It's amazing that there aren't more mathematicians coming out of the Church these days. In recent years, Christians seem to have become really good at doing math! Pastors are always talking about addition and increase in peoples finances. In many baptist churches, people are incredibly involved in the budgeting and Christians all across America understand percentages (and usually make sure that they hit exactly 10%; making sure to give enough to please God but not too much so as to seem generous).
I can't tell you how many times I've heard pastors talk about the Church getting better at multiplication, but Google tells me that, at forty-one thousand denominations, it is more accurate to say that the Church has mastered division.
Legalistic teaching has led people to subtracting from their lives things that God does not really want removed, and adding rules and restrictions that imply a works based grace. Many have even claimed to reach a state of sanctification which is squarely rooted in pride and ignorance. Pastors are too busy formulating services and sermons to draw people in and make them happy because they are too concerned with the quantity in the pews and not the quality in the classrooms.
I think it's funny how so many Protestants get angry about cathedrals that display a lofty expression of love for God, while so many aren't willing to give to the poor or even pay their "tithes and offerings". People to busy pointing figures to point other people's flaws when they haven't even gotten close to getting the equation right themselves.
When the positives and the negatives all even out, there is nothing there to brag about. All that's left is a dead, stagnant body that has found it's medium and become lukewarm.
The problem is not the Church's math, but instead it's their application. God didn't call us to live in health, wealth, and prosperity. He called us to live holy. He made us to govern creation, to love Him and to love others. He already laid out a paradigm for us to follow in His scriptures.
I can't tell you how many times I've heard pastors talk about the Church getting better at multiplication, but Google tells me that, at forty-one thousand denominations, it is more accurate to say that the Church has mastered division.
Legalistic teaching has led people to subtracting from their lives things that God does not really want removed, and adding rules and restrictions that imply a works based grace. Many have even claimed to reach a state of sanctification which is squarely rooted in pride and ignorance. Pastors are too busy formulating services and sermons to draw people in and make them happy because they are too concerned with the quantity in the pews and not the quality in the classrooms.
I think it's funny how so many Protestants get angry about cathedrals that display a lofty expression of love for God, while so many aren't willing to give to the poor or even pay their "tithes and offerings". People to busy pointing figures to point other people's flaws when they haven't even gotten close to getting the equation right themselves.
When the positives and the negatives all even out, there is nothing there to brag about. All that's left is a dead, stagnant body that has found it's medium and become lukewarm.
The problem is not the Church's math, but instead it's their application. God didn't call us to live in health, wealth, and prosperity. He called us to live holy. He made us to govern creation, to love Him and to love others. He already laid out a paradigm for us to follow in His scriptures.
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