I am worried about what many churches are teaching today. I love the Church, and I believe Jesus loves His Church even more. But loving the Church does not mean pretending everything is fine. Sometimes the Church can lose focus. Sometimes we can become busy with programs, personalities, platforms, politics, opinions, and church culture while drifting away from the simple message Jesus actually preached.
Henry Blackaby once said, “Claiming to be a ‘Bible-believing church’ does not guarantee that the Bible is faithfully being preached or taught.” Blackaby’s point is that a church’s label does not prove its teaching is biblical. Churches can mix Scripture with culture, opinions, or traditions, so the real test is whether their beliefs and practices are guided by the Bible. That is a serious thought. A church can say the right words, use religious language, quote Scripture, and still fail to give people the full truth of God’s Word.
The Message Jesus Preached
When Jesus began His public ministry, His message was simple and direct: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. ” (Matt. 4:17). He went through Galilee teaching, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing the sick. In plain language, Jesus was announcing that God’s rule had come near, and people needed to turn from sin and turn back to God.
The gospel means “good news.” But it is not good news because it tells us we can live however we want and still be right with God. It is good news because Jesus came to rescue us from sin, bring us back to the Father, make us new, and teach us how to live under His Lordship.
The gospel of the kingdom is the good news that through Jesus there is forgiveness, freedom, redemption, restoration, and a new life. It is the message that we do not have to remain slaves to sin. We can repent, believe, and become citizens of God’s kingdom.
Are We Preaching Another Gospel?
This is not a small question. The Apostle Paul warned the Galatians because they were turning away from the gospel of grace and accepting a different gospel. He spoke strongly because changing the gospel is dangerous. If we add to it, water it down, twist it, or leave out the parts that make people uncomfortable, we are no longer preaching the message Jesus gave us.
Another gospel may sound positive, inspiring, and even spiritual. It may talk about success, blessings, purpose, influence, or self-improvement. But if it does not lead people to repentance, faith in Jesus, surrender to God, freedom from sin, and obedience to the Word, then something is missing.
We should ask ourselves: Are we preaching Christ, or are we preaching comfort? Are we calling people to follow Jesus, or are we only trying to keep people happy? Are we feeding people the Word of God, or are we giving them spiritual snacks that leave them hungry?
A Church Can Be Busy and Still Be Malnourished
Many people in our congregations are biblically illiterate and spiritually malnourished. That is not said to shame anyone. It is said because we need to wake up. People cannot live strong Christian lives if they are not being taught the foundations of the faith.
When was the last time we heard clear teaching on the Beatitudes? Salvation? Grace? The Holy Spirit? Sin? Repentance? Holiness? The cross? The return of Christ? These are not side issues. These are part of the life and message of Jesus.
We should not be afraid to preach about sin, because sin is the very thing Jesus came to save us from. We should not be afraid to preach repentance, because repentance is part of the first message Jesus preached. We should not avoid truth because it makes people uncomfortable. Truth spoken in love may hurt for a moment, but it can also heal, correct, and set people free.
We Must Examine What We Believe
It is possible to believe something for years and later discover that it was incomplete or out of balance. That is why we must stay humble before God’s Word. None of us knows everything. None of us is above correction. The question is not, “Do I like this message?” The question is, “Is this message true according to Scripture?”
The Bereans are a good example for us. They listened eagerly, but they also searched the Scriptures every day to see if what they were hearing was true. That is spiritual maturity. We should not blindly accept a message just because it comes from a pulpit, a conference, a television broadcast, or the Internet. We must test everything by the Word of God.
Paul told Timothy to study so he could rightly handle the word of truth. That instruction still matters. God’s Word is not given to entertain people. It is given to reveal Christ, confront sin, strengthen faith, renew the mind, and lead people into truth.
A Loving Warning to the Church
This is not written to attack pastors, ministers, or churches. Many leaders are serving faithfully, praying deeply, laboring hard, and pouring out their lives for God’s people. This is not about questioning anyone’s love for God. It is about asking whether our message truly lines up with the message of Jesus.
If I were preaching something that was not the full truth, I would want someone to lovingly pull me aside. If a church is drifting, love does not stay silent. Love speaks truth with humility. Love calls people back to Jesus. Love says, “Let us return to the Word.”
We are living in a time when many people want messages that comfort them but do not correct them. The Bible warned that people would gather teachers who say what their itching ears want to hear. That means we must be careful. Popular does not always mean faithful. Large does not always mean healthy. Emotional does not always mean anointed. Biblical truth must be our foundation.
Questions Worth Asking
- Are we preaching the gospel Jesus preached?
- Are we calling people to repent and believe?
- Are we teaching people how to follow Jesus in everyday life?
- Are we helping believers grow in holiness, love, humility, and obedience?
- Are we rightly dividing the Word of truth?
- Are we building people on Scripture, or on personality and emotion?
- Are we preparing people for Heaven, or only teaching them how to be comfortable on earth?
It Is Time to Wake Up
Romans 13:11 says it is time to wake from sleep. That word is needed today. We need discernment. We need humility. We need courage. We need the Holy Spirit. We need to return to the Scriptures and ask God to show us where we have drifted.
The Church does not need another trend. We do not need another watered-down message. We do not need another gospel that makes people feel good but leaves them unchanged. We need the gospel of Jesus Christ: the good news of the kingdom, the grace of God, salvation through Christ, freedom from sin, peace with God, and a life surrendered to the Lord.
May we be faithful ministers of that gospel. May we be like the Bereans, searching the Scriptures daily. May we love the Church enough to speak the truth in love. And may we always ask ourselves with honesty and reverence: What gospel are we preaching?
Minister A Francine Green I July 2026