Ever wonder what ticks God off? Would He be? Well He gives us an insight in Prov 6:16-19 (THE MESSAGE):
16 Here are six things GOD hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion:
17 eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent,
18 a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track,
19 a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family (a person who sows discord among the brothers NLT).
I would like to add to the list above some of my ponderings and dislikes(ok, maybe hates):
1. When the pastor has a guest speaker, people seem to take that to mean that they can stay home.
2. When the pastor is gone out of town for a Sunday, people use that as a sign that they can miss that Sunday too or better yet visit another church (go figure).
3. How could someone spend the church’s limited benevolence gift to pay their cable TV bill?
4. Churches that schedule and announce a guest speaker that only Christians would know for a Sunday morning and say they are not trying to draw people away from other churches.
5. Churches that have no ‘outreach’ but only ‘in reach’ to other churches to take their members.
6. Churches that are described as ‘fastest growing’ and all they are doing is sucking the members out of other churches to fill theirs and are not making new converts.
7. Number of church splits that happen because “God told me too.”
8. I think God hates many of the things that are attributed to Him that are not His doing but just stinking thinking, wrong actions, poor choices, evil desires or corrupt authority.
9. People who tell you they love you and are gone the next week without so much as a goodbye.
10. Just because a man is successful in the world and makes money he thinks he is qualified to run the church of God.
11. Christians who deceive the pastor.
12. Christians who hurt the pastor’s family.
13. Apostles, evangelists, prophets, and teachers who are not even though their card or ad in Charisma or other promo says they are.
14. Pastors who arrogantly think it is all about them when it is not.
15. Pastors (TV preachers too) displaying inordinate wealth and fleecing the sheep.
16. Pastors who are not available for the sheep. Why pastor?
Whoa, this has gotten entirely too long, I think I need therapy!
What would you like to add to the list? Do so in the comments.
5 comments:
I'm not sure I have something to add, but I do want to emphasize the abomination, "hands that shed innocent blood".
As a pastor, this is probably the thing I despise the most... when a saint in the church (are they really even a "saint" when they act in this manner?) says or does something with this passive maliciousness that damages other people in the church... whether it's the pastor, his family, new converts or other saints. If one thing really drives me to fury, that would be it.
It sounds like you've been experiencing the heartache of pastoring lately, David. I pray that God will strengthen you through it and give you peace. Also, remember that God is faithful, and will replenish what others have taken.
Here's an article I wrote that you may find interesting, "Your Pastor's Secret Desires Revealed":http://www.apostolicliving.com/faith-development/ministry-articles/your-pastors-secret-desires.php
God bless you... thanks for your consistency in posting to your blog... I've been enjoying it for quite some time. ;)
Jay
Sorry, the link above didn't work... here's that article... Your Pastor's Secret Desires Revealed
jay,
Thanks for the comments- I am with you. This is a list of things that have either happened or I observed over the years.
People leave- people come, nature of the church.
Enjoyed the article. Thanks,
You could never offend me. Your actions speak loudly...kind heart, loving spirit, and godliness. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving in Kansas City. :)
I actually read this in depth and you are dead on the money, Preacher. Dead on the money!!! An no you don't need therapy. ;)
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