It really is a mad world. I was watching the primetime special with mel gibson, and was pleased at his response to the criticism and misinterpretation of the upcoming film. Very candid, yet tactful and honest. Which leads me to my next point:
Recent events transpired at church that were not conducive to maintaining a healthy religious community. Our new building is nice and allows for more opportunities, yet creates turmoil and much dissent within the laity. As nice as it is to be in a worship center that is a little bigger, we have to remember that no church is a building. It is the PEOPLE. And if the things going on within the leadership of the church contradict what is right for the people, are we following God's will? By expanding our material possessions and plowing on to another phase, we are not necessarily going to gain members, or be better servants of Christ. The money issue is always in the way of total commitment to the greater cause, but it is vital to keep the church working. We can put on a happy song and dance and claim "well, you just gotta have faith," but if underhanded dealings are going on, we need to address them. However, as usual, we take the middle road, the one most traveled, where lukewarm, blase living is a norm, and conflicts are glossed over. No, we couldn't take a stand on that; just form a committee, and they'll let us know when they've formulated an acceptable lie to feed the congregation. Nevermind following God's will; we want to do something that will direct all attention and glory to ourselves. If He doesn't like it, too bad! Nobody else has to know that wasn't really what He had in mind. And if they question the decisions made, just use avoidance techniques and you'll lose their attention in all the verbose, hollow "answers." Even when solid evidence is handed out, responses to inquiries are at odds with the previously stated facts. There are so many versions of the truth now, we can't keep track of what cop out we said last time.
Unfortunately, many moral, kind and giving members of the church are taken in and deceived by the sugar coated crap they dish out, and are upset with those who take the time and effort to question what in God's name is going on. "It's just the old people who get a little upset sometimes." or "The vocal minority has to have their complaints heard, I guess." Well folks, even if it was just the "older people," which it isn't, they are the ones who have seen administrations come and go. They are the ones funding the campaigns and being faithful in their giving. So, we may wish the financial aspects would just go away, and hope for a sweet little idealistic world and church, but even religion depends on the buck. I'd love for it to be a time of fellowship and openness, without the need to take an offering. Newsflash: That is not reality. People who pay taxes and are fiscally responsible appreciate fully that it takes money to run the wonderful ministries that we all enjoy. When numbers stop adding up and debt is a real, literal issue, maybe we should slow down on the expansion. When parishioners leave the church and attend somewhere else (at least they are going somewhere, I know), we need to know the reason they left. Claims that we are growing may not be outlandish, nevertheless, we are losing people hand over fist. They are the ones who bring in the majority of the income. About 20 to 30% of the church's families give about 80% of the money each year. When some of these stop attending, you are left with a whole range of families who give between $1 and $1000 a YEAR. Everyone knows that rockwall is not a poverty stricken town. It would lead you to believe that the 10% tithe traditionally asked for, even since the Bible, is not being fulfilled. But, they still insist that we're growing exponentially. If we are, why didn't attendance skyrocket more than 30% in the past year? Why does it say that 1, 900 people (approx.) were in attendance on Christmas eve of 2003, when we have room for 450 per service, when packed, and no services were totally full? Candid, tactful and honest were ways to describe mel gibson's interview with diane sawyer. I wouldn't exactly tack those terms onto this area of the church.
There are things about organized religion that make me sick.
