Recently, a family member visited a local baptist church, She went and sat down on the front row of pews on the right side of the hall. Immediately, an older lady walked over and informed her that she had to sit somewhere else because, this pew was reserved for the first ladies of the church, the first ladies being the wives of the pastor, and lesser ministers of the church. My family member also said that the elderly lady was rather rude, and abrupt with her. Having come from a church who was multicultural, this family member had never heard of a first lady, let alone that they had special seating, since this practice was not in her home church.`This family member had to say a silent prayer, asking God to give her peace, so that she could stay for the service.
Another church in an economically strapped part of town, with a membership of about 500, has set aside one sunday a month to take up a love offering for their pastor, on top of his monthly salary. In doing a little math, I estimate that if each person gives 10 bucks apiece,the results could add up to $5,000 a month extra for the pastor, multiply that by 12, and one could see it as being very profitable for a pastor in that church.
Some popular pastors (no names) command as much as $10,000 dollars per sermon to come and preach at different churches, so a 2 day event could earn $20,000 or more for the pastor.
Is this what Jesus wanted the shepards of his body to do? How they should live? Is the church following the commands of JESUS?
Wow! The sad part is that in today's world, that is hardly unbelieveable. We get so bogged down in doing church that we actually forget that the purpose of the church was to take the Gospel to the world and provide a home for believers to be fed and nurtured. When we get trapped in the pride and arrogance of bringing such vain and selfish things and start putting our way ahead of Jesus' way, we truly lose sight of the direction our Savior has pointed us: To love one another. It is painful to see all these happenings in the name of Jesus. Father, forgive them.
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