Missions Hypocrisy in the Local Church

Ask people in the community, and they will tell you that they don't go to church, because "the church is full of hypocrites." My response is always that "I would rather be in church with a few hypocrites than to be in hell with all of them." In this post, I'm going to take a position of agreement with those outside the church in an effort to point out a familiar and prominent form of hypocritical behavior as it relates to missions and evangelism in the local church.

I have always been part of local churches that are very evangelistic and have a heart for world missions. Several years ago, while pastoring in the Deep South, I was deeply bothered by a trend that I noticed... churches were giving money to support world missions; but those same congregations did not want to share Christ with their neighbors or build relationships with people of a different skin color. Since first noticing that issue, I've come to discover this practice occurs frequently. How hypocritical for white people to say they love black people in Africa, while refusing to love the dark-skinned people in their local communities (and vice versa).

Recently, I heard of a church that removed community outreach from its annual budget, but collected a special offering to assist the Hurricane Harvey flood victims in Texas. While that is definitely a noble cause, I suggest it is hypocritical to raise money to send to TX, when you refuse to reach those in your own back yard. In addition, how sad that churches are willing to raise money to meet social needs after a flood; but are not willing to spend money to share Christ with their communities.

I believe God places churches in strategic locations, with the purpose of reaching local communities. That said, the local church body should look like a cross representation of its local community! To preach that "God is love" and then refuse to love all people... to sing "Red, yellow, black & white they are precious in His sight" and then to build a church catering to people of only one ethnicity... to send money overseas to reach people, while ignoring those in our own backyard... to go on missions trips, but refuse to share Christ with our neighbor... THESE ARE ALL EXAMPLES OF HYPOCRISY!

So, I challenge pastors, parishioners, and anyone who says that evangelism is important to you; will you begin to share Christ with the people in your neighborhood? Will you include funds for community outreach in your church's annual budget? Will you strive to make your church look like a mirror of the races represented in your community? Will you strive to expand evangelism to a way of life, rather than a single, once per year event! When a congregation claims to be missions-minded, while letting those in their own community go to hell; it fans the flames for those who say the church is full of hypocrites. Let's make the changes necessary to refute that statement, rather than to represent it.

Does God Ever Lead People Wrong?

Does God lead people wrong? It may seem like a strange question, but people often imply it. Some say “God led us to relocate,” but that move resulted in my family falling apart. Others say, “God led me to change jobs,” but then I got laid off. For others, it was “God led me to break fellowship with a person,” but God commands us to love one another and to reconcile our differences. So why do so many insist on blaming God for their poor life’s choices by saying that He "led them" to make those choices?

This type of stinkin'-thinkin' carries over into the church, too. I recently heard of two different churches and pulpit committees that experienced the same calamity. In both situations, the pulpit committees said, “God led us" to call a particular pastor, but the pastors felt God had led them somewhere else. In both cases, it is obvious that someone was not listening to God; but used the phrase “God led” in an effort to spiritualize and "sell" their personal agenda. If God were leading, there would have been a perfect peace for both the church and the pastor. As it pertains to a specific issue, God will NOT tell one person one thing and tell another something different.

God’s leading will never contradict His Word and God never gets confused. 1 Corinthians 14:33 states that “God is not the author of confusion…” By default, we know that Satan is the one who causes confusion. So, let's give credit where credit is due! Those pulpit committees that went the wrong direction immediately lost credibility with the church and the next pastoral candidate will realize that he was the second choice--the “Plan B.” Pushing a personal agenda always wreaks havoc! The best advice is found in Isaiah 40:31, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” It is imperative that we wait on God’s true leading, because He will never lead us wrong!

So, I pose this question, “Are you following God’s leading or sleeping with the enemy?” Godly people, seeking God’s direction, can count on God’s perfect guidance, and will experience God’s perfect peace in knowing that He will NEVER lead them wrong! On the other hand, carnally-minded people will run with the devil, seek their own desires, push their own agendas, and disrupt God’s plan as they follow the way that seems right unto a man. If you choose to follow God, you can expect His blessings. If you choose not to follow God and you decide to chart your own course; at least stop blaming Him for the self-made mistakes, messes and the mayhem you cause.

Six Traits of a Church Disrupter

Six Traits of a Church Disrupter -
Now being in my 33rd year of ministry, I've heard about and even seen this scenario played-out in various churches. Ask the majority of pastors and they have had to deal with disrupters. A mentor of mine, Dr. Ron Long, told me that church splits almost always start within the leadership; and mainly with pastoral staff and deacons. He works with pastors and churches across the country and around the world, so he should know. The biggest messes and most disruptive scenarios are usually initiated by people who have been in a church so long that they have come to believe it's "their" church, or novice staff members who think they know more than the senior pastor. Regardless of where the disruption starts, the Pastor better have the courage to take care of the problem as soon as it surfaces and before it destroys the body. As Barney Fife used to say, "Nip it in the bud."

If you haven't experienced a "Church Disrupter" it's only a matter of time. Tom Rainer "nails it" with this blog post and I encourage everyone to read it carefully. These people believe they are God's "watchmen on the wall," but they are really pawns that Satan uses to destroy the work of God. Time always reveals the disrupters, but usually not until after the damage has already been done.

http://thomrainer.com/2017/08/six-traits-church-disrupter/

Church Budgets Reveal the Focus of the Church

There are many reasons that churches die slow deaths, but I believe the root cause is a lost focus resulting in a lack of direction and loss of purpose. I believe the church is an organization that was specifically designed for those who are not its members. The membership gathers regularly to exalt the Lord, to train and equip believers for the work of ministry, and then the congregation goes out as an army to evangelize the world. Rather than an army, too many churches have been converted into social clubs. Rather than exalt, equip, and evangelize; too many are serving as little more than recreation centers for those who are religious, but not fully-devoted followers of Christ. The Church of Jesus Christ was called out and set apart to engage in spiritual warfare for the purpose of spreading the Good News and saving the souls of mankind from eternal damnation; but many congregations have been distracted by the things of this world.

How can a spiritual army, commissioned by the Lord Jesus Christ, lose sight of the battle? I believe it is due to an inward focus and membership mentality that says, “Ask not what you can do for the Church, but what the Church can do for you.” One of the easiest ways to determine if your church is a “spiritual army” or a “social club” is to examine your church’s budget. Where the money is spent will reveal what is important to that church.

I recently saw a budget explanation sheet informing the congregation of the budgeting decisions being proposed by its church leaders. I've included some of the points below. Read this list and evaluate whether you think this church has an inward (personal gain) or outward (reaching the world) mentality. While reading, compare this list to your church.

Budget summary items:
1) Removed funding for community outreach.
2) Removed funding for evangelistic services & events.
3) Removed funding for an annual audit (accountability?)
4) Removed saving toward future expansion.
5) Increased money to send staff on missions trips.
6) Increased staff salaries… while cutting the previously mentioned funding for community outreach, evangelism, etc. (I would ask that with all those previous cuts, why do you even need a staff?)

It should come as no surprise that salvation, baptism and membership decisions are down in this church and the weekly attendance is also declining rapidly.

The Bible is very clear in Matthew 6:21 and Luke 12:34 that “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” When community outreach is defunded, at the same time the church leaders are budgeting for personal profits that pad their own pockets; the church is already dying a slow death. On the flip side, when a church realizes “the fields are white unto harvest,” and their funding goes into reaching the community with the Gospel, the church will grow and thrive!

So, where does your church spend its money? Is money spent on outreach? What does your church's budget predict about future growth? Does your church's budget reveal an inward or outward focus? If you find your church turning inward… speak up! If you see these budget trends in your church, it is either time to expose the problem or "get out of Dodge." To summarize Edmund Burke, “All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

So, get a copy of your church's budget and begin to ask questions. Remember, the only ones who are afraid of questions are those who don’t know the answers or those who are hiding something. Your questions could be the first step toward making corrections and putting your church back on course!

Learning from Andy Griffith - "The Case of the Punch in the Nose"

One of my all-time favorite TV shows is "Andy Griffith." The wisdom and wholesomeness of Andy, coupled with the naivety and comedy of Barney, make for great TV. Not long ago, I was watching "The Case of the Punch in the Nose" and saw some great spiritual lessons. Barney was going through some old courthouse paperwork, only to discover an open case involving Floyd and Charlie in which a fight had broken out. Andy tells him it was over, in the past, and they had moved on; BUT Barney insisted on trying to close the books on this case. It turns out that Andy was right! Barney's efforts reopened an old wound and resurrected the argument.

This show revealed the truth and great wisdom to the old idiom, "It's better to let sleeping dogs lie." Sometimes it's better just to leave things as they are; especially, in an effort to avoid rekindling an old argument or making matters worse. I have occasionally witnessed the same thing in working with people. I've watched people open old arguments that seemed to have been healed and forgotten, only to have them flare up worse than before.

I can think of situations in marriage , church, athletics, employment, and other relationships that would have been served much better by moving on, rather than looking back. I'm sure you can think of your own illustrations. So, just for fun, take time to watch "Andy Griffith - The Case of the Punch in the Nose" by clicking the link below. I think we can all learn a valuable life's lesson at Barney's expense. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy952r_andy-griffith-s05e25-case-of-the-punch-in-the-nose_shortfilms

Identity Crisis #3 - A Generation of Anarchy

On January 30, 2017, President Trump fired the acting Attorney General, Sally Yates, for failing to carry out his instructions. You can call it disrespect, insubordination, defiance,or even betrayal (as Sean Spicer called it). Whatever you call it, Yates failed to realize: "The boss may not always be right, but he's always the boss." This simple and most basic concept appears to be lost across this generation. We saw it in the NFL as Mike Tomlin fired Legarrette Blount for his insubordination evidenced by walking off the field and taking off his uniform in 2014. We saw it with Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning (now Chelsea) who defied orders and their oath by selling USA secrets to Russian spies. We see the public defying law enforcement officers; students defying teachers; and employees defying managers. It appears we are living in a generation of anarchy.

Whether in the NFL, corporate America, the Church, the classroom, or Washington, DC; it's as though respect for authority is a thing of the past. It appears all semblance of loyalty and integrity have been flushed down the toilet. The church is in part to blame, because it has placed so much emphasis on feelings that it has failed to teach obedience to Christ. I also attribute some of the anarchy to the empowerment that Facebook has given cowards to criticize from the comfort of their couch and to base their beliefs on their feelings. President Trump is right in his belief that opinions now trump facts and fake news is running rampant. People often take firm stands on their opinions, whether they have any facts to back them. Sadly, this situation seems to be growing worse in both the church and the world. It is the basis for much of the anarchy that we are witnessing in our world today.

Call me crazy, but I believe this world is in chaos. Consider 2 Tim. 3:1-5 and compare it to the evening news: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!" I believe the only hope for this world is Jesus! I believe 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name (the Church) will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." Our hope can only be found in bowing to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ and living obediently to Him.

If we don't begin to teach respect for authority at home, at work, and in the church; then how can we expect this generation to have respect for Divine authority! It boils down to the fact that when we don't respect God, we don't respect others. I respect President Trump for firing AG,Yates... I respect Jerry Jones (owner of the Dallas Cowboys), for saying that his players worked for him and if his players didn't stand during the National Anthem, they could work for someone else... I respect a Pastor who teaches people about the Omniscient, Omnipotent, and Omnipresent God; by Whose authority the world is sustained. I respect and function under the authority of God and genuinely believe that one day "every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!" The identity crisis of today's church has left it striving for numbers, but not teaching the most basic and foundational principles of Scripture. Obedience to God is not an option and our respect for God will reveal our respect for others. It is the obligation of this generation to teach that principle to the next. So, what kind of example are others seeing in you?

Luther Rice College and Seminary

Yesterday, I attended a Board of Trustees meeting for Luther Rice Bible College and Seminary in Lithonia, GA. As I sat in the room with the other Board members, I was truly humbled and, again, wondered how and why God gave me such an amazing opportunity to serve in this capacity. LRS has been a leader in biblical education for over 50 years! The school was founded for the primary purpose of allowing pastors and missionaries to continue their biblical education and seminary training, without having to relocate. LRS removes the need for pastors, ministry leaders, and lay-people to leave their ministries or uproot their families; by making it possible for them to receive a quality Christian education online. LRS is committed to teaching solid and sound Baptist doctrine without compromise! That is one of the primary reasons that I chose to study and now to serve at LRS. Check out their website at www.lutherrice.edu. If you are considering taking classes to enhance your biblical knowledge, I highly recommend LRS.

Identity Crisis #2 - His Blood is on Your Hands!

My heart was broken recently as I heard about a young man who had taken his own life. That young man (we'll call him Bob) had a troubled past, plagued by substance abuse. A Christian family took Bob in, provided shelter, food, and invited Bob to their church services. During a church event, Bob made the decision to trust Christ as his Lord and Savior. Bob was baptized the following Sunday, told many of his decision, started attending multiple church services per week, and was beginning to get plugged-in with his new church family.

Not long after, the young man was facing the same battles that many of us face... his old nature was warring against his new nature. Bob reached out for help, but was pushed aside as a church employee (a staff pastor) and his wife made up false allegations against Bob. As a result, Bob was asked not to return to that church. Bob had now been turned away from the only real family he had ever known; from the place where he had found hope and acceptance. The people who could have helped Bob grow in his faith, were the people pushing him out of the church. Fast forward the story... Bob took his life. Bob's blood is on the hands of those who pushed him away from the church.

The man's name was not Bob, but the story is true and should remind us of what Jesus said in Mark 2:17, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Many have forgotten that the Church was once called a "soul-saving station," and a "spiritual hospital." We've forgotten that the Master told his servants, "Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." The Master NEVER said, Go gather people who dress like we do, like the same music we do, use the same Bible version we do, cut their hair like we do, refuse tattoos like we do, and hide all of their weaknesses like we do! The Master didn't say to establish a commune... He said, "I will build my Church!"

The church identity described above has been replaced with today's "clubhouse mentality" or "pep-rally mentality;" in which members of the church gather to sing a few songs, tell a few jokes, talk about their favorite sports teams, and then they return home to resume life as usual. BUT... that is not the purpose of the Church! Ministers are not mere performers and ministry is NOT merely a 9-to-5 job! The Church is a spiritual army, the Church is at war against the forces of evil, the Church is a lighthouse in the storms of life, the Church is the vehicle that God established to share the Gospel and disciple believers! If the Church won't reach the alcoholics, the drug addicts, the prostitutes, the homeless, the rejected, the broken, the unemployed, the sick, the and even the religious Pharisees; then who will? That's what God called His Church to do! Listen to the words in Luke 4:18-19, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”

Yes, real ministry is messy and when you reach down to lift someone up, you'll probably get dirty! No doubt that shepherds smelled slightly like the sheep back in New Testament times! I challenge those pastors who see ministry as a 40 hour per week job to pick-it-up or have the integrity to go find other employment. Ministry is not a job - it's a calling! I challenge those who see the church as a clubhouse to reexamine Luke 4:18-19. I challenge those who are not sharing Christ with others to start doing so. I challenge you DO NOT allow the story of Bob, to be true of you or your church. God help Your Church to see the battle and defeat the enemy! "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

The Identity Crisis in Today's Baptist Churches

In my previous post, I recommended listening to Dr. Bill Monroe's sermon "God's Plan for Church Leadership." If you haven't yet watched it, I'd strongly encourage you to do so. Just click the link.

Today's Baptist churches are experiencing a crisis pertaining to church leadership and government. I personally believe that this crisis stems, in part, from a generation that has seen churches focused more on numeric growth, rather than spiritual growth. Today, success is measured by the 3 B's: Buildings, Budgets & Butts. In years past, the success of churches was measured by spiritual decisions: salvations, baptisms, memberships, students enrolling in Bible college, surrender to vocational ministry, church plants, and missionaries sent out. Those measures now seem archaic to many and have been lost in the quest for numbers. Where once Baptist churches were known for their doctrinal depth, today, many are known simply for their musical styles, casual dress, and contemporary atmosphere. Personally, I don't have a problem with any of those items, but they should not define any church. Those are marketing issues and have nothing to do with depth. When a pastor tells you more about his church's style than he does about its doctrinal beliefs and spiritual decisions, you know something is wrong! Sadly, this focus on growth without depth has led Baptist churches into a state of confusion, maybe even into an identity crisis.

With the void of historical and doctrinal teaching; the gap has been filled with attention on preferences resulting in misunderstandings that have wreaked havoc in the church. Baptist churches are beginning to look like Presbyterian churches as they implement Elders and embrace Reformed Theology; including "Election" and "Predestination." Ironically, John Calvin, the founder of the Presbyterian Church, considered Baptists to be heretics and now many Baptists are embracing Calvin's religion! Power struggles also stem from a lack of understanding as it pertains to forms of church government. Today, feelings and opinions seem to take preeminence over the Bible.

In Scripture, we find a stark contrast to the roles of Deacons and Elders when compared to their usage in modern churches. Again, Baptists have become Calvinistic in describing these terms, also. In the Scriptures, we find God calling a man... not a committee... not a Board, to lead His people. God always called a man. Consider some of these men: Moses, Joshua, David, Gideon, Peter, Paul, and others. Interesting that the idea of Elders in Baptist churches really only began to take hold in the late 1990's; but Baptist's trace their roots back over 2000 years. Allow me to be totally transparent in telling you that every time I have seen Elder rule established in a Baptist church, it was initiated either by a group desiring to control and limit the Pastor or by a struggling Pastor in an effort to use a small group (Elders) to control the congregation. Someone once said, "You can either have control or you can have growth, but you can't have both."

I tell people that I am a Christian first and a Baptist second. I believe Baptist beliefs and doctrine are the most accurate in keeping with the Scriptures. When Baptist churches don't take time to teach Baptist history and doctrine, then they eventually lose their Baptist identity. I encourage you to read books such as the "Trail of Blood" and to study Baptist history. Once finished, you'll see the rich heritage that makes Baptists different. Finally, for those who think this is just another post by a small church pastor, leading a dying church; my last church doubled in size and was the largest in the community. I didn't say choose teaching or growth... I believe solid Bible teaching will lead to substantial growth!

God's Plan for Church Leadership

You've got to watch this sermon! Without question, today's churches are experiencing a crisis pertaining to church government and leadership. Below, you will find a link to a sermon preached by Dr. Bill Monroe, founding and current Pastor of the Florence Baptist Temple in Florence, SC. Bro. Bill is a godly man, a humble man, and a friend to me and my family. My wife's family were ALL saved through the ministries of Florence Baptist Temple and Florence Christian School. Bro. Bill is a "Pastor's Pastor" and he loves God's Church. God has used him to help churches, pastors, and I pray his sermon will be a blessing to you.

Click on the link and scroll down the page to watch this powerful sermon entitled "God's Plan for Church Leadership" preached on December 4, 2016 at the Florence Baptist Temple. CLICK HERE TO VIEW SERMON