{"id":1258,"date":"2010-11-14T08:54:54","date_gmt":"2010-11-14T13:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/?p=1258"},"modified":"2011-03-31T16:03:21","modified_gmt":"2011-03-31T20:03:21","slug":"out-of-control-church-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redeeminggod.com\/out-of-control-church-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Out of Control Church – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

Close Your Church for Good, <\/em>Chap 4, Sec 2. In the previous post<\/a>, I suggested that the main reasons pastors do not want to cancel their church services is a fear of losing control and power. At least, this was my fear when I was a pastor.<\/p>\n

Oh, and note that I am going to start including some questions at the end of these posts to encourage your feedback and interaction.\u00a0One of the reasons I’m writing a book online is\u00a0so that I can get input and\u00a0suggestions (even criticism) as I go along.<\/p>\n

For people who are helpful in this process, I will send them a FREE digital copy of the book once it is all finished. This free book <\/strong>will work in your iPad, Kindle, or any other digital reader.<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I don\u2019t pretend to know the hearts and minds of all pastors and church leaders around the world and throughout time. But from my own observation and from my reading of church history, it seems that my experience is not unique. Generally, our motives are sound; we want to help people. But many of us believe, deep down in our core, that the best way to help people is to control them. And the easiest way to do this is to get them to come to church on Sunday morning. We tell people they must attend church because we want to control what they believe and what they do.<\/p>\n

If you want to assess your own heart in this matter, all you have to do is look at what feeling emerge when it is suggested that you cancel your Sunday service. What thoughts immediately pop into your mind? What are your objections? What are your fears? If they are fears of losing your job, thoughts of losing prominence in your town or among your peers, or objections that people need you to guide them, it may be that you are afraid of losing your power and control.<\/p>\n

In such cases, we must begin to practice what we preach. We tell people that to defeat the power of money, they must give it away. To overcome eating, practice fasting. To begin working out, start slow. The same advice goes for the areas of power and control. If we are addicted to power and control, we must give it up. We must get out of control.<\/p>\n

* * * * *<\/p>\n

What do you think?<\/strong>
\nIf you are a pastor, what are your concerns with cancelling your church service? If you attend church every week, what do you think would happen to you emotionally and spiritually if you did not attend church every Sunday? Would this be liberating or damaging? Why?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Close Your Church for Good, Chap 4, Sec 2. In the previous post, I suggested that the main reasons pastors do not want to cancel their church services is a fear of losing control and power. At least, this was my fear when I was a pastor. 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