Should There Be Personal Gain in Church?
Man, I can already hear the toes cracking, you know the ones I might end up stepping on.
Anyway, I was reading a post called Just Call on Jesus and I felt an interesting point was brought up. A lot of black preachers do tend to put on a show when they're in the pulpit preaching about the goodness of God. However, this goodness of God preaching tends to focus on the material gain that most people expect as Christians. We've all been promised that new car, that new house, that good husband, that good wife, that well-behaved child, that job promotion, that financial breakthrough; and we will get all of this if we tithe. Now don't get me wrong, we should tithe or at least give some offering, but the best offering we could give God is our service, but a lot of black preachers don't really talk about how we need to give our time to the Lord. They focus on the material gain of being a Christian (which is an oxymoron to me) rather than the spiritual gain. How many of us really pray for wisdom, peace, discipline in our faith, or for each other? A lot of us have become "me" Christians; we want our blessings first then we can pray that others get there's.
Then there's the music aspect of the church. So many of us are turned away from hearing the Word if we don't like the way the choir is singing that Sunday. The preaching may be tight but if the music isn't there then most people aren't compelled to come back. I can understand this, because I've felt this way, but then I have to wonder, am I really listening to the words of the song or the modulations and syncopation in the music. It should be that the words are the most powerful part of the song, but if somebody hits that good run, that's when the congregation claps. Therefore, the focus is put on how the choir sings rather than whom the choir is singing about, God.
It's quite interesting because there is a distinct difference between the preaching styles of white and black preachers. Going to white churches I hear more about the love of God and how we should love him back with our obedience to his word. Now black churches tend to create a "go to" God, who hears our problems (which is fine) but it stops there. A lot of black churches don't focus on the service part of being a Christian, we want to be served by God.
What do you think?
posted by T.M. Brown @ 12:33 PM
5 Comments:
it's all about your circumstance and what you need to hear.
Not being stereotypical, but being factual, as a we tend to be poorer then whites. Therefore money, wealth, cars etc are what we need and the best way for us to realize that god exists. "If he can help me out with this phone bill, lord have mercy i'll know how blessed i am." Again that comes from hundreds of years of circumstance. We've got the whole, faith, love etc thing down because that's all we had for a long time.
Whites on the other hand, in general, have had these materialistic things but because of some of their actions (slavery) and the fact that they had these things might have caused them to suffer a bit in the love, faith, etc categories.
just a thought...
But you have to admit that we've always wanted the material things because that's what white people had, therefore we equated that with success. But now, that drive for materialistic wealth has caused us to lose our focus on love and we have faith in the wrong things when it comes to God. We might be losing our way.
i definitely feel what you're saying, in that sometimes the black church does talk a lot about material gain, and less on spiritual gain. and, i also see what you're saying in terms of music- i've definitely been in church and have thought of how horrible the music is. at the same time, i feel that music is a type of worship, and that it can usher you into the spirit. i think a lot of the problems that we have with church is that we go to church thinking that it is for us; expecting to get something, and the real purpose of church is to worship and glorify God.
i'm not gonna front, i do want to hear a good word from the Lord, but i know that it can come through many different mediums at church (including less than desirable music). however, there are some churches that really promote the ME mentality and talk about all you can get from God as opposed to all you should be giving to Him.
just my thoughts...
Whites on the other hand, in general, have had these materialistic things but because of some of their actions (slavery) and the fact that they had these things might have caused them to suffer a bit in the love, faith, etc categories.
Well, on behalf of ALL the living white people who are rich and used to own slaves, let me say...
...wait. Nevermind.
I wish white churches focused more on love and faith. But, with some notable exceptions, they focus too much on politics and who's going to Hell.
I read a recent study that found that the most charitable American demographic is . . . (drumroll). . . African Americans. In proportion to our discretionary income, blacks give more to charity than any other group, with the black church being the main beneficiary.
Ah, but specific groups of white people (Mormons, Scientologists) have you beat.
;-)
Christians in general don't always focus on the full scope of what it means to be a Christian. Many of us, as stated earlier, are in it for ourselves and not for the right reasons. We don't always truly understand what it means to be a Christian b/c all we've been taught are the perks of being saved. We don't like to dwell on the fact that we might have to go through or that we might not get that house or car on this earth. We act as if b/c we are saved (which isn't even by any act of our own really) that God OWES US something. When if it wasn't for Christ, we would have nothing and be surely lost. We act as if we have a right to things, and sometimes even demand things like "Well Lord you said I am more than a conqueror so that means I have to win this." We miss the fact that this whole Christianity thing is NOT ABOUT US. Our ultimate task as a Christian is to bring others to Christ yet all we focus on is our present circumstances and sufferings. And because we don't always focus on building our relationship with God we feel inadequate to share the Gospel because we don't know it! All we know is the prosperity gospel that is preached on TV and in some churches.
Coming to the west coast I have definitely had a different experience with churches that I was used to. Over here people don't really go to church just for show or just b/c if they don't say they are saved then they will be denounced from their family. In the Bible belt you have a lot of that. People saying they are Christians but don't really understand what that means and they don't b/c churches don't develop their members. Many churches don't offer discipleship classes and teach their members how to share their faith. Southern churches in my opinion tend to focus on building and keeping their members so their bottom line grows each year. The focus isn't on developing their members so they can walk in the ministry that God has for them...even if it's not at that church. But, I would be wrong if I said that every church on the east is like that or every church on the west is like that or that white churches and African American churches are like whatever. I think that in general we as humans are just selfish and that manifest its self in different ways depending on how you were raised and what church you grew up in.
And African Americans probably give more b/c they can empathize with people more than other races. I mean when you haven't had a meal you feel more apt to share with a homeless person or a charity verses someone that's had most of their life. They tend to look at others as if they have to get their own piece of the pie.
Enjoyed the dialog!! :)
Post a Comment
<< Home