An open letter to American church leadership (Part Three)

By Madeline Crabb

Dear Church Leaders,

If the future of our nation is the responsibility of Christians, then it is time for "shepherds" and "sheep" to get serious about their respective responsibilities. Serious disease is afflicting the Church, causing it to be lukewarm and powerless. Therefore however distasteful, more symptoms must be identified.

One of the most egregious problems is how countless pastors and church leaders unashamedly promote themselves for titles and position. Some are so arrogant they no longer interact with their parishioners, or may charge for the honor, like making parishioners pay to have their pictures taken with them. We have made these pastors into celebrities and idols! Worse yet, they take praise that rightfully belongs to Jesus, often encouraged by parishioners who worship them before Jesus.

Once convinced of their own importance, then many leaders must build "kingdoms" or "legacies" for themselves. Consequently, churches spend multiplied millions on larger, fancier buildings and bigger, better programs. And yet, the number of "true" Christians filling the pews dwindles. Many pew fillers resemble heathens more than Christ.

Pastoral cowardice keeps leaders from calling their parishioners into holiness. This is abundantly apparent in how women have forsaken their call to godliness, holiness, and propriety in dress and behavior, and have become stumbling blocks for male parishioners and pastors. When teen and adult women parade all sorts of body parts before men, either openly exposed or packaged in tight, clingy clothing leaving nothing to the imagination, how can men not look at and lust or long for what they see? Indeed, it takes strong will power, and blindfolds, for men not to sin.

Because of extensive writing and ministry about women and biblical modesty, I can almost determine the spiritual state of a church on my first visit by observing the women. Women dressed seductively seek to draw attention to themselves, and are filled with pride and rebellion as well. Jezebel was such a woman who used sexuality to gain control. That spirit is prevalent in the Church today and wields excessive influence and power. And like Ahab, church leadership seems helpless. Scores of church leaders have fallen to "women's wiles."

Now I'm not just picking on women, but also on church leadership that is too cowardly to exercise their biblical authority to discipline the flock. But then, to draw people to their churches, leadership has "lowered the bar" of what is acceptable to the ridiculous state.

Slovenliness has become as much a problem as sexiness. Many times the youth in churches look like they slept in their clothes and never even bothered to comb their hair. Because our appearance, like speech, is an outward manifestation of what's in our hearts, slovenly appearance indicates slovenly attitudes and behavior. Guess what kind of parishioners the slovenly make? Pastors, are we really that desperate to get people into our churches? Major cults have no problems recruiting new members, and even their youth are clean cut, modest, and respectful.

Society's "whatever, dude" mindset has overtaken the Church because we no longer respect God or his house. Then the pride, lust, and greed behind our self-promotion and self-serving attitudes are destroying the Church and our credibility.

We have increasingly lowered all standards and watered down God's Word, and have allowed the worldly to influence us instead of us influencing them. Consequently, the Church and society are reaping what the Church has sown. To reap a different harvest we must sow different seed.

Indeed, our nation's future is the responsibility of the Church, which is ultimately the responsibility of church leadership. So pastors and church leaders, what are you going to do about it? To anyone willing to hear....

© Madeline Crabb