Hurt:to cause bodily injury to; injure:
to cause bodily pain to or in:
to affect adversely; harm: to hurt one's reputation
to cause mental pain to; offend or grieve:
In the last few years I have heard so many people that have described hurt as their mission to either change churches, start a new church, or just walk out of church totally.When I think of the popularity of such movements in the church, fear begins to grip my heart. How can God in His merciful majesty allow so many individuals to walk through hurt , disappointment and shame? Is our God a vengeful God, is he unfair to those he chooses to be unfair to? Who is this God that we serve? And why is he allowing so many individuals to walk through hurt, disappoint and shame?
To be honest about things the more I hear about people being hurt in the church I have to question who these people really are? And if its so many members that are being hurt why is it that the Pastors are the only one's being blamed publicly for actions in the church? Why aren't there any members at fault for anything? And if there is a general fear of the Pastors why are individuals so readily able to move from one church to another in leaps and droves? Someone has to be a lying about some of these allegations, and people need to start to take responsibility for their individual actions.
I was raised as a PK ( Pastor's Kid) and I have always saw things in a different perspective. First and foremost we were the kids that were often left out of situations. We were usually the first to be spotlighted for wrong doings and the first to get told on if we fell out of line. I remember being pinched, hit, hair pulled, laughed at and picked on just because of who I was but I was the last that was able to leave the church because I was hurt. Even in my adult life, there were things that I desired to do in church but I couldn't take my rightful place because someone else wanted to do it and I had to be fair. My parents were the one's that helped pay light bills, mortgages, have late night counseling session , dinners were delayed, events were interuppted because of members. Yet we remain un hurt! When Sis. Tree's daughter had a baby out of wedlock, she got a baby shower. When I had a baby 10 years ago, I'm still wearing the scar because the members won't let me live it down, yet I still remain unhurt. When Bro. Rock gets a new car and brings it out, we cheer and yell for them! When we get one , someone leaves the church because they feel like they have to pay for your car. Why aren't they able to realize that their credit didn't get the car in the first place, someone had to have a job/! Yet we remain unhurt.
Then there are the Pastors. The strongest people in the world. They give and they take responsiblity for whatever goes on in the church . When the church goes up , they are praised for their abilities. When the church goes down they are trampled and left alone to sink on a ship that was never ment for destruction.
At the fall of most large businesses its not the employees that lose the most, because they can usually find another job its the business owner who loses the most because blood ,sweat , and tears were spent to build the business . It is not up to him to keep the business going it is up to his employees to carry his business goals.
All in all , what's fair and who's really hurt? Take responsibilty for where you are in life, live a life of integrity and stop blaming your downfalls and mishaps on someone else!
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Lies Church People Tell
Growing up in church as Pastor's child , I have acknowledged my fair share of stories from the saints and friends. It was not until I was an adult that I really figured out that these were not just in fact stories but lies. The reality of a church person lying was an absolute oxymoron to me. How can you serve God and lie at the same time , yet it happens and it when it happens it happens big and highly glorified.
We all have been privy to a lie or two told by a saint. I mean if any of us has ever been apart of a church service that included testimony service, you have heard a lie or a fabrication of the truth.
I'm going to list ten of my all time favorite lies that I have heard growing up in church.
1. I have been raped!
Okay so I know you guys are mad that I listed this one but there are too many single mothers that have used that one as a tool not to tell the truth that they were in fact sleeping around. The bad thing about this one is that it is easily told because chances are the guy dumped them anyway.
2. I almost slipped and had sex.
How can you almost slip? You gotta do some things before you actually engage into full fledge sexual activity , so how can you almost slip without committing some sort of sin to begin ? And like I always say grown folks don't usually almost do anything.
3. My season here is up
This is something that is new to the church. There was once a time where people were born into a ministry and remained there for a lifetime, but now God is only giving seasons. Or so they say. So what do they mean exactly when they say that their season it up? Could it mean, I don't like the pastor anymore? Or , I don't want to listen to him preach anymore? Or even better, I want to be bigger than the pastor so I'm starting my own church? We don't know what season mean but whatever it means I'm sure that God is not speaking different seasons of movement to that many people, somebody needs to be loyal and subject to some authority.
4. God told me to start my own church.
Well he can in fact tell you that. And the best part about God is that he does things that will confound the wise and those things are done in so much order that God can cause men to give unto you in order for you to get the work done. Now that leads to the lie part, how in the world can you say that God told you to do it and no one follows you ? The last story I heard about this was with Noah and he preached a message about rain and it had never rained so I can understand that. But churches fill the land and certain kinds of churches are going to attract certain groups of people. If you aren't atrracting anyone and maybe you are but you don't have a word for them, maybe you are moving outside of your calling. There are far too many youth pastors that are Senior Pastors, far too many Sunday School teachers that are Senior pastors so make sure you are abiding in your calling and don't lie on God about your next move.
5. We used pray all night!
No you didn't because prayer involves talking to God and talking doesn't mean shouting out loud or dancing ! Stop saying we used to pray all night when you know you guys were very emotional , you starting off praying and ended up praising him. And it wasn't all night because most of you had to work in the morning.
6. I'd rather have Jesus than Silver and Gold
We all know that's lie! I never seen a time before now that saints are so infatuated with things! Nothing wrong with it, but don't say what you know you don't mean! :)
7. If no one else will praise Him I will praise Him right here by myself.
And as soon as the organ doesn't start , you will cut your praise short and sit down because you are now embarrased that no one else caught the praise with you . I've seen it so many times, and it remains my all time favorite moments in church.
8.Aint nothing fun in the world.
Well the pleasures of sin may only last for a season but in that season there is some fun. We should be more encouraging of God's goodness, and what God desires for our lives then to say there is nothing fun in the world. All that does it makes the best of someone curiousity. Where they weren't thinking about it before per se but since you said it I'm going to try and see. So stop saying that ! Its fun but it won't last!
9. The Lord didn't led me to pay an offering
Why does he have to lead you? I thought the scripture said fail not to bring an offering. Was it you that didn't feel the leading?
10. Make me mold me fill me use me!
We say that so much but we don't realize the effect it will have on our lives. Some people say that they were just like Job, but they do not realize that JOB lost everything that he had. When was the last time you lost everything just for the edification of God. Its a great phrase to say, but you really have to mean it from the heart.
10 more next week!!!
We all have been privy to a lie or two told by a saint. I mean if any of us has ever been apart of a church service that included testimony service, you have heard a lie or a fabrication of the truth.
I'm going to list ten of my all time favorite lies that I have heard growing up in church.
1. I have been raped!
Okay so I know you guys are mad that I listed this one but there are too many single mothers that have used that one as a tool not to tell the truth that they were in fact sleeping around. The bad thing about this one is that it is easily told because chances are the guy dumped them anyway.
2. I almost slipped and had sex.
How can you almost slip? You gotta do some things before you actually engage into full fledge sexual activity , so how can you almost slip without committing some sort of sin to begin ? And like I always say grown folks don't usually almost do anything.
3. My season here is up
This is something that is new to the church. There was once a time where people were born into a ministry and remained there for a lifetime, but now God is only giving seasons. Or so they say. So what do they mean exactly when they say that their season it up? Could it mean, I don't like the pastor anymore? Or , I don't want to listen to him preach anymore? Or even better, I want to be bigger than the pastor so I'm starting my own church? We don't know what season mean but whatever it means I'm sure that God is not speaking different seasons of movement to that many people, somebody needs to be loyal and subject to some authority.
4. God told me to start my own church.
Well he can in fact tell you that. And the best part about God is that he does things that will confound the wise and those things are done in so much order that God can cause men to give unto you in order for you to get the work done. Now that leads to the lie part, how in the world can you say that God told you to do it and no one follows you ? The last story I heard about this was with Noah and he preached a message about rain and it had never rained so I can understand that. But churches fill the land and certain kinds of churches are going to attract certain groups of people. If you aren't atrracting anyone and maybe you are but you don't have a word for them, maybe you are moving outside of your calling. There are far too many youth pastors that are Senior Pastors, far too many Sunday School teachers that are Senior pastors so make sure you are abiding in your calling and don't lie on God about your next move.
5. We used pray all night!
No you didn't because prayer involves talking to God and talking doesn't mean shouting out loud or dancing ! Stop saying we used to pray all night when you know you guys were very emotional , you starting off praying and ended up praising him. And it wasn't all night because most of you had to work in the morning.
6. I'd rather have Jesus than Silver and Gold
We all know that's lie! I never seen a time before now that saints are so infatuated with things! Nothing wrong with it, but don't say what you know you don't mean! :)
7. If no one else will praise Him I will praise Him right here by myself.
And as soon as the organ doesn't start , you will cut your praise short and sit down because you are now embarrased that no one else caught the praise with you . I've seen it so many times, and it remains my all time favorite moments in church.
8.Aint nothing fun in the world.
Well the pleasures of sin may only last for a season but in that season there is some fun. We should be more encouraging of God's goodness, and what God desires for our lives then to say there is nothing fun in the world. All that does it makes the best of someone curiousity. Where they weren't thinking about it before per se but since you said it I'm going to try and see. So stop saying that ! Its fun but it won't last!
9. The Lord didn't led me to pay an offering
Why does he have to lead you? I thought the scripture said fail not to bring an offering. Was it you that didn't feel the leading?
10. Make me mold me fill me use me!
We say that so much but we don't realize the effect it will have on our lives. Some people say that they were just like Job, but they do not realize that JOB lost everything that he had. When was the last time you lost everything just for the edification of God. Its a great phrase to say, but you really have to mean it from the heart.
10 more next week!!!
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