"21st Century Temptations and Distractions Facing the Church - Panel Discussion" by Kevin Brechbill, Philip Showalter, Trent Eikenberry, and Elisha Byler

What are some distractions and temptations the church is facing today? Join these four men along with Nathan Overholt as they wrestle with these four topics relevant to our day.

"Are you infinitely distracted," Trent Eikenberry asks us, "with up to the minute news from the other side of the world?" He suggests that this relatively new phenomenon is keeping us from seeing real needs and lost souls right around us. How much should we be "in the know"?

Next, Elisha Byler introduces what he calls "pop up theology". This is old heresy covered with a skimpy varnish of Christian terminology that spreads quickly through social media platforms. These half truths we are bombarded with can distract us from deep genuine Bible study. How are you combating this distraction?

What about materialism? Philip Showalter tells us that far too often our souls are lean and sickly and we lack the power of God, but our bank accounts are fat and our businesses are flourishing. Hard work and industry are good, but the problem is our accumulation of money. He challenges us to stop justifying materialism and to repent of our love for money. What is first place in your life?

Lastly, Kevin Brechbill calls out the sin of gossip. A gossip is a person who habitually reveals personal and sensational facts about others. Churches are struggling to be united because of this root problem of massive gossip. The most effective way to combat gossip is to talk a good report about others. Ask your brother or your sister to tell you when you are gossiping. Are you building others up or tearing them down with your words?