Posted on 07/01/2015 1:18:54 PM PDT by Gamecock
God is not silent, but His pulpits are!
An article addressing gay marriage and transgender issues came across my newsfeed. It stood out because the reporter quoted a response from, "a megachurch pastor, who asked not to be named."1 The pastor of this megachurch did a fantastic job of clearly stating what the Bible had to say concerning marriage and gender. However he apparently felt it necessary to do so behind the cloak of anonymity. Why?
Is this where we are in the church in America?
Are we so afraid of the controversy and backlash of the political correctness police that we refuse to put our name beside biblical truth? Are we afraid of losing people and tithes in our large megachurches because we stood with God rather than man? Are we now afraid to speak out for fear of personal loss? If so, then all is truly lost.
Last week Tony Campolo called "for the full acceptance of Christian gay couples into the church."2 When he did, he was brave enough to sign his name to his position. He knew it wouldn't be popular in Christian circles, but he voiced his opinion. Have you heard any high-profile pastors bold enough to call out Campolo's error and take a stand for marriage as God designed it?
George Barna recently stated that their studies found that although 90 percent of Christian leaders believed that the Bible clearly addressed most of today's controversial issues only 10 percent were bold enough to address them. Why? Fear of losing people and tithes.3
At this moment there are serious issues standing before the church and state. God is not silent concerning a single one.
Concerning the current persecution of Christians in the Middle East, He says, "The King will answer, 'Truly I say to you, as you have done it for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you have done it for Me'" (Matt. 25:40).
We are instructed to pray for, to stand with and offer what help we can for those who suffer. May I ask, what have you done for the least of these?
Concerning marriage, Jesus says, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh" (Matt. 19:5).
Man didn't create marriage; God did. There is no court or politician on earth that is capable of fundamentally transforming what God instituted. It is sad we've allowed this to become a debate, as there is no room for compromise.
Concerning gender, Jesus says, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female'" (Matt. 19:4).
Our Creator did not make 58 different gender classifications for mankind—He made two.4 As loving leaders we must help individuals ground themselves in absolute truth, and not leave them lost in a world of moral relativism.
Concerning life, He says, "You brought my inner parts into being; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will praise you, for You made me with fear and wonder; marvelous are Your works, and You know me completely. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, and intricately put together in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw me unformed, yet in Your book all my days were written, before any of them came into being" (Ps. 139:13-16).
Every life is sacred and special. God has a unique plan and purpose for each of us from the very youngest to the very oldest. All are precious in his sight. I wonder, when is the last time abortion was discussed from the pulpit in your church?
My friends, God is not and has not been silent; unfortunately so many of His pulpits are.
Where are the Christian leaders bold enough to risk it all to take a clear biblical stance on the controversial issues of our day? Our entire nation is in a state of decay as so many churches continue to play.
Pastor, what does your flock need more of right now? Another "Summer at the Movies" series or "Summer of prayer and fasting"? Are we trying to keep our people in their seats, or call them from their seats? Our nation needs us!
I applaud Dr. Ronnie Floyd, president of the Southern Baptists, who called the denomination to action this week. Dr. Floyd said, "The issue facing Southern Baptists is one that will face every person of faith in the United States—do you follow God or the government?"
Calling this a Dietrich Bonhoeffer moment, Floyd warned ministers that the time has come for every minister to stand strongly and clearly—regardless of the cost.5
Bonhoeffer, a modern martyr who stood against the atrocities of Nazi Germany, wrote, "Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act." Bonhoeffer stood alone and lost his life. In the face of such clear evil he couldn't find 10 other pastors to stand with him.
Let's not repeat the mistakes of the past.
Wake up church. The time for action from the pulpits and the pews is now. Each of us will stand before the Lord one day to be judged for our time here on earth. Live in fear of that day and respond accordingly in this day.
Offering plates would dry up real quick if they did so!
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Some confuse Joel Osteen for a church pastor. He’s a motivational speaker with an organization that resembles a church.
Rick Warren.. another self-promoter. The Donald Trump of faux-pastors. Forget him.
As for the megachurch types who still purport to preach the Word of God, they seem mostly interested in promoting their brand.
Virtually ALL churches are wimps these days—on ALL such issues.
In case you haven’t noticed, that is.
I would think the opposite. I would go to church and give money if priests/preacher/pastors would actually speak out against every liberal hair brained idea. I haven't gone in 25 years. The church is effeminate and kowtows to anti God liberals.
Past time for some new Pastors.
>>Bonhoeffer, a modern martyr who stood against the atrocities of Nazi Germany, wrote, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” Bonhoeffer stood alone and lost his life. In the face of such clear evil he couldn’t find 10 other pastors to stand with him.
He actually stood against the German CHURCH as it turned into the Nazi Church. The lesson of Bonhoeffer is that all people of conscience need to flee their apostate churches (PCUSA, TEC, ELCA, UCC, ABC, UMC...that’s you!) that embrace the homosexual/Progressive agendas. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve given over the years, how important you are in the congregation, or how much they need you.
When I left the UMC last year, I was the chairman of the Church Council, delegate to Annual Conference, a Certified Lay Speaker, and fill-in lay preacher. I walked away clean and people asked me, “but you’ve done so much and been so successful here. Why would you leave?”
I answered, “Because all of that is meaningless if I have to give up my soul.”
Bonhoeffer did the same when he left the German Church to form the Confessing Church, and eventually it led to his arrest and execution.
They are there to please the crowd, not God
If they’re afraid they’ll lose income (tithing) then they’re sure not putting their faith in God to provide.
All of these mega churches are fake. I used to attend one in Georgia. Personally, I’ve lost all respect for organized religion. I tithe but I don’t give to churches. I give to food banks usually.
I saw 9 - All are welcome sings at churches on my way home from work today. There were more. It just took me a while to catch on and notice.
In case you haven’t noticed, that is.
I confess to being completely mystified by this.
I compare and contrast pastors and preachers during the Revolutionary War period and see pastors who inspired men to fight, and fight hard, against the British. Often these pastors led men in battle.
I simply cannot understand this timidity. What I have seen and much of what I have heard, and admittedly this is mostly anecdotal, is pastors telling congregations that they should meekly keep quiet and love the sinner.
While this certainly has it’s valid place, I think it led to many Christians shutting their mouths for fear of appearing unloving and therefore ungodly. What pastors really failed to understand is the political dynamics of the homosexual movement and its insidiousness.
For example, I recall talking to a pastor who spoke very guardedly on the subject of homosexuality. Although he stated it was wrong, he seemed to bend over backwards to tell the congregation to be loving and accepting. I spoke with him afterwards and asked if he understood that basically homosexuals were all but recruiting in grade schools now. He seemed somewhat unaware of this and merely stated his view that Christians had been too harsh in their previous condemnation of homosexuals and that we ought to be less harsh towards them.
While I agree we need to love as Christ loved, but on balance I think American pastors have been deceived into “toning it down” and to show a false compassion. This in turn, I believe clearly emboldened those in the homosexual movement.
Pastor, what does your flock need more of right now? Another "Summer at the Movies" series or "Summer of prayer and fasting"? Are we trying to keep our people in their seats, or call them from their seats? Our nation needs us!
I applaud Dr. Ronnie Floyd, president of the Southern Baptists, who called the denomination to action this week. Dr. Floyd said, "The issue facing Southern Baptists is one that will face every person of faith in the United States—do you follow God or the government?" Calling this a Dietrich Bonhoeffer moment, Floyd warned ministers that the time has come for every minister to stand strongly and clearly—regardless of the cost.
Exceptional article - thanks for posting.
It amazes me when people I believe are Christians fall for the Osteen and Benny Hinn garbage. I say I believe they’re Christians. I believe THEY believe they’re Christians. Of course, there are those who believer they’re Christian who vote for democrats.
Veritas! May the Lord grant you increase!
My mission is to make money, not preach God’s Word.
CHAPTER CXXII.
How injustice reigns in the above-mentioned wicked ministers ; and that particularly in that they do not correct their subjects.
" I HAVE told thee how in My beloved ones there shone the pearl of justice. Now I will tell thee how these miserable wretches wear injustice on their breast as a buckle, which injustice both proceeds from, and is clasped with their own self-love, through which they commit injustice against their own souls and against Me, in the darkness of their in discretion.
" Me they deprive of glory, and themselves of honour and a holy life, having neither desire for the salvation of souls nor hunger for virtue. For this reason they act unjustly towards their subjects and their neighbour, and do not correct their vices ; rather they are blind and do not know them, and allow their subjects to sleep and lie quiet in their infirmities, from their disordinate fear of offending creatures. But they do not observe that in thus wishing to please creatures, they in reality displease them, and Me, your Creator, as well. Sometimes indeed they do correct their neighbour, in order to cloak themselves in some rag of justice. But they do not go to a great man who is living in great and open sin, for they are afraid if they do that he will interfere with their own state and life, but they turn on some insignificant person, for they see that he can do them no harm. Thus is injustice committed through miserable self-love, which has poisoned the whole world , and the mystical body of the holy Church, and through which the garden of My Spouse has run to seed and given birth to putrid flowers, which garden was properly cultivated at the time when the true labourers were there, that is to say, My holy ministers, and was adorned with many fragrant flowers, for the subjects led virtuous, honourable and holy lives, through the examples of their good pastors. To-day it is not so, but rather the contrary, for through wicked pastors the subjects have also become wicked. My Spouse is full of the various thorns of many sins, not that she can in herself be infected through the stench of sin, for the virtue of the Sacraments can receive no harm, but those who feed at the breast of this Spouse are infected by the stench in their souls, losing the dignity in which I have placed them, though that dignity is not diminished in itself, but only with regard to them.
" Wherefore through their sins the Blood is held of no account, for seculars lose the due reverence which they ought to pay to them for the Blood's sake ; not that they ought to do so, and their fault, even if I forgive them, is none the less on account of the sins of their pastors, who are wretched mirrors of sin, in that office in which I have placed them in order to be mirrors of virtue."
Obviously written from a traditional Catholic perspective, I don't expect you to agree with every jot and tittle of the passage, but the bottom line point here is that there are a lot of ministers who like their good lives so they don't want to rock the boat. Because these ministers don't want to wade into controversial subjects, they are damning some of their own parishioners who need to hear it.
"It's all about the money, boys!"
Nonprofit social clubs?
Bingo!
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