| Messages We've Received From Supportive Ministers |
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Messages We've Received From Supportive MinistersBrothers and Sisters in leadership who are also disgusted with what they see. Brothers, I love you. I grew up a missionary kid, my Dad is a pastor. I understand you. Many of you are trying very hard, you're doing as you were trained. But God isn't in it if you're relying on Man or on your own strength or pride. Jesus never hired a consultant to spin His message or plan a fund-raiser. Some of these below are in defense of their churches. Please, PLEASE understand. I'm NOT against the Church or against the Pastor. I'm not condemning big churches OR little churches automatically. It's not automatically a sin to have a building. My whole effort is to point out that we need to be VERY careful that we don't LOVE the Creation instead of the Creator. I think 99.9% of all Christian churches start with the right motivation. But it's undeniable that MANY lose their First Love. The question is HOW DID IT HAPPEN and WHAT DO WE DO NOW? I think it's perfectly reasonable (and scriptural, as it turns out) to point out that we WILL be called to account. We WILL have to explain why we decided this way or that with what was entrusted to us. Our ONLY responsibility is to take earthly treasure and convert it to Heavenly treasure. We should look to maximize the exchange. Does EVERY expense line in your budget have to be there? Is it generating MAXIMUM treasure in Heaven? Is it producing more treasure than would support a native missionary or church planter or feeding an orphan or caring for a widow? Could you collect one roll of toilet paper per member once a year and cut hundreds (or thousands) of dollars out of your budget? Could you rent out unused space in your building for offices or storage? Could you do without a building? What if persecution came? What if a hurricane wiped out your building? How would you adjust? Could you do with less and still grow? How does the church in China do it? They're just questions. Not accusations. (Well, not exactly.) It's going to be you and God one day and it's going to be LOT harder to explain to him than to little, old me. Doug, I recently read an excerpt from an article called ‘The Bottom Line’ It reminded me of the scripture in 1 Samuel 2 where Hophni and Phineas abused their calling “Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.” In two separate conversations with two different brothers this year, they both shared something very similar and disturbing. One only saw concrete slabs where church buildings once stood, and the other saw the same thing except he also saw pastors chasing little flakes of carbon in the wind (like burnt paper) as this was all that remained of their churches&ldots; The Lord has spoken to me out of this and said that like the Temple; He will not leave one stone upon another in “Christian City.” While I do agree with some of the assessment you’ve made; I think the ills affecting the church run much deeper. {Ed. - Don't worry, we're just getting started!! We'll get to all of it eventually!} If you’re interested here is the link to my website: www.shilohouse.org God Bless, Allen Logan, Shilohouse Ministries www.shilohouse.org Sir: We have read your article about the church and money--it was sent by e-mail to us(actually forwarded, to us, as well as to other ministers). We DO agree that a lot of Pastors, AND businessmen DO waste a lot of money on their big buildings, and a lot of superfluous amenities in the churches today. BUT, I would like to explain to you about our church and OUR ministry and advise that we ABSOLUTELY DO NOT WASTE MONEY, nor do we EVER spend it unnecessarily or for frivolous items. Our situation is this: We held church in our basement of our house until it grew to the point that we HAD to get another building in which to have church. We only had about 20 people, but with one room in our basement, there wasn't much room. Most the folk that come to our church are middle to low-class financially, and so there was not much money. My husband (the Pastor) took a secular job, driving a truck, locally, so that we could stay here and continue to minister to these people. He has been working 6 days at the secular job and preaching 2 sermons on Sunday. Sometimes, even, he teaches Sunday School!! The Church did not take in enough money to give him a salary, but we know that this is where God has assigned to for now, so we have to stay and wait on HIM. For the past month, he has not been working outside the church, and times are really hard for us right now, and I just feel led to let you know that there are still some! of us out there who work for the Lord, and we do it FOR HIM, and not for the MONEY! We are trusting in God to come through for us for it's His reputation that is at stake--not that of the Pastor's. His Word never comes back void, and what He says He'll do, He'll do! We found a building, and we could not go to the bank for a loan as the money that came in was not much, and we had no way of promising to pay back anything we might try to borrow. So, we prayed about this building, and we told God that if He wanted us to have it, then we needed to be able to buy the building without a down payment, and without going to the bank. The very next day, the owner of the building (which was once a United Presbyterian Church)sent us an e-mail--he is from Germany, and we have never met him personally, and he said that he would sell us the building for no money down, no interest, and for 30 monthly payments! We HAD to buy it!! We knew that it was God. When we went to look at the Church, we found pews that are over 100 years old, and they are worth more than we paid for the building. The Church was built in 1894--it is made of brick and draft stone, and is a lovely building, but needs some tender loving care. We! have made repairs as we have had time and money to do so. My husband got a rib broke about the time we bought the church, and he spent the 6 weeks he was off work, mostly on the roof of the church either roofing some bad spots or supervising a couple guys that came to our church. Paint for some interior walls was donated by a paint store, and two new commodes were donated to us by a businessman(not one of our congregation), and there were various people who came in to help out in some of the clean-up. There was a plumber that didn't even know us --did not come to our church, but did over $5,000 worth of work on the plumbing, and it cost us absolutely "zero"!! I told you all this to show you that God is in this ministry and this church and this work. I have told you all this to say that not ALL Pastors are like that with money or church money. Most Pastors would have cut and ran when the funds were so low they couldn't pay him, but we have stuck it out, because we KNOW that the Lord has sent us here to do this work for Him. We had to tear the carpet off the floor, as it was old and very rotten--so we now have wooden pews--no padding on them, because the pads that were on them were very soiled and smelled so bad from cats being in the building. We are VERY, VERY proud of our building, and very PROUD of the people who have been a part of it this past 15 months. We still have another 15 months to go before we get this paid off, and Then maybe we will have a few dollars to spend in which to do some tuck-pointing, roofing, carpet, putting in a handi-cap bathroom, etc. THEN, and Maybe ONLY THEN, the Church will be able to pay my husband for being the Pastor. I just wanted to let you know that there still ARE some people out there that are not after the "almighty dollar" as some would say. We, my husband and I, are in this for the right reasons, and that is to be God's servants and to do His will, and to listen to His voice, and to preach the Truth to all those who will listen. We have to be very careful with our money, and even though it would be a great struggle for some, we have found it to be rewarding because the Lord has always provided for the finances of the church--all except a salary for the Pastor--we can't leave!! We are waiting on God--we know that HE will come through for us and then, we can worry about all the unnecessary amenities that so many think they have to have. Yes, there are some that will not come to our church even though they like our services because there is no carpet, the sound system is inadequate, and the pews are not padded. I guess all I can say to that is that they are coming for the Wrong Reasons!! By the way, we are NOT Presbyterians--we are Full Gospel, and Independent of any denominational structure. I would certainly pray that you would consider us and those like us when you write your articles, and remember to give those of us who DON"T waste God's money some credit for being good stewards. We Remain in His Service, as Always Rev. Fred and Donna PIng You may visit our Website at http://pingministries.injesus.com {D. - May God Bless you mightily! He's clearly been keeping you from temptation - and that's a gift. I'm not preaching against you, Brother. I'm not preaching AGAINST buildings. I'm preaching FOR stewardship and trust in God. We're on the same team. Stay pure and trust God.} My brother and friend in the Lord, I received your article "The Bottom Line" through Andrew Strom and I wanted to take a moment to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this truth! You are indeed a blessing! I thank you from my heart as I've been trying to reach the church (body of Christ) with the message of caring for the BODY (people) moreso than focusing on the building. Hungry and suffering people sit in the church every week, some have NOTHING, some have only a little, and MANY walk away worse off than they were before. I remember one sister was denied food at a church I was visiting because their rule was only a certain number of times per month an individual could ask for assistance, and if they were hungry daily and had no food....oh well! I tried speaking directly to the leadership at that church and was only ridicule for intervening. I am a minister of the Gospel, my desire is to give to the sheep, not take from them. I myself have nothing, but LOVE of course, but the little I may have in terms of food, clothing, and finances I would gladly give (and have done so) to someone else who's worse off than I. The church today focus TOO MUCH on beautifying the outside of the building, while the inside remains empty and in disarray. It breaks my heart that there more focus on financial gain for foolishness, than there is on a hungry needy brother or sister in the Lord. Anyway, I thank you my brother for sharing this BLESSING of TRUTH with the church. The Lord BLESS you and your family this day and forever more! Rev. Khandielese Dear Brother: I see truth is being unfolded to those that are hungry for the reality of our Father God through Jesus Christ. One will hear God when self is out of the way and only the Spirit of truth comes forth. God will not move in the way of flesh. God His Holy spirit will move when self is denied and the preeminence of His Spirit is brought forth in full humbleness and obedience is brought forth. God is building His Kingdom not a fleshly run church system where mans idol is predominately him or her self. Matthew 22:14 for many are called, but few are chosen. The called are those of to be redeemed: Those that are chosen are those that are His true servants not the way of man. They are few but that’s all God needs as Moses a example to bring thousands out of Egypt; some say a million. We got so called preachers today coming out of the wood work and nothing behind them of signs following and very little love except for them selves. Jealously, arrogance, and much self-righteousness and to top this all off very insecure in their walk with Him. Well I guess I went on long enough. Called in His service in the early sixties. As the more you walk with Him in His full footsteps as time down the road; you do not see those walking with you no more. Lord bless IN Christ we stand and not in our self. Jack {Bless you, Brother. Peace is coming. Unity is coming. Holiness is coming. I pray you get to see the Revival.} Thank you for your website. You articulate many of the observations my wife and I have made about the church. We attend a cell church, a very modest church that doesn't own property, yet something has happened within our church that I wanted to mention. Even though we are not interested in property or programs, even though our staff is tiny and just about everyone in the church is an able minister, there is still a problem that is very American. People continue to seek their own comfort, and people become complacent. Interesting, isn't it, that big churches get all pumped up about their building programs, and figure out how to accomplish them come hell or high water! But then a church that has no buildings or programs can be equally ineffective because of the complacency and comfort instilled in them by the American lifestyle. It is a question of zeal for God and for his plans for you as a member of the priesthood and the Body of Christ. I believe American Christians must learn the right kind of zeal, zeal driven by love of God, the power of the Spirit and the Gospel, and compassion for those around them. We must also learn how to use our zeal patiently, and how to simply love people and open our lives to new friends in Christ. In many of the mega churches, good people are earnestly seeking God and seeking to live as true Christians, but are trapped in the man-made model. If they decide to break out of that, they need a genuine and practical Christian community to replace the man-made one. The first century church model works beautifully if egos aren't allowed to taint it. Our cell group is itself a beautiful example of what true and simple church looks like. Even though our church as a whole has grown complacent, our cell group is growing and thriving because we allow Christ to be the center and heart of it. And because we have enthusiasm for what God is doing in our midst. Some people enter the wilderness because they can't or don't want to get along with their traditional brethren. They should be encouraged to join with others in house churches and cell groups in order to model and to experience true, wholesome, powerful Christian community. Blessings, Les {Great insight, Brother! Our problem here is not just with the Love of Money and big buildings - it's with ANYTHING that blocks Christ-like living and keeps us from unity. We'll get around to cell-churches eventually. They're part of the answer, but they're just as susceptible to the ravages of sinful human nature. Something new is coming. We'll know it when we see it.} |
