| Liar, Liar |
(Aug. 24, 2000) |
After graduating from bible college I knocked on church doors looking for experience. I started at a Presbyterian Church. I ask the pastor if I could train for future leadership in the ministry. Wanting to be up front and honest, I let him know that I don't believe in infant baptism nor was I as Calvinistic as the PC church. The pastor said because of this there was no reason to even start. I walked out realizing I would have gotten further if I lied. Not wanting to resort to deception I knocked on a different church, a fast growing contemporary church. I said to the pastor, "I would like to be trained for future leadership in the ministry." Wanting to be honest and up front, I let him know that I don't believe tongues is a prayer language and that I don't believe it's biblical for men to have long hair. The pastor said I don't want you judging my people. Not wanting to strike out again I asked if could help somewhere in the church. I figured that after a while I would prove myself. I asked to help in every volunteer position in their church and was shot down for every one. Yes, I even tried to work in the nursery. I realized that if I lied I would have gotten further. I spent about 8 month looking for a place willing to hire me as a minister or train me for future ministry. Tired of working a part-time fast food job while my wife made the real money, I gave up the search and resolved that God was going to have to hit me with a two-by-four before I pursue ministry again.
I became disenchanted with Christian churches in at least these United States. I found they loved you only if you were like them or at least lied and said you were. They consider you Godly only if you believe their minor doctrines, or at least lied and said you did.
I pondered something I learned in Bible College: Most of today's anti-Christian Ivy League colleges originated as Bible Seminaries. It then dawned on me how this happened. It's as simple as this: The liars got further. They became the next deans, officers and presidents of these colleges. And since liars don't value truth, the more that liars became leaders in these schools, the less truth was taught.
Almost every Christian institute we created in this country has slowly walked the same path. From the YMCA to the public school system, leadership has been given over to those who don't love truth.
Have you ever noticed that as a general rule of thumb, the older a denomination is, the further it is removed from its founder's position and the basic fundamental truths of the bible?
Rarely does a fundamental Christian organization survive a hundred years.
This is because a church will hire a wolf in sheep's clothing before it will hire a sheep that differs with existing leadership.
These are hard words and many will be offended by them. But I cannot escape them. The pattern of history is too consistent. All I can say is: "
Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you." (Proverbs 9:8). Love the rebuke, be different, change.
