I have been visiting many churches in the past couple of years looking for someplace I can call my church home. My anchor throughout this journey has been two things: First is my faith in Jesus Christ. Second was my now deceased wife Heather. She helped me stay grounded in many ways. When she passed the church I currently “attend” was sent from heaven to assist me and my family in our time of shock, grief and need. That church congregation for the most part has been excellent and caring towards my family and myself. However things elsewhere aren’t nearly as pleasant. I have seen both in this church and many others a reluctance do so some things we are called to do by the Bible and an unwillingness to do other things due to “sensitive times” we are living in. I had only taken a passing notice of this phenomenon until it came to a head at my current church.
What is this pervasive infestation that is dragging down so many church and ministries? FEAR. It is at the root of so many actions and inaction in the church today. You can now make a bad choice of words prompted by somebody’s else’s bad actions and because of that you are locked out of a ministry forever due to the fear of a perception of a dangerous individual being allowed around children. You can now be effectively excommunicated for daring to speak the words of truth at a church function or meeting for fear of offense. I have yet to hear a sermon recently not condemning the homosexual but showing how God sees the act of homosexuality, which by the way is the same thing as fornication(there’s a huuuuuge difference there) for fear of reprisal. There are many many militant Christians out there who are using the Bible as a club instead of preaching the salvation of Jesus Christ for those who turn from there sinful ways for fear they will not be heard. So many things that are being done out of fear and so many things NOT being done out of various fears. Do not take this as my changing what i think if Biblical or what is not. This is mainly a statement of what I have seen in the Church for the past couple of years…and not jsut one church but many churches that i have visited in the past couple of years. We are told to go boldly out and spread the Gospel….where has that spirit gone?
I have a warning for ALL Christians. It is already nearly illegal to stand in your religious beliefs when conducting business. It soon will be illegal to refuse service to anyone as the gov’t sees the First amendment as nothing to be enforced for everyone but those whom the gov’t thinks should have those rights. The day is fast approaching when preaching the truth from the Bible in regard to sexual immorality will be cause for the gov’t to take financial actions against your church. I have talked about what is coming more than a few times on this site. Simply uttering the name Jesus now is most likely offensive to more than a few people. I have the signs of the cross on my vehicle, my shirts and my hats. I get more than a few ugly stares when I am out and about. However with the Lord’s help I am hoping to return to my earlier days when I was told i have a “bulldog” faith. Now that i have some years on me the faith is tempered with compassion but my ability to hang onto my faith has not wavered. My faith in “fellow Christians” is low but my faith in Jesus Christ is not. What I have seen quite a bit of in the past years is “Churchianity” not “Christianity”. Our lives are not supposed to revolve around the church but around Jesus Christ. Many Christians think the Bibles admonishment of gathering in fellowship means a church but I strongly disagree. I am a member of a Monday(or Tuesday or whenever during the week..(G). I have learned more in the year of attending that Bible study than more than 10 years of consistent church attendance. Why is that? I can tell you why…THE LACK OF FEAR. We do not always agree…actually there have been strong disagreements among ourselves. We have always though agreed the Bible is the final arbiter and the word of God has the final say. That is how it should be.
I was HIGHLY worried about how i was going to makeup the huge income hole Heather’s death left behind. While it has not been totally filled in I will be able to keep the house and keep a roof over my family’s head. I was terrified as a matter of fact. Only when i gave it to the Lord did he send me the finances I needed to keep the house. Everything else is going to be tight but that seems to be how God works things…:) Fear is the opposite of trusting God. It leads to poor decisions….bad financial management…unforgiveness…a multitude of things. Christian get the fear out of your life. Churches, get the fear out of your decision making. You are hurting the very people you are supposed to be helping and you are severely hampering or destroying the ministries that are supposed to be thriving because of your existence. Hurt people won’t come into your building and hurt Christians are left feeling even more bitter and hurt than the unbelievers. When you stunt, degrade, hurt, utter falsehoods against a Christian you not only hurt the person Fear must be exposed for the demonic presence it is and rooted out and cast out. Which church will be the first to stand on and with God against this modern day infestation? I know not about the church but as for me and my house we will stand with the Lord. Without fear and with the strength of Jesus Christ.