If he’s running from God, he’s not doing a very good job.
On today’s episode, he visited a satellite campus of a prominent and influential megachurch. He shared his experience – from the parking lot to the pew, as we church employees are known to say – and it’s important to note that he is in no way combative or attempting to tear down Christianity. His delivery is conversational, and he seems to have no interest in proving Christians wrong. Rather, he is open about the fact that religion is important to society. He states often that he cares about people and is more interested in the church being a healthy place.
We won’t split hairs about whether or not someone who is not convinced of the truth of who Jesus is can judge the health of His church. Not now… maybe later…
Can someone who is not convinced of the truth of who Jesus is judge the health of His church?
The biggest complaint he had about this church wasn’t what I expected. I thought it might be the friendliness of the greeters who immediately tried to get him involved a small group. Nope.
Then I thought it would be the fact that the sanctuary was in a gym. That didn’t faze him.
Maybe it’s the fact that the worship set felt like a concert. But he didn’t bat an eyelash at that (does that saying work for men, or is it just for women?).
Oh, I know! It’s the fact that the pastor preaches from another location and broadcasts the message to the satellite campuses. Getting warmer…
The biggest complaint was the charisma of the pastor.
He didn’t complain about heresy in the pulpit because there was none.
He classified the pastor as someone who draws the congregation in. Someone who engages people conversationally with the Word.
He didn’t complain about heresy in the pulpit because there was none. He didn’t mention biblical inaccuracy of any kind. Actually, he used his two theology degrees to applaud the fact that this pastor – despite being controversial in many evangelical settings – spoke in alignment with Scripture.
His complaint was charisma. And I get it, to some extent. If a ministry is totally dependent and completely built on one person (Jesus notwithstanding), then it’s set up for cult-like mentalities. So I’m not mad at this man’s caution.
But is charisma such a bad thing? Wasn’t Jesus charismatic? Wasn’t that part of what drew the crowds to him and set off alarm bells in the Pharisees?
All things have the propensity to be used for the glory of God or the perversion of the gospel.
Here’s the truth: all things have the propensity to be used for the glory of God or the perversion of the gospel.
It’s the oldest trick in the book. The first thing Satan did was pervert the words of God. This caused Eve to believe that God was holding out on her. And that belief set off a chain reaction that we still wrestle with today.
But God’s word wasn’t wrong. It was and is still pure, because everything God gives is pure.
The same is true for our gifts and unique wiring in this day and age. God made no mistakes in His creation or His timing. We learn from the book of Esther that He positions and appoints people for a specific purpose in a specific time.
In other words, put it in God’s hands. All of it. All of us. Let it be pure. Let it be impactful.
For such a time as this.
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