I know I’m going to make a few people mad with this one and
you know I don’t care; you may consider my points once you read it and think
about it.
I received a call this weekend telling me that a Pastor from
a once big (mega-church in its day) church was stepping down. I was told that
the Pastor seemed somewhat torn about the decision. I wasn’t shocked or
surprised at all, let me tell you why. The church itself was like a slice of
Orange County in the Central Valley; ultra conservative, ultra white. It made
no attempts to be inclusive unless it fell under their
definition/interpretation/dogma of the term ministry. Any interaction with
people of color was a major production as if to announce “see how liberal we
are!” There were never more than 20 people of color in a church that once
boasted over 1000 members. Someone in the music ministry knew Andre Crouch and
he performed there a time or two but the announcements pertaining to the music
seemed to be a veiled warning to people who couldn't handle African American
contemporary Gospel.
Like any church there were scandals, some should have been
addressed publicly not to denigrate an individual but because it impacted the
public but churches have a tendency to deal with things with confession and
prayer. To that, I say, God gives common sense as well and we are to use. There
were power struggles and many good preachers and teachers were left in the
lurch. There was favoritism concerning positions and money allocations (never
mentioned but very obvious to those who cared enough to be observant.)
All that garbage aside I think the biggest hurt and pain
will felt by the congregation with no vision; a church left with memories of
thriving. A church stuck in a time-warp where defacto segregation was the
norm. I’m not talking about just racial segregation…I’m talking sexism,
classism and the staunch practices of church ritual as opposed to the
willingness to be Christ-like and become radically inclusive.Do you see and
hear language in your church that includes all walks of life? Where is that
addict? Is there a ministry for him/her? Are single mothers recognized or is
the push to get a husband the cure all? Is there a place for a prostitute
trying to get out of the life? What is being told to battered women? Ephesians
5:22-23 doesn't work when a woman is beaten but I know of several instances
where is was spoken as a preventative. We bemoan the fact that kids
today don’t have hope…but hope cannot live or be demonstrated in
hypocrisy…we’ll understand it better by and by is not a working solution when
there is no action or education.
It’s time to wake up! A Pastor is a teacher and a guide not
a Messiah we have a responsibility for our education and our faith walk
2Timothy 2:14-26
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