I recently blogged about a pastor I know being investigated fro Fraud by the feds. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for me where "organized churches" are concerned. I have been in Romania for nearly a year now, and have been to 1 church service since we've been here, I don't understand the language yet. And if I can't understand what they are saying I don't know if scripture is being misused or not. Yes, my husband knows the language, it's his native language, but it's not the same. I NEED to hear and understand for myself. I can now understand what he went through when he first got to the U.S. and barely knew any English.
I said all that to say this. I am completely and totally fed up with the churches. It is the church that we were warned of - the church who only wants their ears tickled, the church who wants to name it and claim it by taking Romans 4:17 COMPLETELY out of context. It is the church that believes in the Holy Laughter Movement, the whole slain in the spirit thing, and the belief/doctrine (mainly in the pentecostal and charismatic churches) that speaking in tongues is the ONLY evidence of being baptised by the Holy Spirit. They should really re-read Corintians 12 again. Speaking in tongues is a GIFT of the holy spirit, not evidence of it. If that is the case, than why not prophesing being used as evidence of being baptised by the Holy Spirit??? STOP TWISTING SCRIPTURE to fit your pre-conceived notions, or beliefs that make you feel better about it all!!!
Stop people like Joel Osteen who won't stand up for God's word and call sin what it is. Stop the prejudiced preachers like Billy Graham, stop the snake-oil salesmen like Benny Hinn, stop the new-age mixed with "christianity" of Rick Warren, etc., etc. Do I really need to keep listing them.
For anyone who wants to say that I shouldn't be judging, yes I should, we are commanded to call out those that would twist and pervert scripture, and spread false doctrines, etc. As a Christian it is our duty, nay our "ministry" to expose the lies, and those who spread the lies.
I'm tired of all it all. I'm tired of self proclaimed bishops and pastors who lie, cheat, steal, fornicate, hold bitterness, backbite and backstab when away from the pul-pit. Who bully people, who confuse baby christians with half truths, and convoluted doctrines, etc.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. That's it. I don't need anything other than God's word and love for me and my family. We can have our own fellowship. Without the hypocrisy.
amen, queen odessa. amen.
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priestess j-lo
jenni! i see you! why don't you start a blog, too?!?! :)
ReplyDeleteodessa, totally understand! i'm sick of it too. a lot of it. not as sick as my hubby, though. he is SOOO sick of it. mainly, he's more disgusted than i am b/c he sees more of it than i am. there are so many things that he has learned from learning to read the bible in the original hebrew. for example, you are probably the only person i could tell this to w/o totally thinking i'm nuts, but tithing does not exactly go the way we've been taught in the church!! also the scripture that says "do not take the lord's name in vain" - it doesn't mean, "don't say oh my god." it means "don't lift up God's name on a falsehood" - that's what it literally means. Basically meaning, don't lift up God's name on something false/worthless. i'm not saying it right, but most of those guilty of using God's name in vain ARE pastors - those who have used his name to support their OWN doctrines/interpretations of scripture.
It is crazy what you learn when you read scripture in the original language.
ANYWAY... we are supposed to judge in the way you said & I agree w/ you about some of those you mentioned. But not sure about other ones. And not sure about some of the things you mentioned. BUT... overall i agree w/ what you're saying. i want to go to church- b/c i want to be in a body of believers. but i haven't been to church in months b/c i'm so sick of some of the bs. (and my church is awesome! but it's there as well as everywhere!)
Melissa, do some research on the ones you aren't sure of. You'll see. Yes, tithing is misconstrued.
ReplyDeleteWhich things are you not sure of?? The being slain in the spirit part, the speaking in tongues part? Name it and claim it? I can reference scripture, and if your hubby can tell me if I'm understanding the KJV correctly or not, I would appreciate it. I do NOT want to be in error.
I do believe that Jesus gave us the power to lay hands on the sick and see them recover. Wait let me re-phrase that, NOT US, but HIM doing it through us, through our Faith in Him.
BTW, how did he learn Hebrew, did he take classes or find a book or online website, what???
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