Advertisement versus Life

I have been thinking about the Gospel as has been preached since the Bible times and the way it is done today. I have also been comparing ministry over the different church ages with the way it is done today. Look also at Christian literature over the ages and compare it with the way it is done today.

I came to that as I continue being amazed, albeit negatively, with the way I see ministry being done.

It is easy to think that a church is a corporate entity that relies on the pressured goodwill of its supporters and the pastor is the marketing or resource raising hireling who must look for funds to run that mammoth entity, many times being driven by the fact that he is the primary consumer of the same. The sad reality is that there is no expectation for accountability for all that money one gives, especially because no one should know what the other gave. They could be therefore be holidaying all over when you gave your precious food or investment money because the sales pitch was too compelling to ignore, especially when God and His inability to deliver without your giving was brought into the picture.

Look also at marketing. Do you know that advertising exists to drive people into buying things they do not need? And have you realized that if competition is removed advertisement for necessities will be completely absent from the media? Or have you ever seen advertisements from a monopoly unless as a reminder for people to pay bills (with the threat of disconnection of course)?

Let us take the supermarket as an example. It requires effort to get the things you must buy like food items. They are kept out of sight and you will need directions in a new supermarket. Yet what will you find in areas with premium sight as you walk along the aisles? Unnecessary things like cosmetics and beverages, even as milk is hidden with the other essential items.

You must be convinced to buy what you do not need on your way to buy what you must have. We complain about junk food without realizing the same truth; that it is packaged to make us crave it. You walk past a fast food place and your eyes are drawn to the somersaulting chicken and the tantalizing smell of the other fast food that creates hunger even if one is from having a heavy breakfast. And we do not win the war by getting information about dangers or waste.

Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. (Proverbs 23: 31 – 33)

Alcoholism is advertised the same way, since Bible times. Even the alcoholic knows he is on the downward slope yet is unable to resist that advertising in the package and company.

I was in a drug and alcohol rehab recently and heard the same statement repeated by several people; some completely free and helping others and some who have just joined. They had been looking for somewhere they could be free from seeing alcohol or friends as they had completely failed to resist the pull back to the hell they were experiencing. Call that the power of advertisement.

Life operates on a different level. Its existence is the drive that calls everything to it. Look at the wild to get my point. When it gets dry all the animals will congregate around the water holes or swamps. From the eater to the eaten none will go very far from water because they won’t be able to last long without it.

You may be wondering what I am driving at. The church is mastering the art of advertisement. And of course this tells me one thing; that such a church does not possess any life because then people would be flocking to get it. The fact that we must convince people using all ploys to come and give should be a loud scream that we are peddling nothing of value in the spiritual sense.

Jesus was always running from people to be able to get uninterrupted time with His disciples. Yet they would always look for Him wherever He went. Remember this?

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. (Matthew 15:32)

Three days in the wilderness without food and nobody was in a hurry to leave? And we are talking about twenty thousand people (five thousand men). What did He have that could draw such a crowd to such a remote place that they even forgot they needed food?

His teaching possessed and dispensed life. That is the reason people looked far and wide for Him. He dealt with their issues in ways that released life to them.

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

That was the reason people flocked to Him irrespective of the cost or discomfort involved.

And it was not only Christ whose ministry drew in the crowds. David drew in the crowds even when he was an outlaw. Jonah drew in the whole city though he was smelling all fishy and probably with his skin peeling from his encounter in the belly of the fish. And John the Baptist drew in the crowds to the desert. And many other servants of God shared that experience.

What is lacking in our ministries that we must advertise them? It goes without say that we lack the divine spark. We must therefore create enough diversion so that people do not see our emptiness. We must also convince people to fund that emptiness. Our lack of life must therefore be made to appear so full of life so as to convince people to fund it.

And I am also talking about my writing. If my posts do not possess life that I must be more entertaining and comical to convince people to read whatever I have to write, I am hopelessly desperate to get relevance instead of seeking God’s face to hear what exactly He wants me to share with His people.

My cry is that whatever God gives me to post will draw whoever needs the message to be drawn to my blog by God Himself as opposed to advertising to get agreeable hits and followers. I am not in the business of writing but in the ministry of writing and will therefore be content if the message I post will bring life to only one person.

Why are some churches more concerned in selling real estate than in sharing the message of life? Why are pastors marketers of all kinds of schemes instead of preaching the Gospel of life? Why do almost all sermons lean toward entertaining and sanitizing sinners instead of bringing life by dealing with the sin that is a sure recipe for death? Why do most pyramid and get rich scams start with the church leadership? Why do gambling companies have church leaders in their leadership?

Why do pastors with books make their books the subject in their sermons to entice people to buy them especially as they will leave so many gaps in the sermon to ensure that you buy that book?

Why do we have to use loud sound systems to project our sermons to people who accuse us of sound pollution? Why do we advertise our services all over for a church that has been in operation for decades? Why are we always preaching about giving money instead of preaching about complete surrender of all, including that money, to the Lordship of Christ? And why has sin stopped featuring in our sermons as if getting the whole world can be compared to accessing eternal life?

Why are our ‘worship’ leaders always singing about others’ revelations as if God stopped being real to His people? Why is selling music and getting invites to ‘bashes’ more important than actual ministry? Why do famous musicians snub invites from small ‘unimportant’ churches and functions yet have no problem doing collabos with secular musicians for functions that offer more public exposure and fame? Why do we treat talent as more important to character when looking for ‘worship’ leaders?

Chances are that we are peddling a counterfeit Gospel, a Gospel devoid of life. No wonder we must advertise it as supermarkets do the inessentials in the most prominent places. That is the reason that for years we are compiling list after list of the unreached people groups yet we are never any closer to reaching them as we are more fixated on building mega churches for people we are stealing from other churches. That is the reason we have crusades in places that have been trodden grassless for ages instead of taking them where the Gospel is direly needed, all with so much money being used to organize and run those meetings, money that a small portion would be required to support one missionary to an unreached people group. And it is no wonder that we take offerings in those crusades because we know that there are no non believers there or we are too desperate for that offering to care whether those giving those offerings know Christ or not.

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:32)

Are we lifting Christ up in our ministry? This is because it is as Christ is lifted up that He releases life to the world. We may try anything and everything else but we will be marketing hot air if He is not central to our efforts. No wonder too much effort and resources are expended in pursuing that nothing.

How does a Christian singer bribe radio and TV presenters to have their music on air? How can a Christian girl sleep with a producer to have their music produced? How can a Christian publisher fleece upcoming writers in the name of business? How can a senior pastor consolidate all the gifts to his person at the expense of all the other ministers in ‘his’ church?

Why is sycophancy and gifts the shortest route to accessing church leadership and resources? How does a person with a shady past who has no known salvation experience attain a pivotal leadership position just because he uses sense and nonsense to vigorously fight for the pastor? How does a known thief get into leadership just because he gave a huge gift to the pastor? How does a prostitute join a ‘worship’ team by buying a suit for the pastor? Is there any difference from Jeroboam (2 Chronicles 13:9)?

You see, Christ is either everything or nothing. There is no middle ground. We either lift Him high or we are lifting the devil high however loud we shout to the contrary. He either calls all the shots or He is nowhere near our structures. We might have all appearances of the presence or psyche ourselves vigorously to replicate it but we retain ichabod like backslidden Israel bringing the ark of God to the battle ground, only that ours may be worse.

Being involved in the writing ministry, I am in constant touch with printers. I can say with certainty that the title pastor is probably the most high risk name one can take to a printer. Most have been fleeced by those silver tongued orators to pour their money into books that were never paid for. Many times because the pastor did not realize that the cloud had moved when they ventured into the book project (ichabod), or they mistook psyche and presumption for faith when they committed themselves and their nonexistent money into printing a book. He will therefore start hiding from the printer when he realizes that nobody will buy his idea of revelation especially because he will require them to pay a premium for it through buying that book. But it is even worse for ones with a huge name because then they will have a ready market for whatever nonsense they may publish, making it harder for them to see when God leaves them.

There are Christian singers who find pride in running ‘worship’ sessions among drunkards in bars, many times sliding down to imbibing those liquids secretly. I heard an unsaved friend trashing some senior Christian musicians because they frequent the same drinking dens. There are church elders who own bars.

But as usual we must look for a solution instead of complaining. That is God’s way of doing things. He shows us what is wrong to enable us to agree with Him when He shows us the right.

He must increase, but I must decrease. (John 3:30)

John’s confession must define us from the depths of our hearts. When He becomes the only reality we use to guide us, it becomes easy to make the right choices and especially deal with the pressure that comes from the enemy through our closest friends, even our cravings

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2: 15 – 17)

It is the desire to please self that drives us to advertise when we realize that God stopped moving with us when we started ignoring His revelation. Sometimes we do that after being mightily used of Him and He gives us an order that seems to indicate that we start from scratch. And I have seen many ministers becoming irrelevant to the Kingdom who were once powerhouses and excellent weapons in God’s hands in their past. They have become spiritual shells of their past, reliving their former victorious lives and ministries to remain spiritually relevant. Of course their lives are powerful testimonies when looked at from the world. But like Christ asked what does it profit for one to gain the world and lose the heavenly approval?

King Saul is the one clearly identified with such when his army became more important than God’s opinion.

Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD thy God. (1Samuel 15:30)

To him, like with so many of us, it really does not matter that God has rejected us provided the crowds continue holding us in awe, and of course pouring their money on us. But sadly God goes with the life that He alone possesses when we turn our back on Him.

When we become the focus of the ministry we do, when our image becomes more important than the impact of that ministry, when our needs and future determine the direction the ministry will take, then God will become an accessory, an object to further our agenda. It then follows that only the mention of His name will be left on our packaging to convince people that we are still focused and that they should continue supporting us. But God and His life will have left us.

No wonder we will need to aggressively advertise our emptiness.

Will we cry like Moses that we will not take another step if God does not move with us?

Abortion

Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed. (1Samuel 2:30)

I want us to look at a doctrine I believe has been abused so badly, especially in these last days. It is the doctrine that grace requires nothing from me. That God has released everything and that nothing I do can affect it.

Have you noticed that there are some versions that remove the human responsibility from some promises?

I was shocked when Romans 8:1 was read in church to notice that the second part was nowhere.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1)

How does one walk without condemnation when they are walking in the flesh? Is it not superfluous to imagine that I can do anything I want and still stay free from condemnation just because I made a decision long ago?

But I want us to look at an incident in the life of Israel to get this message clearly.

Remember Barak and Balaam? Why did their partnership initially flop? They wanted to curse the uncursable.

And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed. (Numbers 22:12)

A few days, probably weeks later we see a reverse of fortunes for the same blessed. And why so?

And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab. And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods. And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel. (Numbers 25: 1 – 3)

They had aborted that blessed status by breaking God’s law. That was the same thing Eli did to the promise God gave to Phinehas after he averted the wrath of God during that incident.

You see Balaam knew something we choose to ignore to remain relevant to a world that is hostile against God. That is the power of choice. God will never take the power of choice from us. But it is also important to note that He will also never take the consequences of our choice.

That is why he advised Moab to use sex appeal and availability to cause Israel to abort that blessing. You see as long as they were undefiled with sin their blessing was intact. It would be foolish to think like we are wont to think, that they were blessed however they behaved before God. The fact that God had declared them blessed was not enough to block the consequences of their choices.

Even beyond Balaam, we know that all who left Egypt were destined to the Promised Land. And we know they came to the edge of that land, even having conquered some of it.

Then they requested for a survey report so that they get to know where and what exactly they were getting into. The report was mixed depending on the perspective of the surveyors. It was dependent on the focus those spies had, with some focusing on the Promise as the others focused on the residents of that land and Israel’s capacity to handle them. The majority opinion was that the residents were unconquerable. Of course all who held that opinion perished in the wilderness. The crossing was delayed for thirty eight years to ensure that all of them died.

Who was at fault? Was it that God’s promise became invalid? Was it that God changed His plans for His people? Had He become unable to keep His word?

Of course not. It is the unbelief of the majority opinion that aborted God’s promise to them.

Has God changed that now we can walk in sin as we swim in God’s blessings as most preachers want to infer? Is that even remotely possible?

Just like in the physical realm an abortion is the willful determination of the one carrying the pregnancy. A still birth and miscarriage may be related to some lifestyle choices like diet and exercise but is not a direct choice of the mother. In fact the mother will many times become depressed due to that. An abortionist will be depressed from the guilt associated with the termination of a pregnancy thought she may use any other excuse for the guilt.

That is the same way with the spiritual realm. Only I have the capacity to abort anything God has planned and purposed for me. No one else and nothing else has the capacity to do it.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8: 38, 39)

Supposed I am not interested in walking in that status? What will happen when I decide to refuse to take responsibility for my part in the promise? Does God force me to receive a blessing or status I am not interested in accessing?

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)

Does effort cease when we accept Christ and get born again? Does the fact that He paid it all at the cross mean that I have no responsibility at all for my Christian life? What does this verse mean?

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14)

Can I enjoy God’s blessing without pursuing holiness? In other words, can I really expect any favor from God if I am unconcerned about the sin in my life? Can I really be identified with God if my life is at cross purposes with the plain teaching of His word?

As an example many young people have given up on their pursuit of sexual purity. They seem to demonstrate that God has no capacity of keeping young people sexually pure, especially in the area of abstaining from sex until one is officially married. The church leadership, including pastors and other preachers also treat that sin as normal. And I say that as someone who has been involved in sexual purity seminars and seen the shock even some Christian leaders show when told that sexual purity is not only an ideal but a requirement for a normal Christian. Older people, even married ones do not fare much better.

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. (Hebrews 13:4)

And that is one among very many other verses spread all over the Bible, from Joseph son of Israel to Joseph husband of Mary who stood for God’s standard in a spiritually hostile environment.

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: (1Thesalonians 4: 3 – 5)

Or take the reality of lying with the advent of the cell phone and internet. Convincing someone using whatever means at your disposal takes precedence over God’s commandments. I use public transport and can say that most Christians (and they can be identified by the testimony they give to the conversations they carry) behave as if that gadget has been placed outside the Ten Commandments. The social media is even worse. This reminds me of a friend who wanted to attend an event that could not qualify for an off from the office. He feigned sickness and went to the event. As he was going his boss happened to see him. He called him asking how he was then feeling and he said he was improving though he was still bedridden. The boss asked him to look behind and you can understand the embarrassment it caused him. What about God who sees beyond the word to the thought to the intention (Hebrews 4:12, 13)

Yet we are witnessing the same all over. Pastors will give such a shameless lie that the people around them wonder the kind of God they represent.

Again we seem to imply that God’s standards are the whims of the few who are foolish enough to take God serious without realizing that we do not have any options concerning what God has stated.

But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: (1Peter 1: 15 – 17)

It is tragic that we can talk of God and His presence in our lives when our lifestyles demonstrate the contrary. Again let us look at the scriptures.

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20)

How inclusive is that for a start?

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (Matthew 7: 13 – 16)

Can we really be Christ’s when we are living outside His standards?

Could we be aborting our journey into eternal life even as we seek political and levitical correctness? And why do I ask this?

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:8)

Add to that the political correct as that is the fuel for most of those abominations. You see accommodating the homosexual and abortionist and the single mother by choice so that they can bring their offerings in the church is not much different from practicing those things yourself in God’s eyes. That is why the coward is the first in this list.

Could your lifestyle be aborting God’s dealings and promise in your life?

I close by saying what Christ Himself said, you shall know them by the kind of fruit they bear. Someone going to heaven will by their life demonstrate where they are going. One who is of the world will demonstrate familiarity with the world.

The ‘A’ Syndrome

My attention has been drawn to the disturbing topic of exam cheating that I thought I should bring out some causes and the implications of the same.

When A becomes the ultimate in success it will not be surprising that everything will be done to attain it. You see, only eating can satisfy hunger. And like the Bible says to the hungry every bitter thing is sweet. And due to our hunger for that A, anything we can do to attain it is justified, of course except getting caught. The A justifies anything we do to obtain it.

Let me digress before I lose track of a truth I wanted to share. If a child cheats to get that elusive A, what will keep this same girl from sleeping with a lecturer to get the same in university? What will prevent him from selling drugs to get enough money to bribe the same lecturer since he ‘unfortunately’ is not a girl? What will restrain the same from peddling their body to the highest bidder to be able to live in extreme comfort, especially since working hard is not necessary? And what will stop them from taking short cuts, from bribing to slandering competition to offering sexual favors to get promotions when in employment?

What will you expect when the same character becomes a teacher or lecturer? What between excellence and a gift will get their commendation?

And I am stating this more for us parents because we are the ones who encourage, even facilitate the pursuit of that A. I have heard that in most of the cheaters it was the parents who bought smart phones to receive the leaks and even paid for them.

Since we are looking at A, I want to also look at another aspect of the same. Do you know that there are those who get the A without any effort while others will do everything possible yet will be unable to obtain a C? There is one who will only attend class and effortlessly get an A. Another may miss all the classes and will only have to browse the notes casually to get an A. All the time some other people are doing everything in their power, studying without a break and doing all assignments and never missing a class. Yet to them getting a C will be an achievement.

Imagine a teacher marking their papers. Of course the A student will have ‘well done’, ‘excellent’ written beside their marks. But the underwater (below C level) student who has done their best will have ‘put more effort’ or ‘pull up your socks’ beside their grades. We thus tell one to pull socks up when we commend the one who does not have any socks, maybe even shoes. What message are we passing to those hard workers when we commend idlers just because they have obtained a grade without effort?

I for one fell into the group of those who passed without much effort. And even then it did not make any sense that I would be commended for doing nothing other than attending class when I knew that there were those who almost sweated blood and could not approach the commendation. Even as a child it did not look fair at all. Though it felt nice to receive all the accolades, it did not make sense that people who did all the homework and assignments and were most faithful in all ways in class and outside were reproved when I never did assignments or wrote notes and only read novels any time I had to sit down not forgetting that my name was the first on the noisemakers list (interestingly enough even when I was absent) yet I was always feted.

Looking back as a parent I can authoritatively say that that kind of grading is rotten through and through. I know people who worked so hard yet learnt to write their name in fifth grade or even later. Incidentally there are some who were unable to connect in their early years who became A students much later, some even in college and they then became exemplary. I think it is important to remind us that Einstein’s teacher had labeled him retarded!

I am not saying that we should stop grading altogether. What I mean is that we should make our grading consistent with the way our children are wired. As an example most inventors are not strong on the academics. Looking at the stories and interviews of some people who have designed ground breaking things you will find out that very few have any logical or academic explanation for what they designed. I have watched some security systems which are laughable from my electronics professional eyes, especially looking at the circuits and the way its wiring is done, but they work. Their explanation is even worse because it is not logical.

But I also want us to look at the end result of our unnatural focus of that A.

We leave too much slack on the A scorers irrespective of the amount of work they put in attaining it. That is the reason many of them get into drugs and other destructive pastimes. You see, if I can get the A everybody is dying to get without a sweat, why should I waste my time studying yet there is no higher grade to aim at? Surely there must be something I can do when the others are sweating to catch up with me or approach my effortless grade! I am grateful to God that I used that time to read novels. And I have read many. In fact in primary school I read all the novels in two secondary schools. And I can tell you that not all the books I was reading were healthy. Some were cancerous to my spirit. But I had too much free time to do something when the rest were studying.

Even on the family front the A students are rarely handed heavy tasks and are rarely punished enough so that their precious brain cells are not injured. Again I thank God that I did not experience tat because my mother, having never gone to school probably did not understand she could destroy those brain cells through discipline.

The reality is that the world does not cut a slack for those we celebrate as A students. You see God created us to eat from our labor. In God’s scheme of things the D student who worked hard to move from E has put more effort than that natural A student though we will say he has not passed. By the way the one who cheated to get straight As is a thief and should be lynched.

That is why in the marketplace very few A students excel. They lack the drive as they were taught from an early age that with their intelligence they could easily acquire what takes hard work for others. That mindset is dangerous. And the same goes for those who buy that A. They believe they can buy anything in life, forgetting that hard work can never be bought or compromised.

The sad part is that most do not associate that A with a gift from God. Of course it is not a gift if we have bought it.

That is why the bulk of musicians start it in church and with their proficiency drift away into the world. They believe that God is involved in nurture but not excellence. We think God does not offer the accolades the world offers us for our gifts. What we forget is that someone does not clap for you for owning something they gave you. Imagine someone giving you a nice piece of clothing and commending you all the time for wearing it!

But we are talking about the world versus the A students. The education grading system allows A students to jump the queue of opportunities because they are presumably the best there is. The world has no such shortcuts. They will therefore think that the world is against them as they find that not only do they have to queue to get, they many times will have to push and shove to even get to that queue. They will therefore join the world at a disadvantage. Again it is no wonder the trauma they encounter many times leads them to despair, sometimes even suicide.

But it is in ministry it is most pronounced.

How many preachers get away with heresy because their presentation is flawless? How many musicians get away with sexual immorality because their mastery of instruments is second to none or their voices can charm a snake out of its hole? How many writers are bedfellows with the other world because their mastery of words will make one cry? How many spew one false prophecy after another yet are untouchable because their teaching spurs the best in us (our assessment)? How many evangelists get away with sin and rebellion because their harvest of souls is huge? How many corrupt individuals get leadership positions in church because their offerings are huge or their position in the rotten world is prominent?

We have taken our fascination with A to the spiritual realm. We will therefore apply the commandments to the rest even as we turn a blind eye to the A performers. Some do not care to know whether they are even believers in Christ.

It is no wonder that the ones able to access support are the A ministers irrespective of whether they have the call of God or not, and especially if they have no call as they become very able conmen. This is because their A status causes people to fall over each other to fete them as they do to all the other geniuses.

Why do preachers forget the cross, or sin and holiness once they attain the A status in preaching? Why do women singers start dressing like harlots once they attain the A status in their music? Why do writers forget responsible Christian living and focus on motivation that they comfortably share with nonbelievers and even enemies of the cross once their writing attains the A status?

Why are there demonstrations against political affairs and politicians by the church when there is none against the rampant sin prevalent in our churches, especially among the leadership? Why is the church more militant against poverty and silent against sin which is the cause of all the rottenness in our world, including that poverty? Why does a church exclude someone from their fellowship for being critical of the worldliness being spewed from the pulpit yet is very silent when homosexuality is mentioned?

We have simply said that A is good whichever route it takes to get to us. A pastor who can fill an auditorium with offering-giving crowds must be made to appear beyond reproach even if he sleeps with his parishioners. A musician who thrills us with his music can never be at fault even if his songs are blasphemous like many I have mentioned in some posts. What we are saying is that the success we can see is of greater worth than God’s revelation, even standards.

One reason we do this is the common phrase, ‘who can argue with success?’ I think this is the devil’s most potent argument because very few think it is open to disagreement.

We can argue with success. In fact the Bible says we test all things, from doctrine to prophecy to our own faith. But we do not use whims for the same. God has provided His word to guide us to do it.

Solomon was successful. But do you know the source of that success? Do you know the cost of the fact that silver was as common as stones to his people?

Do you realize that that wealth introduced idolatry as an official policy in Israel? And why do I say that. He had seven hundred wives who were princesses from the idolatrous nations far and wide. In other words he became successful by introducing other gods to Israel. He personally trashed his famous prayer as he dedicated the temple by creating room for idols there. That was the reason God said he would split that kingdom.

We also know that he ruthlessly taxed his people as we find that as the reason they seceded. He was the envy of the other nations even as his people groaned from his taxation. He gave liberally to his guests from other nations like we see with the queen of Sheba what his people had sweated for.

Do you boast of the fact that your pastor grew your church from a handful or people to thousands? Have you allowed God’s word to test you and your success? Who brought all those people? Who are those people? What is his relationship to all those people?

It is an open secret that there are pastors who sleep with demons to get members. There are others who undergo treatment on the other side to grow their churches. There are others who plant charmers in church to bring in the numbers. Yet others trash Biblical preaching for motivation to make abominable characters feel welcome in church. And of course there are others whose faithfulness to God brings in the numbers.

As a test how does your pastor relate to his congregation? Does categorize people? Are there some he can meet at no notice while others have to wait for weeks or even months to get his precious time? Who finds it easier to meet this great man, the rich and influential or the needy? Will he drop everything to go dedicate a business enterprise yet have no time to counsel with a couple whose marriage is crying for his wise counsel as it is on the verge of breaking?

A pastor who has no time for the weak and vulnerable is not serving Christ’s interests even if he has a million members. A pastor who winks at sin or pretends not to notice it also does not represent Christ. A pastor who does not leave the ninety nine safe sheep to look for the one lost one is not a pastor after Christ. And a pastor who is a CEO of a structure and system is not even a pastor.

Numbers are real. But they are not the ultimate gauge of success. They many times are a cover up of our backslidden state as they soothe our sin laden consciences with the devil’s argument about success.

The Bible and its standards is the only true gauge of our success. And I do not mean stringing verses to support rotten theology. Again Matthew 7: 21 – 23 is a response to success stories. Or is it not?

To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)

May we allow God’s word to determine everything concerning us.

Mega Deceptions

But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)

What kind of friend is a social media friend? What kind of disciple is a social media follower? What kind of fellowship is there when all are looking at a Christian performer? And what kind of ministry are we doing when we are only funding the superstars?

I will start by asking us to define our terms.

A friend is basically someone one is familiar with, though different from a relative. It is someone you can run to for support during hard times.

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. (Proverbs 17:17)

Can that even vaguely or remotely describe social media friends? Do we look to social media friends for anything similar to traditional friendship? Can we expect them to be available to us when we are hurting or in need? Can they offer a shoulder to lean on when we are weak?

Can we disciple people by remote control? Can we help people grow in a healthy way when all they are doing is following us on social media?

What sort of society is found on the social media?

Yet it is not the media that is bringing all the deceptions. The church has been playing those deceptions for eons. We have replaced simple Biblical descriptions with complicated unfathomable big words that can never save a drowning man, whether in sin or loneliness.

What is fellowship? What are the components of fellowship? What is discipleship and what are the components of the same?

Do you realize that presence is an element that MUST be there for both to be real? And by presence I mean a face to face close interaction. Let me give you some verses.

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, (Mark 3:14)

Do you realize that Jesus was with those disciples at all times? He discipled them through all hours of the day, whether awake or asleep, for three years. No wonder they were called little Christos after it all! And we are convincing ourselves we are discipling when all we do is send CDs and other materials without caring to know whether they even have equipment to play them.

And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42)

Again we see them continuing what they had experienced in their discipleship. Presence was a key element in their fellowship.

Contrast that with modern fellowship. Compare it with fellowships where we have one person at the front and others listening to his exhortation; and most people do not know the person seated next to them. And we still say we are in a fellowship!

Even evangelism has fallen prey to the deception. Who is an evangelist? In modern terms it is the best hit and run preacher around. It is the person who can never settle in one place or develop lasting relationships to the people he preaches to. It is the person who boasts the most decisions with the least exertion, at least time or presence wise.

Yet what is the Biblical description of an evangelist?

And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (Acts 18:11)

The shortest time we see Paul spending in a city is three months, and that was because he became the target of clear danger that the others decided that he had to leave, many times against his will. The success of his evangelism was therefore due more to his consistent and continuous presence than his eloquence.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (1Corinthians 2:4)

He was effective because there was no stardom in his presentation of the Gospel. He was the embodiment of the Gospel he preached as he lived among the people God had sent him to. His apologetics was backed by the transparent way he lived among them. They did not prepare extensively so that he could come to preach to them. They simply saw in him a vulnerable minister whose transformation by the Gospel was undisputable and desirable.

Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. (Galatians 4:13)

How many ministers are willing to be that vulnerable to the people they minister to? And why is that so difficult?

Do you remember that even when Jesus was sending out His disciples to preach the expectation was the same?

And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. (Luke 9: 2 – 4; 10:7)

Presence is the difference. Preaching from up there makes you a different specimen of a person from the ones you are preaching to. Yet that is not God’s expectation.

A TV congregation is not a congregation. An internet church is not a church.

A congregation is a group of people who are growing together as they get involved in one another in their service (worship) of Christ. In fact most modern congregations fall flat when the Biblical definition of congregation is applied because they are people who have agreed to be spectators in their Christian lives as they fund the performers.

Let me explain. Most big churches will repeatedly warn their members against helping anyone approaching them for assistance and should refer them to the ‘experts’. They are also encouraged to bountifully give to those experts to enable them ‘serve’ the needy.

I am involved in ministry to the disadvantaged and know that allowing begging in the church will chase many of the rich with their offerings out of the church. But the solution is not to refer needs to the experts. I am convinced, and that through years of ministry, that the solution is opening fellowship among members of the church. And this explains why this problem is nonexistent in small churches since people know one another and will not need any admonitions from wherever to minister to needs amongst themselves. They therefore will not need the pulpit to minister to each other since their fellowship is real.

But the mega deception we call church thrives on shielding members from each other. Then the management (call them pastors) become the recipients of all the giving so that as the experts they can dole out drops of it wherever they see fit, many times after filling their pockets to overflowing. That is the reason we find some pastors living in palatial homes even as some members can barely afford food, some being unable to take their children to school.

I compare this to sports where a few people play the game and all the rest are spectators who have to celebrate or moan according to the results, some choosing to end their lives because their team lost a major one. Yet the greatest beneficiary is the owner of the team or club who may have no interest in the game you are so passionate about as he is only an investor. For him winning or losing is nothing unless it affects his earnings.

Presence is the difference between God’s church and a football game. Consider this.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. (1Corinthians 12:27)

The church is a living organism, not organization. It is therefore important to remind ourselves that not only is each member as important as the other, but is as involved in the overall function of the church of Christ. It is also important that the head of that body is not the pastor we have made (many make themselves) but Christ who died for it. This means that the orders for each and every member should proceed from that head and nowhere else. Again look at scripture.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4: 11 – 16)

Leaders are meant to prepare people to be effective ministers as opposed to what most assume or even teach that they are the sole ministers and the rest are the funders of that ministry. Most teach that ministry falls only when the rabble stops funding them instead of what the Bible teaches, that ministry will fail when a member, even the most insignificant, loses their connection to the head who is Christ

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. (1Corinthians 12: 22 – 25)

Consider your buttocks to get my point. Even those who love to expose their bodies to ensnare men will never want to expose that part of their body. Yet imagine life with that member of the body injured? I remember a child friend of mine falling on boiling water on his buttocks and the torture he went through; and children heal pretty fast!

A minister like me is not more important to God’s scheme of things than the person nobody knows in the middle of nowhere who is interceding for Christians undergoing severe persecution, even death for their faith. An eminent apostle (in our eyes) is not more valuable to God than the one who restores esteem and faith to children from discordant and nonexistent families. And the one who builds mega church buildings through his bounty does not count for more in God’s eyes than the one who gives a cup of cold water to a wayfaring pilgrim.

Again see what God uses to judge. Never do we see Him using buildings, even in His name, to judge people. He uses our treatment of people as His yardstick. Matthew 25 is one such passage.

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25: 33 – 40)

The assessment is not based on the missionary trips they made and funded or the kind of church auditoriums the built or did not build. It is based squarely on the ministry they performed on the vulnerable.

Incidentally this is the reason marriages are breaking at alarming rates. We are placing premium on the wrong things. Again let me explain.

A woman employs a chef who makes wonderful food. The same doubles up as a nanny to take care of her children even better than she could ever do. Then she wonders why her husband runs off with the servant and deserts her. A man employs a grounds man skilled in all the manly duties and wonders why his wife cheats on him with this lowly character or his daughter runs off with him.

You see, money is a very dangerous tool when not used properly. A family grows together by doing things together as that is how God wired us to function. That is why relationships established in hardship are for the most very deep and lasting. That is the reason persecution increases the potency and witness of the church of Christ.

A wife who uses money to do all her work may appear very smart. A man who transfers all his handyman responsibilities to an employee may also think he is very smart. They may actually think they are freeing their time to develop their relationship. Unfortunately the opposite happens. Why?

God meant those roles to bring closeness to the couple. It is as the wife is battling the sights and smells of the kitchen and the stresses of nursing the children that she develops greater appreciation for the husband she is cooking for and the father of the children she is nursing. It is as the husband is fixing things and tending and protecting the household that he develops greater appreciation and love for the partner and other residents of that house. Remove those roles and we get into a greater problem.

Incidentally that is why marital breakage rarely happens to those who have no money to employ all those burden carriers. They bond as they are sharing those roles.

You see the woman was made as a suitable helper for man. In other words she was supposed to be a partner at work. Using money to make her a partner in recreation flies back hard since there will be immense frustration. And this also explains why many children flee homes where there is everything to live on the streets as the drive to work is frustrated when someone has nothing to do that they would rather scavenge for food from bins than live in such unnatural surroundings that outsiders think are most ideal.

And it is the same in the church. A church that pays for everything from cleaning to music to catering will not develop any fellowship. I contrast it to my village days where everything from cleaning to building the church was done by the members without any expectation of payment. One could fault the doctrine or even the salvation of members but there was no doubt about the oneness of the church. And it came out clearest when there was a crisis or celebration. Due to that many people joined the church so that they would enjoy the benefits of that fellowship. Conflict was sneered upon because none wanted to be excluded in their hour of need. ‘Who will bury or marry you?’ was the greatest argument against not being a member of a church.

The focus of the church today is numbers and the money they bring in instead of fellowship. A church with a large auditorium and huge parking lot is treated as a better and more successful church than a church in the slums that is transforming one life after another with the Gospel of Christ.

I believe that the churches that are or have been locked or converted to other purposes are testament of that. They sent missionaries and were left with only one purpose; fund those ministers (missionaries and preachers). With no other purpose, their fellowship starved to death as there was nothing positive to do apart from funding the performers, especially because it was no sacrifice as there was enough money to fund those superstars. They of course lost the drive to continue attending or participating in the church.

And there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee. Then there shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD: And ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God, ye, and your sons, and your daughters, and your menservants, and your maidservants, and the Levite that is within your gates; forasmuch as he hath no part nor inheritance with you. Take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt offerings in every place that thou seest: (Deuteronomy 12: 6, 11 – 13)

This is what God knew when He offered these orders. Sending tithes to the Levites and priests without joining them was sure to bring fatigue in the things of God.

By the way cooking together enriches fellowship more than having it made by professionals or meeting in hotels. Battling the smoke and heat builds partnership and friendships that can never be built otherwise. And that is the reason Africans insist on an animal being slain as opposed to buying meat from butchery in family or communal events. Of course in some there is a sacrificial element which is negative but there are conversations that happen during the exercise that would not happen elsewhere especially to the generational gap when a father is doing it with his sons.

A church that does many things together deals the death blow to the disconnect between members that requires pastors to broker. A simple thing such as cooking and eating together regularly the capacity of rekindling the fire and passion for God as we get involved with one another instead of cheering the superstars ministering to us in song and motivational preaching.

Again looking at what is called lifestyle diseases, especially obesity we will see a similar thing. Money and its pursuit relegates the body to a holder of a brain that does all the thinking and gadgets take all the weight for the body. The most exertive exercise most do is tapping those computer keyboards and lifting food to mouths.

No wonder the body rebels. It was meant to work for a living, not be carried in cars and lifts as it does nothing. The same is also repeated at the home front, from dishwashers and laundering machines to hosts of servants it does almost nothing physical. And then it is denied enough sleep as the brain insists on working overtime when it should be resting.

Will we start functioning the way we were fashioned to?