Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World (3rd Ed.)

Ashamed of the Gospel (3rd Ed.)

Author: John MacArthur

In the third edition of this top-selling book, John MacArthur challenges the seeker-sensitive, user-friendly, entertainment-oriented pragmatism that permeates the church today.

In the late 1800s, Charles Spurgeon warned that the church was drifting away from the purity of the gospel, candy-coating God's Word rather than boldly proclaiming the truths of Scripture. As a result, Christianity's influence in nineteenth-century England was severely weakened. One hundred years later, John MacArthur, troubled by the seeker-sensitive movement and an emphasis on pragmatism within the church, sounded the same alarm with the first edition of Ashamed of the Gospel.

In this newly revised and expanded edition, MacArthur gives an overview of developments in the seeker-sensitive movement since his book was first published in 1993. New material traces the line of pragmatic philosophy from the seeker-sensitive movement through the Emergent phenomenon, explaining why the latter is a philosophical heir of the former-and an even greater danger; chronicles the failure of pragmatic approaches to church growth; and emphasizes the importance of evangelicals solidly committed to biblical doctrine rising to positions of leadership.

–––––––––– Table of Contents ––––––––––

1. Christianity on the Down-Grade
2. The User-Friendly Church
3. Gimme That Show-Time Religion
4. All Things to All Men
5. The Foolishness of God
6. The Power of God unto Salvation
7. Paul on Mars’ Hill
8. The Sovereignty of God in Salvation
9. I Will Build My Church
10. Interlude
11. Carried About by Every Wind
12. Spiritual Adultery

• Appendix 1: Spurgeon and the Down-Grade Controversy
• Appendix 2: Spurgeon Speaks to Our Time
• Appendix 3: Charles Finney and American Evangelical Pragmatism
• Appendix 4: Carnal vs. Spiritual Wisdom

About the Author:

John MacArthur is the pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, where he has served since 1969. He is known around the world for his verse-by-verse expository preaching and his pulpit ministry via his daily radio program, Grace to You. He has also written or edited nearly four hundred books and study guides. MacArthur is chancellor emeritus of the Master’s Seminary and Master’s University. He and his wife, Patricia, live in Southern California and have four grown children.

304 pp. Hardcover.