“Religion is the one thing that shouldn’t be compromised… We shouldn’t water down a message to bring in as many people as possible.”

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Transcript for Preaching Without Apology

I don’t go to church at Valpo, um, at least not on campus. I go to church in Valpo, but not to the chapel on campus because I feel like the messages they give are pretty washed out and generic, uh, because they are afraid of stepping on people’s toes.

So when I go to church, um, I’m not looking for a broad message that is going to offend the least amount of people so that they can bring the most people in, um, I’m looking for something that stays true to God’s word and preaches, um, without apology, um, because we live in a world that, um, is changing, and cultures and things are, you know, people with different viewpoints, but, um, I think religion is the one thing that shouldn’t be compromised on, and so no matter what else is going on in the outside world, um, we shouldn’t water down the message in attempt to bring in as many people as possible.

We are sinners. We do things that are wrong. No one wants to hear that, and we need to hear that because we glorify ourselves in what we do, and, um, you need to be reminded it’s not all about you, and, you know, um, and so I feel like there’s been many times even the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on, on campus I’ve met, I went once and I’ll never go again, um, which you would think would be a great place, um, as an athlete and as a Christian to go and have fellowship with other athletes.

Um, but I went and, and there was never mention of Christ dying on the cross for our sins which is the central message, it is what makes us a Christian. It is the ultimate salvation, the ultimate gift wasn’t even mentioned. Um, and so I think it’s something I say watered down in that sometimes that core message isn’t given, um, or, you know it’s, a lot of times it’s just a feeling or how we’re gonna make it sound good I guess. It just seems so very surface.

My church, I, uh, it’s confessional, it’s traditional, it’s not happy clappy have a good time, and so I think sometimes I feel self-conscious inviting people, um, because I think a lot of people go to church to have a good time per say, or they’re, they expect an entertainment, or this feeling in the pit of their stomach where I just really felt God or something like that, and that’s not why I go. I don’t go based on a feeling, and I don’t think they’re going to get that feeling. So, I almost feel like it’s going to be a let down for them.