ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
by John F. MacArthur, Jr.
Crossway Books, 1993
In this book, pastor John MacArthur sounds off against what he views
as deviations from the eternal truths. He warns that evangelical churches
are on the "down-grade," or slippery slope of pragmatism. Instead of holding
fast to the pattern of sound words (2 Timothy 1:13), these churches are
doing whatever necessary to bring people in, based on marketing strategies
borrowed from the business world.
Maintaining that modern churches are promoting entertainment over
truth,
he argues that marketdriven attitudes are not the New Testament concept
of being all things to all people. Rather, he says that the church is being
overwhelmed with "the world's values, the world's interests, and the world's
citizens," and this has led to the church's loss of power in preaching
the truth of the Gospel.
MacArthur draws parallels with the observations of Charles Spurgeon,
the English preacher who fought the tide of theological liberalism in the
1880s. Incredibly, Spurgeon's attacks on the worldly trends of his times,
read like a description of the current "userfriendly" churches. "It is
becoming more and more clear that they are heading down the same road traveled
by the modernists a hundred years ago," MacArthur comments.
While his writing is reflective of his Calvinist theology, this should
not hinder us from hearing his warning to the church. All kinds of churches,
especially of the evangelical persuasion, are affected by the "mancentered"
philosophy of our day, and need a biblical antidote to the "whatever works"
mentality which values mere numbers over Scriptural truth. MacArthur has
been a prophet to his own "camp" for several years, and spares not those
who might be in overall agreement with him.
Three appendices included deal with the "downgrade" controversy of Spurgeon's
time, an examination of Charles Finney and his role in downplaying doctrinal
truth, and a message of 18th Century pastor Thomas Boston on "Carnal vs.
Spiritual Wisdom."
This 254-page book is valuable reading for those with questions or concerns
about the direction of today's evangelical churches, and is a biblical
challenge to those who insist that the church must change its message to
meet modern needs.
--Craig Alan Myers
May/June 1995