Rating the Pastors

Back to the chart showing how pastors think about the job they are doing.

A more accurate rating should be: How well does your flock know the Bible, and how well do they live it?

Is your divorce rate, like so many churches, the same as the world’s?

Is your suicide rate, again as with so many churches, the same as the world’s?

Do your congregants use anti-anxiety drugs like the bread of communion?

Do the people with money have more influence and power than the poorer members?

Do you follow the whole of the Word, observing His holy days, His dietary guidelines, and His instructions for cleanliness? If not, why not? Have you instead been taken captive by philosophy and empty deceit according to human tradition, precepts and teachings and elemental spirits of the world and not according to Christ? (Colossians 2)

Are the discipline instructions in Matthew 18:15-20 followed in your church? Why not?

Jesus said that those who hear His words and do not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. How do we know our house is on sand? When the rain falls, floods come and winds blow and beat against the house, it falls down.

How many times has your “house fallen down” in upheaval and turmoil because of a pastor change? How many pastors do you know have fallen into transgression such as adultery and drug abuse?

Which is more common in your church, the fruit of the Spirit or works of the flesh? (Galatians 5:16-26)

Does your church look anything like the first century church?

Now how high does your pastor rate?

Do you think there’s a deeper meaning to the fact that diplomas are called “sheepskins?” As in, “wolves in sheep’s clothing?

Power Failure

‘Whole Bible Christianity’ chapter 1, section on Power Failure

No church machine that I know of encourages believers to avoid pork and shellfish (Leviticus 11, Deuteronomy 14) simply because God said. We can diet for any reason, as long as it isn’t God’s. The entrée of choice for the pagan feasts we’ve stolen is pig’s flesh (Isaiah 65:4; 66:17). Sabbath, the last day of the week blessed and given to us by God after He rested from creation (Genesis 2:3), is no longer allowed to be a day of complete rest. What we are to set apart as holy has slipped and slid into “ceremonial” or a “shadow” or “the same as every other day.”

I know what some of you are thinking now. Go on. You can say it out loud. You know you want to. “Those are just small things. They’re not important at all.” But the Bible has an answer for that, too. He who is faithful in little is faithful in much. The church who isn’t faithful in little won’t be faithful in much (Luke 16:10). Faith is not about size or quantity. It’s about doing what God says in all things, whether we think they are big or little.

I submit that we cannot, in fact, claim to be faithful in the big things while sitting in judgment on His Word for (alleged) small things. Jesus tells us not to ignore the lighter commands while placing proper emphasis on the weightier ones (Matthew 23:23). The Bible makes no split between salvation issues and non-salvation issues. I can’t find any biblical proof that some of the Law is not worthy of our attention. A loving relationship with God does not have room for judging what we are willing to do and what we are not. He gave us everything including the blood of His only begotten Son in boundless love and grace. Returning that gift with partial effort and picky sentiment doesn’t reflect a new heart.