Is Pragmatism Good for the Church?

Ever heard of the term "pragmatism?" I am sure most of you have yet do not know what it is. R.C. Sproul wrote:

Pragmatism is the only philosophy native to America. Pragmatism eschews any hope of discovering ultimate truth. It is skeptical with respect to objective principles of righteousness and defines truth as “that which works.” In this philosophy, the end always justifies the means.

Basically pragmatism is using any method that works even if God did not say it was okay to use. Churches have been pragmatic for some time now. We have seeker-sensitive services where the worship service has what lost people will like in the church. Some of them have a band that plays songs they like or rides on their emotions. Some will have a coffee bar outside the worship center so you can have a cup of Joe while you listen to service.

Some of these churches preach watered-down sermons that are more like TED talks. The preacher is more of a motivational speaker that one who preaches with authority because he uses the Word of God. Sin is looked on as a mistake rather than an offense to a Holy God. The list goes on and on.

When we see what the church was like in the book of Acts, it looked like this:

And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all, as anyone might have need. 

And daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47, LSB).

This does not sound like a church where you get your coffee while being entertained by a band. The early Christians were people committed to God and one another. They also obeyed the Apostles teaching and prayed to God. 

As we see in the book of Acts, the church was not liked by the world. Some were killed and others were arrested for following Jesus. Pragmatic churches want to be liked by the world. There is nothing wrong with being liked but not at the expense of the truth. James 4:4 says that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God. 1 John 2:15 says that love for the world means you do not have the love of the Father. 

Pragmatism looks at what the world likes and bring it to the church. What you do is making a church that is liked by the world which is not a good thing. You are making yourself an enemy of God. Yes, we see churches that are defined as successful because of their attendance, yet they are worldly. They may seem blessed by God, but in reality, they are not. The people in those churches attend them because "wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires" (2 Timothy 4:3, LSB). Matt Carter, the former pastor of the Austin Stone, now pastor of Sagemont Church in Houston, once said, "Just because a church is large, it does not mean God's hand is on it." 

Pragmatism is not good for the church because it is using methods of the world to bring people to their congregation. Pragmatic churches rely on those methods rather the preaching of gospel which is foolish in the eyes of the world. The Bible says, "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased, through the foolishness of the message preached, to save those who believe" (1 Corinthians 1:21, LSB). 

We must look to the Bible, not the world, as the means for how our churches should be. The world will tells us what it wants which is not the things of the Lord. Pastors and elders should not care what the world wants. That is almost like asking Satan himself how the church should be.