Church in a Bush
E.A. Johnston challenges the American church to stop hiding behind political correctness and worldly comforts, urging it to boldly fulfill its calling to witness and warn a lost world.
In 'Church in a Bush,' E.A. Johnston confronts the complacency and fear gripping the American church, urging believers to abandon political correctness and worldly distractions. Drawing from Genesis 3, he contrasts the hiddenness of Adam and Eve with the bold faith of persecuted churches worldwide. Johnston calls the church to repentance and courageous witness, challenging it to fulfill its divine mission despite opposition.
Full Transcript
In Genesis chapter 3 we read, And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. And Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself.
I will stop there, friends. Because of her multiplied sins the church in America sits in a bush, hiding from her duties to warn men to flee from the wrath to come. As she hides from her testimony to a lost world, she covers herself with her own fig leaves of institutionalism and does not see her own condition of being wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.
Today the church in America lies hidden in a bush of political correctness, afraid to denounce sin. She is hidden in a bush of worldliness, joined to her idols. She is hidden in a bush of doctrine, refusing to go out and witness to a lost world.
She is hidden in a bush of self-preservation, unwilling to go out on a limb for God. But the underground church in China, as it meets in barns and homes, thrives in the face of hot communist persecution, risking imprisonments and beatings. The church in Africa meets in the rubble of a burned-down building, as she faces persecution from Islamic extremists and, although she lives in the bush, she does not hide in one.
The church in Iraq and Iran and Afghanistan suffers in filthy prisons from her arrests of spreading the gospel in the face of a death sentence. Christians in other countries face beatings, torture, imprisonments, and death for the sake of Christ and the gospel. But the American church, fascinated by the bigness of her buildings, has found herself a big bush to hide in.
And there she sits in the cool of the day as God walks by and says, Oh where art thou?
Sermon Outline
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I
- The church hiding in the bush like Adam and Eve
- The condition of the church: wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked
- The fig leaves of institutionalism and political correctness
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II
- The church's fear to denounce sin and witness
- Worldliness and idolatry as bushes of hiding
- Doctrinal excuses preventing outreach
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III
- Contrast with persecuted churches worldwide
- Examples of thriving underground churches despite suffering
- The American church's complacency and self-preservation
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IV
- God's call to the church: 'Where art thou?'
- The need for boldness and obedience
- Rejecting hiding and embracing the mission
Key Quotes
“Because of her multiplied sins the church in America sits in a bush, hiding from her duties to warn men to flee from the wrath to come.” — E.A. Johnston
“The American church, fascinated by the bigness of her buildings, has found herself a big bush to hide in.” — E.A. Johnston
“Oh where art thou?” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Examine personal and church complacency and repent from hiding behind excuses.
- Boldly proclaim the gospel regardless of societal pressures or fear of persecution.
- Support and learn from persecuted believers worldwide to strengthen faith and commitment.