Are you a "Christian?"

In these troubled times, people all over the world are searching for the answers to their problems. Many, because they know no other way, turn to buildings with little signs out in front to find those answers. If you are one of the many men and women who believe that "church" is a building with a steeple on top filled with well-dressed saints, then let me be the first to enlighten you. While it is not always the case, most often these are denominational churches which belong to larger groups. For instance if you darken the door of a southern baptist church, this usually means that the church supports the 'Southern Baptist Convention.' This is a lobbying group mostly, and has elected leaders and a hierarchy of its own. Upon its foundation the SBC sought to unite baptist churches in the south to pool resources which were then used for missionary work or to support smaller groups in rural areas who couldn't afford to build a 'decent church.' These days the SBC has become a governing body in many ways. The annual meetings often spiral into useless arguments about intangible differences in doctrine. They have, over the years developed a list of qualifications which define the kind of church they will accept as part of the organization. These divergences have led many churches to flee the parent organizations, but most still contribute to some degree. There are similar 'lobbying' groups for most large denominations. The United Methodist Church is one such group, but there are many others. Over the course of the last three quarters of a century these groups have rallied under the umbrella of larger organizations like the National association of Evangelicals. The result has been to turn the worship of God into a back alley brawl. It seems the only two issues these people can agree on are gay rights and abortion. Thusly, the 'conservatives' have made these the 'hot button' issues of the day and ignored completely what the body of believers are supposed to be about the business of doing. The 'church' is no longer the body of Christ, its is now the body of fundamentalist political organizations.

In the simplest of terms, 'church' is defined in most people's minds as the building you go to to sing hymns and 'worship God.' In point of fact, however, the true definition of 'Church" is the body of believers themselves. The Church is in you! How many of us have been to a church that cares more about the way people are dressed than they do about their soul? A dear friend of mine told me earlier today that she stopped going to church because her pastor called her out of the choir loft to complain about the 'pants suit' she was wearing. He told her if she ever wore pants into his church again, she would not be welcome. In addition her husband was told to find a suit and tie to wear!

Think of it this way. Assume for a moment that you are the enemy (satan) and that your sole motivation is the total destruction of the object of God's affection (us, his creation). Would it not make sense to attack the churches first? I believe that for the most part church has become more of a distraction than it ever was a solution. Yes, we are commanded to gather together. But the goal isn't supposed to be a fashion show. Nor is it a place to keep count of who is attending and who isn't. I remember when I used to go to a small church in Brunswick county, NC. My own uncle was the pastor there. I was related to almost every member there either by blood or marriage. On the wall outside the sanctuary there was a 3' by 4' sign. Each week someone would update it to show attendance and offerings for the previous Sunday and the present one. I used to think, even as a child, that keeping track of such things was such a waste of time. Measuring the success of a gathering of believers by these standards makes them little different than any other business. I mean, who else keeps track of who is there and who is making the greatest monetary contribution?

I don't mean to knock all churches everywhere as evil, or misled. Most of my family attend church regularly. I have 2 uncles, a step-father, and a step-grandfather that are ordained baptist ministers. But even their churches are steeped in controversy and dogmatic doctrinal thinking. As a friend once told me, it isn't the doctrine that saves you. The acceptance of Jesus as your personal savior doesn't require a monthly contribution. Nor does the bible say anything about what to wear when gathering, or when, or how often. These are rules we have placed upon ourselves. They remind me of the ceremonial law in the rabbinical texts. What we have become is a group of modern-day pharisees! Arguing over what color the pews should be while children in our own neighborhoods go hungry.

The word 'Christian' literally means 'little Christ' or "Christ-like." It doesn't mean "i go to church three times a week and tithe." It means that you have placed your life in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus. It means that your motivations are His, your actions are His....your very LIFE is His. What happened to doing the work of the lord? Simple. Our Pastors go to college (seminary) to learn how to fleece the flock, and how to sound persuasive in the pulpit. Our 'leaders' are so corrupt it is hard to imagine another term for it. Look at people like Oral Roberts, Pat Robertson, and the late-great Jerry Falwell. When a non-believer hears the word "christian" that is who they immediately think of, because these are the people who represent Christianity, and therefore Christ, to the world. The lies, the hatred, the evil of these men, these things are well documented. In later posts I will attempt to explain how corrosive and cruel living by their example can be. But for now let me close with an invitation. If you have felt these feelings. If you know that your church has begun to serve Mammon and rejected the Lord, then please do us both a favor. Open your bible yourself, at home. Read what the Lord has to say to you, without interpretation from someone else. See for yourself what kind of world we live in through the eyes of the prophet Daniel, and in the letters of Paul. Read Revelations, and watch the news. The time you could be spending at home, teaching your children the truth is worth much more than the time you spend deciding what to wear to church.

I look forward to your comments and/encouragements. May the Lord bless and keep you, until next we meet.

StevenM