Why Aren't Dave and Tom Depressed?

In this regular feature, Dave and Tom respond to questions form listeners and readers of The Berean Call. Here is this week’s question: Dear Dave and T.A., You guys continually surprise me. I used to read your newsletter a couple of years ago, but then I gave it up because I thought you were too negative. But now maybe I see things a little differently, and in retrospect, I guess you were just being honest about some real problems in the church. In listening to your radio program, I get a better sense of how deeply you feel about what’s going on. I can hear it in your voices; I guess that’s some of what I missed in your newsletter. But now, I am surprised at how you are able to stay so positive, even encouraging, when the apostasy in the church seems to be in full swing. What keeps you from getting depressed over this situation? 

Tom: Dave, this writer asking what keeps you from getting depressed over this situation—I’ve known you for 22 years. I’ve never seen you depressed. Well, maybe one time fishing when I had far more than you did which was a rare occasion.

Dave: (Chuckling) It could be. 

Tom: But you don’t get depressed. So why is that?

Dave: I don’t know why I would get depressed. I wouldn’t know how to get depressed Tom, because if you’re in the hands...

Tom: Well, you can be grieved and saddened by lots of things.

Dave: Yes, right, but if you’re in the hands of the Lord...  It’s His job, it’s His church, it’s His problem, really, and we’re just trusting Him. On the other hand, as you said, we are grieved; we are concerned. We’re concerned and grieved over those who have perverted the Scriptures to their own destruction and who are leading others astray; who call themselves pastors, or Bible teachers, or whatever it may be - reverends, and so forth, and yet they are not true to the Word of God. And because of that, many followers (these are not cult leaders now), but people do tend to take what a pastor says, or a Christian writer, or a Christian leader, and tend to follow them. That is an awesome responsibility, and we are very conscious of that every time we sit behind these microphones. This is not a game we are playing, and we are not in this for personal aggrandizement, to gain a following, to become popular, but we are seeking to be true to God and to His Word, and we could lead people astray.

Now, there are many Christian leaders out there. We’ve talked about it; we’ve written about it. We have not hammered away on that on the radio. But there are many out there who do not follow the Word of God. Now the Bible is our guide. This is our authority. It’s not a question of your opinion or my opinion, and you don’t have to be very bright to see when someone is claiming to belong to the Lord, claiming to be a Christian leader, and has many people looking up to them, and yet they are not true to the Word of God and it is very clear.

There’s a problem because not too many people want to question, even - much less rebuke - someone who has a popular following in the church. That’s not a popular thing to do. But, Tom, we’re not depressed about it. It’s exactly what the Bible said: “In the last days, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, doctrines of devils; that day will not come except there come the falling away, the apostasy first…” Christ said it probably more powerfully with a question: Luke:18:8I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
See All...: “When the Son of man returns, will he find the faith on the earth?”

So we have expected this. The Bible says it. Truthfully, I never thought it would get quite as bad as it is, and we don’t enjoy it. We don’t enjoy talking about it.  We want, rather - I mean we enjoy far more, talking about the Lord and the wonder of His life being lived through us. On the other hand, most of the epistles were written to bring correction. Christ brought reproof and rebuke, and He used language I wouldn’t use, because He’s the Lord of Glory and He can talk that way. He was very straight with the religious leaders in His day, and I am sure He would be were He to walk this earth today. He would deal with them in the same way. So…

Tom: Dave, the down side is the apostasy. We certainly grieve in our hearts over what we see going on in the church: people’s faith not just being led down a primrose path but in some cases shipwrecked, as the Scriptures say. But the up side is that we look up, because “our redemption draweth nigh.” Because Christ is close - the coming of Christ is closer than ever.

Dave: Amen. That’s what we’re longing for.  “The Spirit and the Bride say come.” We’re part of the bride, and the Spirit in us - the Holy Spirit in us - is saying, “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!” We do believe in the Rapture; we believe that the Lord is going to take his Bride out of here very soon. And we don’t have much time. We want to serve the Lord faithfully and be true to Him, because, in the final analysis, all that matters will be what will He say to us when we stand before him? Not how many friends have we made and how many commendations we have received from the world, or from the church. But have we been faithful to our Lord and to His Word?

Tom: Yes, and Dave, even if the Lord does tarry, our joy is in serving Him, getting to know Him day after day, better and better. Being encouraged by His Word and seeing Him work in our lives and in the lives of others. Now some days are tougher than others. But that joy is always there and always available. So I agree with you.

Dave: We’ve talked in generalities, Tom, about this apostasy. Anyone can pick up our books: Seduction of Christianity, Beyond Seduction, Occult Invasion, A New Spirituality, A Woman Rides the Beast. I mean, we deal in specifics with what is happening that is tragic in the church, but the Lord has not led us to hammer away at that in this radio program.