Published By: Kazeem Ugbodaga
19th May, 2019
By Terfa Naswem
Whenever I criticize the Church, I don’t do it because I hate the church. I do it because of my love for the church and my fervent desire for the church to reflect the true image of Christ Jesus.
I am a Christian and a baptized member of a church. I grew up studying the Bible. I was an active member as a kid in Children Evangelism Ministry (CEM) at the age of 9 at the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria. From my JS 2 to SS 3, at NKST Secondary School, Adikpo, Kwande LGC of Benue State, I was an official in Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS).
I understand the Holy Bible even more than the course I studied in the University, that is why I have refused to swim in the ignorance and negligence going on in most of our churches today.
The main purpose of the church is a place of worship and soul-winning for Christ Jesus. Other activities are just secondary. But many churches today, have left the primary purpose of the church and made other issues as their top priorities at the detriment of winning souls for Christ.
In Matt. 21: 12-13 (KJV) the Bible says, “And Jesus went into the temple of God and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the seats of them that sold doves.
“And said unto them, it is written, my house shall be called the house of prayer; but he have made it a den of thieves.”
Many pastors today have turned the church into a den of thieves. They have become entrepreneurs in the house of God. They have substituted soul-winning of church members for their selfish interest. Many have used the church as a business. Making money at the detriment of church members and not bothered about their salvation.
The truth is many churches today need revival. A very serious one. Some of these churches have misled many people by misinterpreting the Bible to suit their interests.
It is very obvious that Jesus and St. Paul talked about fake pastors and churches (Matt. 7:21-23; Matt. 7:15-20; Romans 16: 17-18; 2 Corinthians 11:10-13). So one should not be surprised when such things happen in some churches.
Some pastors and church leaders are busy sleeping with some church members and others. Practicing the things they stand on the pulpit and preach against.
I am a journalist and I have seen cases of pastors and other church leaders caught in many scandals that put them in irredeemable situations.
When I write about the church, I really know what I am saying. There was a pastor of a church (name withheld) that I caught sleeping with his church member (name withheld) who was in the church choir and also a student of a higher institution in the same place. I worked on the story with my irrefutable evidences to publish, but some members of the church who knew about it pleaded with me not to do it that it will have a serious stain on the pastor, the girl and the church which will destroy everything.
As a journalist who understand media law and code of ethics, and knows the legal implications of libel, slander and sedition, I was ready for any legal action that will be initiated by either the pastor or the church because my evidences were irrefutable. But because of my sympathy for him, the girl and the church, I dropped the story.
I once attended a church (name withheld) which I was invited for a programme on a Sunday. The ushers of the church were mostly females who dressed in a very attractive way. I was ushered in and sandwiched between two girls who wore short skirts that exposed much of their laps and wore tops that their breasts were also exposed but not too much ( 1 Timothy 2:9-10; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Peter 3:2-5; Proverbs 7:10; Proverbs 11:22; Proverbs 31:25).
I was confused where I sat. When I turned to my right and left I saw exposed breasts. When I looked down trying to open my Bible, I get caught by their laps. I could not give the service the absolute attention it needed because of the position I found myself.
When I looked round the church, I realized that many ladies dressed in such attractive way. These are issues that I applaud some churches such as NKST and Catholic. In terms of controlling indecent dressing to church, these churches are among other churches that have tried.
Jesus knew that the church has two faces: the face that promotes spiritual deviltry and the face that promotes spiritual revolution for Christ Jesus. That was why he warned the people to be aware of fake prophets and those who use God’s name to commit evil.
There are many people who are against the criticism of the church. But Martin Luther’s criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church in October 31, 1517 gave birth to all protestant and Pentecostal churches including other churches. If Luther never criticized the Roman Catholic Church, today, there would have been one universal church: the Catholic Church.
All other churches are products of criticisms of the church so pastors and church members should take it in good faith when the churches face criticisms including their pastors and leaders.
Unless there is strong spiritual revolution through revival in the church, spiritual deviltry will continue to prevail in many churches making it vulnerable to attacks by the evil forces of this world.
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