When nonbelievers control the Church.
Believe it or not people in church, especially the elders and Board of Directors, many do not care or actually believe the message in the Bible. These people who control the church of Christ, they do not believe in God. This is sometimes the most devastating revelation to a believer of faith. When he sees that people who control the Church of Christ are not there for salvation, but for control. I had my own rude awakening at the church I attend. For the past few years I have trusted these people with my spiritual growth, my relationship to God, and my belief in their concern for my well-being. It turns out that there are a proportion of people in the church I attended who hate me.
Not only that, they hate me for no reason. When you do not trust somebody, the real reason is generally because you do not like him or her. People rationalize their mistrust of others. People who do not trust others have no right saying they trust in God. For how can you say you trust in God whom you do not see when you show no trust for your brother who you can see? When nonbelievers run the church, their hatred destroys the growth and vitality of the ministry. When the ministry becomes infected with pleasing the church elders, the minister no longer follows the dictates of Christianity; he follows the dictates of humanly world pride.
I must say that any Christian who holds a position of power in the church that is recognized by the community as a legitimate religious body, that person will be judged severely by his or her God, if he or she abuses or misuses the power to their position in the church…Need I say more? I’m not sure my sermons have that much power, but I do pray that I always have reverence and conviction on my belief in Christ. You will not be liked if you speak up when you see the church is not adhering to the Bible teachings of the New Testament. Sadducees and Pharisees have become deacons and laypersons. They dress up nice and act “as if” they’re important in the eyes of the church and the eyes of God.
However, we must continue to work Our ways into those positions of influence. We must remember our commitment to Christianity means sacrificing personal pleasure to protect positions of power from evil. If you do not feel you have enough people committed in your local church to change, if you can not do things in accordance with trust, and build fresh Love in community relations, One must leave that church and find a church where the spirit of God is seen, in the loving behavior of the parishioners and even more importantly, there must be loving behavior in the elders and church leaders who control the environment where God’s service and love will help the people find a way to Christ salvation.
Thomas A. SUTOR
P.O. Box 2343
Lompoc CA 93438
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