Is your church service an awesome motivational service? An amazing personal development center where you get business advice, great tips on how to become wealthy, encouragement to buy property and a constant kick up the bum to do something with your life?
That sounds like a great church, doesn't it?
Well, I have been looking through my Bible and trying to understand the purpose of church. Is it to motivate people and teach them about Business or is a place of worship where we should be taught how to relate with God, live a righteous life and connect with Heaven? Just a question (please don't get upset, just hear me out).
Learning about business is good and wanting to do great exploits for the Kingdom is great but is it possible to maintain the sanctity of God's house by maintaining it as a place of prayer?
I know that motivation and business education is great but I don't think it belongs on the pulpit. There is a place for it just not during a worship service. Should we not listen to God and leave his house alone as a place of prayer and worship?
Oh don't worry, I don't really believe in the vow of poverty, I know that the righteous should be blessed, it's just about how we go about it that has me concerned.
There is indeed a heritage for the righteous (see psalm 37) and things will sometimes happen that will make us feel frustrated and want to get rich quick in dishonest ways (and then quickly repent....shaking my head)because doing things honestly can often take longer.
Nonetheless I'm pretty convinced that the answer is not in 'grasping after the wind' at all like Solomon said. Solomon said that he has achieved everything that we are currently chasing after and being encouraged to go after.
Is it wealth, intellectual brilliance, property, wives and girlfriends, fame? All of it and at the end, Solomon said it hit him hard. Very hard that all of it is vanity, a grasping after the wind.
Well I wonder if one of two things will happen while these business schools posing as church carry on teaching business instead of 'helping God's people to pursue righteousness'.
One: is that more and more people will get frustrated and think that the whole christian thing is long because God is unable to make them as rich as they want to be and then head off into world. Or two, that they will go into the Bible and see for themselves that there is a disparity in what God is saying and what the sunday business schools are teaching.
(Sigh) If the church is teaching get rich and the world is teaching get rich then why does the world need Jesus? Church is about getting to know God (full stop)
Isn't it? I know it's more than that but for simplicity's sake, did I become born again so that I can become a star with my gift and become wealthy?
Remember I don't think wealth is sinful or wrong, I am wondering why we cannot have business seminar on other days and then be taught about Holiness, Righteousness, understanding the scriptures etc on the worship day be it Saturday or Sunday?
The Pastoral office is about caring for the Soul...isn't it?
2 Timothy 4:2-4
New Living Translation (NLT)
2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
Is business, new age and motivation 'The Word'? if the answer is no, does it have a place in worship services?
(Another Sigh) I am so confused!!
There is a crisis at the moment, where lots of people are leaving church and attending new ones that are founded on miracles, signs and wonders.
Please hear me loud and clear, I am not saying this is a good thing, I am wondering if this is evidence that people want God, to feel God, if they are after the spiritual and not new age or motivational talks during Sunday worship services.
Read Psalm 37 with me, what do you think it is saying?
I have come to learn that I will never be able to create my true honest wealth myself. The kind of wealth with no sorrow or sweating attached. It is going to be the 'Blessing of the Lord that will make me rich'. The only catch is that I will have to be patient and observe the commandments...No?
Waiting on God will need me to exercise patience. The Bible (the same psalm 37)says that the meek will inherit the Earth so 'my' blessing is an inheritance and an inheritance is not worked for - Duh!!
Nothing you can do will cause you to get your inheritance before the time you are supposed to. You getting your inheritance depends on your RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BENEFACTOR AND YOUR BEHAVIOUR, (staying a family member and not being disowned and therefore being written out of the will), this is what determines you getting your inheritance AT the right time.
So Where are we getting all this do it yourself ideas from?
I naively thought Christ angrily reminded us that His house was supposed to be a house of PRAYER?(Matthew 21:13) Should we be teaching business and personal development on the sacred day? Should it be part of worship?
Remember, I said that I know that personal development, motivation, business etc are good, positive things which we all need. The question is whether it should share in our sunday 'worship' service. Read matthew 21 and come back with a reply for why Christ was so angry that they were buying and selling in his house.
Christ said HE came to win souls (for the lost)
He then trained others and then commissioned them to win others into the kingdom. Have a read of Matthew 28:16-20. (Let me know what you think it means)
Wondering what you should be spending your energy and your time teaching from the Pulpit?
Prayer, Prayer, More Prayer, Worship and teaching the scriptures. More and more people do not even know what the Bible Says but they understand the tenets of money and what Tony Robbins and Les Brown have to say about anything and everything.
Are you hardworking and diligently trying to do great exploits for the Lord? Trying to use your gifts to make it and Get wealthy? You might want to find confidence and peace of mind in what the Bible actually says.
Which is that God himself will do it while you use your gift honestly for him. You do not have to kill yourself trying but stay diligent in your gift, love the Lord, serve him and follow the commandments.
The Bible says in Psalm 37:37 'The future of the blameless man is peace'.
Not convinced? That's Ok, it's hard to swallow because a lot of contradictory messages are coming from the pulpit and people are confused!! I used to be.
So I encourage you to look at the scriptures for yourself!! A great place to start is the book of Ecclesiastes.
Trust me You can't think and grow rich in the kingdom - You will only die trying. Solomon told us and this is what he had to say:
Ecclesiastes 12:13
New International Version (NIV)
13 Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
This is powerful stuff, and I completely agree with you. I personal feel that the focus of a lot of churches has shifted from salvation to "empowerment" there is a place for "empowerment" but like you said on the pulpit during a church "worship" service probably isn't the best place for it.
ReplyDeleteAmazing post. The scriptures you've quoted make me think there is churches today are not really a place for God's Word and those truly seeking God may be left wanting.
ReplyDeleteThe world is a hostile enviromnent for God's Word, and I don't think many people will get the truth, they may hear it but not get it. People are going to places where they will be told what their ears are itching to hear.
No one wants to hear that to get a solution to their problem, they've got to actually seek God themselves, but people would be happy to go see a pastor that performs miracles and can give them a solution immediately. People are looking for quick fix solutions.
Church itself is business that's probably why it feels like a business school. God help us indeed.
@ MsLuffa..:Wow, it's deep that you saw it like that. Churches today are not really a place for God's word, I'm blown by that perspective. Instead of the way I looked at it that the church may not be the right place for the world's 'word'... That is a nugget and a half.
ReplyDelete