The Perfect Formula to Destroy a Church?
If it is your desire to destroy the church, all you need to do is wrap yourself in arrogance and condescending actions so you put-down everyone in your path while you puff yourself up along with a "better than thou" attitude. You will soon realize that the visitors at your church do not stay, the people whose hearts seek after God will leave, and teaching that is relevant will dissipate. You will be left with a very comfortable, well-managed group of people that you can control and rule over, all conforming to your whims and policies, while all the time believing that they are better than everyone else, and that they are right when everyone else is wrong.
Of course, you will be completely operating without the approval of our Lord and walking apart from His Fruit or Spirit. If this is what you want, if this is what you desire, then go for it. After all, we do have liberty, and perhaps you may think that everyone else is doing it. However, remember there is a judgment, and a responsibility that goes along with our faith; we will all be held accountable for the practices that are contrary to Scripture and God’s will. And, it will be woe to us to fail Him in this big way. I do not know about you, but it scares me to think I could push a precious child of my Lord away with my feeble portentousness and arrogance.
God does not want us to have a comfortable little group where everyone thinks the same, acts the same, and follows the same list of do’s and don’ts, while keeping everyone else out who does not conform to our views. Do not forsake Scripture and the call of our Lord. God does not call us to divide His body, taking His precious truths and turning them into a whip to pound and punish people to conform. No, Scripture is God’s love letter to us, so the more we know, the more responsible we become to follow His precepts and teachings. They are designed to help us grow closer to Him in maturity and faith. They are not meant to push people away with judgmental actions and harsh attitudes unless it is to protect His sheep with our discernment. (More on that later.) If this is what you want to do, or if this is what you’re doing, be warned; it will destroy your church and it will greatly grieve our Lord.
Have you seen this done? If so how? What do you think we can do to stop and prevent this?
posted by Richard @ 10:37 AM
6 comments
6 Comments:
When the leadership and the worship team insist on cranking up the volume they are pushing out those of us who cannot stand that sound level, who need to protect our hearing, and who do not want to be part of physically harming the others who don't realize what damage the loud noise causes.
I have witnessed this in my life. If true believers do not continue to pray in the midst of such confusion, it causes for vital losts of souls (for some). We have to earnestly pray for the pastor and those who serve in leadership positions; especially those who serve close to the pastors. Many do not start out being dominate or selfish, but they get comfortable and people begin to build them up and anyone who does not is considered evil. Then divisions runs rapid in the body of Christ. Pastors have to stand firmly on the Word and beleive in God for everything. Though we as Christians should all live the Word, pastors also have a charge that the blood for not warning be not upon he/she. Christians also have a duty to pray, praise God, encourage others, edify, but when we don't we too have blood upon our hands. Pastors have to recognize when an attack is going on (as the head of the church through God--- the angel of the church), make sure they have not set the fire-- acknowledge and make it right, and no matter what put the fire out (kill the spirits not the people). People will always criticize, but God has the last comment. Have compassion for the sinner, the saint who sin (build confidence in Jesus) and those who they sin against (for healing because bitterness, hate, envy, jealousy can grow; cover with the love of Jesus--- it may take a long time, but don't give up), falling soliders (no matter the reason), children , etc.. People depend on pastors, but for the wrong reasons, so when a pastors falls, then many people act in ungodliness. Daily prayer is needed for those who carry the gospel, that they speak only what God says and give God the glory. We must pray and do everything unto the Lord. Don't let the world show more compassion than Christians. No matter what DO NOT GIVE UP ON ANYONE, especially the ones you hurt or have hurt you; your blessing is in loving them without saying or doing anything to belittle them or their actions; be the greater. We must be examples in and out of church.
The comments made by anonymous is so true. We must pray like never before. I too am a product of a church who was in distress. When we finally got aligned with the Word of God, was because my pastor took authority without looking at faces (spouse, family, closest friends, long time parishoners, big givers...). The impact used to weigh heavy when the closer you were to the pastor, the more mess you were allowed to get away with in the physical. The war was on. The pastor was condoning (once they were not caught or exposed; watching the spouses suffer with a smile) sexual relationships between married and unmarried members, being spiritually misled by members who pulled people to the side and had
"God-led" messages (so they said for specifc people only). All secrets were exposed during sermons and teachings (hints that everyone knew about, but was covered up and we who knew where to scared to go to the pastor or minister in brotherly love---- expecting he would not receive it and then condemn us for coming); the sermons and those in high office would meet (secretly at church and extra privately) and then we (the others) would feel the heat. Well, somebody was praying for the Spirit of Truth because things are not the same. We are not perfect, but God is leading through the pastor and others as choosen, God is mending broken marriages and relationships with Him, God has forgiven and created clean hearts, He still has us on the wheel. There are some who still feel the pain from the hits, but His grace is sufficient and we are praying them through in Jesus name.
The enemy tries to destroy every relationship by any means necessary. The relationship with us individually with Christ, then our physical church. If you see divison you have just found a place where love is lost, but God is able. All the devil needs is a willing vessel to bring division. he uses all of his character traits: deciet, lust, cunning, craftiness, sensual, disobedience, fear, disrespect, lies, malice, envy, strife, hypocrisy, hate, bitterness, negative speaking, ungodly gestures, whisperings, gossiping... by any means. All we need is to first be corrected within and pray for the love of God to cover all. It is a serious praying time.
This article is so real all within the body of Christ, in many denominations and non-denominations (which are still a denomination by traditional religious practices). Those anonymous comments cause you to pray for those churches even though I do not know them personally, they are my brothers and sisters in Christ who have been redeemed.
I pray for the one who has sensitive ears, that the Holy Spirit will bless the ears that the may receive His message through song and not turn a deafing ear to Him. God can use anyone or anything to bless. Anyone carrying those spirits has helped to open a door for the very thing this article is about.
From experience, the devil will use the least little thing to cause division in a church, but you have to know God's Word on how to apply his love after killing the evil spirits.
THE BIBLE SAYS I'LL KNOW YOUR MY DISCIPLE IF YOU LOVE THE BRETHERN..
WE BECOME SO DISTRACTED THAT THE DEVIL TAKES AWAY OUR PEACE AND LOVE BECAUSE OF TINY LITTLE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD JUST IGNORE, AND AS WE START THINKING WE START TALKING AND SOON WE'VE GOTTEN OUT OF LOVE AND THE DEVIL HAS PULLED US INTO HIS LIES, ABOUT THINGS AND WE AREN'T SPEAKING THE PURE THE JUST THE UPRIGHT TRUTH, WE ARE SUPPOSE TO BE SPEAKING...WHEN SATAN CAN DISTRACT US FROM GOD'S WILL THAT IS WHAT HE WANTS..WHEN ARE WE IN THE CHURCH GOING TO PRAY ENOUGH THAT DISTRACTIONS WON'T AFFECT US AND WE CAN BE ABOUT GOD'S BUSINESS OF WINNING THE LOST..AND STOP GIVING SATAN HIS WAY OF KILLING, STEALING AND DESTROYING THE CHURCH...
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