Where is the Gospel? I had just finished reading Willow Creek Seeker Services by G. A. Pritchard. The book chronicles the history behind what is arguably the most influential church in America in terms of modern philosophy of how to grow churches. Bill Hybels and his church, Willow Creek Community, are the topics of the book. Hybels is certainly a common name among pastors and leaders who have read literature on how to grow a church. Pritchard’s book affirms that we are at a point in church history unlike any other. What makes our spiritual climate different in the church today, compared with the previous 20 centuries, is that it is being told that in order to reach a fallen world, it must—at least to a degree—become like the world. This is why entertainment, skits and drama have all become so popular among churches, and it is why in churches which have adopted these practices one seldom hears (if at all) strong biblical messages on the sinfulness of man, or the righteousness of God. After all, church growth gurus proclaim, these are offensive to the unconverted ear. In addition to this, pastors are encouraged not to give "heavy" doctrinal sermons because today’s audiences have no interest in complicated messages on theology and doctrine. And, they say, television has created consumers who have very short attention spans. My challenge to church growth leaders is, Where is the heart of the Gospel in all this? If doctrine has no place in the church, then where does it belong? Did not Paul say in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that "all Scripture is inspired of God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction"? I am amazed to see how far the modern American church is from what was taught by Christ and the Apostles. It is no wonder to me personally, why, after Willow Creek leaders handed out a questionnaire to its congregants (where the average weekly attendance exceeds 14,000), that the answers provided demonstrates something is seriously wrong with the approach that Willow Creek has taken. The survey revealed that within six months prior to taking the questionnaire, 33% of the congregation lied, 18% had stolen, 12.5% had committed adultery, and 27% of the men had looked at pornography. Of the singles in the church, which make up 25% of the congregation, a large percentage of them "admitted to having an illicit sexual relationship. . . ." When Hybels had a perfect opportunity to preach on 1 Cor. 6 to warn the congregation that those who practice these types of sins will be excluded from the kingdom of God, he decided to take an approach which does not even remotely resemble Scripture’s teaching on how to handle sin. His response to the findings of the questionnaire was this: "Put your chest out a little bit—we are acknowledging our unrighteousness and we are exposing it to grace and truth. And we are banding together learning how we can have it forgiven and learning how the Holy Spirit can help us walk a little differently next week and next month and next year." When the church should stand firm on Scripture and make sure that the saints are being fed a solid diet of truth, in order to purify them, it has chosen to sacrifice its integrity and purity before God for the sake of entertainment and offering a milky message, which, in the end, is producing a great toleration for sin. In acquiescing to the trends of culture, the church has allowed in a level of impurity seldom seen before now.