The WORLD Is In The Church

The Lord called me back in 1972. I answered His calling. Since then, due to my various employments my wife and I transferred to several cities and as such, joined many churches. In 1979 we became a permanent fixture in the city for which we live and, again, shopped around ending up affiliating with many church's in our local area.

I could probably provide a dissertation on what we have run up against since 1972 but I won't. Instead, I'll provide just a peep hole view. One church we belonged to a man was removed from teaching Sunday School as it was discovered he had been married prior to joining the church. His first marriage ended in divorce. He married the second time and then, accepted Christ as his Savior. Now, if the Lord throws our sins as far as the East is from the West, why should church leadership take a hard stand against him for what happened while living 'unsaved'? ...besides, back in the days of Jesus wasn't it customary for men to have multiple wives? The argument rages on...

Another church we belonged things got so bad against a God Fearing Associate Pastor that people started to die! At least six of them died from freak accidents! One fell off a ladder; one succumbed to a hunting accident; one young man in otherwise perfect health died of a heart attack; one was overcome with battery acid and 'almost died'. Another man (retired) had his entire life savings withdrawn from his bank account by his own son that was hooked on Cocaine. It was horrendous! Finally, one of those in the attack mode crowd was overheard stating..., “I wonder if God is trying to tell us something?” One died the result of a homemade ultra-light that crashed the first time he flew it.

I was in a meeting with the 'over-lords' of one church proposing they include protection for the church by updating their Statement of Faith regarding Same Sex Marriages. Now I am not kidding here but this was the first time in my life that I ever came face to face with pure EVIL. It was either satan or one of his demons that manifested in one man in attendance. I saw the evil image! I witnessed this evil image! I watched this man manifest pure darkness! It was amazing and immediate scared me to death while almost immediately a peace came over me. I left the meeting anyway. Come to find out there are two prominent families in the church with one having a homosexual son and the other a lesbian daughter. This man was one of those with deep pockets so he actually ran the church. We left.

Another church we attended was on the ground floor with a fabulous pastor with well thought out plans for the future. The church fell victim to a group of men who decided to move the church to the 'other side of town (they were meeting in a double wide trailer) so as to help out a friend of theirs they knew from their place of employment. It's been just over 35 years since the move and the church has never realized more than five families. The church is now but a rotting shell of a trailer.

Another one, the Choir Directed got mad at the preacher and left the church when he discovered another member was having an 'affair' with one who was married. How was this the pastor's fault? I really don't think he even knew about the adulterous situation to begin with!

I could go on and on. Like the one church we attended where you had to provide your own 'hard hat' come business meeting time. Over the past 45 years or so we have seen plenty. We've seen way too much! It does appear to me that a church should be like an oasis in the desert. A safe haven for believers. A place to come and truly worship the Lord.

What we find however is the Church..., most Church's that is, is filled to the brim with the world. When satan manifests in a church member there's something wrong. When those with money rule, there's something wrong. When it's nothing but fight, fight, fight, sour attitudes, hate and discontent, one family against another, those with the money running ram shod over all the rest of the membership, gossiping, backstabbing..., there's something mightily wrong!

We don't belong to any church now and probably won't ever affiliate with another one. We do attend services on occasion as we now 'visit' but to affiliate with another congregation..., no. It's not worth the effort as all too often, our Lord Jesus is NOT considered the reason for attending to begin with. Way too many churches are divided against themselves and as such, considered themselves doing our Lord a Favor!