Well it happened again, another Mega-Church
Pastor self-imploded. This time it was
like watching a slow motion train wreck.
And although most of the damage has already been done, there will be
repercussions yet to come and debris flying for some time. In my original attempt to write this piece I
talked about who he is, and what he has done, but my issue is not with him. To
be honest, the details about who he is and what he is done is not important,
and I have the sneaking suspicion that I wanted to write about him cause I have
always thought he was an asshole and was somewhat gloating with what has happened. If you just have to know who he was start
googling.
Who
I am really annoyed with are the members of his church. It is not enough to sit back and listen to
crap being spilled forth from the pulpit, and be complicit in that message, and
they have been. I have heard enough of this
pastor’s messages that I feel confident to refer to his preaching as crap being
spilled forth. He has always struck me
as being angry, and hostile. But to be
clear, my issue is not with him.
Could
he have done this in an environment where Christ was put first? I think not.
It took several thousand people, willing to surrender their spiritual
welfare into the hands of this man. It
was us Christians, and our desire for our superstars, that allowed this man to
do what he has done.
I
wonder if the members of his congregation, his fan club, will engage in the
same soul searching that I assume this man is now doing? Will those that supported him, and I think worshiped him, realize that they have lifted up a golden calf? Will those people willing to sit in the pews
of his church feel even the slightest bit of remorse for what they have done? I think not.
I
get that our faith is often belittled and maligned. I get that it would feel refreshing to have
someone who is charismatic, who seems like he doesn’t take any shit from
people, stand up and lead us. However, at
what point do people compare the message they are hearing to the message
given by scripture? At what point do
people stop listening to the angry man at the front of the church and listen to
the still small voice of God in their hearts?
So I have a question, actually many of them,
for all of us. When we will stop
creating superstars for ourselves?
When? When will we realize that
we are called to follow Christ, not – insert name of the cool pastor? When will we stop practicing idolatry?
Yes,
there is room for obedience to our leaders.
Have
confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep
watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work
will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you. Hebrews 13:17
But
we need to take responsibility for our own spiritual health. We need to discern who to follow, and it best
be based on the attributes of our leaders laid out in scripture. We need always guard against following the leader
instead of following the vision and passion given to him or her. We must remain mindful that we are stewards
of our life, time, energy and resources, and be deliberate of what we choose to
do with them. For whom we follow, what
we do with our time and energy, declares clearly what our faith is about.
I
believe we are called to have a relationship with the living God. We are called to read scripture, which many
of us don’t. We are called to pray. We are called to follow the leading of his
spirit in our lives. We are not called to be in
the “cool kids club.”
This is what bothers me most about this
situation. This man as being the head of
a church is held forth as an illustration of Christ. If not that, then he is
held forth as what we are called to be in Christ.
The fact that he had several thousand followers seems to only add legitimacy
to that expression. It is now our role
to explain that this is not the Christianity we are called to follow.
Earlier this week I was fortunate enough to
be handed an “Open Letter” to this pastor.
The author recalled the earlier days of his ministry, of how he inspired
people to be missionaries here at home.
His message that we are often the only opportunity people may come across
Christ’s message.
It
gave me a glimpse of this man that I written off that I had never seen, a man
passionate about Christ, passionate about the world, and clearly wanting to be
of service to Christ. I hope this
minister finds his way back to that man, I really do.
And on an even stranger note, I have found
yet again another article in Charisma Magazine that I agree with. I have left the link for it below. I am not sure who is moving, me or the
magazine, but it is odd that I find myself in agreement with them.
http://www.charismamag.com/life/women/21046-are-we-teaching-people-to-fall-in-love-with-jesus-or-conform-to-religion
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