Grant Swank
God's judgment levels United Church of Canada
By Grant Swank
The Bible states that God builds His church.
God brings blessing upon His obedient church. God brings judgment in condemnation upon his disobedient church.
Near my home in Nova Scotia a United Church of Canada sold for a dollar. Its manse was bought by a neighboring artist for his own residence.
Down the road another United Church is locked. A fight broke out between some of its members and a landowner abutting the church property. The RCMP were called in. Bottom line: church building closed. All sacred furnishings inside stripped for use in an evangelical church several miles away.
In village after village, the United Churches are closing. The same with the Anglican Churches.
I drove down the country road to find an Anglican Church lifted from its foundation to be used as a winery in a neighboring restaurant.
The Holiness Church directly across the road from the Anglican empty edifice is a newly constructed structure open with joyous worshipers.
In the village where I live — Kennetcook, a handful cluster for Sunday service. I cannot say they worship for the clergyman espouses all religions as equal, discounts Jesus as Savior and downplays the Bible as revealed truth. That is not Christian worship.
I have spoken to villagers about the reason for the demise of the liberal congregations. For that I have suffered. Mainly I have been thought of as the unfriendly, unkind personage who dares to speak against the United Church and Anglican Church.
Even some Christian relatives have weighed in against me, telling me that it is polite to be quiet and just let villagers do as they please with their churches. I won't bow down to the criticism. I answer only to the God of Scripture.
God is in charge of His church. When the church discounts Him as Lord and Master, God brings down his heel of condemning judgment.
The same happens in present-day Roman Catholicism. I have a home in Nova Scotia and another in New England. In Boston, dozens of Catholic churches have closed their doors. In Portland, Maine and surrounding towns the Catholic Churches are selling out or leveled as empty lots.
Wherever the Gospel is preached that Jesus is Savior for repentant souls, God blesses. When the Bible is lifted as divine record, God blesses. When souls are converted to Jesus, realize their lives changed from sin to holiness, God blesses.
The United Church evangelicals can discuss their analyses of their denomination's decline till they run out of ink, but until they understand that no strategies will work but yielding to the God who is in charge of His church, all discussions will be but words blowing in the winds.
© Grant Swank
September 22, 2010
The Bible states that God builds His church.
God brings blessing upon His obedient church. God brings judgment in condemnation upon his disobedient church.
Near my home in Nova Scotia a United Church of Canada sold for a dollar. Its manse was bought by a neighboring artist for his own residence.
Down the road another United Church is locked. A fight broke out between some of its members and a landowner abutting the church property. The RCMP were called in. Bottom line: church building closed. All sacred furnishings inside stripped for use in an evangelical church several miles away.
In village after village, the United Churches are closing. The same with the Anglican Churches.
I drove down the country road to find an Anglican Church lifted from its foundation to be used as a winery in a neighboring restaurant.
The Holiness Church directly across the road from the Anglican empty edifice is a newly constructed structure open with joyous worshipers.
In the village where I live — Kennetcook, a handful cluster for Sunday service. I cannot say they worship for the clergyman espouses all religions as equal, discounts Jesus as Savior and downplays the Bible as revealed truth. That is not Christian worship.
I have spoken to villagers about the reason for the demise of the liberal congregations. For that I have suffered. Mainly I have been thought of as the unfriendly, unkind personage who dares to speak against the United Church and Anglican Church.
Even some Christian relatives have weighed in against me, telling me that it is polite to be quiet and just let villagers do as they please with their churches. I won't bow down to the criticism. I answer only to the God of Scripture.
God is in charge of His church. When the church discounts Him as Lord and Master, God brings down his heel of condemning judgment.
The same happens in present-day Roman Catholicism. I have a home in Nova Scotia and another in New England. In Boston, dozens of Catholic churches have closed their doors. In Portland, Maine and surrounding towns the Catholic Churches are selling out or leveled as empty lots.
Wherever the Gospel is preached that Jesus is Savior for repentant souls, God blesses. When the Bible is lifted as divine record, God blesses. When souls are converted to Jesus, realize their lives changed from sin to holiness, God blesses.
The United Church evangelicals can discuss their analyses of their denomination's decline till they run out of ink, but until they understand that no strategies will work but yielding to the God who is in charge of His church, all discussions will be but words blowing in the winds.
© Grant Swank
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