Kicking Our Own

Kicking our own while they are down- 

Today’s post is going to be more about some thoughts I had. 

In a resent pod cast i was listen too. Chris LoCurto http://chrislocurto.com mentioned about how we has the body of christ will so often beat up our own when they fall or make a mistake. The world is looking for faults in people and when someone who is high up falls it becomes a big deal. People talk about it, and we continue to beat people up for it. I could go down the list but as pastors, we are notorious for this. When a pastor is at mega church, their church is growing and people are coming to Jesus, they get lots of attention and scrutiny. Some say they are preaching heresy, or feel good message, or insert issues here. Then they fall or something happens to them, the world normally start beating them up and pastors/other christians follow. 

I have been very guilty of this. I won’t name pastors that I have done this with but I been convicted because many times I attack them. Just because their style is different doesn't mean they deserve to be beat up. If they are still reaching people for Jesus and getting people to find out who Jesus is, then why should we beat them up because it isn't our cup of tea. This also goes to say that there are people that make mistakes and come to admit them. Sometimes these mistakes are small and some are big but both are mistakes. Both can be ammunition for our assault on their ministry. 

In churches we developed a culture where if it bad for a pastor to be wrong or do wrong. Yes, we should expect some sort of standard, but we expect pastors to live a life that only Jesus could live. We love to watch people fail and burn, then join in on beating them while they are down. Things i have said in the past as example, “I knew they were too good to be true,” “See thats what happens when…,” “Why would they give up…,” “I knew they would fail.” Our words and thought can really cut into people and beat them up. Many times we do this because in some way we are jealous or covet what they have even if we don't directly think it. Number, fame, success, money, life, or people. As a culture and churches, we define success by those criteria instead of the criteria, “Am I doing the best I can.”

Should we be on the look out for false prophets? Of course but what makes a false prophet? Is it his message, or maybe things he might say? Is it his heart where we look at his fruits? Is it by the attention he gets so we judge him out his loudest moment? Aside from contradicting Jesus and the Bible, I don't know if we can get on someone for having a different view than us. Could we all get to heaven and ask Jesus “what is the real/true denomination? Is it Pentecostal, Baptist, Calvinist, Catholic, etc.” And he response, “You are all wrong.” Is that possible? I would have to think it is. We all are reading the same text and all seeing the same stories but we are all looking at it in different ways. So how do you tell if someone is teaching something that is false? Know what the Bible says and compare what they say to it. 

Most of the time we confusing method with the message. We don't like the method they are using to get across a point or to invite more people or to close out people, so we demonize them. We see them as less holy then “us.” We don’t even look at the lives changed or the word being preached, or the people that are being called to ministry though this method. We as the saying goes, “Throw the baby out with the bath water.” We discount their ministry, they fruits, and their life and their message because it is not delivered how we would want it delivered. And when the person that we are demonizing fails, we say it is because of (Insert issue). We wait till they are the weakest and we pile on and beat them up with the world and the devil. 

We will always have issues with people method and even how they interpret some scriptures. We will want to put them down to lift ourself up. We will look at them and scrutinize their life. But what we really need to do is ask the simple question. “How would I want to be viewed by them and other pastors?” If we want people to give us the benefit of a doubt, then we need to do the same. We need to look at what are they doing, who are they reaching and if their is an issue, don't gossip about it, go to them and talk with them if you are able. If they chose to not see it your way, chose to agree to disagree. It is better way. It is better to see them fighting the same fight we are facing. They have trials and temptations just like us. We fail, they fail. We are human trying to be like Jesus and so are they. 

In conclusion, treat others as you would be treated. Give people the benefit of a doubt. Love them and pray for them. We fight the same fight. Lastly don't judge someone without knowing the details, there is much we don't know about them and their life. Thanks for reading the post. Till next time, 

Benjamin Marc Grenier