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Good-things becoming god-things - Idolatry vs. Worship

I watched a great sermon yesterday by Mark Driscoll on idolatry vs. worship. In it he argues that we are all worshipers of something. He defines true worship as occurring when our focus is on the Creator while idolatry is defined by worshiping creation. He pointed out that we all can easily become idolaters when we allow "good-things to become god-things; and that's a bad thing." He also points out that when we idolize something, we are often led to demonize others in order to justify our position. Idolatry, Driscoll points out, is more than the love of money, power, and position...sometimes it can be the worshiping of family, marriage, sex, relationships, politics, sports...anything that consumes our time, energy, finances, or emotions. Idolatry is giving the world/creation what rightly belongs to God the Creator (glory). He concludes by looking at leaders within churches, and how they can fall prey to "ministry idolatry." Here are some of the convicting examples he gives:
  1. Attendance Idolatry – Does your joy change when your attendance/giving changes?
  2. Gift Idolatry – Do you feel God uses you because you are so skilled?
  3. Truth Idolatry – Do you consider yourself more righteous than the ‘simple Christian’ because of your knowledge/experience?
  4. Fruit Idolatry – Do you point to your successes as God’s approval of you?
  5. Tradition Idolatry – Are you more committed more to traditions than for Christ?
  6. Method Idolatry – Do you worship your method as your mediator?
  7. Officer Idolatry – Are you motivated by your title?
  8. Success Idolatry – Do you desire to ‘win’?
  9. Ministry Idolatry – Do you walk with God only to help your ministry?
  10. Innovative Idolatry – Does it matter that your ministry be considered unique or creative?
  11. Leader Idolatry – Who other than Christ are you imaging? “First requirement of the Gospel is repentance. Anyone who doesn’t repent is a heretic.” J.I. Packer

The below video of Dricoll's message can also be viewed HERE

Romans 1:25 "they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator"

reTHINK: Decide for yourself, is student ministry working? - PART 3

More helpful excerpts from reTHINK by Steve Wright on Student Discipleship:
  • “Across the next ten years, some churches will get better and better at doing the wrong thing – with excellence. For awhile, they will appear to be successful. Such churches will build buildings to support segregation – and they will do so with excellence.” (59)
  • “Our churches’ values are exposed when the first questions after every ministry event are: ‘How many came?’ rather than ‘Did this event give a glimpse of the glory of God?’ ‘How many responded?’ rather than ‘Were the families and the church championed?’ ‘How many came forward in baptism?’ rather than ‘How will we disciple those who responded to become faithful followers of Christ?’” (62)

Scriptural Principles for Student Discipleship:

  • Deuteronomy 6:4-9 - v.7 "Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
  • Psalm 78:1-7 - v.5b-6a"which he commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them"
  • Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord"
  • Proverbs 1:8-9 - v.8 "Listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching."
  • Malachi 4:6 - "He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse"
  • Luke 1:17 - "And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord"
  • Proverbs 22:6 - "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."
  • Psalm 127:1-4 - v.3 "Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him."
  • Proverbs 4:1-11 - v.10 "Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many."
  • Colossians 3:20-21 - "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged."
  • 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 - "as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God"

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