A while back, a local government official invited one of our pastors to be a part of an influential task force that would be focused on a community development project.
After working out some of the details, the pastor finally asked the director why he called our church when he had dozens of other options.
Without hesitation, the government agent said, “Oh, everyone knows that your church is externally-focused.”
Of course, our pastor was very happy to hear that.
[While I’m all for the separation of church and state, to see them work together to accomplish a common goal is an amazing thing to watch.]
The Church at Sardis was perceived in a certain way in their community …
“You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”
(Jesus in Revelation 3:1)
A modern expression of this is the false belief that outward prosperity is always a sign of God’s favor or blessing.
The unspoken corollary to this is that the absence of success (namely suffering) is a sign that God is displeased with the person who is in distress.
There once was a “healing-for-hire” ministry that tried to slither its way into our congregation—one that claimed if the participants could not “hang on to their healing,” then they needed to go to the “next level” (which only cost a little more).
This group was promptly shown the door.
Reject any version of Christianity that says you are suffering (or have not experienced healing) because you don’t have enough faith.
Especially when …
Schmidt Happens
Next post: “Tepid” :: Versions of Christianity You Should Reject (According to Jesus).
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