========================================================================
  BEYOND EMPTY PROFESSION
  by A.W. Tozer
========================================================================

Summary: The deeper life in Christianity is a lived experience of daily
blessing, peace, and victory, beyond just a profession or message.

Topics: "Authentic Faith", "Spiritual Depth"
Scripture References: Matthew 7:21, James 1:22

------------------------------------------------------------------------
DESCRIPTION
------------------------------------------------------------------------

A.W. Tozer emphasizes that merely preaching about the 'deeper life' does
not guarantee that a church embodies this spiritual depth. He argues
that the profession of faith in a deeper Christian life does not equate
to actual spiritual experience or transformation within the
congregation. Tozer calls for a shift away from superficiality,
highlighting that the deeper spiritual life is characterized by daily
blessings, peace, and victory rather than empty words. He urges pastors
to stop excusing congregations that claim to be deeper life churches
without the corresponding spiritual reality. Ultimately, Tozer advocates
for a genuine, lived experience of faith that transcends mere
profession.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preaching from the pulpit about the Christian "deeper life" does not
automatically produce a deeper life church and congregation. The
profession of men and women that they believe in "the deeper Christian
life" is no assurance that their fellowship is actually a deeper life
church. The deeper spiritual life many people say they want is not a
message; it is not a sermon; it is not a profession. I am a pastor and I
think I major in telling the truth.

It is true that it is about time we stop coddling and apologizing for
congregations that have reputations for being deeper life churches.

The deeper spiritual life is not something just to be talked about - it
is a quiet enjoyment of daily blessing and peace and victory that is
lived day by day; beyond empty profession and without any two-faced
circumstances!

========================================================================
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/aw-tozer/beyond-empty-profession/
========================================================================