Seeker Sensitive: Is It Biblical?

[Pastor Larry]

Do you not think that while they might agree with it, they undermine it by their preaching? I do.

 

[All about Grace]

My goal in needs based preaching (just one type I practice among others) is to deal with both felt and hidden needs from a biblical perspective. Start with the need ... deal with the need with biblical truth. Or if I am dealing with a hidden need ... raise awareness of the need and then deal with it with biblical truth.

I have a series of lectures/talks I do on this subject and so it is hard to deal extensively with it in this format.

 

[J. Jump]

Romans 3:11 says, 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD . . . so how can there be a seeker sensitive church where there aren't any people seeking after God in the first place?

 

[El_Guero]

Is it proper for the church to become Seeker Sensitive?

Yes, if one is discussing seeker sensitivity. I would say no, if one is actually addressing seeker driven.

But, I have to ask: "Which one are you addressing?"

 

[Johnv]

EG, you speak wisely. Many who are are not equipped to discern between the two end up painting the seeker sensitive issue with a broad and inaccurate brush.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by J. Jump:
Romans 3:11 says, 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD . . . so how can there be a seeker sensitive church where there aren't any people seeking after God in the first place?

OTOH, Jesus tells us to seek so that we may find.

 

[MikeinGhana]

The question I originally posed had to do with the church making itself a place where the lost man is comfortable. Should the church bend its standards in areas of preaching and holiness to make the church a place where the lost man will want to come.

"Seeker sensitive" is a term coined by those who practice a certain ecclesiaistical philosophy, much of which has been debated in this thread already. Many of us have experienced first hand a change, good or bad, in the way churches conduct their services. Usually this change centers around contemporary music, much of which is in the mode of rock music. Not to debate the meaning of the word "contemporary" there is a big change in many churches in this area.

Another change I have seen first hand is a weaking on the importance of preaching, both on sin and doctrine. I hope this clarifies my original post a bit.

 

[guitarpreacher]

Originally posted by MikeinGhana:
The question I originally posed had to do with the church making itself a place where the lost man is comfortable. Should the church bend its standards in areas of preaching and holiness to make the church a place where the lost man will want to come.

I pastor a church that strives to be seeker sensative. We have not bent one single principle in our efforts to make our church a place where lost people will feel comfortable. I'm curious as to what standards you feel are being bent by churches who try to be seeker sensative.

 

[All about Grace]

Originally posted by J. Jump:
Romans 3:11 says, 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD . . . so how can there be a seeker sensitive church where there aren't any people seeking after God in the first place?

You must have missed the notice that this argument is now a dead horse in this discussion. Seeker is merely a term. It is not a theological statement per se.

 

[J. Jump]

Johnv - so who is Jesus talking to? Would it be believers or non-believers? I think based on Romans 3 it would have to be believers, because if it is speaking of non-believers then the Bible is contradicting itself and we know that is not the case.

AAG - I must have missed that notice, becuase I've read through all six pages and haven't seen this issue addressed in great detail.

Maybe we need to define who a seeker is and what they are seeking after.

 

[J. Jump]

Johnv - I should have also added that the only other possibility that could be there (I'm not sure exactly what Scripture you are using, because it's not referenced) is that Jesus is talking to unbelievers who are being drawn by the Holy Spirit, because outside of being drawn by the Holy Spirit to salvation unbelievers do not seek after God, according to Romans 3.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by J. Jump:
Johnv - so who is Jesus talking to? Would it be believers or non-believers?

In the context it was delivered, it appears he was speaking to believers and nonbelievers alike. Just my $.02, however.

 

[J. Jump]

Could you supply the Scripture reference for us.

 

[All about Grace]

The purpose of this thread is not to turn it into a discussion of Calvinism. The bottom line is this: God draws - humans respond. These two truths meet in the middle somehow and we will never figure out exactly how. Leave it at that.

You do not have to be involved in the lives of unbelievers for very long to know people are seeking. Seekers is a term that simply implies people are searching to fill the God-shaped hole in their hearts. It is not a term that contradicts Romans 3, where Paul is speaking in spiritual terms regarding the depth of humanity's sinfulness. The Bible is too full of action commands to dismiss the reality that people are genuinely searching and seeking for something deeper than what their flesh can offer.

I spoke with three different 20 somethings yesterday who are all searching for meaning in their lives. They are seekers.

 

[J. Jump]

AAG . . . my comments have nothing to do with Calvinism. I am not a Calvinist. I just go by what the Bible says and to me that issue had not be addressed so I asked the question.

I certainly agree with you that people are seeking for something, however until they are drawn by the Holy Spirit they are not seeking God.

To me the "seeker" sensitive programs don't give the whole picture of what being a disciple is all about. That's just my .02.

 

[MikeinGhana]

[/qb][/QUOTE]I pastor a church that strives to be seeker sensative. We have not bent one single principle in our efforts to make our church a place where lost people will feel comfortable. I'm curious as to what standards you feel are being bent by churches who try to be seeker sensative. [/QB][/QUOTE]

In every seeker service I have been in the music has been worldly and sensuous usually placing the attention on the people singing. The dress has often been sensuous and in my opinion, unsuitable for the house of God. One church was more like a night club instead of a holy place.

In my original post I asked if there is a line that we should not cross in order to reach the lost.

Many arguments have been put forth already. I do believe methods matter.

 

[gb93433]

Originally posted by MikeinGhana:

Many arguments have been put forth already. I do believe methods matter.

When people in the pew quit warming the seats year after year and start making disciples as Jesus commanded, then something will happen. That is the command and methodology Jesus gave.

 

[All about Grace]

Jump: That's just my .02.

Mike: in my opinion

Here are the key quotes of the previous 2 posts.

 

[J. Jump]

AAG - I think you missed the boat saying that the key quotes of the two posts were that they were opinions. Your opinion and my opinion and everybody else's opinions don't amount to a hill of beans when it comes to the Bible. Either we are doing what it calls us to do or we are not.

 

[webdog]

Originally posted by J. Jump:
Romans 3:11 says, 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD . . . so how can there be a seeker sensitive church where there aren't any people seeking after God in the first place?

This is a direct quote of Psalm 53, you should read it in context. The "no one" is the "fool" who says that there is no God (atheist). It makes perfect sense that an atheist would not seek out God. This "fool" is the one who will not seek God. Johnv is correct in stating that the Bible tells us to seek God, and Scripture cannot contradict Scripture.