I have no issue with mega churches if....

Good evening friends and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Last night I posted a meme about Mega-Churches, to which a couple of people took exception. Just so everyone clearly knows where I stand, I am posting my reply here for your perusal. Be blessed and have a wonderful evening:

I have no issue with mega churches if:

a) They teach a Bible based theology instead of a popular, prosperity theology.

b) They give the majority of the money they take in with tithes to doing the work that the Church universal is supposed to be doing: spreading the Gospel, caring for the poor, defending the vulnerable, caring for the elderly.

c.) Their focus is on God and not on the preacher or the praise bands.

d.) They have an alter and cross.

There are good mega churches, but many fall far short. Many are about living "the best life now," putting on good shows and making the pastor wealthy. God doesn't promise you wealth in this life; or else the millions who are persecuted and killed for His name throughout the world are doing so for nothing. God calls us to pick up our crosses, walk the narrow road faithfully, tend to the least of these and stand by the Gospel, never trading it for a watered down or perverted version.

Many American churches sell that watered down, feel good gospel, that will do you no good. Churches that focus more on a show than worship miss the point of what worship is: a time to focus on and reverently worship the Almighty God. Not a time to feel good about what God can give us. Not a time to have a pastor promise us all we've ever wanted, but a time to dedicate ourselves to the God who loves us enough to have died for us. A time to give ourselves to sanctification, a time to immerse in holiness, a time to refocus and refresh for the work ahead of us, and most of all, a time to be in awe and in love with the God of all creation.

Churches are to be the hands and feet of Christ in a community; spending their time spreading the true Gospel, which is neither the feel good fluffy version or the hate filled, legalistic version. (Walk the narrow road, friends, walk the narrow road!) Churches are to look after the needy, the elderly, the vulnerable. Our time is not to be spent as a social club alone, but as a force in action. Our prayers should be powerful and our lives manifesting the love of God. Our pastors should preach on sin, repentance, love, grace and holiness. They should preach of sacrifice, self denial, generosity and mercy. They should be asking their congregants about what those members are doing to fulfill the work of God; not telling them God will give them "a hundred fold return" if only they give so much!

Our worship can be filled with great music, but lets make sure that music is focused on God, not on ourselves. Let's make sure we are reverent, not simply entertained. Let us make sure our Churches are places of holiness; with alters and crosses. God commands His people over and over again to put up an alter unto Him, why then do so many churches lack one? Is not the command of God good enough for them? If God commands reverent worship, which He did throughout the Bible, and if Jesus followed a pattern of reverent prayer and worship to His Father, should we not be doing the same?

You said, oh, don't be judgmental: I'm not, I'm posting a meme to get people talking and thinking. You said, oh, but Jesus said it was okay for the oil to be used on Him; yes, that is because the value of the perfume was spent on pure, unadulterated worship of Christ. The perfume wasn't used to make the woman look good, to attract more followers or to put on a good show, it was used to anoint Christ before His death, because she was given the insight by God to do so. If we have large churches, let them be so that the body of Christ has room to gather together to reverently worship their Lord and Creator. Let the pastors speak not of soft things and glittering promises of goods in this life, but of eternal things and God's glory! Let the music be worshipful and the people focused on God. Let the services point to the Cross, let the alter be pleasing unto God, and let the people then exit the services focused on going into the community to be the hands of Christ. Where there are mega churches that do those things, then heaven is praised and God is pleased. And where there are mega churches that preach prosperity, focus on pleasure, entertain their congregants and preach on worldly things, then the devil laughs.

Arguments, oh the sweet, sweet rush of arguments.

"9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. 10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, 11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
--Titus 3:9-11

Arguments, oh the sweet, sweet rush of arguments.

Conflict can actually bring on a "rush" of adrenaline, encouraging many to pick a fight, no matter what. There is a reason we call someone taking on an opposing viewpoint "just because,' playing the devil's advocate, because it is evil and of the devil. This Scripture from the Book of Titus is just one of many telling us to steer clear of foolish arguments.

There is a place for argument in Christianity, but that is in the defense of biblical truth, not the nit-picking of your fellow Christians.

So, next time you think about taking an opposing position on another's wall, please consider the following:

Was the original post a heresy?
Does the post promote hatefulness or other counter-biblical ideologies?
Are you well enough educated biblically, to fully defend your position?

If you are one of the many so-called Christians out there who approach the Bible like a bag of trail mix, never taking anything but your favorite pieces, I suggest you avoid any arguments on theology, because you don't know anything. You're the type of person who brings a knife to a gun fight, continuing to slash at the air with meaningless actions, while your more educated foe, has only to pull the trigger to kill your baseless and usually personally objectionable pontifications, which only brings you to more aggressive attempts at getting you ignorance accepted. Do yourself and the rest of us a favor and let us all avoid the frustration of dealing with you. Learn the whole Bible before you pretend to knowledge of any of it.

God's grace be with you,
Fr. Charles Butler

There is a word that many in the modern Church despise: Repent.

There is a word that many in the modern Church despise: Repent.

Yet this is a call word throughout the Old and New Testaments, ushered through Prophets and Apostles, and commanded as an action by Christ Himself.

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 4:17)

We are to examine ourselves to see our sin, and turn from it, going back to God, forsaking the sin and cleaving unto God. For God is holy and just, and wants us to seek to walk in the ways of righteousness as much as we can, so that we may follow the example of Christ Jesus; who knew no sin yet bore ours upon the cross so we might be redeemed.

We all sin, there is not one righteous among us. "As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;" (Romans 3:10) and "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). There are the sins that everyone likes to focus upon; sexual immorality being the current favorite in our culture, but in our society we have made many sins acceptable to even the religious crowd.

Greed is an acceptable sin now in many Churches; how many Christians flaunt wealth while others go hungry? How many "preachers" have diluted the faith by promising riches if you tithe enough and "speak a word?"

Gossip is acceptable by many Christians; how many prey on the weaknesses of friends and family as fodder for coffee groups and salacious phone calls?

Idolatry runs rampant in the Church now; how many pay more attention to politics than Christ? Then they've made an idol out of their political party and tossed Christ to the side! Sports is an idol to many Christian men, and shopping and clothes the same to many women. As Martin Luther wrote, "To whatever we look for any good thing and for refuge in every need, that is what is meant by 'god.' To have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe in him from the heart.... To whatever you give your heart and entrust your being, that, I say, is really your god."

And how many commit the sin of lust? Whether over a television show, a sports magazine swimsuit issue, a titillating book, or outright viewing of porn? What did Jesus say about lust? "But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:2)

Hatred is a sin many indulge in; when we condemn others and foster hatred in our hearts, we do more damage than we realize. "Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him." (1 John 3:15)

Sin is a corrosive agent that seeks to weaken or dissolve our relationship with God; should we give sin a free reign over our life we will turn from Christ and forsake Him. Guard against that, for Christ is our only salvation; cling to Him at all costs!

"Search me [thoroughly], O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24)

Pray to the Lord and ask Him to reveal your sins to you, that you may repent from them and turn back to Christ. No one is promised each day, so tarry not, lest you be caught unaware. Christ is ever merciful and gracious, and will forgive you of your sins if you go to Him in repentance.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

God's grace be with you,
Fr. Charles Butler