What did Les observe is happening in the church today?
The church today has lost its confrontational stand; it is seeing a lack of faith and an emphasis on experience, which does not exercise faith. Believers need to be doctrinally grounded by faith and work toward experience, not the reverse.
Les teaches that Paul used the Roman soldier as an example, and all the armor and equipment was only for one direction—forward, with no room for retreat or rearguard action. He notes that some liberals decried "Onward, Christian Soldiers" as too militant and confrontational, and says maybe that is what happened to the church: we have lost it. Les says we must be confrontational up to a point—not obnoxious—and able to stand against the powers in high places. He also points to the shield of faith and says today we see a lack of faith and an emphasis on experience. Experience does not exercise faith; we must get doctrinally grounded by faith and then work toward experience, not the other way around.