Church "Politics"

What is it? How did it come about? Where did it come from? What is it doing to the church?

What is church politics? 
Quite frankly, I really don't know. But from the certain situations I've witnessed, church politics is the act of trying to please and appease everyone in the congregation (notice I said congregation, not church) so that you can stay popular and relevant. We've all seen it, you have to do this thing for this person because they sponsored the event that bought the drums and the mics. "Oh you can't talk to her like that because she's the pastor's son's schoolmate from '88." RUBBISH! That's nothing but pride ad being self-centered. Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Pride and arrogance will always lead to your demise. There's no room for either of them in the house of God because it's SUPPOSED to be about Jesus! 

How did it come about?
It's my opinion that church politics began when people stopped listening to God and what he wants for his church and started doing what they thought was best for the church! We are humans with limited wisdom, crazy emotions, and a desire to be liked and accepted. Who are we to decide what's best for a being that's infinite in both wisdom and power? One who knows all, sees all? One who just... IS? Remember what happened to Adam and Eve? Remember how they didn't listen to God? Remember how we're still paying for the sin they brought into the world? Yes, I know they got tricked by the devil but we believers cannot allow ourselves to fall in the trap of allowing other voices and motives to manipulate us and deter us from the voice of the lord!

Where did it come from?
Like all things contrary to what God wants, church politics come from Satan himself. When he decided that he knew what's best for the world and that he was better than God, church politics began. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 55:8) This lets us know that as soon as we even began to think we knew what was best for the church, we were already dead wrong. We're filthy rags, stained with sin, whose lives are sustained by grace and mercy! How dare we try to do God's job? 

What is it doing to the church?
Simply put, KILLING IT! Just look at where church politics has gotten us. It's like rival gangs in the church. Ushers beefing with the pastoral aide, mothers' board beefing with the musicians. Meanwhile the pastor is trying to take the people to another level in God but the people can't go because they're preoccupied with their own gain! It causes division as well as multi-vision because if the pastor is saying one thing to you and I but we both have our own opinion on how it's to be done, then God is not going to be in the midst of it because it's out of order! 1 Corinthians 14:40 says, "let all things be done decently and in order." There's nothing decent or orderly about church politics. To be honest, it has no place in the church. I'm not talking about the building, but the people. God was never elected. He never campaigned or wrote a speech. All he did was die for us  and offer us eternal life. Who ever wants it, they can have it, who ever doesn't the don't have to take it. Why are we adding to the perfect formula? We need to get off ourselves and get back on God. Allow him to guide and direct us. Like the song says, "In Him there is no failure, Christ the Lord." 

I'm tired of losing, how 'bout you?

-SP

Trust Issues

This is just a thought that I've been having for quite some time. So just rock with me on this one...

As I think back over my life and my many experiences with being down-and-out, broke, and in a messed up situations, I've come to the realization that had I just listened to God, those situations wouldn't have been as bad as they were. As a believer in Christ, we're taught that God is the source of our supply and that we should have faith in him to be our Jehovah Jireh (god the provider). But, like most inner-city youths growing up, faith was a hard thing to come by. EVERYTHING on TV, in school and in the community promoted "make it on your own" "master of your own destiny" type of things. After a while, church or not, you began to think that this is the way to be. So what do you do? You lose sight of God and try to make it on your own, neglecting the fact that He holds the world in his hand.

The bible says "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6) That is clear instruction from God to just simply TRUST him in all things so that he can guide you to where he wants you to be. But in our finite minds and human limits we cannot see the future. We don't know the grand scheme because only God knows. He, the great composer, has orchestrated out lives in such a way, that only he knows the path. Every turn and bend, every up and down, every obstacle! Now of course, across the board, from person to person, there are some similar paths but it affects us all differently. 

So many people mess up because they think their current problem is going to be their lasting memory! Every time something happens, the enemy would have you to believe that you'll never make it out, you'll always be in that place and, because of your past, God is not going to take care of you. What kind of foolishness is that? We as believers must NOT allow ourselves to be tricked of the enemy because "the earth is the lord's and the fullness thereof..."(psalm 24:1) and "weeping may endure for a night..."(psalm 30:5) and most importantly "greater is He that's within me..."(1 John 4:4) 

With the true and living god on our side, we have everything we need to make it in any situation. Truth of the matter is, we don't have the time to trust in anything else. We need to have a made up mind that we will trust in the lord because he's never failed. Who better to trust than God when circumstances arise? He who was, is, and yet to come? Nothing, nobody, PERIOD! Name one person who's fully put their trust in him and he's let them down... I'll wait...

... Thought so

-SP