Saturday, December 27, 2008

The Apostate Beauty Contest

*Recently I have been a bit floored at how many people I have been running into that have been reading this blog and notes I have written on facebook... I was surprised because only a handful ever respond on the blogs themselves. This worries me, it means that I have likely stepped on FAR MORE "toes" than I ever knew! Huzzah! Recently a relative of mine away at school asked me about a term I use often when describing the sad estate of the American Church, and denominational leaders in America, the term is "The Apostate Beauty Contest". Here is how I described it to him:

The "Apostate Beauty Contest" is the trend within Christendom to surrender the hope in God's not-of-this-world Kingdom for a secular earthbound godless equivalent.

The championing of pastors who are a calculating CEO, more than a good shepherd.

The tendency to lose patience with God's methods and substitute earthly pragmatic business solutions.

The reliance on professional qualifications and "track records of success" (gag reflex goes here!!) rather than spiritual gifting, godly character or ANY evidence that God's hand is on someone for our pastorate. I will listen to the broken man with a track record of humility!

The commitment to supplanting true movements of God with much more "manageable" fabrications and human facsimile's, perfect for tracking and explanation with charts and graphs, and ones that require the worship of denominational officers rather than awe at the power of God.

The tendency to promote a hip looking young pretty faces and plugging our noses to the aroma of Christ in a man.

The supplanting of the profound with the entertaining.

The abandoning of the truth of the sovereignty of God and becoming more "open" to the human "power within".

The replacement of the gospel of repentance and forgiveness of sins, and the power of the Holy Spirit for a "yes packet".

Supplanting a suffering Messiah who sheds His blood with a well-healed secular messiah who sheds the blood of the unborn, the oppressed he refused to intervene for, and the hard working. This messiah, won't save you on the porch nor was this the one in the upper room.

The tendency of the local church to try to knock itself out for the applause of this world and nonplussed at the idea of the "well done" of God.

The under-shepherds ego's feasting on the flock, and returning the honor of those who serve with the dishonor of the "professional" replacement.

The mistake of shepherds to think that a job title and a salary = leadership, rather than anyone being shepherded or following them.

The snuffing out of the creative mind, the creative mind is too risky for such carefully calculated mausoleums! "Predictability" is our motto, "inspiration" is the devil.

The Church in America is in dire straights, not because it is not growing, but because it is turning into a well attended, well entertained mausoleum.

Shalom tikkun

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