Marketing the Gospel
by Howard Baldwin Vol. VII, No. 4, May 1994
[Here Howard Baldwin, the well-known Virginia evangelist, reviews Ashamed of the Gospel by John F. MacArthur, Jr.]
John MacArthur plows full steam ahead into the greatest danger facing the churches of America today in his book Ashamed of the Gospel. He says many churches have adopted "Pragmatism," the notion that meaning or worth is determined by practical consequences (the end justifies the means). Many churches are seeking "success" at any cost today, even if it means compromising the Gospel. Attendance figures have become the measure of success. Pastors are turning to books on marketing methods in search of new techniques to help churches grow, says MacArthur. Doctrine becomes secondary to method which is the basic philosophy of Modernists. Churches have started to trust worldly devices instead of the power of the Holy Spirit. Many today are insisting on a "non-offensive approach." "Reach the Baby Boomers" at all cost is their cry. MacArthur says, "Subtly the overriding goal is becoming church attendance and worldly acceptability rather than a transformed life. Preaching the word and boldly confronting sin are seen as archaic, ineffectual means of winning the world." He says, "My complaint is with a philosophy that relegates God and His Word to a subordinate role in the church. I believe it is unbiblical to elevate entertainment over biblical preaching and worship in the church service.", and he is right.
MacArthur uses Spurgeon's England as the prime example. A hundred years ago the churches of England began to try to make Christianity more palatable to a cynical world. This plunged them into a century of liberalism for which they still suffer. Spurgeon called it a "Down-Grade." The churches were slipping downhill into liberalism. When Spurgeon died in 1892, many English Baptists were turning the church into a "play house, allowing the values and techniques of the theater to invade the sanctuary of the Lord." (I wonder what Spurgeon would say today?) Spurgeon said, "Too many ministers are toying with the deadly cobra of `another gospel,' in the form of `modern thought."' Spurgeon laid the blame for that decline with the preachers. He said, "The case is mournful. Certain ministers are making infidels. Avowed atheists are not a tenth as dangerous as those preachers who scatter doubt and stab at faith. ... Germany was made unbelieving by her preachers, and England is following in her tracks." As often happens, history repeats itself, and the same has happened and is happening in America today. MacArthur has done an outstanding study of the "Down Grade Controversy" in an Epilogue, which is worth the entire cost by itself. It helps clarify the issues and principles that are facing Southern Baptists today.
One of the most interesting parts of this book is chapter five which gives an excellent history of "Fundamentalism." The concept was born out of the battle against liberalism in the early part of the twentieth century. In 1909, an international group of Christian leaders committed to biblical truth began to write and publish a series of articles known as The Fundamentals. MacArthur points out that "A.C. Dixon, pastor of Moody Memorial Church, Chicago, was chief editor of the series."
He was later called to be pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle, London – Spurgeon's famous church. These articles were compiled into twelve books. Three million copies of these books were supplied free to Christian workers around the world. [The work was funded by two wealthy laymen in California. TCP] They were a sound biblical defense for every one of the essential doctrines that were then under attack by theological liberals. It was these books that gave rise to the movement known as "fundamentalism." The word has now been prostituted to refer to any radical religious group. It has become "a derogatory word, applied more often to ruthless Islamic Ayatollahs than to men of God," says MacArthur.
MacArthur writes that we have entered the time of the "User-Friendly" church. He points out he is convinced that the User Friendly philosophy is a sharp turn down a wrong road for the church, for the downgrading of worship, Scripture, and theology will ultimately usher in serious doctrinal compromise. The new rules for the "User-Friendly church" could well be: be clever, informal, positive, brief, and friendly. "Never loosen your necktie. Never let them see you sweat. Never, never use the H-word." The sad part of all this is that those who call themselves "conservative evangelicals" are beginning to fall into the same trap to gain success in numbers at all costs. As Baptists gain more wealth, power, and place in American society, we may well be in danger of becoming the "User-Friendly church" that "markets the Gospel" to arrive at "worldly success."
This is a book for our time. It should be read and reread by pastors and laymen. It is a wake up call to the church today.
[Editorial Comment: The Fundamentals reprinted from the original plates is available in one or four volume editions from Christian Book Distributors by calling 508-977-5080. The catalogue number for the one volume is 26332 and the price is $11.95; the four volume set is $24.95, catalogue number 88097. To both prices postage must be added. TCP]