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Lord is it me or is people more apt to stay at home now on Sundays; than to attend church! |
I've witnessed a major decline in church attendance in the last four years. It seems that people have reached there peek of drama in church and has chosen to stay at home. Others are just not inspired enough to want to attend. Wow! I thought I'd never see the day when people would actually neglect the church in such a way that the church would lose all functionality. I mean; there's been churches that has closed people! I will re frame from telling all my business; but in a certain covenant 40 churches has closed recently. Others have remained open but has developed problems such as; keeping a pastor, a high turn over on musicians, and even a higher turn over in supporters. Yeah; people isn't willing to donate on a routine bases, musicians and pastors aren't willing to except a $100 bucks a Sunday for handling the duties of the church. Even with the financial cutbacks the church struggles to pay utility bills and general up keep of the Temple. People! the church is in a crisis. O and before yall deep ones respond, "DA CHURCH IS IN YOU", let me rephrase. The house of God, place of worship, the Temple is in a crisis. Is Christ that close to coming back that many of us may witness the fall of religious establishments around the world?
It may be that I'm looking in on the outside and not getting the full picture. In some sectors; such as the Baptist, it looks as if they are growing and fulfilling the Godly duties of the church. I haven't seen a Baptist church that is not packed with cars on any given Sunday. It would lead a person to think they work well together in finding solutions to serve Christ; although, I know that's not the case in some situations lol The only major factor that's different in the Baptist sector than all the rest is the Deacons hold more responsibility. Which leads me to ask; is the problem in the Pulpit? All have diverse musicians, bored of trustees, and problems in leadership these days; the only thing that makes sense and is spiritually assigned to be held accountable is the Pastors. Lets be real now. Don't get me wrong; I love a good sweat popping preaching any day but after 30 years of getting that; it dawns on me. Give me something else. Feed me in such a way that I'm moved to change my life for the better. Rather than excite me for just that moment. Because, at the end of the day; I still got bills, I still got hard headed chillin, I still have bothersome coworkers, crazy friends, dull love life, etc.
I need a word that's not only going to cultivate me but will change my perception of life in general. I need to be at a place in God that I can stand in the midst of hell and still see Christ. If the messiness in the world is only getting worse; then I need to know how to find, keep, and activate God. Screaming and shouting is good when I'm praising God through the pain but when I look up after 20 years and I'm still praising him to ease the pain, I need A LIL MO JESUS; in the words of MARRY MARRY's girl Erica Campbell . Now, this is just the spiritual side of it; the physical side is that I need a church manager in that pastor as well. The Bible speaks of doing things in order. So, being organized is important to God. Therefore; it takes more than just knowing how to preach to be an effective pastor. You have to know how to manage, preside, organize the institution called The Body of Christ. For example: preaching alone might not draw people to your church. Sometimes it takes having a good spirit filled choir. Maybe; a write up in the paper, or even a concert from a major Gospel artist. To accomplish these extra task one must be skilled or know how to delegate someone that's skilled to handle such a task.
The old song states; "Every round goes higher and higher". Just like the song; this world and the situations involved get more difficult and complicated to understand and manage. It often takes a skilled overseer to reveal the issue and develop strategies to overcome through the word of God on a group scale. What I like to call Today's Pastor; holds all these attributes and more. Often brought out through education; Today's Pastor hold a position that is similar to that of a CEO of a major corporation. A Pastor can not be effective in leading a flock and emotionally preach a sermon, visit the sick and preach a funeral. Maybe back in the day but now; the congregation is dealing with more complicated issues and wouldn't be able to comprehend the essence of the emotional felt preaching styles. Especially when the world plays so much on a person's emotions. Now; it's almost a must that the pastor hold some type of counseling degree. The people respond better to a pastor nowadays that may not have a Doctorate in theology but can present the word in such a way that it seems that they hold the truths to everything present and past as it relate to the Word of God. People want to know that the Pastor have spent time in studying that word so that it could be properly placed inside of them. I find that most ministers that has given a "studied message" to the people has come byway of educated ministers. Not saying that the uneducated ministers don't study; but people receive them more better. Just compare the crowds. People would travel a thousand miles one way to hear a Bishop Jakes but wont travel two blocks to here Mr. or Ms. so in so, preach locally. It seems that education shed light on the importance of promoting and marketing the Church. Word of mouth just isn't enough anymore. If a pastor can not come up with a compelling plan to change the lives of people; they will not be supported because they are deemed noneffective.
So, having an effective Pastor is important. If you ask me the buck stops with the Pulpit; but many believe that no matter what you do there's always going to be confusion in the church. Historically speaking; it was confusion in the church that crucified the father (John 19). Is this same confusion infiltrating the Body of Christ in today's church? If so, should we be alarmed. God said that he was not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33 ). So, by this standard is today's church not the Body of Christ but a haven to mock the Body of Christ? This is a fair question? In today's church we're not talking about two people having a misunderstanding and mad for a couple of weeks at each other. We're referring to a report of a brother walking into the church and killing another:
These things have happened because the compromise of the church has lessened the effectiveness of the church. Thus making the church vulnerable. Today's church has compromised in many aspects of the Bible's truth. One major example is sin. In the old church if you were struggling with an issue; whether it was smoking, drinking or a common cold, there's know way you would be up in a leadership position on Sunday. Not just the pastor would sit you down but the mothers would tell you. Today we have any and everything in leadership. We have to get back to holding the leaders in the church accountable. I think they probably would appreciate it. Most real leaders would love for people to react as if they hold a important position in the church. This makes it easier for them to build a standard. You'll find most choir members staying out the club, less preachers smoking behind the church, less brother beating on their wives, and many more examples. Compromise has crippled the church.
I'm just not willing to believe that there's no perfect church. Believing that perfection is all about perception. I agree all churches is not perfect but being a little off is far from having a pastor rape a child, sleep with several women in the church or even not work to provide for the community. All of which; contributes to having confusion be the focal point in any religious organization. Anything that takes away from the true purpose of the church; only adds to the vulnerability of the church. On the other hand; the deacon got in an argument with the mother and carried on for 3 weeks but also in that 3 week period; the church in general was responsible for 15 families being housed and 10 people receiving Christ into their lives. In my opinion any church that help the community is a church of perfections. Now.... Yes Eddie Long church is a church of perfection. People we must understand that Eddie Long is not the Body of Christ; we all play a part.
Let me hear ya...
