Close Your Church for Good, Chap 4, Sec 2. Cancelling your church service is scary. But it seems that the main objections are not theological, but personal issues related to power and control.
* * * * *
Thinking about cancelling the church service is terrifying to most church leaders because we depend on the people to fill the pews and pay the bills, one of which is our own salary. But what if the church didn’t have buildings or paid pastors? Would you feel free to let your people go? The answer by most pastors would again be “No.” The reason is that we not only need people to pay the bills, but we feel responsible to protect the people God has put under our care, and help them know what to believe and how to live.
As a former pastor myself, that is how I thought. I viewed the relationship between the people in the pew and the pastor in the pulpit as mutually beneficial. The people should attend services and give of their time and money to support the budget and programs of the church. In return, I would do my best to provide for their spiritual needs and guide them through the hazards of life.
Looking back, especially at some of the disputes I had with certain people, and some of the struggles and problems we faced as a church, I now believe that my ultimate concern was for my own prominence and power, and that I would get a paycheck. When it came to the people, I wanted to control them. I thought that if they believed what I taught, and did what I said, everybody’s life (including mine) would be better. I also believed that greater attendance on Sunday morning would provide greater power, prominence, and influence for the church (and myself) in the wider community. I even remember watching with great interest some of the internal feuds of other local churches, hoping that some of their people would leave and start attending my church.
All of this, I believe, does not reveal a heart focused on incarnation and principles of the Kingdom of God, but rather, a heart focused on Satanic influences of power, prestige, recognition, and control. I fully confess that these were characteristics in my heart and life.
Gatherings of Christians who contract with the state for tax exemption as charities, stand dangerously close to the slippery slope of exchanging Christ as their head for the Christendom of Emperor Constantine the Great, who officially married the church and state. Tens of thousands of christian bodies in the western world have thoughtlessly, or perhaps knowingly entered into this spiritually adulterous union with their civil governments. So, it’s not much of a stretch for them to add robbery to their rap sheet, teaching their members the fiction of a pastor’s headship over them, and his/her right to their livelihood.
This systemic usurpation of Jesus complete headship and right to His people, by a worldwide cabal of homo lupus is the backbone of the culture that hides the light under the bushel and shrouds the city on the hill, so that the world remains in darkness.
Jesus didn’t, and we shouldn’t politely tolerate this lie just because our friends and family are snared or supporting it. To the degree that we see the evil, we must stick out our necks to say so.
The messenger is the message.
Popularity among God’s people, as long as they are still captive, may be the last idol for seers to topple, so that the simple may finally see that even a micro gram of doggie doo in the brownies, or in Jesus language, a little leaven in the lump, pollutes the whole lump.
Because God made us one, and sees us as one in Christ, we are all polluted if even one of our brethren remains in sin among us, and we are clearly talking about sin here.
We’ve done with our own words what we’ve done with Gods Word.
We’ve categorized and denominated terms and meanings, so that usurping Christ, fear of man and not warning sinning brethren with beard pulling (Jeremiah) if necessary isn’t sin.
In a Constantinian church, sin is more overt, such as gossip, lusting after the pastors wife, swearing, cheating in business and not going to church et al.
But Hebrews says everything that can be shaken will be, so that that which cant be shaken remains.
Gods shaking us now, and we’re all feeling it in our economy, seeing in our lost youth and will soon collapse under it as our corporate disobedience brings needed corrective judgement, probably from our own neighbors.
Judgement begins in Gods house.
We should desire it, and even be like the smart steward, by obeying God just so He doesn’t have to bring judgement’s full force upon our nations.
But alas, we’re like the Israelite of Jesus day, unaware of the time of visitation, collectively assuming that His healing’s and miracles are signs of His winking and tacit approval, rather than an attempt to soften our callous hearts so He can deliver a harsh and penetrating warning to His beloved.
We are almost universally self deluded to think that the hour isnt late, and another generation will be the one to pay the piper.
Sad, and so very preventable.
Very courageous of you Jeremy, to expose your heart to Gods people.
I just had to back you up.
blessings
Greg