Getting rid of what's offensive

Simplifications like "our side good, their side bad" are as comforting as they are wrong. Because I (in obedience to Christ) have several beefs with progressive churches (the Sadducee side), I automatically get associated with conservative Christians (the Pharisee side).

However, the eagerness to throw out portions of the New Testament simply because they offend is unfortunately not exclusively an eagerness of liberal theologians. In my research and experience, far too many so called conservative churches do the same as a matter of habit; it's just a little less honest because they have such fiery rhetoric about "defending God's word."

A few examples of how conservative churches too - practice a Christianity that is sub-Christian (if Christianity is to be defined biblically):

1. "Elder Boards" that are filled with successful businessmen - primarily BECAUSE they are successful businessmen.

2. Policy decisions based on the views of the most generous givers.

3. Avoidance of gender differences, as taught by the New Testament, in order to avoid offending those who are most strident on such issues.

4. An emphasis on "evangelism" - by which is meant getting more butts in the pews (using that catchy "seeker friendly" phrase). In stark contrast to the New Testament priority of teaching, training and empowering the folks who already come faithfully (most of whom are left spiritually anemic).

5. A happiness to get into debt in order to make things bigger - rather than the New Testament priority of planting new, small, local churches that might eventually leave the plantation.

6. A complete inability or unwillingness to share the New Testament's uneasiness about a regular, lifelong, paid professional clergy.

7. Far too many connections with secular power and authority.

8. Too many regular church goers believe the phrase "the church" refers to a building, in absolute rejection of the New Testament's teaching on the subject.

9. Interpretation of the miracles of the early church as being "for that time."

10. Though Jesus said that the most important thing is to "seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness," how many regular church goers can say that they have a good understanding of what "the Kingdom of God" really means - biblically - and how it is to be "sought"?