PTM WEEKLY UPDATE -- MARCH 10, 2008

The big business of religion

Q. I attend a big Bible church in my community. Recently my pastor resigned. Attendance and giving had been declining for over five years. At an all-church meeting, the elders and board members explained their actions (in asking for the pastor's resignation), and did so in a very evasive way. So much so, that the whole truth only came out when church members who know the truth confronted the Board on their obfuscation (I do not want to make unwarranted accusations). The bottom line is that our pastor was asked to resign -- basically because of declining attendance and giving.

I know I am called to submit to eldership/leadership, but I am struggling with this. First of all I think that the obfuscations indicate a deeper problem, and that the elders and board are still not telling the whole truth. Secondly, I see no biblical basis for dismissing a pastor for what amounts to poor fundraising. In this context I am asked to submit to this leadership, when what I really want to do is organize folks and call for the board's resignation. A third option is simply to leave my longtime church home. I have prayed and studied, and agonized about this situation at my church.

A. First of all, I see nothing in the Bible to indicate that you or anyone else is "called to submit" to human authorities. As Christians we submit to one Lord.

Many church boards, pastors, and leadership find themselves with monumental bills -- often caused by human ambition to "build the church." Many boards have committed to huge building programs, and then, once the bills start arriving, start pressuring the pastor and the congregation to make the payments.

This places an artificial stress on the pastor. In most cases he or she is already wearing too many hats. The pastor then finds himself/herself as a fund raiser, with "stewardship campaigns" replacing sermons. This situation which stresses the pastor is then often shared with the congregation, who find themselves "under the gun." At such times and places, the big business of religion dwarfs, if not replaces, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Lay members then find themselves not only browbeaten to attend church all the time, required to pay "tithes" (a non-Christian practice), to get involved in service and outreach, to bring new members to the church in some kind of multi-level sales plan called "evangelism" -- but then to give extra offerings and "dig deep" to pay for bills incurred under a commitment they did not give.

Yes, I believe you should make your voice heard and known. I believe all Christians who experience the big business of religion threatening to replace the gospel should speak up, and if necessary take steps to let authorities know that they will not support authoritarian manipulation. We are not "called" as Christians to put up with this kind of brow-beating, but rather we are called to freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1).

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