I got called a Mormon twice this month. Why? Some people don’t know that Mormons are not the only missionaries, while others are quick to label a handsome young missionary as a Mormon. It really frustrates me because I am obviously not a Mormon, and it calls attention to another aspect of this “perverse generation” (Acts 2:40)—the contamination of pure religion to the point of bland religiosity. I want to scream, “I am not a Mormon! I am not a brand of what you think religion is!” When I begin talking about faith or the Bible, I often feel like the nonverbal response is, “Why should I choose your brand of religion?” It is as though we are at a giant religious trade show with hundreds of tables, and everyone is peddling their ideas of what they think devotion to a higher power is. So, the thinking of some becomes, “We need to change the product to attract more.” If we do those things, then we become another voice diluting the message.
The only option in this scenario is to teach the pure powerful gospel. If we begin to think that changing it will make the church more attractive, then we have missed two very important things. One, if changing the gospel makes it more relevant and seemingly more powerful, then it was never inspired to begin with. I know that the Bible teaches that is has all things that pertains unto to life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). I also know that it is sufficient. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). I know that it is powerful. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16). So, if changing it makes it better than this, then it was never inspired to begin with, and you can delete the whole thing.
The second thing we are missing is that it is not about the numbers. God has never been about the numbers. Ask Gideon. God wants all men to be saved (2 Pet. 3:9). Christ said, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matt. 7:13-14). So, we know going into this that people are not going to come running to the church like Krispy Kreme with the hot sign on. This should not cause us to change the message or our work. If we were to adapt or change the gospel in any way, we would become just another voice of religiosity with no power to save. If we remain pure in practice and doctrine, then we are the church. Simply Christians, powerfully equipped.