Hell's Bells? Addressing the Elephant in the Sanctuary

Hell—an uncomfortable and often avoided topic. What if I told you that nearly one in five evangelicals and almost half of mainline churchgoers don't believe in it? Join me, Todd Rhodes, co-founder of ChemistryStaffing.com, on this eye-opening episode of the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, as we confront these startling statistics from a recent Pew Research study. We discuss the growing issue of biblical illiteracy and what it means for church leaders who are called to teach even the most difficult doctrines. Our conversation emphasizes that discussing hell doesn't have to be about fire and brimstone; it can be done with grace, truth, and compassion, aiming to educate and convict rather than condemn.

You'll learn how to navigate this delicate subject with your congregation, offering a thoughtful and open approach to engage in meaningful conversations about hell. We tackle questions like: What does the Bible actually say about hell? Why is understanding this doctrine crucial for grasping God's love and justice? And how can we share this challenging topic in a way that resonates with compassion and truth? This episode is designed to equip you with the tools needed to address one of Christianity's most challenging doctrines, trusting that your faithfulness will ultimately glorify God. Don't miss this thought-provoking discussion that aims to deepen your congregation's understanding and strengthen their faith.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:08

Okay, today we're going to dive into a topic. It's a bit fiery, it's a bit controversial, maybe a bit uncomfortable for some. We're going to talk about health. Okay, welcome to the Healthy Church Staff Podcast.

Speaker 1: 0:23

My name is Todd Rhodes, I'm one of the co-founders over at chemistrystaffingcom and I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, todd, why bring up the subject of health? Isn't it better to focus on love and grace? And you're absolutely right, love and grace are at the heart of the gospel. But a recent Pew Research study revealed something actually very startling, and here's what they found Only 82% 82% of professing evangelicals. It's evangelicals, 82% of professing evangelicals believe in hell. That means roughly one in five people sitting in your pews or in your chairs if you don't have pews on Sunday or this weekend might not believe in hell. They might not even believe in eternal damnation. And that's not even counting the mainliners, where that number mainline churches. The number drops from 82% down to 60%. So, todd, what in the world am I going to do with this information? Do I ignore it and hope it goes away? Do I preach fire and brimstone sermons, trying to scare people into belief? Is there a third option, maybe a way to approach this issue with grace and truth and compassion. Yeah, I think I'm a both-and kind of person. I think.

Speaker 1: 1:44

First, let's acknowledge the reality of the situation. We live in a time of increasing biblical illiteracy. Let me repeat that we live in a time of increasing biblical illiteracy. Many people have never been taught the full counsel of God's word, including. Many people have never been taught the full counsel of God's word, including believe it or not, including the difficult doctrines like hell. So let's remember that first. Secondly, let's remember that our goal is not to condemn but to convict. We're not called to judge people's heart, but to share the truth and love, trusting that the Holy Spirit will do his work. And third, let's engage in meaningful conversations about hell. So that means, don't shy away from the topic, preach about it, teach about it, discuss it openly with your congregation, but do so with humility, recognizing that even theologians don't have all the answers.

Speaker 1: 2:43

Here are a few questions to consider. What does the Bible actually say about hell? Why is the doctrine of hell important for our understanding of God's love and justice, and how can we share the truth about hell in a way that's both compelling and compassionate? The issue of hell is not going away by addressing it head on. We have an opportunity to deepen our understanding of God's word and strengthen our faith and engage in meaningful conversations that can lead people to both repentance and salvation. So remember, pastors, our calling is not to sugarcoat, it's not to ignore the truth, but to proclaim it with love and conviction.

Speaker 1: 3:21

So let's not shy away from difficult conversations. Hell is not a topic that people like to talk about, but let's tackle the elephant in the room and trust that God will use our faithfulness to his glory. That's the bottom line. I hope this episode has challenged and encouraged you to address this topic of hell with courage and compassion. It's an important topic and it's rather shocking that there are maybe up to 20%, 18 to 20% of the people that you preach to every week that just don't have any concept or believe in hell. Interesting to think about and an interesting thing to try and tackle in our churches today, in 2024. I hope this has been helpful to you and maybe thought-provoking. Hope you'll join us again right here on the Healthy Church Staff Podcast.