I was talking with a youth pastor friend of mine a while ago about a certain incident that took place at a worship event we were at. In the middle of worship the pastor hosting the event came out and started promoting his books and his churches cd's and a bunch of other stuff. I was appalled by what I saw. My pastor friend, though not thrilled about what took place, seemed to also understand it. "You do have to take into consideration how much this building costs to run, I mean it's huge." he said. I was stunned. Are we at the point now where it's ok, from a pastors perspective, to interrupt worship of God for monetary purposes? That conversation has remained in my mind to this day and is the reason I'm about to say what I am. I'm warning you now it is long, most likely offensive to some and spotty but these are my thoughts spewing out as I type. So here we go....
I'm just sitting here wondering how long it'll be before we are actually fed up with the state of the "church" enough to actually DO something? You all probably have your own point of view on the subject ranging from church is "Great" to "Hate it". I find myself in the "great or lame, who cares? ARE WE EFFECTIVE?" area. My experience has been that churches tend to sway WAY too much from the vision it started with simply because the culture changes....we shouldn't be following culture, we should be CREATING it. Too many pastors, in my opinion, have stopped looking to Jesus as the ultimate example and His word as the ultimate authority and more towards the most popular or "successful" preachers of today and their autographed self help books. It's like looking at sport stars when I was a kid and wanting to be them. Instead of working on my dribbling and blocking out (aka the fundamentals) I was busy figuring out what my shoe design would look like and what my signature "move" would be. As a result I saw more bench time than floor time. The "bench" is where all who put fame of self before fame of Jesus belong.
The same problem can be seen in worship music. As soon as Hillsong got big almost EVERY worship cd that has come out is a regurgitation of the same thing! Don't get me wrong, I love a lot of Hillsongs worship material but that is their creation. What ever happened to being creative? Unique? Yourself? Christian radio (to which I am still successfully boycotting for going on roughly 10 years now) starts playing "Nashville" versions of popular worship songs because it's "in". This makes me nauseous. And no one will bring it up or say anything because it's too offensive....or might hurt someones feelings. Thank God Paul didn't wuss out when it came to confrontation. The Church in Corinth heard from him in love but THEY HEARD FROM HIM. There is a time for compassion and a time to realize something is wrong and STOP IT. Could you imagine if Jesus looked at what was taking place in the temple (John 2:15-17) and took the point of view,"To each their own, oh well, at least there's a lot of people here....God MUST be moving." Seriously? Green Day has thousands of people come to their shows every night. Does that mean God is moving there more than at a church of 75 that are out serving their community? It is a ridiculous argument that buildings of "worship" with more attendees have more of God. It simply means you have more attendees. Congratulations, your "show" is entertaining ;)
It is one thing to honor those who came before us, it is another to continue their mistakes. Traditions and religious mindsets that have brought us to where we are today need to be re-examined. What is good and biblical about it and what needs to go? Is it REALLY biblical to have a building that you can't afford cause you to use tithe money to pay bills instead of funding ministries? Is it REALLY responsible leadership to try to do so much and spread your staff out so thin that you are ineffective in almost all of the areas you are trying to provide? Is it REALLY biblical that while a church is struggling to keep it's doors open the pastor drives a car that costs more than his entire staffs income and drives home to a house twice the size of the church building itself? If so simply show me the verse. Don't get mad, just show me the verse. Don't point me to a book written by a successful "business man/evangelist"....Don't tell me the junk about "God wants to bless me so that others will see me and be inspired..." BULL. Money was meant to be USED to further SERVE those who need help NOT for us to bathe in luxury as an "example". What a horrendous misinterpretation of scripture and of the life of Jesus. Please don't hear this as "Money is evil....don't have a car...or a house....live on the street and hold a sign that says Jesus Saves!" It's simply the LOVE of money and the excuses we wrap around it. When you love your possessions more than your hurting neighbor THAT is a problem.
I find the state that the church is in to be one caused by the combination of fear and money. "If we don't appease the older generation, they'll leave and take their tithe with them." If that is true I say, out of as much love as I can muster, "Let me help you with your coat." First, a pastor who directs out of fear is not a pastor at all. Second, people using the tithe as a weapon are so mentally and spiritually messed up that they should in no way be involved in the direction of the church. This generation and the next are so vital to the survival of the church that we need to spiritually mature as a collective and stop the games. Here is my issue. If a person who has been in the church for years sees a change in culture (louder music, newer songs or even more of a younger approach in presentation) and is offended they need some one on one time with God. Why? BECAUSE THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER! Church is not about MY entertainment! As long as what is being preached, taught and sung is TRUE, CHALLENGING and BIBLICAL what else matters? If they are so offended to the point of leaving chances are they will find a church more suitable for their "needs". However, if the younger generation feels as though THIS church is not where they belong chances are they will stop going to church all together, not simply find another. 4% of todays youth claim to be "born again". Why is that just a passing statistic in a sermon on sunday and not a HUGE red flag with sirens going off?!?! We have roles to play and we (leaders,adults, etc) need to be raising up the next leaders, not discouraging them because church is "too loud for me" now. But if people are sooo stuck in their ways that they threaten to leave then let them. Gods vision doesn't fluctuate. I can already hear the pastors saying,"Well, sure thats easy to say when you don't have a building to fund!" To which I reply,"Exactly." There is no where in the bible where God promises us a building. ESPECIALLY one that straps us financially.The church is the people of God. But a church without a building is sooooo hard to imagine today. Let me say this, having a place to meet is important. But be able to pay for it BEFORE you buy it. It's common sense and it's being responsible.
The health of the church can be seen in it's volunteers. If only 10-20% of your church shows up to service projects consistently THAT is the size or backbone of your church NOT the number in attendance on Sunday. We need, or let me rephrase that, we will not survive unless we reboot our mentality of what we, the church, are and are responsible for doing. We need to be serving each other and our community as a whole as often as possible....I'd love to see the church come together and serve our community weekly. "But we can't, we have too much going on....programs, fundraisers, luncheons, tea parties...." To which I say, again, REBOOT. Pastors, train into the DNA of the church servanthood. THIS will flow into everything else (tithing, volunteers, community, healing, friendships etc.) My wife and I have operated on one check for over a year now yet not once have we even considered using our tithe to pay a bill. Numerous times it has been close and faith stretching. We simply believe God has us in His hands and He has proven time and time again that He does. I say that not as an ego trip or to get people to tithe more or give more AT ALL but simply for this reason: The more you allow God to be God, the greater your faith becomes. Its truth to me and not a slogan. I don't know how to end this "verbal pukage" other than saying that I am re-examining my own life and ministry and starting to change. If it starts with me then so be it but let it start. God help us be bold.
I'm just sitting here wondering how long it'll be before we are actually fed up with the state of the "church" enough to actually DO something? You all probably have your own point of view on the subject ranging from church is "Great" to "Hate it". I find myself in the "great or lame, who cares? ARE WE EFFECTIVE?" area. My experience has been that churches tend to sway WAY too much from the vision it started with simply because the culture changes....we shouldn't be following culture, we should be CREATING it. Too many pastors, in my opinion, have stopped looking to Jesus as the ultimate example and His word as the ultimate authority and more towards the most popular or "successful" preachers of today and their autographed self help books. It's like looking at sport stars when I was a kid and wanting to be them. Instead of working on my dribbling and blocking out (aka the fundamentals) I was busy figuring out what my shoe design would look like and what my signature "move" would be. As a result I saw more bench time than floor time. The "bench" is where all who put fame of self before fame of Jesus belong.
The same problem can be seen in worship music. As soon as Hillsong got big almost EVERY worship cd that has come out is a regurgitation of the same thing! Don't get me wrong, I love a lot of Hillsongs worship material but that is their creation. What ever happened to being creative? Unique? Yourself? Christian radio (to which I am still successfully boycotting for going on roughly 10 years now) starts playing "Nashville" versions of popular worship songs because it's "in". This makes me nauseous. And no one will bring it up or say anything because it's too offensive....or might hurt someones feelings. Thank God Paul didn't wuss out when it came to confrontation. The Church in Corinth heard from him in love but THEY HEARD FROM HIM. There is a time for compassion and a time to realize something is wrong and STOP IT. Could you imagine if Jesus looked at what was taking place in the temple (John 2:15-17) and took the point of view,"To each their own, oh well, at least there's a lot of people here....God MUST be moving." Seriously? Green Day has thousands of people come to their shows every night. Does that mean God is moving there more than at a church of 75 that are out serving their community? It is a ridiculous argument that buildings of "worship" with more attendees have more of God. It simply means you have more attendees. Congratulations, your "show" is entertaining ;)
It is one thing to honor those who came before us, it is another to continue their mistakes. Traditions and religious mindsets that have brought us to where we are today need to be re-examined. What is good and biblical about it and what needs to go? Is it REALLY biblical to have a building that you can't afford cause you to use tithe money to pay bills instead of funding ministries? Is it REALLY responsible leadership to try to do so much and spread your staff out so thin that you are ineffective in almost all of the areas you are trying to provide? Is it REALLY biblical that while a church is struggling to keep it's doors open the pastor drives a car that costs more than his entire staffs income and drives home to a house twice the size of the church building itself? If so simply show me the verse. Don't get mad, just show me the verse. Don't point me to a book written by a successful "business man/evangelist"....Don't tell me the junk about "God wants to bless me so that others will see me and be inspired..." BULL. Money was meant to be USED to further SERVE those who need help NOT for us to bathe in luxury as an "example". What a horrendous misinterpretation of scripture and of the life of Jesus. Please don't hear this as "Money is evil....don't have a car...or a house....live on the street and hold a sign that says Jesus Saves!" It's simply the LOVE of money and the excuses we wrap around it. When you love your possessions more than your hurting neighbor THAT is a problem.
I find the state that the church is in to be one caused by the combination of fear and money. "If we don't appease the older generation, they'll leave and take their tithe with them." If that is true I say, out of as much love as I can muster, "Let me help you with your coat." First, a pastor who directs out of fear is not a pastor at all. Second, people using the tithe as a weapon are so mentally and spiritually messed up that they should in no way be involved in the direction of the church. This generation and the next are so vital to the survival of the church that we need to spiritually mature as a collective and stop the games. Here is my issue. If a person who has been in the church for years sees a change in culture (louder music, newer songs or even more of a younger approach in presentation) and is offended they need some one on one time with God. Why? BECAUSE THEY SHOULD KNOW BETTER! Church is not about MY entertainment! As long as what is being preached, taught and sung is TRUE, CHALLENGING and BIBLICAL what else matters? If they are so offended to the point of leaving chances are they will find a church more suitable for their "needs". However, if the younger generation feels as though THIS church is not where they belong chances are they will stop going to church all together, not simply find another. 4% of todays youth claim to be "born again". Why is that just a passing statistic in a sermon on sunday and not a HUGE red flag with sirens going off?!?! We have roles to play and we (leaders,adults, etc) need to be raising up the next leaders, not discouraging them because church is "too loud for me" now. But if people are sooo stuck in their ways that they threaten to leave then let them. Gods vision doesn't fluctuate. I can already hear the pastors saying,"Well, sure thats easy to say when you don't have a building to fund!" To which I reply,"Exactly." There is no where in the bible where God promises us a building. ESPECIALLY one that straps us financially.The church is the people of God. But a church without a building is sooooo hard to imagine today. Let me say this, having a place to meet is important. But be able to pay for it BEFORE you buy it. It's common sense and it's being responsible.
The health of the church can be seen in it's volunteers. If only 10-20% of your church shows up to service projects consistently THAT is the size or backbone of your church NOT the number in attendance on Sunday. We need, or let me rephrase that, we will not survive unless we reboot our mentality of what we, the church, are and are responsible for doing. We need to be serving each other and our community as a whole as often as possible....I'd love to see the church come together and serve our community weekly. "But we can't, we have too much going on....programs, fundraisers, luncheons, tea parties...." To which I say, again, REBOOT. Pastors, train into the DNA of the church servanthood. THIS will flow into everything else (tithing, volunteers, community, healing, friendships etc.) My wife and I have operated on one check for over a year now yet not once have we even considered using our tithe to pay a bill. Numerous times it has been close and faith stretching. We simply believe God has us in His hands and He has proven time and time again that He does. I say that not as an ego trip or to get people to tithe more or give more AT ALL but simply for this reason: The more you allow God to be God, the greater your faith becomes. Its truth to me and not a slogan. I don't know how to end this "verbal pukage" other than saying that I am re-examining my own life and ministry and starting to change. If it starts with me then so be it but let it start. God help us be bold.
