A truly sad commentary...

A good buddy of mine brought something to my attention the other day. One of the bastion churches of the SBC is severely under attack right now, and all of it is from within. A pastor has made some poor decisions and some members have made some poorer ones, and there is an outright war going on right now. We at Two Institutions have a policy about not spreading gossip and lies, and therefore, unlike some others, I will not reveal any names.

When news like this hits me, it breaks my heart. I know some men who serve on staff at this church and it breaks my heart for their families. What breaks my heart the most though is that depraved human beings, who may very well have been set free from the curse of their depravity, choose to glory in its shame.

Two things I see killing the church today; 1. Egomaniacal pastors who feel that the church they work at is THEIR church, and 2. Egomaniacal members who feel that they have some life bond claim and that the church is THEIR church. When you combine these two, wow have you got a mess. It kills me that hopefully well intentioned people allow Satan to use them as pawns in a chess game to bring shame and disgrace to the name of Christ. These people become so obsessed with a battle that shouldn't be fought, that they risk losing ground in the only war that matters. It absolutely breaks my heart.

I was about to type that Christ's blood wasn't shed so that egomaniacs could claim that they hold a special right to it. But that is exactly what it was shed for. It was shed for sin and that is what these people are allowing themselves to be caught in. How mind blowing that the destruction that is being wreaked on the church today from within, is part of the very reason that Christ had to die.

The picture above is one from the Civil War. I normally refer to it as the War of Northern Aggression, being a true southern man. However, there was nothing civil about that war. Brother versus brother, father against son. It wasn't right, it was heart breaking. When I look at the church today I see the same thing. If we do not stand up and change we will see the same worthless wars continuing to be fought and over time the casualties will be more severe. It makes me sick and it breaks my heart.