Here is an interesting article for y’all, by Chuck Baldwin. I think I will give you a sneak peek. If you are interested, you can read the full article here.
That 90% of America’s pastors are not addressing any of the salient issues affecting Christian people’s political or societal lives should surprise no one–especially the readers of this column. It has been decades since even a sizeable minority of pastors have bothered to educate and inform their congregations as to the Biblical principles relating to America’s political, cultural, and societal lives. But the part of the research that did somewhat surprise me was this statement by Barna: “What we’re finding is that when we ask them about all the key issues of the day, [90 percent of them are] telling us, Yes, the Bible speaks to every one of these issues. Then we ask them: Well, are you teaching your people what the Bible says about those issues?–and the numbers drop…to less than 10 percent of pastors who say they will speak to it.”
Did you get that? Ninety-percent of America’s pastors say they KNOW that the Bible speaks to all of these issues, but they are deliberately determined to NOT teach these Biblical principles. That is an amazing admission!
It would have been one thing if the pastors had said that these political issues were not relevant to scripture, and, therefore, they didn’t feel called to address them. But the pastors are admitting that, yes, they KNOW that the scriptures DO relate to our current political issues, but they are deliberately choosing to NOT teach those scriptural principles. Holy heads-in-the-sand, Batman!
I confess: this statistic caught me off-guard. So, we can forever dismiss ignorance as justification for pastors remaining silent.
Has your place of worship become only a place like Mr. Baldwin lists here?
*Attendance
*Giving (money)
*Number of programs
*Number of staff
*Square footage (of facilities)
More from Chuck Baldwin:
The megachurch phenomenon of the last several decades transformed how pastors think and behave. Pastors read the “successful church” books and publications; they attend the “successful church” conferences; they watch the “successful church” videos, etc. They, then, try to mimic the tactics and strategies they have been taught. And if there is one constant theme promulgated by the likes of Osteen, Warren, and Hybels, it is pastors must avoid controversy like the plague. Again, one must realize that the goal is NOT being faithful to Biblical principles; the goal is building a “successful” church as noted above.
It is time for Christians to acknowledge that these ministers are not pastors; they are CEOs. They are not Bible teachers; they are performers. They are not shepherds; they are hirelings. It is also time for Christians to be honest with themselves: do they want a pastor who desires to be faithful to the scriptures, or do they want a pastor who is simply trying to be “successful?” BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF, CHRISTIAN FRIEND.
Pastor Baldwin is so right on the mark with this insight.
My thoughts go in this direction:
We all know who is being thought of if your ‘church’ is only about Mr Baldwin’s list, and it’s not God the Father, neither is it Jesus Christ, nor the Holy Spirit. It is all about the numbers, baby. The bigger the better. They build their houses on the backs of the lay people, like parasites on a host, always taking yet never giving in return. For the bigger in name they become as a pastor, the more disconnected and distant they grow away from God’s people and the reality of what God desires of them as His “servants.” Making the name of Christ a business with the celebrity pastors as the CEO. (As long as they tack on the name “Jesus” then it must surely be about “Jesus” afterall, right?) All the while keeping the sheep in the dark by not giving the full truth on how we are to be as a Christian towards one another, which includes having to live on this earth, imitating Jesus as best we can in all aspects of this life, in thought, word, and deed, no matter what society you currently live in. Churches with parasitical attitudes will eventual use you as much as they can. They tell you that it is all for “the Lord” so get serving, but, first you must serve “this church” and you need to get “plugged in” to a community group, or give above and beyond, and bring more people to “grow” this church, until you are so overwhelmed by it all that you have become used up and sucked dry by “said parasite”.
No different then a good ol’ boys club and only certain “anointed” are allowed to enter that clubhouse. All the while sticking their big arrogant holier then thou noses up in the air as you walk by, for they believe you to have not attained what they think that they have obtained.
~Ann
