An open letter to American church leadership (Part Two)

By Madeline Crabb

Dear Church Leaders,

Many Christians wring their hands and fret at society's "moral mess," and act as if these woes are someone else's problems. But as we discussed in Part One of this letter, society is in shambles because the Church hasn't done its job, which ultimately is the fault of church leadership.

The Book of Revelation basically says the Church is proud, complacent, comfortable, lukewarm, deluded, or has simply lost its first love. For these "illnesses" to be eradicated, we must first identify the symptoms and then treat the causes.

Multitudes of Americans are leaving their current congregations and denominations in search of the "New Testament Church." Most of these people I've spoken with from around the nation share how their pastors accuse them of being "church hoppers." Sadly pastors fail to consider the problem is sometimes with churches, not with individuals. Nonetheless, countless Christians have become discouraged to the point of even abandoning church altogether.

While there are people who "hop" from church to church seeking "warm fuzzies" and to "have their ears tickled," a larger percentage of the people fleeing churches do so because of nonsense within churches. I can relate. However, it is not the intention of this letter to be judgmental, but to shine a light on the true state of the Church.

Previously "on fire" Christians have settled for churches where they are no longer "fed," or where the Holy Spirit is a good concept, but his presence is not welcomed. Being in spiritually "dead churches" causes more Christians to spiritually die.

Over the past ten years I have visited scores of churches. Denominations are irrelevant because the same problems are prevalent in most of them.

In a majority of churches, pastors are preaching a watered-down version of the Gospel. (form absent of power) Not wanting to "step on toes" or make parishioners feel uncomfortable, pastors and teachers have failed to boldly proclaim God's Word.

In some churches pastors appear to preach the Word with conviction but then don't "practice what they preach." And if pastors don't follow their own preaching, neither will parishioners. Or there is an attitude that only certain churches are acceptable churches, and anyone not attending these churches is a sinner.

The false doctrine of "easy believism" now preached by many requires nothing from salvation seekers. Since repentance is never discussed, there is no change in behavior. (So-called "homosexual churches" exist precisely because no change is required.) Similarly, the teaching that once we are "saved" we can do whatever we want and God will forgive us, mocks Scripture that says anyone born of God does not continue to sin.

Still another major problem is how many pastors and teachers manipulate, re-write, and compromise God's Word by adding their "opinion" to what the Bible teaches. Others encourage parishioners to "read between the lines" because they believe what is not said is as important as what is said. All of this mocks God's Word that cautions us to not go beyond what is written. Knowingly or unknowingly, these pastors encourage us to create a gospel according to our own whims, and a god in our own likeness.

There are pastors and teachers who fearlessly proclaim an unadulterated, uncompromised Gospel. Increasingly, they are the exception rather than the rule. Dear leaders, God is going to hold you accountable for what you do with his Word and his "sheep." Consequently, we will examine more symptoms in Part Three of this letter.

Isn't it time to stop "playing church" and get serious about God's business? Again, the future of our nation is at stake. To anyone willing to hear....

© Madeline Crabb