The feud that has augmented in the twenty-first century Christendom is primarily founded on congregants perception about church leaders callousness to them, and redirecting the church resources in erecting magnificent buildings, embroiled with extremely expensive materials. These indifferences have skyrocketed in the present age, and have led the early extinction of various churches, and rendered many less operative. The nobility of numerous Christian denominations has been questioned as the masses mutually disagree to the manner they lavishly utilize the church income. Some congregants even believe, that, mischievous and self-aggrandize Pastors, in the name of renovating and modeling the structures, turn out looting the church’s treasures and command such wealth into their personal affairs. The church age of this century, have had their reputation denigrated and vilified, as such matters have not been properly curtailed, and rather gone viral in an immeasurable speed.
Notwithstanding, what does the Bible teaches? Are the Pastors on the right path, whereas, the congregants oblivious, and out of negligence accuse these Pastors and elders? Are the congregants right, whiles Pastors are off-track?
Throughout the Bible, the welfare of the children of God has become paramount to God, and as such has prioritized the wholeness of his children in HIS divine provision. In the hierarchical operations of God, Jesus, being, the Chief Shepherd has streamlined these provisions unto the shepherds God has called over the sheep. Some Pastors have reciprocated this holy affection and priestly responsibility to erecting structures in the similitude of skyscrapers. In the Pauline revelation, he said in Acts 17:24 that, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, DWELLETH NOT IN TEMPLES MADE WITH HANDS”. The Apostle never rubbished the existence of temples, but in comparative terms, attributed much prestige to the temple of God (Christian), than the physical structure.
Pastor John Hagee on Jan 3, 2016 tweeted,
If a church is more concerned w budgets & buildings than people…they should close their doors! The church without mercy is a fraud!
— Pastor John Hagee (@PastorJohnHagee) January 3, 2016
Reverend Eastwood Anaba commented, “What kind of a preacher are you, when the sleepless nights of the people do not make you sleepless?”.
Pastor Obed Obeng Addae also said,” In ministry, we seek to solve issues, not to tell issues”.
The diverse articulations from these ministers of God pinpoint to the reality, that, God has imbibed the compassion for the people in the conscience of the church, and anything short of that, is contradicting and walking in perverseness of divinity.
When the vexation and anguish of the people are not considered, and the church fixates their vision on structures, then it literally alludes the church has lost compassion for the people. The Apostle Paul boasted always in the days of his flesh about his apostolic credentials, and how prolific he became, not merely because he built structures, but his delightful labor for the sheep. His mindset was geared towards improving and seasoning the faith of believers with day and night prayers, fervently laboring that they stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.
The people are the church, and hence the church should uncompromisingly re-strategise to necessitate the prosperity and well-being of the members. Acts 20:28 should be evidential in the lives of the church.