Haemorrhage

I heard a statistic recently, that 70% of the youth population of my church is leaving, and that the majority of this number are those who grew up in the church. This is very disconcerting to know. A large part of the leadership of the church are spreading the idea that this mass exodus is occurring because the church is not being relevant to the youth. So, they have made changes to make the church feel more attractive: modifying the music, the dress code, and the complete message of the church to make the youth feel comfortable. As a young person I can safely say this will do nothing to help anyone. I am deeply offended at the notion that the youth of today are so shallow that something as petty as not having drums in the church or being expected to dress appropriately in the presence of The King of the Universe, would drive them from the place where their Saviour should be found. The real reason young people are leaving the church is simply this, the hypocrisy of church leadership.

The first thing to consider is this: numbers mean nothing to God. He can, and has, and will continue to, work by few or by many (1 Samuel 14:6; Judges 7:1-7). Therefore, the numbers leaving, staying, or joining do not matter. God is first and foremost interested the quality of persons claiming His name, not the quantity. In church we hear the accounts, from the Bible, of great men and women of faith, honour and integrity, like Job, Abraham, Deborah, Jonathan, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. We also hear modern mission reports of the faithful like George Müller and his orphans, or the missionaries surrounded by lions that were saved. But this belief in God is not demonstrated in our leadership. The purpose of the church is to provide a means by which individuals can meet God, not to provide for the self-centred desires of sinful human beings. Services and messages are to be designed with praise to, and magnification of God, as the primary goal, not for the congregation’s enjoyment.

All our lives growing up in the church we’ve been taught about an Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent God Who owns the cattle on a thousand hills yet as soon as the church needs to be repainted out comes the well-crafted, guilt-tripping tithe and offering sermons, and the appeals dictating how much money is needed from each church member. Where is the faith in God? When Moses was constructing the Sanctuary, he had to send people away with their gifts (Exodus 35:21-35; 36:1-7). Why? Because God moved on their hearts. The leadership was obedient to His will and taught the people to live in obedience. His name was being honoured, reverenced and uplifted by the Israelites. During the time of the youngest king of Judah, Joash, the temple was in disrepair because of prior ungodly leadership. When Joash restored proper worship to God the people brought their offerings willingly and abundantly and the temple was repaired (2 Kings 12:1-14). During the time of the early church all the believers were so committed to the purpose of the church, they gave all that they possessed to the further spreading of truth, and God blessed them for it (Acts 6:31-37). Where is the faith?

When individuals in the church commit blatant wrongs against God and against each other we placate and make excuses claiming not to have the right to judge instead of calling sin by its right name. As a result, false witnesses remain in the church repeatedly offending and giving the church a bad name with their vile, thieving, self-centred, faithless behaviour against church membership and others in the wider society. Had the presence of God been working in our churches we could and would with boldness uphold the standards of God in our membership allowing the faithful and the wider community to be safe in what is to be the house of God. Consider God’s instructions for dealing with those who broke His Sabbath day (Numbers 15:32-35) or God’s instructions through Paul for the vile offenders in Corinth (1 Corinthians 5:1-8). Some of us leave because we are berated for seemingly tiny sins while members of church leadership continue with their vices and get protection (Matthew 23:24). All sin in the church should be dealt with appropriately. None should be covered none should be ignored all should be dealt with fairly and in proportion, because all will lead to death if left to fester. Where is the justice?

We learn in scripture that in order to receive eternal life we must keep the commandments (Luke 10:25-28). Most of the elders in the church hammer this into our heads but never discuss why and how this should be done. The youth of the church have questions and these questions need to be answered and the Bible has the answers if we would just read it. But most of the church’s leadership (possibly because it would be self-condemning) do not provide adequate guidance and study help. We need to hold the Bible as our primary text book and any book that supports it, we need to put away these books containing the musings and imaginings of non-scriptural, god-less, uninspired, inferior minds. God will hold church leadership to account for every youth that is lost because of their selfish withholding of truth (Matthew 18:6; 23:13). God’s justice and mercy must be taught in equal measure so that individuals may receive the full picture of God’s love. God calls us to reason with Him so that we may come to a clear understanding of how our salvation will come about (Isaiah 1:16-20). Jesus took the ultimate punishment so that we could have a second chance at making the right choice in every temptation that is allowed to pass our way. When this is explained, and practical tools are given to support the youth in holding fast to God’s strength to obey they will have a reason to stay in church. Where is the truth?

These were just three of the many hypocritical inconsistencies the youth find in the church, not to mention the perpetuation of baseless racial, and cultural divisions. Those of us from over-privileged societies need to be extra cautious about our hypocritical ways. Because we are not face to face with the tangible challenges others face daily, we tend to forget that this life was meant to be a struggle (1 Peter 4:12). Our struggle is against sin amidst a barrage of discouraging attacks from outside and inside, through which God said we must endure in order to be saved (Matthew 10:22; 24:13). Our pastors - self admittedly - are more interested in their own pleasure and entertainment than leading out prayer meeting. We need to pray for vision to see beyond this life. This is not the best there is. Until there is a genuine revival and reformation in the church, where we return to obedience of the truth of Scripture the church will continue to haemorrhage its youth.

By Faith

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The Things that Divide

There are many things in this life that cause division among human beings, racism, sexism, classism, ageism, etc. to name a few. These are all dross and they only hurt our true purpose on this earth. Our one and only purpose on Earth is to learn to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14). When we loose sight of this purpose all these differences become magnified and cause us to do harm to others and in so doing damage ourselves.

Racism is a huge issue worldwide. One group claims superiority over another group then victimize individuals of that group. Then the inevitable pendulum swing occurs, and the formerly victimized group becomes self-focused and highlights himself above the original victimizing group, perpetuating certain stereotypes that may have been theirs or may have been thrusted upon them. And the vicious cycle of hate and self-importance continues. The same is seen among societally manufactured classes, those with different education levels and career types are deemed inferior to another group and are thereby disenfranchised.

Scripture tells us that we are all of one blood, therefore, racism and ethnic strife has no real tangible basis (Acts 17:26). The Jews of Jesus’ time thought themselves superior to the Samaritans and any non- Jew. Today we have racial discordance based on skin colour or ethnic origins. All this means nothing. We are all Adam’s children and until we get past the petty small-mindedness of this thought process we will keep missing our true purpose. Heaven, unlike our churches, is not segregated (or separate but equal). We serve one God, Who has one expectation – keep His commandments. Scripture also reminds us that we are not to think of ourselves as more than we are (Romans 12:3). Everything we are or have was given to us we didn’t make ourselves or bless ourselves with anything we have or can do (1 Corinthians 4:7). We are all formed from dust and we are all returning to dust (Genesis 3:19; Psalms 103:14). Those that have been victimized need to forgive and focus on God’s truth. Those that have victimized need to wake up and see reality and focus on God’s truth.

Ageism and sexism are two more delicate issues. There are certain things, by nature, that different age ranges and sexes cannot interchange. However, the contributions that each brings to society should not be diminished because of preconceived notions. The aged of society bring a wealth of knowledge, based on experience, from which younger generations should be taught – to prevent unnecessary errors (Leviticus 19:32). For example, if young people planning on marriage would have a frank discussion, on what a successful marriage is like, with couples who have put in the effort and carry 20, 30, 40+ years of marriage, divorce would not be as big an issue as it is now. These long-married people can share the fact that sustaining that many years is not for the selfish at heart, that everything will not go your way all the time, that you need to communicate and forge a united way of doing things together. But this is lost when the young see the aged as out of touch and unable to relate to life today. The wise king said, there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). With all our seeming variations human nature has not changed and therefore advise from those who have lived successfully should be taken and heeded.

Each of the different sexes have their roles to play in society and should be respected for it. A woman who chooses the path to stay home and care for her husband and children should not be treated as less than in society. After all, ‘the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’. Having dedicated wives and mothers to ensure the smooth, efficient running of homes and families is the most valuable gift men and, by effect, all of society can have, and her work demands and should be respected (Proverbs 31:10-31). Because of the unthankful treatment of homemakers, many women of today’s society choose to compete with their husbands in the corporate world resulting in emasculated men, neglected homes, and all but abandoned children who perpetuate this pattern (Proverbs 14:1). Women should be industrious, financially savvy contributors in society but not to the detriment of their own homes and families. The family is the building block of society and when it collapses society will crumble.

The reality is, there is one criterion that should, and scripture tells us will, divide human beings, only one. This source of division is truth. In scripture Jesus states that He came to bring a sword; and the Bible also tells us that God’s word is sharper than any two-edged sword (Matthew 10:34; Hebrews 4:12). God’s Word is referred to as the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). This is the only line along which humanity should be divided – belief in God’s truth and disbelief in God’s truth, obedience to God’s Word and disobedience to God’s word. All other divisions are a distraction of the enemy skillfully designed to cloud perspective and deceive humanity. However, true to his form the enemy has placed in the hearts and minds of believers that division based on God’s truth is equivalent to all other sources of division – in essence, all division is bad. This is not the case. Consider the division of the children of Seth (those who served God) from the children of Cain (those who served self). For centuries God had a people with a pure worship to Him, but as soon as that line of demarcation was blurred, and the two groups began to mingle, evil reigned on Earth (Genesis 6:1-7). If we will serve God aright separation must be made to ensure pure God approved worship.

Division based on truth will lead to the persecution of those who choose to obey God’s Word, never the reverse (Matthew 5:12). Followers of God only seek what God seeks, obedience to His commands and the salvation of souls. Scripture tells us repeatedly that at the time of Jesus’ return to Earth there will be a clean unambiguous line dividing those that keep God’s commandments and those that do not (Matthew 13:30; 25:32; Revelation 12:17; 14:1-12; 22:11). That separation begins at the time a person decides to follow the will of God, the whole sinful world turns against him. The sinful things of this world and anyone who chooses that life are at enmity with God and anyone who follows Him because God placed the enmity between them (Genesis 3:15; James 4:4). As believers we need to examine the companions we choose in all aspects of life (Amos 3:3; 1 Corinthians 6:14). Absolute allegiance to God, no matter the cost, is the only way to be saved (Mark 10:17-21; Luke 18:18-22). God gave all in defense of His truth and to give us a second chance at adherence (John 3:16). Let us not waste this invaluable opportunity.

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