Today across America, we have strong and healthy churches from coast to coast. Loyal, faithful, and hard working Pastors line up in churches across America to deliver Biblically inspired messages, protect the flock, and serve the community.
But just because someone has the title of pastor, does that mean they are doing the right thing?
Just because a building is called a church, does that mean it honors God?
And just because someone goes to a church and can speak Christian lingo and participate in religious activities, does that make him saved?
Today we have pastors involved in sex scandals, pastors involved in financial scandals, and one pastor who was engaged in a program called “Love Wins” that urinated on a fellow passenger on a commercial airline. We have institutions that call themselves churches, but God can not be found in them. We have people that go to church, but do not know God. For some, it is a show, so that they can look good in front of others.
After a public figure is exposed, it is easy to discredit him, and many people no longer follow him. But what about the pastor not involved in a scandal? What about the pastor that smiles a great big smile every single week, but you can not see the dagger that he hides behind his back? What about the pastor that pretends to care about you, but is really only interested in what you put in the plate? What about the pastor that claims to be Christian and sounds good on stage, but is really speaking about things that have nothing to do with Christianity?
Today we have wounded sheep in a large pasture. Walking in circles. Wounded. Scarred. Bleeding. Some are tired and want to give up. Some have given up. Some are trapped in the thickets. There is light, there is safety, there is healing. But the sheep are not heading in that direction. They are lost, wounded, confused, scared. Their own blood stands as a stark contrast against their white wool. And the wolves are out. And they get hungry. And sometimes, when life gets hard, when the world and the enemy and everything seems against you, it can get overwhelming. Sometimes due to the stress and anxiety, things start blending together, and these wolves start looking very similar to the sheep. Some may even think they are your friend.
On top of all of the problems life is throwing our way, the church can be another thing. Satan is involved in the educational system, Media, and Hollywood. And he has made his way into some churches.
We have the emergent church movement that seeks to emerge beyond traditional Christianity into a postmodern progressive march towards man's perfect utopia, while hanging on to a remnant of religion.
We have the New age movement, which most churches will not wholeheartedly grasp, but they allow bits and remnants to infiltrate their church and literature.
We have the prosperity gospel that tells us that Christ did not die for our sin but for our financial gain.
We have the remnants of the Seeker movement that told us that the most important part of church, the gospel, needed to be hidden so it wouldn’t offend potential new visitors.
We have Progressive Christianity that seeks to progress beyond traditional Christiantiy as it separates itself from traditional, historic, core Christian beliefs.
We have the attractional / entertainment church, an arm of the seeker movement, that seeks to soothe and excite, entertain and distract, rather than speak truth.
We have the self help / social gospel church, which focuses on accomplishing tasks, creating a better society, or how to be a better you.
We have the controlling/cultic church where freedom in Christ Jesus takes a back seat to the wants and desires of the pastor or the religion itself
And we have the compromised church, which takes bits and aspects from all of these movements, blends them with what the world has to offer, and presents its own version of Christianity, which is less about the King of Kings and more about man's heart, goals, and desires.
This website provides a wealth of information; feel free to browse. It seeks to heal you, your family, and your life. It also seeks to heal, restore, and empower the church. It is for laypeople, pastors, seekers, and scholars. It is for you.