"We have fellowship with Christ in His sufferings. We are not nailed to the cross, nor do we die a cruel death, but when He is reproached, we are reproached; and a very sweet thing it is to be blamed for His sake, to be despised for following the Master, to have the world against us." --Charles Spurgeon

I read this in my devotions this morning, and it was so comforting. Everyone likes to be liked--I know I do. But as Christians, there is something very wrong if we are popular. There is something dangerously wrong when the enemies of Jesus Christ love us and call us "brother."

Lately, I find myself thinking about the state of the Church today, and they are not happy thoughts. When Kevin and I moved back to Minnesota, we could not find one church in our area that wasn't teaching contemplative prayer or seeker-sensitive philosophy, or hadn't just limped through a recent church split.

One large Christian church we attended (Eaglebrook) had a coffee shop and bookstore in the l0bby, at least 3 huge screens (and I mean giant) hanging in the sanctuary, and a band set-up on stage that rivalled a Disney production in Orlando. The worst moment came during worship, though. The girl center-stage (leading the worship) talked to the audience like they were, well, an audience--instead of the Church of Jesus Christ gathered together to praise His name. This was bad enough, but when the strobe lights came on and started flashing all over the sanctuary, it was all we could do not to get up and walk out. Yes--they used strobe lights in church on a Sunday morning. Can you picture Jesus standing quietly in a corner as a mega-band blasts, a girl belts out worship choruses (projected in giant living color), and strobe lights flash everywhere (like the dance floor in Saturday Night Fever)? It was sickening.

The Pastor's talk was interesting--lightweight stuff about debt management--all milk. I later found out this was the same pastor who supervised preaching classes at Bethel Seminary and told a friend of ours (a student there) that he used too much Scripture in his sermons.

Another pastor at a different church told us he felt Joel Osteen was more dangerous to the Church than any cult. Although we disagree with Word of Faith teachers, all we could do was sit there and stare at him. When we asked him how a Christian could talk to a Mormon if he/she didn't know what they believed, he looked stumped. It was depressing.

What can we do in the face of this corruption? We can "fight the good fight" and never give up. Speak out--don't be silent. Be smart, be brave, take a stand; be tough and be loving. The world (and some fellow Christians) will hate us, but God will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." And in the end, He is the only one who matters.