I would put forward the idea that we who hold to biblical truth without giving in to the “god of numbers” are not splitting theological and meaningless hairs at all, but seeking to uphold the very foundations of the Christian Faith. I believe those who measure the success of their ministry by the “nickels and noses” method and have compromised those sometimes hard-to-swallow doctrines of the Bible are playing a form of “Spiritual Jenga.” As you may know, Jenga is that game with varied blocks of wood where you must slide out a piece without the whole stack collapsing. 

I have just been extremely encouraged and very challenged by a video interview of Carl Trueman, James White and Phil Johnson by Pastor Mike Abendroth; entitled NoCoEver. It can be viewed here. Thanks to No Compromise Ministries Radio Ministry.

As a small church pastor of 18 years, I was very encouraged to be reminded that the measure of success in my ministry is not the size of the church I serve, but the continued growth into Christ-likeness of the people I pastor.  There seems to be a continual weight of critical eyes upon those of us who serve in small churches that we must be doing something wrong, or at least not doing something right. This can translate into real discouragement even though we are seeking to be faithful to the One who called us and has enabled us to minister in His Name. The interview was very uplifting and I am so thankful for how God has used it in my own view towards the ministry He has given me.

There was one subject in the interview that struck me as a major catastrophe hanging over the church in general. It is the growing view that the historic doctrines of the church are just not that important anymore. The particular doctrines addressed in the interview were the biblical doctrine of the Trinity and the biblical doctrine of the Person of Jesus Christ. In particular, the proclamations on these subjects by T.D. Jakes were examined.

Frankly, I have not been keeping up with all the latest goings-on in the world of the church at large. As the pastor of a small church with limited staff I find myself with little free time to investigate these issues as I need to stay focused on the flock God has given me to shepherd.  However, almost everyone has heard of Mr. Jakes and certainly Joel Osteen and other high-profile “leaders” of the Christian church in America. It seems the views about the Trinity are modalist in essence and were rightly declared heretical about two thousand years ago.

But why is this catastrophic? Because no one seems to care! Too many pastors today, seeking to discover what “secret” knowledge these “leaders” may have in order to grow their own churches into mega-sized ones, have disregarded theological purity for the “god of numbers.” Any protestations of this abandonment of Scriptural purity is met with accusations that we are simply “splitting theological hairs,” which in the long run makes no difference. So pastors, and eventually the members of their churches, lose their ability to articulate or understand the deep truths of Scripture. I’m afraid they will find that the Lord will not bless their “chasing after other gods” and in the end they will have neither the large churches they seek nor doctrinal purity found pleasing to God.

So I would put forward the idea that we who hold to biblical truth without giving in to the “god of numbers” are not splitting theological and meaningless hairs at all, but seeking to uphold the very foundations of the Christian Faith. I believe those who measure the success of their ministry by the “nickels and noses” method and have compromised those sometimes hard-to-swallow doctrines of the Bible are playing a form of “Spiritual Jenga.” As you may know, Jenga is that game with varied blocks of wood where you must slide out a piece without the whole stack collapsing.  At some point, the last piece of biblical truth will be abandoned and the whole structure will collapse, or at least there will be no doubt left that what remains is not the true church.

I have no idea how close we are to that collapse. Only God knows. Only He can lead those “leaders” to repent and turn back to His truth. After all, it is His church to do with what He wills.

It would be good to remember Zechariah 10:1-3:

Ask rain from the LORD in the season of the spring rain, from the LORD who makes the storm clouds, and he will give them showers of rain, to everyone the vegetation in the field. For the household gods utter nonsense, and the diviners see lies; they tell false dreams and give empty consolation. Therefore the people wander like sheep; they are afflicted for lack of a shepherd. ‘My anger is hot against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders; for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them like his majestic steed in battle.

May the Lord be gracious to us and revive His Church with faithfulness and purity!

Thomas Joseph is a minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and serves as pastor of Lake Crest PCA in Birmingham, Ala.