Pastor David Jeremiah warns that too many churches have “forgotten” why they exist and are focused on entertainment and social issues instead of talking about the things the Bible tells them to focus on.
In an interview with the Christian Post Jeremiah said, “The Church is coming under attack; it’s forgotten what the Church is supposed to be.
We’re not an entertainment service; we’re not here to see how close we can get to what the world does. But there’s so much of the world in the Church and vice versa that we can’t tell a difference. We have to hold to the truth. We have to get nourished. If it’s not happening, you’re a social organization and not a church.”
Jeremiah, pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California, explained that he understands the pressure churches face to be “successful in the eyes of the world”, but that there are more important issues in churches than the number of people sitting in the pew.
He said, “There’s an incredible motivation on the part of everyone to be successful, and a lot of times people program their churches to see how many people will sit in the pews on Sunday. There’s nothing wrong with getting people there, as long as you share the Gospel. But there’s no glory in just a number.”
Jeremiah also thinks churches that are abandoning traditional elements of the worship service in order to attract younger people, are actually driving them away. He said, “They’re not interested in shallow expressions of religion.”