Monday, March 31, 2014
Sheep and Fleece
I think the title pretty well hits the bottom line on this from Christian Post:
The giant fracture that is the American Evangelical scene is growing increasingly problematic. IN the name of God we are destroying much.
God save us from ourselves.
abusive church evangelicalism silliness
A Texas megachurch pastor, whose 'Aviation Department' advised him that upgrading the blades on his helicopter would save his church $50,000, recently caused an uproar for asking his congregation to help finance the upgrade with $52 'favor seeds.'There is so much wrong with that, it is exhausting to think about trying to pull it apart bit by bit and tell you about it. Rather I'd like to think about the words I read in my devotional reading this morning:
Bishop, I.V. Hilliard, of the New Light Christian Center in Houston Texas, reportedly sent out a controversial newsletter to his "Friends in Jesus" list, telling them that if they sow a $52 transportation seed toward the upgrade they would receive "breakthrough favor" within 52 days or 52 weeks.
But, when Paul speaks of church unity, he's not envisioning some fuzzy, ethereal, other-worldly connection of individual Christians. Rather, he is thinking of the theological reality made flesh in real, live Christian communities. Church unity isn't just an ideal or a principle. Rather, it's a day-to-day, matter-of-fact reality that needs to be embodied in actual Christian assemblies.Part of that reality is accountability. In real Christian unity someone, anyone, would hold this man accountable for what he is doing. In Christian unity it is unlikely sufficient people in his congregation would be left in an immature state long enough for something like this to take hold.
The giant fracture that is the American Evangelical scene is growing increasingly problematic. IN the name of God we are destroying much.
God save us from ourselves.
abusive church evangelicalism silliness
