Saturday, March 21, 2009

Bringin' out my soap box...



Alright....I realize that this post is gonna "ruffle some feathers", but truthfully....I really do not care. I have got to speak my mind and bring attention to the state that our "churches" are in! So, here goes..........
At what point did we (the church) forget that we are supposed to be IN the world....but not OF the world? A while ago I got "stirred up" buy a sermon I heard via podcast...and I do not mean "stirred up" in a good way either! I have just not taken the time to speak out against until now. I have also gotten "stirred up" about a local youth group event taking place this weekend...so I am just gonna let loose on both at the same time! First....the "sermon". You may find this hard to believe...unless you go to this particular church or are associated with it in some way, but I heard a "pastor" preach a sermon devoted ONLY to the subject of alcohol...titled "Should Christians be able to drink"....or something along those lines. This "pastor's" point was that "YES", Christians should be allowed to drink alcohol...as long as they do not become drunk. He used the scripture "do not be drunk with wine......" saying that as long as you can "control" your drinking then by all means "drink". Now, I have some friends who drink, and I am not stating that drinking is gonna send you to hell (that is for God to decide)....but, what is the purpose of it? And, WHY on earth would a "pastor" promote drinking?(I have to put the word "pastor" in quotation marks simply because the title describes a true shepherd, who cares about his "sheep" not one who cares about being popular with the "wolves".) Why would he take up an entire sermon to endorse drinking alcohol? Why did he leave out the devastating effects that alcohol has on families, how it KILLS and destroys? Nope...he managed to leave all of that out of his sermon, he only reminds people that they should not buy it for minors (since that is illegal) and that they should not get drunk. SERIOUSLY? Are you for real?? What is the purpose of even just ONE drink? To relax, to have a good time, to "fit in"?? What ever happened to being "set apart", DIFFERENT from the rest of the world? It alters your state of mind....period. If you are not looking for that altered effect, then why not drink Pepsi? EVERY single alcoholic on the face of this earth became an alcoholic beginning with just ONE drink. Where was THAT in his sermon? What kind of example would I be to my kids if I used alcohol, in ANY amount? What is that telling them? I will share with you something that happened a few months ago, I was at dinner with a large group of women when one of them ordered a martini-the drinks were 2 for 1 so she offered the second to whoever wanted it. A few people at our table tasted it, but no one drank it so the woman, who ordered it, finished the first and the second. I asked Brett, later that night, how much it would take for this woman to be too impaired to drive. I explained that a few people sipped from the second drink but there was still a good amount in it when the woman finished it. Brooke, our 12 year old daughter, heard me talking to Brett and she said "Mommy, did YOU take a sip?". The THOUGHT of me taking one single sip was just eating at her! Thankfully, I was able to tell her honestly that I had not taken a sip....nor did I have the desire to! I know that I have a VERY addictive personality and all it would take, would be ONE sip for me to lose control. But regardless, even if you CAN take one sip, or one drink...why? What kind of testimony are you being if you use alcohol in any amount? People who have seen alcoholism destroy lives view it so much more differently than those who have not. They do not see the "one drink", they see the bruises their husband's have left behind, they see the tears running down their children's faces, they see infidelity, heartache, death........ . It all started with one drink. I heard all that I needed to hear from that "pastor" and I immediately went home and deleted the remaining "sermons" and unsubscribed to his podcasts! He is not the only "pastor" I have heard who tries so hard to be "cool" and fit in with the world. Once Brett and I were visiting a church and the "pastor" said from the pulpit.." I am tired of hearing all the Bi*#ching and complaining.....". Unbelievable! The congregation just laughed...it was funny to them! Again, what is the purpose?

Now, onto the "godly" event that a local church is hosting this weekend. You may or may not be familiar with the books and the movie titled "Twilight". Basically, it is about a vampire that falls in love with a woman.....that is really all I needed to know to realize that it was NOT something that my children would be reading or watching. Well, there is a church that is hosting a "Twilight" party where they are going to view the movie as a youth group at the church. What is wrong with that picture. The leaders of this youth group are saying that they are gonna "draw" teens to Christ by offering "fun" events as a way to be introduced to the church. Brett and I have been youth pastors, so we KNOW that it takes some "bait" to get youth into the church, but what does it say about a church who is willing to use the same bait that Satan uses? The problem lies here......a LOT of people (not just at this particular church-but at churches around the country) do not see any harm in vampire movies, or Harry Potter........ They are blinded and do not see that there IS a spiritual world that exists and by allowing that garbage to come into their homes it opens the doors for all kinds of satanic activity. Like it or not...it is the truth. I have friends that think I am NUTS when I talk like this...but it is the truth. Just because it makes you uncomfortable does not mean it is not factual. Anyhoo, I could not believe that this church was going to try so hard to "fit in" with today's youth that they are forgetting the reasons why the church exists to begin with! The world wants something DIFFERENT...not more of the same.....isn't that why people come to Christ to begin with? I know...I KNOW, that I have slammed some people here today-but after all, it IS my blog-intended for MY voice...I am gonna let it be heard! I just get so frustrated with the lows that our churches have stooped to...and for what? Does it bring about change? No-it only allows a person to sit comfortably in a church service as they continue to live the way that they always have....believing (or hoping) that they are right with God...all because the "pastor" wants to be a "seeker friendly" church. Seeker friendly? I guess it all depends on what the person is seeking. If they are seeking the pastor's stamp of approval on their messed up lives...then yes, some churches are "seeker friendly". If they are seeking GOD...? Not so much.

3 comments:

michelle said...

Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are sooooo true on all that you have said! Period!
If feathers get ruffled, then so be it, sorry!
I watched my whole entire family be destroyed from ONE drink, ONE needle, ONE sniff and ONE pill...thank God, each are alive...some still don't have a relationship with God, but HE did spare their lives.
Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, heeeellllllloooooo...
Just so sad that people can't 'get' the feeling of being in love with Jesus, instead of feeling good about how something 'of the world' makes them feel! (does that make sense??)
Anyway, like I 'always' tell you...thankful that you speak from the heart! It does a friend good!

Anonymous said...

Amen..You are so right!!!
Thanks for speaking up. It brakes my heart to see young girls go crazy over things like that,
Love your blog.

Sherri Walker-McCann said...

Thanks Brenda and Michelle! I just think it is time that people start speaking up!