One early eye-opener was when a pastor at a church I visited (looking for a home church) showed up at my house to introduce himself and "minister" to us, and ended up trying to sell me a vacuum cleaner. As a young husband and father seeking a spiritual home, that was a rude awakening...
Comparing notes of first-hand experiences recently brought up a number of churches where church leaders pilfered the offerings, and / or sold the church property and disappeared with the money. Adultery is commonplace in the hierarchy as well. lt has been a very hard reality for me to face. I came out of a very heavy-handed religion, where the answers to my questions were "It's not for you to know or question, just listen and obey the leaders". Sound familiar?
Even many of the "good" missions and ministries have become a socialist-like ego trip for so many running them that I have become jaded, even though the need is great. I discovered this first hand when I got behind the scenes of several as a contributor (money and personal time) and found even the best had a dark, selfish side.
It's really shaken me to my core, and I am now skeptical when someone comes to me with their requests for time or funds for "What God has called them to do...". I find in most cases when I question them, the pushback is illogical and unscriptural by their own standards, which makes me wonder about the true motives behind their actions in the first place. Even when a ministry might look good, when I look at the personal lives of people running them, it makes me question again their true motives...
Fellow Freepers, I apologize for the venting, but this has been weighing on me for a long time as more and more of these revelations come to the surface...
Lord, help me in my unbelief! Give me the ability to see and hear You, and not those that strive to put themselves between You and me for the advancement of their ungodly plans and schemes....
There are good denominations out there. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (NOT ELCA) is one. Our financials are printed in our bulletin every week. You know where every penny is. And the teaching and doctrine are sound
That’s why our focus is to be on CHRIST and not man.
When people make church too necessary, then this is going to happen.
Churches don’t and can’t save anyone. Only Jesus can do that.
So while going to church is fine and helpful, to a degree, our spiritual growth comes with our own time alone with the Lord, praying, worshiping and most importantly, getting into His word.
Salvation is an individual thing, not a corporate thing.
And you are right and wise to question everyone’s appeal for money.
What ticks me off the most is when people at church go on a short term missions project (and I know what kind of job they have, and they certainly have enough money to pay for it themselves) and these are the people who hardly give me the time of day, and yet when they want a free trip, they come with hands out, begging for money.
For too many people, the only time I hear from them is when they want something. Nope. Don’t bother.
You can’t be a friend just because? Then forget the hand out. You are not going to use me.
“It’s not for you to know or question, just listen and obey the leaders”. Sound familiar?”
All too familiar, unfortunately. I had a tough time as a chid understanding why adults around me so often seemed to practice something which bore only the slightest resemblance to what they preached.