Ok so I’m obviously bored at work to have enough time to publish 2 postings.
I actually ripped this out of my last post to keep that one shorter and there seemed to be a natural break as a separation become increasingly apparent as the prior post started to take a slightly different direction. As a sidebar, If you’ve never written before this is a very interesting & wonderful aspect to writing. It’s awesome to see something take on its own life. I had intended my previous post to focus just on how larger churches seem to simply want everyone to do everything the same way, like puppets, so they can manipulate the congregation to giving more money. While I still believe this and alluded to it in that post, it became actually more of an after thought.
I feel I should also mention that all Christians should be always praying for the return of Jesus Christ and focus on our individual relationships with Him allowing this to overflow into every aspect of our lives. The best way to encourage the church to change and become godlier is to allow Christ to conform each of us (individually) more into His likeness and of course pray. We are all free to believe whatever we want, but if you agree with my perceptions then I would encourage you to focus your sympathetic frustrations, use them as a fuel towards persistence in your individual relationships with Jesus Christ, as well as praying for the objects of frustration. Don’t be too quick to give up on something or someone.
Anyway, more from my blog of ranting…
Regarding pastors, it is difficult for me to believe that the only men gifted with the ability to teach, preach and lead are only the ones who went to seminary. I don’t mean to suggest these men aren’t capable or gifted, but works, human efforts and education don’t necessarily equal a gift. We can’t force God’s hand or manipulate God. Trust me I’ve tried time and time again. A sinner can’t manipulate God. That isn’t Christianity; it’s some kind of one way religion, not a relationship with Jesus Christ. Fortunately He loves us significantly more than we can ever imagine in this life. Anyway, I’ve always had a problem with one man leading a church. It’s far too reminiscent of the errors the catholic church started making after Constantine usurped and twisted the church by combining a relationship with a living loving God with foreign gods to leverage his rule. If you go back and study the OT books (Moses’ books, judges, Samuel’s, Kings) you can see more errors in desires by the masses concerning rulers. See Exodus 32 concerning the reaction of the masses once their ordained (by God) leader left them. Might and numbers doesn’t necessarily make right, as is evident by God’s judgment upon this 1st generation whom He allowed to perish in the wilderness due to their unbelief in Him.
1 Samuel 8. Israel demands a king. One man to lead them. What is God’s reaction to this during His conversation with Samuel? “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”. These aren’t pleasing words. What happened to Israel when they started looking to their kings? When they had a king who actually followed the Lord (only a handful did) the nation was blessed because they followed their king, who coincidentally happened to actually follow God. However, most of the time their kings were wicked men who cared little for God. The point is we weren’t created to follow other men, though obviously at times we will be subject to them, but God. I’m not referring to matters of government, but primarily spiritually, since this is Jesus’ kingdom. This is why I have a problem with the Joel Osteen’s and Billy Graham’s of our day, and to an extent the proliferation of professional Christians. Not that I necessarily have a problem with the good God has done through any of these men, just their position. I don’t want a pope or king like all the other religions and peoples of this world. I want Jesus. Where’s the attitude of John the Baptist or Paul? Remember what John the Baptist said, concerning his position in lieu of Jesus? He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3). For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? (1 Corinthians 3).
We don’t need Billy Graham or Joel Osteen. At most they should stand up and state that Jesus Christ is Lord and that we ought not to ever follow them, but Him alone. This way we can follow their humble example instead of desiring their position (I don’t know much about either man. Perhaps they both are doing this?). Certainly no one would desire Paul’s, John the Baptist’s or Jesus’ positions as this would mean torture, suffering and death at the hands of wicked men. However, when we open the word isn’t this how the men of God and even God Himself walked? We all want the power, recognition and money many of our leaders have, but not the accompanied suffering.
The Bible states that we ought to be cautious with regards to entering into leadership or teaching (James 3:1, 1 Timothy 3:6, 1 Timothy 5:22). I can’t reconcile our churches or our leaders with what I read in scripture. All I can say is stop looking to men, women, money, power, distractions (superficial relationships, drugs and other addictions/idols) as a means of salvation. The most difficult (possibly) and freeing truth you can possibly adopt in this life is to realize there is nothing without Jesus Christ. With this realization everything else in life will take it’s appropriate place in your life.
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