I know that I write about a lot of negativity. I can understand that most will stop reading after awhile. The ones who do stay - stay because they have been there too. They stay because they have been hurt and abused by “God’s people”. I do this for me and by extension for the ones who have been hurt. I do this because it needs to be done. Because our denominations do not care. The SBC and the BGAV could care less about doctrinal purity. Their only concern now is that they are politically and culturally correct. They desire to be “woke” in an asleep church. For some, what I just wrote is strong. You may be offended, I do not care. I can go stronger. I just know that for the most part it falls on deaf ears. Ears that do not want to hear. Why do we care more about offending people than standing on the truth of Scripture? There are plenty of other pastors and church leaders who want to see men like me go away because we are vocal about God’s Word. It’s a clown show. And God’s Word offends them…
I did not start this to be famous or to be the next great “Church Blogger”. I actually believe that in order to be a Church Blogger/Influencer in today’s church culture, you cannot be real about what actually happens in the church. We all want the church culture that the American Gospel has created. We want biblical doctrine sacrificed on the altar of “unity” because it offends. We want prosperity and peace as long as we get our way. It is “Tragicomedy” with irony at its foundation. A once powerful church in America reduced to ashes by rock star pastors in skinny jeans and caffè latte’s. By watered down doctrine and spiritual immaturity. By seminaries that now teach “did God really say” instead of “Thus sayeth The Lord”. By removing the offense of the cross and replacing it with a book by Thom Rainer.
Years ago as an associate pastor I witnessed a visitor get asked to move by a church member because the visitor was “in his seat”. The pastor did nothing because the church member was a prominent person in the church. We never saw that visitor again.
Years ago as an associate pastor I had a back room conversation with a church member who told me that “church members who tithe the most should be the only ones who get to decide what goes on.”. This person gave a lot and wanted to make sure his money was spent how he wanted it spent.
Years ago as an associate pastor there was a churchwide meeting called to discuss the future of the pastor. A choir representative stood up and proudly declared “The choir has decided to withhold our tithes until the pastor is fired.”. Talk about making a “joyful noise unto The Lord.”.
Years ago as an associate pastor a member of the youth council approached me to warn me about this teenager in our youth group (I was new to the church). His warning was this: “You need to watch out for this guy because he takes this ‘God thing’ too seriously.” This man was a leader in the church that I served. Think on that for a minute. I’m proud to say that the young man who took God too seriously is now a very good associate pastor in the sunshine state.
Years ago as an associate pastor I filled in for the pastor while he was on vacation to preach. I preached on unity in the gospel. After the service was over a very popular woman in the church berated me about how this was “her church” and how I was messing it up. She did not care for unity in Christ only unity in her.
As a senior pastor I have been told numerous times through the years that I am no good, I need to leave the church because no likes me, I don’t do enough to grow the church… blah… blah… blah. You know, the normal encouragement from God’s people. I get lectured on how bad of a pastor I am by church members who couldn’t find the book of Deuteronomy without the table of contents.
All the tears dried up long ago… it is so sad that all you can do is laugh.
I could go on and on. I really could. What a sad tragic comedy we have become. We have drifted away from God’s Word, His truth, His purity, His holiness, His everything.
All in the name of ourselves.
Because after all, this is my church.
Well said/written. But extremely sad that it NEEDED to be written. I'm sure your were limiting how many stories you shared. I'm sure there were also a lot of "That's not the worship music I like" stories.
And instead of Deuteronomy they need to locate Ephesians 4:11-12 to see who is truly responsible for growing the Church.