BROKEN

We’re going to switch gears and begin addressing the hierarchical, religious, political structure that has become part of the Church. Let’s remember that Jesus didn’t filter his language when addressing the religious elite of his day. His pointed language offended these men which only angered them further. They didn’t like being challenged or called into question, and they often sought to trap Jesus in his words or eliminate him entirely. This only revealed the hardness of their hearts.

We, maybe like you, are asking the question: who will shepherd our family? How will the church leadership spend time with us or get to know us? Who will provide Godly counsel in an honoring mentorship? Who will encourage and support our calling rather than make us fit into their mold? We feel so alone, and I know we’re not the only sheep who feel utterly lost right now. Perhaps there are others like us wandering from one sheep fold to the next, looking for a shepherd.

My guess is this may be more of a normal occurrence within churches. Apparently, submission to current authority is a must, even if they don’t hold discussions with you, don’t provide a compassionate shepherd, and aren’t really making any effort to get to know your family. However, they want you to volunteer your service and your money.

It appears to me like subjection to pastors and their elder puppets is required so they can retain charge of the people, charge of the vision, and charge of the money. Do elders feel like they can challenge the ‘man of the house’—the head pastor with the seminary degree? Were we allowed to challenge?

In the example of our new fellowship, the people are being led to sign official “membership,” meant to commit their regular attendance, service, and finances to this particular house of God. They will give their tithe, and that building’s coffers will grow.

While none of these things are outright wrong, I would like to communicate my hesitancy. As I mentioned above, the church’s focus for the last three to four months had been on purchasing a neighboring sliver of property for $150,000 cash in order to expand their parking lot. The elders and members voted to send that money, literally, right into the ground. They also just voted and approved a $500,000 remodel project. Apparently, it’s more important that patrons can park and sit comfortably as they come to attend Sunday morning service than to develop the vision and mission to reach lost souls in poverty-stricken areas of gospel-destitute Asia. Anything to keep them coming, I guess. First world problems.

Can I please share that I think nothing could be further from the heart of God? I’ve lived in a third world country, and it grieves my heart to see the American Church’s money deterred from local or global mission fields by such projects. I’ve seen the dire need of the poor as some of you may have probably seen as well. Some people don’t even know where their next meal is coming from.

Does the Church allocate 10% of their budget to their missions department and 90% stays inhouse? Someone please explain, I really don’t know. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17).

Men of God, I implore you. God’s heart is not in a building or a parking lot. God’s heart is with the poor and with the broken, lost people of the world. God loves the people of the world. Please, can the church’s money go to unreached souls, the naked, hungry, and hurting? Why does the church’s money have to go to building remodels and parking lots? Where is the priority?

Additionally, I see a large collective of American pastors who have turned their position in the church into a career. How many millions of dollars across the country are going into the pockets of pastors and staff? I guess a pastor could argue “the hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops” (2 Timothy 2:6). But to what extent?

What are the pastor and staff salaries? What do the retirement funds coming out of the Church look like? It was also Paul that said, “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that” (1 Timothy 6:8).

I’m not saying a pastor shouldn’t be compensated for his work. I know pastors are working, but so are many others as they volunteer their service on any given week. I’m just saying if the Church staff are absorbing much of the income, how are we as a body doing in performing the real duties of the Church?

Why can’t we alter career pastor/staff salaries and retirement funds in order to provide for the needy and bring in a harvest? Is anyone willing to sell house or land from time to time to contribute to those in need (Acts 4:34)? Who will step forward and lead by example? “Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days” (James 5:3).

Finally, members are expected to plug in and serve this gathering of believers in one of the departments of the church. While serving your local church gathering is wonderful and necessary, here’s my question. If all believers only serve their local gathering, who is actually doing the work of reaching the lost?