I don’t know the answer for church today- a few people I know on line have found a good church situation. Most people online today don’t have one, or they have been so disillusioned, disappointed, or destroyed by the American Church they just have no hope for finding a place they want to commit to. I do know the answer doesn’t seem to be, not go anywhere either, but church today seems to be a double bind. No right answer. Darned if you go, darned if you don’t.
There are so many sexual scandals all across the board that it seems that no place is safe. You can only hear so much after attending all kinds of churches before you just say, “I’m done.” We recently found out a pastor sexually abused a little girl when he was 18 and she was 6 years old and the Pastor at the time covered it up. It’s not an isolated case. There are dozens of churches where something like that happened- and 15 years ago I quit my job and moved to be an evangelist at a church and I was upfront with the porn addiction God took me out of- and because of my openess they mysteriously revoked all my ministry offers and it created years of manipulation and feeling I was a failure and it created an atmosphere where you felt you had to get victory in secret and you couldn’t reach out for help or there went the ministry. So you can see how the church atmosphere sets you up for failure. And they can control you when you have secrets. When you are open with your struggles you can’t be controlled.
I have since learned that keeping sins hidden and trying harder doesn’t work. Isolating doesn’t work. The church today is mostly broken and not helping people get free. And there is a double standard – if you are part of the leadership and fall into sin, you have others who have secret sins that will cover for you as long as you cover for them. If you show you don’t play by those rules, you are not going to move too high up the church corporate ladder. I am probably sealing my fate by being hones here, but I am already done. I already am not booked for any meetings or preaching events so what do I have to lose? My loyalty is to JESUS and the church today is threatened by that. Phooey!
I would love to have a church of the Internet type of thing- but most online Christians are like wild stallions that do not want to be broken. Not for souls- not for loyalty to the Bible- not to help others to get the gospel out. Just to kick at everyone even if they are on the same side and make a lot of noise and never go anywhere.
That is too bad because if this energy can be channeled it could change the world. With crowd funding we could raise millions on line with just small contributions. With 400 people doing nothing but taking my energy discount I could be fully funded to do ministry full time. Heck, if I could get 10 businesses a month to use my FREE credit card processing software I could fund a full addiction and discipleship ministry. Yet one line no one wants to give you a dime, but they shell out hundreds on business opportunities and $3,997 Masterclasses to make money online by recruiting others to attend a $3,997 Masterclass.
The mistake people make is thinking money is evil- money can help if used right. The problem is churches sell out to the government to get tax exemption and the government controls them. If we could fund our own endeavors without government intervention we could do some powerful things.
The church today is more loyal to their 501c3 status than they are to Jesus. Which means they will sell out to look good and sell out to throw you to the curb if you don’t make them look good and happy and shiny and polished.
When 70% of the church has a porn problem- and the church is blind to sin and cold to those struggling and rewards those who can look spiritual and ACT pious and sanctified, the church has a PROBLEM. It creates a system where it’s try harder and pours on heavy burdens on you and if you can do it in your own strength you have a lousy look-down at people attitude but if you can’t do their version of what pleases God you feel hopeless and that God is mad at you.
So you either give up or learn to fake it. And if you are in ministry you think you deserved it and look down at those you were called to serve.
If real Christianity were to come back to the church, people just might be drawn to go there. Instead it’s a show and a place they care more about your money than your soul- and when you see the same junk church after church denomination after denomination- you tend to get cynical and why bother going anywhere??
I long for real church- And I think there needs to be a real place for people who want to be united over a bible and a cause of getting the gospel out.
A real church of the Internet type of thing- or a complete overhaul of the current religious system in America.