Pastor Charlie Parish Explains the State of the American Church

Subscribe ▼ Show Notes My guest today is Pastor Charlie Parish of Foothills Community Church in Marble Hill, Georgia. Charlie’s heart is burdened for the Church. Christ’s Church is perfect and pure, but the physical church on earth is struggling. Charlie calls out those who deserve to be called out for liberal drift in the church. The Mission of the Church The mission of the church includes prayer, discipleship, the preaching of Scripture and glorifying God in all that we do. The proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is central to the mission of the church. Charlie explains the benefits of corporate worship in this episode. He explains that equipping and fellowship are benefits of assembling as the local church. He explains that worshipping individually is not sufficient. Watching a sermon at home is not sufficient. He explains that the church in Acts assembled together and is a model for us today. We discuss the fact that there is no perfect local church. We also talk about the fact that we often critique people in the church harshly. We often use the excuse that there are hypocrites in the church when we are, in fact, hypocritical to some extent. We also discuss practical ways to find a good church. Websites, social media, and statements of faith are excellent tools to differentiate churches. Listening to sermons and even talking with a pastor or pastors are also effective ways to find a good church. Charlie explains that magnifying Jesus Christ should be the goal of the church, and our style preferences should take a back seat to this. The Drift in Our Churches Charlie talks about the drift that is happening in our churches on social matters. He explains the liberalism that is sweeping the Southern Baptist Convention. The liberal drift that he has observed in recent years is accelerating. Charlie addresses specific issues, like the committee formed by the SBC to investigate sexual abuses within the church, that are front and center in his denomination. The SBC has hired Guidepost Solutions, a company that doesn’t share the SBC’s biblical values, to investigate claims of sexual abuse within the church. Guidepost Solutions is LBGTQ affirming, and they apparently are extra-biblical philosophically. Charlie explains that unity was the theme of the convention. He expresses his heartfelt concern that the church is leaving biblical truth. He says that the church is falling for pragmatism and playing a numbers game. He says, “unity around nothing is not really unity.” We discuss the fact that doctrine is more important than unity for the sake of unity. It isn’t loving to dilute the teaching of Jesus Christ in Scripture. This episode is a candid response to the drift of the church away from Scripture. We have a duty to Scripture, a mandate to glorify God, that requires us to engage on this topic. We are called to be a light to the world, but the world is influencing the church. The church has a history of being influenced by the world. It is time for Christians to stand for biblical truth without compromise. Charlie explains that we are doubting God’s sovereignty when we add to Scripture to make the physical church more appealing. Charlie urges us to unify around the Word of God in this important episode. Please don’t hesitate to send along questions and comments. Thank you for your support of Relentless Truth. You can learn more, including our contact information, at johnwarrenmedia.com. Please share this episode on social media and through email and text with your friends. Our great hope in Jesus Christ is powerful, and it is this Gospel that compels us to share these truths.   “The mission of the church includes prayer, discipleship, the preaching of scripture, and glorifying God in all that we do.” John Warren