Happy Monday. I hope you have a very productive, loving and sincere work week. The holidays are upon us. The year is expeditiously coming to a close.
Yesterday my daughter and I went to the cinema. We did NOT see "Precious", as it is an adult movie. I was not aware of all of the sexual content in the movie. Someone suggested that I see the movie first then ascertain if my daughter should see the movie, at that point. I agreed with this person. Thank you. You know who you are.
Please allow me to say at this point that I welcome all input from you. Of course, you do not have to agree with me. We can agree to disagree. I believe in a diversity of ideas and thoughts. I am very open minded, when it comes to most things. But others things, I am steadfast in my belief.
This brings me to the movie we actually saw this past weekend. "The Blind Side". This movie was absolutely wonderful. It is about a Black boy, who happens to be not only homeless, but fatherless, and motherless as well. His mother had a serious drug problem and did not know who the boy's actual father was. This black boy was in and out of various people's homes, trying to find a place to just lay his head. His life was such a mess, that I reconsidered my own problems in lieu of the enormity of this young boy's problems. I have a wonderful life in comparison.:)
I cried. As the tears from eyes rolled down my brown cheeks, I thought. I questioned why was it the "white family" that had assisted this young black boy? I questioned where were the black ministers in his community? I questioned the role that the black ministers and their congregations are actually playing in most black communities.
What are black ministers doing for most black communities? Or should they do anything?
Church- a building for public Christian worship.
Ministers-a person authorized to conduct religious worship; member of the clergy; pastor.
Congregation-an assembly of persons brought together for common religious worship.
What is the purpose of the Church?
by Matt Slick
The purpose of the church is to worship God (Luke 4:8; John 4:23; Rev. 4:10), study His Word (2 Tim. 2:15; 1 Cor. 4:6), pray (Acts 2:42), love one another (John 13:35; Phil. 1:1-4), help each other (Gal. 6:2), partake of baptism and the Lord's supper (Luke 22:19-20), to learn how to live as godly people (Titus 2:11), and to be equipped to evangelize the world (Eph. 4:12; Matt. 28:18-20).
Aha. The purpose of church is to HELP people. I wonder why most black churches do not really help black people. They may give them some food, clothes or other tangible property that is usually donated to them (churches). But what is help?
Help-to give or provide what is necessary to accomplish a task or satisfy a need; contribute strength or means to; render assistance to;to give aid; be of service or advantage.
According to Dale A. Robbins:
"Christ has intended for His church to let its light shine to the world — to love, to care for, and to meet needs of humanity, while upholding the redemptive truths and righteousness of Jesus Christ. "And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful" (Titus 3:14). Jesus told His church, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. 5:16)."
The Black churches are NOT meeting the needs of most of the people in their communities. Too many homeless, uneducated, drug abusers, and other people with a mountain of problems that it appears most churches are running from.
In fact, I personally know that some churches have walls or gates around their churches for the sole purposes of keeping some people out of their churches. Now, I believe I know what you are thinking, "most churches want to keep out the people that will probably "rob, steal and/or kill." Right?
But aren't these the same people that Jesus wants us to invite into the church? These are the people that need Christians love the most. The people without hope without love.
This is my take on the question:
Black churches have become BIG business. They are more interested in capturing the people who can pay the most tithes (10% of gross wages). They are more interested in building the biggest sanctuaries so that they can offer "the most special activities" to the congregation. Most of the people in the congregation do not know each other and walk past each other as though they are "strangers", as oppose to "brothers and sisters".
Most ministers of "these churches" drive expensive cars. They live in some of the most beautiful homes. They wear some of the most expensive apparel that their congregation's money can buy. If you want to speak with "your pastor", most times you have to go through his assistant's assistant. My...my...the truth does not look too good, but it is the truth none the less.
Now let us closely scrutinize the lifestyles of MOST of the members of their congregation:
Poor. Without sufficient income. They live destitute, trying to get by on menial wages, after paying their tithes and giving additional money for the "building funds and pastors appreciation days", after being promised that if they "give for these special occasion funds", blessings are on the way.
But the blessings rarely comes.
Now you tell me what role is the black church is playing in most Black communities? I am waiting.
Have a wonderful work week.
L. for Love
Interesting, really makes you think where their motives truly lie...I am really looking forward to this movie, my parents, daughters, and I all plan to see it together on Thanksgiving, after we share a wonderful meal. Sorry I have not been able to follow as much as I'd like, I will be catching up though...have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!
ReplyDeleteAll too often people call on the Black Church to write wrongs, to help bring about political change, to take the lead to fix the many problems in the Black community. The use of the Black church in the 60s was the most successful avenue to reach the majority of the people in the community to fight for civil rights. Blacks came together for a pressing need to combat racism. It worked.
ReplyDeleteToday there is no pressing issue that threatens civil rights in general so the people in mass will not come together on anything in the manner that happened in the 60s. I did see a very small movement in recent history that had a similar appearance. It was when David Duke of the KKK was going to run for office in Louisiana and said he would cut the food stamp program or something of the like. Blacks lined the streets for blocks to register to vote to keep from having their food stamps stopped. It was embarrassing.
Back to the Black church, it is a business to put money into the pockets of the preachers. When we really study and research the Bible we find that ministers are not to be paid. But they twist the Word to fit their pockets. But the real purpose of the church is
(Matthew 24:14) 14 And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come. . .
(Matthew 28:18-20) . . .. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU. And, look! I am with YOU all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”
The church is to make disciples of Jesus by teaching them how to live as Christians. However one must understand how the Church was structured back in the first century just after the death of Jesus and how Jesus began structuring the church prior to his death.
When one became a Christian they had to learn the way of a Christian and to live that Christian life. When one was baptized they became a minister and had the responsibility to preach the Word and to teach the Word making others Disciples of Christ. Thus all members of the congregation were ministers who were taught, guided and shepherded by the elders and older men of the congregation.
Now in the beginning this was done mostly by word of mouth but as time went on and the Bible and books were more accessible to mankind reading became an important part of the process. Thus as it is today one will have to be able to read if they desire to be a Good Christian. So preachers should make sure all in the congregation can read and that all in the congregation goes out to preach and teach others to be Disciples of Christ, good Christians.
Good Christians make good citizens. They don’t rob, murder, steel, or disregard other laws. They pay their taxes, are good parents, good children, and good marriage mates. The list goes on and on.
Therefore, if people seek help from the Black churches to better the Black community and reverse the negative direction it has traveled. Then the effort should be to push preachers to do their jobs to make good Christians who do the same. This has been proven to be very successful. However as I understand the Bible there will never be a world conversion to Christianity and the world we live in will only get worse.