YES, WE HAVE NO BUTTER
A waiter once told me that there was one complaint he'd never heard from a diner: "This has too much butter." We love butter; it adds a flavor that tantalizes the taste. During WWII, the U. S. government rationed butter. "Red Stamp" rationing covered all meats, butter, fat, and oils, and with some exceptions, cheese. (Rationing cheese was a good thing; it's terrible.) You couldn't walk into a store and buy all you wanted of whatever the government rationed.
"Yes, we have no butter," was the watchword of the day. Our government decided that the American people would have to learn to limit their use of it. So families, in good patriotic fashion, willingly gave up butter.
But, did you know that while our government was rationing butter, it sent 217,660,666 pounds of it to the Russia? While our government was saying "Yes, we have no butter," to its own people, it was shipping over 108 tons of it to the Soviets. Say what?
Wait a minute! You mean that we couldn't have butter, but Stalin and his communists could have 108 tons of ours? That's what the record says. This looks like an example of our government's depriving our families, our men, women and children, of what's ours and sending it to a foreign government, a communist regime at that!
According to Stanford historian Norman Naimark, Stalin "had nearly a million of his own citizens executed, beginning in the 1930s. Millions more fell victim to forced labor, deportation, famine, massacres, and detention and interrogation by Stalin's henchmen."
He continues, "In some cases, a quota was established for the number to be executed, the number to be arrested, [which] some officials over fulfilled as a way of showing their exuberance." (Stalin's Genocide)
And that butcher gets our butter!
According to Stanford historian Norman Naimark, Stalin "had nearly a million of his own citizens executed, beginning in the 1930s. Millions more fell victim to forced labor, deportation, famine, massacres, and detention and interrogation by Stalin's henchmen."
He continues, "In some cases, a quota was established for the number to be executed, the number to be arrested, [which] some officials over fulfilled as a way of showing their exuberance." (Stalin's Genocide)
And that butcher gets our butter!
Let's think about this. If a government can deprive and hurt its own people, can a church do the same? Can shepherds deprive their flocks, not of butter, but of still waters and green pastures?
I would submit to you that pastors, elders, and deacons deprive their flocks of still waters and green pastures with impunity, all for the sake of their "vision." Legion are the visionaries who've declared with with Bible in hand, “God has called us to build a new building, and we need to step out on faith. We need more space, and God is leading us to build.”
In a quest for more, bigger, and better buildings, many a shepherd has led his flock into debt and, consequently, must put pressure on them to get their wool.
Here's one sad scenario that happened to the Lookout Mountain Community Church. The pastor left the church and when he did, their debt burden became impossible to carry. Long story short, good-bye edifice. Mr. Banker foreclosed on them.
Their cost was more than financial; the foreclosure took a personal and emotional toll on the sheep. The congregation had worked hard; they wanted to repay the debt. They made sacrifices. They cut the budget everywhere they could. In the end, they said, "We just couldn't pay it back." There were no still waters in Lookout Mountain Community Church as the handwriting on the wall became more and more legible.
A west coast church borrowed millions for a new building. But the giving dropped and the church had to refinance, yet the struggle continued. When the church was late on one payment, the bank moved in and took over the church finances, required budget cuts from the staff and "suggested" that cuts be made in other areas. The church had literally fulfilled the aphorism of Proverbs 22:7, "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."
Some creditors go to great lengths when a church can't pay the money it owes. The horror stories abound: more than a few church leaders who have personally guaranteed their church's loans have been pursued by the creditors and in a few rare cases, the church members themselves have been billed to pay the bad debt. It's scary when the bank, carrying its shears, comes after sheep.
But we can hear the church shepherds saying at the pledge dinners: "We need to build to attract new people, to expand our parking, to have ministries (i. e. "recreation") for youth, for Sunday school space, for outreach to the community, and to keep pace with the ecclesiastical competition (i. e. "to get our market share.") Shepherds are creative; they can invent many reasons.
There is no need, no ministry, no vision, however pressing, that justifies putting any sheep or all the sheep in a position of being a surety for the debt and of becoming the slaves of the First National Bank. In fact the Bible is clear: Don't do it! The person who becomes surety for the debt of another is likened unto an animal caught in a trap. He is exhorted to sleep no more until he has got out of the trap, or freed himself from this obligation Proverbs 6:1-5. The warnings continue in Proverbs 11:15; 17:18; 22:26.
When that happens, debt dominates everything from the sermons and Sunday school lessons to every hand-wringing business meeting as the slaves try to figure out new ways to get the wool needed for the next payment. Debt can so dominate the church that the sheep violate III John 7 and go after the "wool" of the goats.
It never occurs to the slaves to ask more basic questions than "Where are we going to get the money?" And, truth be told, by then, it's too late to ask the questions anyway.
But how about asking,"Is it the church's God-given task to provide recreation for its youth and go into debt for a youth center." Or, "Is it the church's task to provide a Sunday school class for the children, or should the church train the parents to provide biblical instruction at home?" (If the churches weren't crushed by debt, the shepherds could write and publish grace-oriented literature for its children of all ages.)
Another thought question: "Is it the task of the church to build a children's wing for children's church, instead of the children's sitting with their parents in the service?" Four and five year old children sit all morning in K4 and K5 classes at school, while first graders attend school for seven hours a day.
But they can't understand the sermons preached in the auditorium. But, if the parents were doing their job of training them, they would be understanding more than we think.
How in the world did churches of bye-gone days produce stalwart Christian adults who never sat in a children's church, in fact, who never even heard of a children's church? Besides that, there is something dynamic about a six-year old sitting with a seventy-six year old. And, we might ask, do the parents even know what's being taught in children's church or their SS class?
Here's another thought: Are not these buildings spreading out like a college campus and demanding cash payments every thirty days silent witnesses to the fact that the churches are failures at training their parents to pass on the faith to their own children? Are they not mute testimonies saying to Dad and Mom, "You're such dismal losers, you can't even provide the proper Christian recreation for your own children. Don't worry, we're going into debt to save your children from your pathetic parenting."
I know that shepherds "cast their vision" before the sheep and lead the sheep to vote for the vision, but what about the sheep who baa, "Nay?" If enough of the sheep baa, "Yea," then the Yea group of sheep has just forced the other group into debt against their will. When the payments get hard to come by, the minority sheep become more and more resentful. Angry business meetings ensue.
The shepherds have inflicted damage on the flock Paul charged them to protect. The sheep are restless. The waters are no longer still. The pastures have ceased to be green.
Debt, cruel and relentless with its monthly demands, is now their shepherd.
________________________________________________________________
Dr. Mike Halsey is the chancellor of Grace Biblical Seminary, a Bible teacher at the Hangar Bible Fellowship, and the author of Truthspeak. A copy of his book, "Microbes in the Bloodstream of the Church," is also available on Amazon.com. If you would like to a receive a copy of his weekly Bible studies and other articles of biblical teaching and application, you can do so by writing sue.bove@gmail.com and requesting "The Hangar Bible Fellowship Journal."
Other recommended grace-oriented websites are:
notbyworks.org
literaltruth.org
gracebiblicalseminary.org
duluthbible.org
I would submit to you that pastors, elders, and deacons deprive their flocks of still waters and green pastures with impunity, all for the sake of their "vision." Legion are the visionaries who've declared with with Bible in hand, “God has called us to build a new building, and we need to step out on faith. We need more space, and God is leading us to build.”
In a quest for more, bigger, and better buildings, many a shepherd has led his flock into debt and, consequently, must put pressure on them to get their wool.
Here's one sad scenario that happened to the Lookout Mountain Community Church. The pastor left the church and when he did, their debt burden became impossible to carry. Long story short, good-bye edifice. Mr. Banker foreclosed on them.
Their cost was more than financial; the foreclosure took a personal and emotional toll on the sheep. The congregation had worked hard; they wanted to repay the debt. They made sacrifices. They cut the budget everywhere they could. In the end, they said, "We just couldn't pay it back." There were no still waters in Lookout Mountain Community Church as the handwriting on the wall became more and more legible.
A west coast church borrowed millions for a new building. But the giving dropped and the church had to refinance, yet the struggle continued. When the church was late on one payment, the bank moved in and took over the church finances, required budget cuts from the staff and "suggested" that cuts be made in other areas. The church had literally fulfilled the aphorism of Proverbs 22:7, "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender."
Some creditors go to great lengths when a church can't pay the money it owes. The horror stories abound: more than a few church leaders who have personally guaranteed their church's loans have been pursued by the creditors and in a few rare cases, the church members themselves have been billed to pay the bad debt. It's scary when the bank, carrying its shears, comes after sheep.
But we can hear the church shepherds saying at the pledge dinners: "We need to build to attract new people, to expand our parking, to have ministries (i. e. "recreation") for youth, for Sunday school space, for outreach to the community, and to keep pace with the ecclesiastical competition (i. e. "to get our market share.") Shepherds are creative; they can invent many reasons.
There is no need, no ministry, no vision, however pressing, that justifies putting any sheep or all the sheep in a position of being a surety for the debt and of becoming the slaves of the First National Bank. In fact the Bible is clear: Don't do it! The person who becomes surety for the debt of another is likened unto an animal caught in a trap. He is exhorted to sleep no more until he has got out of the trap, or freed himself from this obligation Proverbs 6:1-5. The warnings continue in Proverbs 11:15; 17:18; 22:26.
When that happens, debt dominates everything from the sermons and Sunday school lessons to every hand-wringing business meeting as the slaves try to figure out new ways to get the wool needed for the next payment. Debt can so dominate the church that the sheep violate III John 7 and go after the "wool" of the goats.
It never occurs to the slaves to ask more basic questions than "Where are we going to get the money?" And, truth be told, by then, it's too late to ask the questions anyway.
But how about asking,"Is it the church's God-given task to provide recreation for its youth and go into debt for a youth center." Or, "Is it the church's task to provide a Sunday school class for the children, or should the church train the parents to provide biblical instruction at home?" (If the churches weren't crushed by debt, the shepherds could write and publish grace-oriented literature for its children of all ages.)
Another thought question: "Is it the task of the church to build a children's wing for children's church, instead of the children's sitting with their parents in the service?" Four and five year old children sit all morning in K4 and K5 classes at school, while first graders attend school for seven hours a day.
But they can't understand the sermons preached in the auditorium. But, if the parents were doing their job of training them, they would be understanding more than we think.
How in the world did churches of bye-gone days produce stalwart Christian adults who never sat in a children's church, in fact, who never even heard of a children's church? Besides that, there is something dynamic about a six-year old sitting with a seventy-six year old. And, we might ask, do the parents even know what's being taught in children's church or their SS class?
There
is something dynamic about a 6 year old spending time with a 76 year
old - See more at:
http://www.presentruth.com/2010/03/childrens-church-segregated-churches-and-a-testimony/#sthash.LdESRRlm.dpuf
There
is something dynamic about a 6 year old spending time with a 76 year
old - See more at:
http://www.presentruth.com/2010/03/childrens-church-segregated-churches-and-a-testimony/#sthash.LdESRRlm.dpuf
There
is something dynamic about a 6 year old spending time with a 76 year
old - See more at:
http://www.presentruth.com/2010/03/childrens-church-segregated-churches-and-a-testimony/#sthash.LdESRRlm.dpuf
Here's another thought: Are not these buildings spreading out like a college campus and demanding cash payments every thirty days silent witnesses to the fact that the churches are failures at training their parents to pass on the faith to their own children? Are they not mute testimonies saying to Dad and Mom, "You're such dismal losers, you can't even provide the proper Christian recreation for your own children. Don't worry, we're going into debt to save your children from your pathetic parenting."
I know that shepherds "cast their vision" before the sheep and lead the sheep to vote for the vision, but what about the sheep who baa, "Nay?" If enough of the sheep baa, "Yea," then the Yea group of sheep has just forced the other group into debt against their will. When the payments get hard to come by, the minority sheep become more and more resentful. Angry business meetings ensue.
The shepherds have inflicted damage on the flock Paul charged them to protect. The sheep are restless. The waters are no longer still. The pastures have ceased to be green.
Debt, cruel and relentless with its monthly demands, is now their shepherd.
________________________________________________________________
Dr. Mike Halsey is the chancellor of Grace Biblical Seminary, a Bible teacher at the Hangar Bible Fellowship, and the author of Truthspeak. A copy of his book, "Microbes in the Bloodstream of the Church," is also available on Amazon.com. If you would like to a receive a copy of his weekly Bible studies and other articles of biblical teaching and application, you can do so by writing sue.bove@gmail.com and requesting "The Hangar Bible Fellowship Journal."
Other recommended grace-oriented websites are:
notbyworks.org
literaltruth.org
gracebiblicalseminary.org
duluthbible.org
No comments:
Post a Comment