Well, this blog entry is going to make some of you uncomfortable and quite possibly furious with me. Honestly, that's fine with me because what I'm about to say is something I feel needs to be said, a subject we don't talk about enough.
Lately, I've seen a number of people putting on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr really critical comments and/or statuses about how some churches are all about themselves and not about Jesus Christ. I totally understand people have personal opinions but when you have a problem with how someone does something, keep it off of the Internet. Better yet, just take it before the Lord and THEN the person you have a problem with and after it's dealt with, move on. That is Biblical. If we go around, telling everyone our problem with this certain person and don't confront this person, then that makes you look like a big mouth with nothing better to do but talk poorly about people all day and honestly, that's a HUGE turn off to anybody who knows that you're a "Christian". And trust me, this is something I'm really having to learn and apply to my own life.
Let's just say I'm just sick and tired of Christians being prideful and arrogant, thinking they are better than everyone else by looking out for what the church and the body of Christ is doing wrong. Who cares if they're focusing on themselves? As long as the Gospel is being preached, that's really all that matters. God is the one who is going to take care of these people, not you. Yes, I do believe you need to confront someone if you have a problem with how they're running things but I suggest you check yourself and your motives before you confront this person.
I'll give you a personal example - this past Sunday, I went to a mega church while I was on a retreat and at first, because of my prejudice against mega churches, I found myself with this horrible mindset that the church was going to be awful. I found myself questioning the motives of the entire church - the pastor, the praise team, the music leader, EVERYONE. But who am I to say that their hearts aren't in the right place? Because at that moment, mine wasn't in the right place whatsoever. And the Gospel was preached that Sunday, very well might I add.
Instead of being critical of others, ask God what needs to change in YOU because there's always one thing we could change about ourselves, our lifestyle, and relationship with Christ.