christ, to be His witness in the earth, serving as a living testimony to those who are lost.

Yet what happens when the church no longer serves in this role? What happens when - instead of being the light which points to Jesus - we become Dr. Phil? What happens when the most we can offer the hurting is a shoulder to cry on? Then the salt has lost its savor.

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

God warns us of a great falling away that will happen in the end times, and to honest, seeing it happen is a travesty to watch. I never thought that I would look around the landscape and see a large portion of what calls itself the church bearing no resemblance to the life of God. I never thought I would see the majority of the visible church world in darkness. Yet, this is where we find ourselves in these last days.

When we forsake the truths of the Gospel and instead begin to use the standards of the world to define the church, we wind up with preachers in the pulpit such as TD Jakes, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren... The result is a disempowered church peddling a soulish "gospel" who is only good for passing the Kleenex, but cannot bring the life-changing power of God into anyone's life.

"Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8b

You know, there are many ways to deny Christ. We can deny Him outright by our words and actions so that we are not affiliated with Him. But we can also deny Christ by our silence; by not speaking up to confront things which are lies or even worse, by giving agreement to things we know to be in error.

As Steve Harvey pours out his heart, he continues to share his misconceptions about who God is. Not one person says, "Steve, wait a minute. Let me introduce you to Jesus Christ." Some might say, "That was just not the right time for such a discussion." Well, it was certainly the right enough time to exploit this man's sufferings for the purposes of international TV!

How many times did I cringe as Steve gave his philosophies on the church, while McClurkin and audience members nodded along - even while these statements were in direct contradiction to Scripture? How many times did I grieve inside as Steve told us about God and not a one interjected to teach this man about the True & Living God? In a time when this man needed real answers, needed JESUS, the "church folks" could only give him a chorus of "Amens" and "Halleujahs" as they left him in the same religious delusion he came there with.

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:14

Ohhh, I can hear it now, "You are judging! I don't see love in your comments." Well, tell me this. Is it "love" to leave this man in pain and suffering? Is it "love" to know someone who can heal his heart and not tell him about it? Is it "love" to let this man think that it is God's will that he "makes his living in another world" contrary to the principles of godliness? IS IT "LOVE" to let this man think he already knows God when he obviously does not yet?

"For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you." Acts 17:23

So, this is the "church"? If the church has forsaken its calling to stand for the truths of God, then who will make plain the Scriptures? Who will make clear the way to Jesus Christ? Who will declare the things of the Lord? Church, what do you think you are here on the earth for? To have your "best life now" at the expense of those who are lost?!

"And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out." Luke 19:40

I pray that God reveal Himself to Steve Harvey. I know that there are vessels of truth out there, who are willing to speak God's words. I pray that Jesus would open a door so that Steve could come to know Him personally as Lord and Savior; that his life would be made brand new and his hurting soul healed.

I also pray that those who were a part of that interview and others who are currently championing this as some sort of triumph for God are pricked to their hearts over the shame of this moment. Let them cry out for mercy themselves and repent for denying the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Most of all, may God raise up those who will speak for Him so that healing can be sent around the world. There is only one answer for every ill in the world, and that answer is Jesus. The church is nothing with Him.

"Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." Luke 14:34-35