Given my position as a newly ordained minister, I feel a tremendous sense of responsibility knowing there are people who will look to me for guidance when making significant life choices. Understanding that I may be the only connection that some people will ever have with God, I am often consumed with fear. Fear that I will, in ignorance, lead them astray. Fear that my imperfection and flawed humanity will cause some to think that God is as screwed up as I am.There are those who may base their decision to attend church or not attend church, to believe in God or not believe in God on their interaction with me. So I try, at times without success, to live according to God's instruction. Regrettably, I am often left with the impression that some of my contemporaries don't share the same anxiety I feel when it comes to this awe-inspiring responsibility. The leading and teaching of God's people according to his will and his word is not to be taken lightly. Nor should it be entered into with an eye on personal gain or ego boosting accolades.The bible is clear when it comes to this matter (James 3:1, I Peter 5:1-3). What has greatly angered me since my Christian faith became paramount in my life (March 1999), is the significant number of Pastors and Preachers who are deceiving the church. They misrepresent God by passing their own personal philosophies off as God's word. Some live blatantly sinful lives. While others sell meaningless trinkets or teach worthless nuggets of biblical information, all to the advancement of their "ministry". Not a day goes by that a sincere hearted child of God can't find some jack-legged preacher selling the latest holy get rich quick scheme. Oils, keys, anointed rags, holy manna crackers, you name it and some crackpot minister of the gospel has found a way to convince God's people that what he or she is "giving away" is the real deal. The magical, oops I mean, "supernatural" way to get everything they want.The key to all their stored up wealth and riches are supposedly contain in seven easy steps. Or some dollar store dust rag being pawned off as anointed. I've seen world renowned preacher "Dr" Creflo Dollar stand before his congregation and reinterpret scripture while the biblical passage he read from was right before their eyes. Some years ago World Chargers International Ministries aired a service where Mr. Dollar read from Romans chapter 8 verse 19, "For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God" (KJV). Mr. Dollar (I call him Mr. Dollar because, I don't feel he's worthy of the title Dr), after reading the passage, told his congregation that this scripture did not mean that creation was waiting for the sons of God to be manifested. He said that was not what the scripture meant. Pastor Dollar submitted that creation was waiting for the sons of God to show up "with manifestations". The possession of these manifestations was confirmation of their position as a son/daughter of God. These manifestations would be evident by such things as healing the sick, walking on water, living after a snake bite and raising the dead.As I gasped for air I immediately got a headache from the over expansion of my mouth and eyes. I was sure I had misunderstood him. Of course he had to be kidding. But to my continued horror, he said it, again. My immediate response was, "You've got to be kidding". Followed by anger and the thought that he himself must not be a true son of God (I was pretty sure he had not done any of these things), off into T.V. Neverland I sent Pastor Dollar and the dung filled horse he rides on. He stands as a man claiming to preach the true word of God with simplicity and understanding. Unfortunately he himself appears to have very little understanding of the word of God. I often wonder if he has ever read the bible. Not merely to locate a catchy sermon title. But really, really read the bible. Staying true to his character he displayed his true gifting as a hype artist, merely leading his weekly pep rallies. Pep rallies that get people excited, amped up and motivated to give until it hurts (in the name of Jesus). Yet leaving them with no real life solutions to their everyday challenges. How often has Pastor Dollar's congregation been given practical solutions to life's real issues without the emotional fluff?Unfortunately, any seemly practical message Pastor Dollar has ever preached came by way of teachings universal among all the major religions. Or from biblical scripture that he has taken out of context to convey a predetermined message. He often quotes scripture that contains wording which helps to get his intended message across, but more often then not is no where near its contextual base. Granted World Changers International may do good in its local community. But so did Teflon Don (John Gotti for you gangster novice). Christianity is overrunning with real life solutions for real life issues. However, because of preachers like Creflo Dollar, who focus on the hype, fanfare and emotional charging up of the people, Christians are routinely left with nothing more than false hope for their challenges.This is unfortunate because, God has provided all that we need to deal with this life in the scriptures. These charlatans and con men are able to succeed in leading the church astray because most Christians are not well versed in scripture. Most of us have a handful of passages that we faithfully quote every Sunday and every bible study. But for the most part Christians do not know the bible or its historical and cultural foundation. Until we do we will continue to be satisfied, not with a truth that can make us free, but with a delicate feathered tongue that merely tickles our ear.
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