Conrad Gempf over at Not Quite Art, Not Quite Living makes a very strong case that the blunt truth of the Gospel isn’t meant to be massaged and done up with daisies so that it is palatable. It’s not a politically correct message and never will be. Moreover, the Holy Spirit fills the Gospel messengers not only when they are received, but when they are rejected!

Here’s an excerpt:

The early Christians’ idea of being missional wasn’t about shaping the gospel in a way that made sense to everyone and conformed to their culture and expectations. The early Christians’ gospel conformed to Jesus. And Jesus was about provoking a decision: are you for him or against him?

As always, read the whole thing!

We’ve been talking quite a bit about issues confronting men this last week. I noted that David Morrow over at www.churchformen.com is looking for ways to masculinize the Church. I think what Conrad points out nails it: you don’t “pansy up” the Gospel. It’s an in-your-face, take it or leave it message. If our churches were less concerned about keeping every last wishy-washy, never-will-get-there slacker who darkens the sanctuary, maybe we’d get back to preaching messages that appeal to men, messages that ask something of the hearers, messages like, “Choose this day whom you shall serve.” We may lose even some of the people we thought we had, but at least we would know that the dross had fled and the gold remained. Then maybe we could actually get something done for God.

A half-hearted message is no message at all in the Kingdom of God.

Update: Conrad hits another homer with his follow-up post asking for whom the Church exists. Great, great stuff and definitely needed to be read by everyone.