Faux Faith

 

It’s been a minute since I’ve posted and at first I thought it was writer’s block.

I’ve been working on a memoir and have just finished the manuscript. In the process, I found that it was not writer’s block that has stopped me from posting but the fact that I am an entirely different person now than I was at the beginning of the project. I’m trying to understand what that means to me as I share my thoughts with you.

The memoir concerns a portion of my experience as a woman in ministry. I wrote it under a pseudonym and with the complete and satisfying fulfillment that comes with doing that. I have never written so frankly before, even within this space.

But now, in this moment, I feel compelled to bring that same honesty to my current postings-not because I was not honest before, but because I stayed with relatively safe topics which did not get to the heart of why I feel like I do. Why I am so passionate about my faith.

One thing that gets me particularly riled is the faux faith that seems so prevalent today. I look around at the state of the world and I place the blame directly on those people who claim to be preachers, prophets, ministers and clergy who are quick to label themselves as “called”.

Let me be perfectly clear. I believe that there are some who are called into ministry. But I also believe that many are simply seeing an opportunity to fleece unsuspecting congregants into giving them the last of their paychecks to finance their mini mansions, private jets, and lavish lifestyles. State of the world be damned. Literally. And because these mega preachers are so visible, they have made the truly called a laughing stock. Think about all those followers supposedly being “sold out” for Jesus. If they really understood the Gospel, there would be very few hate mongers and flesh purveyors that could perpetrate their ideas without being love shamed into relinquishing their sin and submitting to Christ.

That’s not simplistic. That’s real. If Christians don’t get that, then they are not being taught.

Better find a preacher worthy of his (or her) hire, and learn to open the Bible.

The Christ that I serve is love focused. If Christians truly studied the Word and practiced it, the directive that they would follow would be dialog rather than demagoguery, tolerance rather than hate, and study rather than ignorance.

None of us are perfect. But why are people sitting in congregations every Sunday (or Saturday) only to be spoon fed by preachers who have no intention of teaching people the true Word? If this were so, Christians would change the world. Christ did not call us to pay admission to attend the “Christian Club” branch on the corner.

I am not denouncing the paying of tithes and offerings. But if those offerings do not serve the purpose of teaching and outreach to all people, in addition to empowering Christians to go forth on their own to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Christ, then you better believe I will keep my money in my pocket until I find a ministry that fits the bill.

I am not advocating tolerance of sin. But the Scripture states that we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. That is the purpose of grace. If I can’t put a picket sign down and walk across the street to find out another person’s point of view, then how can I be a true witness to the love and tolerance of Christ? If a person sees hate in my eyes instead of love and I call myself a Christian, then I am a liar and the truth is not in me.

If I observe a preacher spewing hate and opinion from the pulpit instead of love and the truth of the Scripture, then I need to find another church. I don’t go to church for the preacher’s opinion. I go to church for the preacher’s ability to take the Word of God and apply it to everyday, real life. If I wanted a political rally, I certainly wouldn’t go to church for one. If I wanted to be told that my money is needed for the preacher’s comfort and not to feed the poor, then let me hand out my offering to the homeless shelters.

It’s not that I don’t love to fellowship with fellow Christians. But I am tired. I’m tired of looking around and seeing hate and indifference. It’s not that I’m so naïve to think those things don’t exist, but with so many believers in the world it hurts my heart that we aren’t doing a better job at changing it.

So, hopefully you won’t have to wait so long between posts. But I must speak all that I feel.

And I must do my part to make a difference.