How often have you been to a church where certain things are preached against from the pulpit yet when thier own members do exactly that. They turn a blind eye to it?
Then when someone speaks truth and points out the hypocrisy of the leadership of the church. The leadership then goes to old reliable and say you aren't suppose to correct your fellow christian...that it is unchristian to do so. If that doesn't work they are then attacked viciously by said leadership and basically kicked or forced out of the church.
Is this part of the problems within the US? Is social agendas slowly creeping into the church? Perhaps the leadership is more worried about the appearance of the church within thier community. Perhaps the community may start doubting the leadership of the church. Or maybe the leadership doesn't want to be a shepherd to the flock because it is socially unacceptable to take certain stances on issues today.
However if you silence truth...you are not serving God are you? And if you aren't serving God...then who is left to be serving?
Truth and Appearance
Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by Serpent Slayer, May 14, 2005.
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This board is filled with hypocritical preachers.You will soon notice that if you dont closely agree,they will axe you.You will also notice if you question their"faith",fear overcomes them and they cry.How will they survive in the world?Simple,they are the world with a christian label,with secret rooms.
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In the 30 some odd years that I have been a Christian, I have asked some ministers about something they were doing wrong according to the Bible. Like why didn't they preach against this or that when you could see that a lot of people in the congregation were doing it.
They almost always answered the same. "If I preach against that,I will lose my job, and then I can't feed my family".
So yes Serpent Slayer, you are right!!
I think if a minister has to compromise the truth, then he should not be a preacher.
Peace,
Tam -
Is this part of the problems within the US? Is social agendas slowly creeping into the church?
I think its not just in the US but in other parts of the world also. As far a social agendas creeping in....don't some push their way in or rush into the church also?
Yep we need to preach it as it is written. I veaguly remember hearing someone say, that if the word offends others when they hear it.... then the preacher more than likely is preaching it right. -
Music4him I was just speaking from my perspective. I wouldn't want to presume anything in other countries I know nothing about :D
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A Preacher on the Fence
From out of the millions of the earth
God often calls a man
To preach the Word, and for the truth
To take a royal stand.
'Tis sad to see him shun the Cross,
Nor stand in its defence
Between the fields of right and wrong:
A preacher on the fence.
Before him are the souls of men
Bound for Heaven or Hell;
An open Bible in his hand,
And yet he will not tell
All the truth that's written there,
It haveth an offence-
The joys of Heaven, the horrors of Hell-
A preacher on the fence.
Now surely God has called the man
To battle for the right.
'Tis his to ferret out the wrong
And turn on us the light.
And yet he dare not tell the truth,
He fears the consequence.
The most disgusting thing on earth
Is a preacher on the fence.
If he should stand up for the wrong,
The right he'd not defend;
If he should stand up for the right,
The wrong he would offend.
His mouth is closed, he cannot speak
For freedom or against.
Great God deliver us from
A preacher on the fence.
But soon both sides will find him out
And brand him as a fraud,
A coward who dares not to please
The devil or his God.
Oh God, free us from fear of man,
From cowardly pretence;
Cleanse out the dross and fear of loss,
And keep us off the fence. -
Amen Granny!! :D
IMOHO, if they don't preach the truth, God would be happier if they just went and got a job somewhere else!!
Peace,
Tam -
I have always found that preachers (there are exceptions) have higher standards for their members than they have for their own families, especially their children. For example, I knew a preacher who breathed fire when it concerned a woman "wearing that which pertaineth to a man", and yet one would see his daughter wearing pants in public. He would preach against Santa Clause and his fat son got a job playing Santa at the local mall. Ya know, things like that.
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A congregation is as responsible for poor preaching as is the preacher. If enough Christians were committed to the truth, none would have to fear the ability to feed their children were they to focus on certain concerns.
It isn't a one man show. A church is responsible for keeping a capable person behind the pulpit. If you fail at that, don't turn and point the finger at one person. It's the church as a whole that is at fault. If you truly feel the church itself is not a good place because of this you have a variety of options.
Many will complain, few will act. :eek: -
A good point Mareese. Which brings another question to my mind. Does the church make the man or does the man make the church?
A very recent occurance that happened to me truely makes me wonder about that question. I won't go into details about it publically but...it really did and still saddens me.