Thank you for taking time out to read this very personal blog. Most of you know I'm an easy going,laid back type of guy.Rarely do I let things or people get to me.If they do,normally I keep it hidden inside until a later date. But I can only keep things in for so long before I start bursting at the seams. This is one of those times. So what I'm about to say,I offer no apologies,I offer no peace treaty,no olive branch,none of that type of stuff.But I believe this is something that NEEDS to be said.
I've had several friends express to me their desire to get connected to a place that feeds their spiritual appetite. However,person after person,friend after friend,all have said the same thing. They don't want to go to a place where folks will judge them. When I say folks,I'm not talking about just regular type of folks,I'm talking about "church folks". It is my belief that "church folks" are the biggest reason many people won't go or have stopped going to church. It has nothing to do with the Pastor or the church itself. But it has everything to do with the people INSIDE the church. Certain people in church always feel as if they have the authority to declare who is or isn't "good enough" to be a part of "their" church. They like to sit back and judge what others are wearing and who's sitting where.
I remember as a little boy going to church with my grandmother and great-grandmother. My grandmother's friend would talk about everyone that walked through the door like she was Wendy Williams at the BET Music Awards.Talking loud,cursing and dipping snuff IN CHURCH,only taking time out to say AMEN whenever she thought Rev.Calloway was working up a sweat,preaching. Church started at 11:00 but the church secretary would walk in at 11:45 so everyone could see her brand new outfit(she never wore the same thing twice). And right on cue,the whispers of "who the hell she think SHE is" would flow from the back row where the number 2 'ersha bode'(usher board) was sitting.
That was over 25 years ago and sadly,today those things are still present in the church. Today,I dare say it's worst. Today "church folks" have taken church and turned it into the equivalent of pledging a fraternity or sorority. But in church,the physical abuse has been replaced with emotional abuse. Men and women come into the church seeking a word of guidance and forgiveness from the LORD. But before they can get to their seat they're being looked at like that secretary from my old church was looked at. They're being judged by people who really shouldn't be passing judgement on ANYONE. I'm a member of The Worship Center Christian Church here in Birmingham and one of my Pastor's best friends is Pastor Kevin Adams of Chattanoga,Tn. A couple of months ago,Pastor Adams posed these questions.
What if all of our sins had a smell to them?
What if the only time GOD allowed that smell to fill the air was on Sunday morning at 11:30 am?
Let that marinate for a minute!!
I wonder how many people would be able to stay in church when THAT happens? It is my belief that the church would be empty,and there lies the problem with "church folks". They always want to talk about what someone else is wearing but they won't offer to buy them new clothes.See,it's "church folks" that makes it easy for non-believers to sit back and criticize those who are trying to get their spiritual walk together. Criticizing Christians,Pastors,and other believers have almost become the "in" thing to do. You have websites dedicated to proving which Pastor is a fraud or cheating on his wife. You have radio talk show hosts who makes it a point to do a "Pimps In The Pulpit" show as a means of proving that all Christians are hypocrities. Non-believers like to point to Pastors who have big cars, big homes and big congregations as a sign that they're stealing from the church or hustling GOD. And PLEASE don't let them have a Mega-Church or TV Ministry,then they must REALLY be a fraud.
But let me take a quick pit stop right here to say to all of you skeptical non-believers.
You don't know the price these men/women had to pay to get to where they are. You weren't there when some of these people were preaching to empty chairs. You weren't there when they lost their homes because they were so dedicated to doing GOD's work. You weren't there when they left law school or quit their job to pursue their ministry. So before you pass judgement,do your research. Because you passing judgement puts you in the same boat as the 'church folks' you love to criticize.
Getting back on the track:
Last night I saw a youtube clip of Steve Harvey giving his testimony to Donnie McClurkin on TBN. I saw it live as it happened but was lead to view it again. I was absolutely blown away at the criticism I saw. The sad thing about it is, it wasn't coming from non-believers,it was coming from "church folks". I began to question how anyone who call themselves a Christian could take this man's personal testimony,dissect it, search scriptures to back up their version, and post it on youtube. All in an effort to discredit him because of what he does for a living.
WHO ARE THEY TO JUDGE HIM!!?
WHO GAVE THEM THE RIGHT TO SAY WHO IS OR WHO ISN'T AUTHENTIC?
"Church folks" do those type of things then can't understand why people have a hard time taking Christians seriously. It's because of "church folks" who have hi-jacked religion and used it for their personal ambitions and not for the Glory of GOD. I'm not naive' to think that there aren't some frauds out there. But I would be just as fraudulent as they are if I started criticizing them and calling them out.
Another thing to all of you non-believers AND "church folks".
STOP CRITICIZING MEGA CHURCHES! ! !
What good does that do you? It's not the Pastor's fault that people are leaving your church to join a mega church. Maybe they are tired of hearing the same deacons say the same prayer they've been saying for the past 20 years. Many of your members have mastered the art of going to church just to say they went to church. They go,but there's no difference in the time they enter the door and the time they exit the door. They get their late and leave early. That's not the mega church's fault. It's like my Pastor said,people should leave church PREGNANT. They should have received a word that has them in EXPECTATION of something.
But instead of being pregnant,many people are leaving church feeling like they just had an abortion. Because some "church folks" are killing people's dreams and hopes with their judgemental,self serving attitudes.
If I stepped on any toes with this blog then GOOD,I hope it hurts your feet. But know this before you respond with anger and criticism.I'm fully equipped,extremely prepared and EAGER to have this battle with you. You have had your way for far too long and your days of discouraging people are over.
I really pray that if you fall into this catagory,you sit back and re-evaluate yourself. Because if you REALLY believe he was nailed to the cross for your sins. The last thing you should be doing is criticizing someone who sin has already been forgiven.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
..hmmm..I found this pretty interesting. Can't say I've had the experience with this one. The only experience I've had with "church folks" is how they act Mon.-Fri. on the job -as if they've never heard of God. It's not very Christian-like. I guess in essence, if more "church-folks" acted like Christians,this world we be so much better and we wouldn't have to lock our doors at night.
ReplyDeleteMod, I've met many, many, people like the ones you describe here and for years I was turned off by the church going experience and rarely went. My father dropped out of theology school because of "church folks" and often says "church folks are so heaven bound that they ain't no earthly good". I didn't know many of these "church folks" personally so it was difficult for me as a young woman to reconcile what they were supposed to be doing versus what they were actually doing until I got to know a few on a more personal level, then the problem was clear...they are hurting. Hurt people, in turn, hurt people. Acting as if the own the pastor, the church and all of the people in it is all they have and they will fight to the death to keep it. It would be great if we could get them to get the help they need but that would indeed take a miracle, until then, I'm joining you in the fight to take out churches back from the folks who treat us like we don't belong there just because we might have been blessed with a little success.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback,I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteThis is powerful and so true. I have encountered many of these people and they are pushing away many from the church. I've experience it in the old church I grew up in and even now in my current church. It was growing ramped in my old church and the funny thing was, it was the elders of the church, they would talk about what Sis. Johnson is wearing, or why they don't like or can't stand my family, because of what my mom wore or what my dad drove. But yet you would see them running around the church, laying hands on people, and speaking in tongues. But little did they know the struggles we had to endure/face, and how we were blessed and highly favored by God. These "church folks" drove the majority of young people out of the church. As the previous blogger stated, “they are hurting”, this could be true. But with the hurt, they are also jealous and envious, especially of the pastor. Even in my present church, mothers of the church would talk about what the young people are wearing or what they heard about this one and that one. These young people are just finding their way into the fellowship of God, and instead of criticizing, these “church folks” need to offer a word of encouragement. In my opinion, they all need to keep their mouth close, let God do his work. If they don’t like it, then stay home.
ReplyDeleteHey Mod! I hate it when I hear non-believers turn a deaf ear to "going to the church"! It saddens me greatly, but to those that feel that way I offer them a simple statement... and it has a lot to do with how I feel about "change" vs. "growth" (check out my fb status from yesterday.) "No one is a light switch. - No one walks into the church and never sins again." The church is FULL OF SINNERS. You will find more people that are down deep in their soul sick in the church. Think of it as a spiritual hospital. So, to see this type of behavior should be expected and olive branches should be extended simply because they are trying. The church is no different than the regular world, you have the fakers (umm.. the Amen jockeys), the go-along-to-get-along regulars (u kno they go to church out of habit not for growth), the people that keep trying (those hungry for growth & knowledge, but slip up more often than not) and the ones that are successful. And just like the real world the ratios don't favor the successful, but that is exactly what the bible teaches. You will be the minority, you have to use a discerning eye and kind heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding Tan,I understand exactly where you're coming from.
ReplyDeleteMel,I would say this about the olive branch.It has to be someone at the other end who wants to receive it. Unfortunately,many people who fit into this catagory have no interest in taking the olive branch because in their mind,they're always right.Some act as if they DON'T hurt. Even the Pastor of the church hurts. Thanks for the feedback. Taking care of the roll ASAP.
Our words and deeds reveal who we really are. That is why WISE and TRUE Christians seek God's guidance in everything. God repeatedly displays kindness to us. He accepts us just the way we are. However, many people who portray themselves as instruments of God's love, act as though they can't learn to love and accept others right where they are. These same members of the church diliberately try to make others seem little or less. The purpose of the church is simple: to worship the One True God as revealed in the Bible, to lift up His son Jesus, and to show the love of God to those who come to worship with us.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYou’ve hit the nail on the head about “church folk” Mod. I don't hear people saying they don't want to go to a hospital when they get sick no matter how many sick and diseased people are in there. I think of the church as a hospital where people go who are spiritually, emotionally, and mentally sick so why do people act surprised or become discouraged when they find sick people such as themselves. If people (we) would focus on what their initial reason for coming to church was (our personal healing) then we won't get discouraged by those who are spiritually cancerous, or who has spiritual AIDS, or has a spiritual tumor. If I left every hospital because there were sick people in them then I would never get the health care I need_ it's the same with the church if I left every church because of all the sinners in it then I'll never get the spiritual health care that I initially went there for.
ReplyDeleteEvery church has sick and afflicted people as members’ weather they be a small or a mega church (I've been a member of both). Our main concern should be those who are providing the health care in the church just as in a hospital_ like the pastors, preachers, teachers, deacons, etc. and not focus so much on the patience. When you have good health care providers (who are not perfect) serving with empathy, love, respect, and humility then any churches small or large is a good place to be. I am one of those persons you’ve talked about who allowed “church folk” to discourage them from going to church and I've paid a great price and have suffered unnecessarily, but thanks be to GOD for his mercy and grace.
Lovin The Board Room bro!
Preach Black Man! LOL. On the serious side, some of us really need to be mindful how we treat people. I remember I used to battle with going to church because I knew "church folks" were talking about me. When I look back, I know it was God who kept me. I believe "church folks" forget they have a past as well. I am more than sure some forget intentionally. They negate there are sins that cannot be seen with our eyes, but God sees the iniquity in our hearts. However, in my exprience, "church folks" are the modern day Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes in Jesus' day.
ReplyDelete