CHURCH IS A PONZI SCHEME

CHURCH IS A PONZI SCHEME

Let’s talk about it.  You all are essentially paying for “indulgences.”  The Monk, Martin Luther was adamant about that fact and it almost got him killed by the Catholic church—get this, Pope Leo X (go figure—fast forward to current day) excommunicated him and then the Holy Roman Emporer Charles V gave the kill order.  History of the church is important and I invite everyone to critically analyze their version of church and God.  Back to the ponzi scheme concept.  When you put your $20 in the offering plate, where does it go?  Salaries, up the chain of the denomination, and what exactly does it do?  The plate goes through the Catholic, Baptist, and whatever denominational church….do you know where it goes?  There is more fraud, waste, and abuse in the church than you could ever imagine.  Yet, you somehow feel guilted into giving tithes and offerings without knowledge.  How stupid are you?

Why does your preacher get paid?  Asking a simple question from a preacher’s kid who watched his dad work three jobs and build a church to help people here in Forward Operating Base Indian Hills…not unlike Afghanistan. 

You realize that denominational and big business religion pays an overhead and hierarchy to fund themselves.  ThInk about it.  How many people are on the pay roll for the so-called “church” and God’s so-called “calling.”  I don’t get it.  For every dollar you put into the red bucket outside of Walmart, 40-45% is going to payroll and overhead.  The ministry is called a CALLING!!!!!

If Pope Leo wants to go political, I can certainly go Pope Honorius II and launch a campaign against his sociological liberation theology.  If TV preachers want a theological war, I am SOOOOO in.  Tired of it.  There are so-called pastors (who I would refer to as church managers) who make six figures in my very home town and certainly don’t have the experience or bona fides that I have.  There are priests who do one homily a week, live for free, but are too “busy” to minister to someone in need who needs counsel.  I have issue with that.  If you call me, I answer, if you need me, I’m there.  Maybe it it is the Marine in me, but I certainly learned it from my father and mother.

Now, I COMPLETELY believe in attending church and the fellowship we receive from fellow believers for corporate care and prayer.  But I ask this of those who think they are this or that denomination…and I expect the same from my very own church body.  #1. Do you actually test what your pastor or priest tells you?  Not with opinions, but do you go back to the Scripture yourself?  Don’t just take the verse, read the entire chapter, and put it in context.  Remember II Timothy 3:16 that all Scripture is God-breathed—not just the parts that we readily quote, not just the parts that make us comfortable.  #2. Compare what your preacher or priest says with the entirety of the Scripture.  As a Biblicist and scholar I have never read or seen where God contradicts Himself.  If something I or others say is counter Scripture—something is clearly off.  #3. Take a stern, hard look at the fruit.  Is the fruit of your pastor or priest producing ritual, emotional hype, or focused truth?  Matthew 7:16 is pretty clear when Jesus said, you will know them by their fruits.  Now, #4 is introspective and perhaps the hardest one of all as we ALL like to be right.  You have to check your own spirit and NOT your feelings but discernment from the Holy Spirit.  Jesus tells us in John 16:13 that He will guide us into all truth.

If you never open your Bible you will never know if it is Truth or not.  For some reason we think we can outsource our relationship with God to only on a Sunday from some person who may very well be more Scripturally inept as we.  That’s just stupid.  Test it all, know it…and I guarantee you will become more blessed or find a different church.

         People often tell me that I am not gentle enough.  I promise you, I am gentle when you are hurting, if someone is bullying you, causing you undue pain or suffering—but I refuse to soft sell the Scripture for a dollar in the plate or your feelings.  Being a pastor is like being a parent.  If I really care about my church’s spiritual development and mental character, it is deeply important to me in my obligation to God.  It takes effort to live a Christian life, I get it, but if I let anything slide I am not only failing my congregation but I am failing God.  When someone becomes a new Christian, they are like a child, but eventually we need to shift from mama’s milk to solid food.  And I mean ALL food.  Whatever mom put on the plate, I ate it and shut up.  If we don’t impress that on the young, they will never mature enough to rhino through the tough times or life’s obstacles.  Yes, I find God in every moment of my day…even in lima beans, ocra, and liver.  I just thank God because He consumes me and I don’t just use Him in time of need.

         God and church should never be a ponzi scheme…don’t be fooled or waste your spiritual self.