The One Question That Matters

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, a curse be on him!

Galatians 1:8

I wanted to talk to her after our worship gathering, since this was her first time there. She made her way to me as the service closed and asked, "Preacher, do you ever shout, or stomp, or snort when you preach?" That wasn't exactly what I expected. I have been known to get excited, but when I snort it's usually because of allergies. "I do get excited, but I'm not really a stomper and a snorter." She knew that already, and added, "Well, I just don't feel like I've been to church if the preacher don't shout and stomp a little." I told her that what she saw that Sunday was probably what she would get on a regular basis, and I gave her the names of a few area churches where I knew preachers who might fit her bill. 

People looking for churches ask questions. Usually they want to know if there are ministries for kids, youth, young adults, women, etc. Sometimes they ask what our music style is. Occasionally they want to know what version of the Bible we use. Not often, but more often than you'd think, people want to know about our doctrine. All of those things are important, and I would want to know most of them, too. There's one question, though, that is much more important and rarely ever asked. If the answer to this question is wrong, then all the shouting, snorting, stomping, and children's ministries in the world will be wrong.

What must I do to be saved? If the answer to that question isn't from the lips of Jesus and the Apostles, then that's not a place anyone needs to be. If the answer to that question adds to or takes away from the sufficient and completed work of Christ on the cross on our behalf, you need to run from that church, that pastor, that author, that teacher, that mentor, that religious movement like your eternal life depends upon it.