Why Can't We Be One?

My spirit was so heavy this morning when I went into my office. And as the Lord does, He drops so many thoughts when I’m trapped in a meeting that I really don’t want to be in. Surprisingly, He did that very thing while sitting in a meeting this morning and was able to remember each thought as it relates to this topic. With that, let me begin.

Why can’t we be one? Why can’t the body of Christ be on one accord? The truth is: we can be on one accord, if we WILL to do it. It’s as simple as agreeing with you and you agreeing with me, regardless of what our personal opinions are. The tragedy is that we don’t want to agree because we’re inadvertently selfish. So what are problems that need to be addressed so that we can be one?

1. Church cliques – where I only deal with people from my church
2. Being a part of the AMCC – earlier this year, I did a blog series about the American Middle Class church, where it’s all about me, my family and my clique
3. Our personal agendas take priority over God’s agenda
4. Esteeming a leader that itches our ears over what the word of God says
5. Pride in our titles (and I believe that some are self-appointed especially with some of the attitudes I’ve seen)
6. Divisions due to racial/ethnic prejudices
7. Labeling true believers as enemies (especially when they’re going through something) and labeling enemies of the cross as true believers
8. Lack of balance (focusing too much on Ephesians 4:11-13 and not on the other key elements that assist in us being on one accord)
9. Allowing demonic spirits in churches and granting them access to pulpits and/or platforms (yep, you know it, I know it, God knows it and the devil knows it)!
10. Judging a brother/sister when they stumble, but tell others to pray when their church leader sins (this is just downright partiality – a hindrance to one accord)
11. We want feel good experiences over genuine worship – ears to be itched over hearing the Truth!

Now these are just some (and I’ll expound on just a few of them). Yes, this post is to rub our personal agendas the wrong way. And many will bypass this post because of bullet point #1 (I’m not part of their church clique). Think about this: if your leader were to point this out, you’d rejoice. But because I don’t have a title or am not popular, you’d throw stones at me.

With #3, if we leaders are to have a high standard, why are we so focused on personal agendas? If we can’t even forgive our brother/sister (over something minor), we should forget about being one! What example are we showing to the world?

With #7, here’s a perfect example as to someone who had a problem with a fellow believer, but didn’t cut him off. Paul rebuked Peter, but Paul didn’t cut him off. We (cause of our selfishness) will cut other fellow believers off and count them as enemies. In fact, we’re living in a time where true Christians are considered enemies to fellow believers as we accept imposters into the fold (without presenting them to gospel and compromise with them).

Still on #7, let me push the envelope a little bit further. There are two quotes that I could say that would cause you to believe I’m creating division in the body of Christ:

1. Why should God cancel your debt if you haven’t been delivered from poor financial habits? (bible reference: Luke 16:11)
2. Why should God heal you from AIDS if you haven’t been delivered from homosexuality? (bible reference: Romans 1:18-32)

With #8, I have no problems about preaching on Ephesians 4:11-13. I believe that we put too much emphasis and we fail to address those with titles who have an aught against a brother/sister (over a personal agenda). The five-fold ministry is a component to one accord, but there’s more to it (such as the application of prayer, fasting, intercession, speaking the same thing, laying our personal agendas down for the sake of the Kingdom, and the list goes on).

With #9, let me just say this: just because someone is gifted does NOT mean they are anointed by God. These days we’re living in is not the time to turn your discernment spirit off just because your ear is being itched!

I can’t help but to think about this: one person said to me years ago that I can’t be a Christian if I’m not a democrat. I scratch my head and think, really?! If I were to say that the President sneezed a certain way, you would label me your enemy and say I’m not of Christ. This is a perfect example of us clinging more to personal agendas over the Bible.

Matthew 24 tells us to not be deceived and false prophets shall arise. It’s hypocritical to talk about oneness and harbor unforgiveness. Question: how would you feel if God cut you off because cut off a true believer?

Let me end this post by saying this: this post is not designed to attack anybody. But we as the Body of Christ need to get it together and come together. We need each other to survive! We have been playing church games too long (putting leaders, churches, denominations and church cliques over the Bible). Together we stand, divided we fall. So we can be one, we just have to do it. If I’m holding unforgiveness among anyone reading this, let me know so I can repent and ask for your forgiveness. We have a job to do (and yes, there may be a time where we may have to separate like Paul and Barnabas, but we shouldn’t consider each other as enemies). The enemy is the author of division, and I don’t like division especially within the Body. Much love to you all.

The Mayne Man

Our Attitudes As Christians

I would like to extend to a huge thanks to two authors for inspiring this blogpost (Danielle Taylor & Cynthia Lamb). I believe that our attitudes as Christians need to change for the better; if we don't, we will have a lot of blood on our hands and perpetrate the fraud thinking we're doing Kingdom business. I have a lot of topics to cover on this topic, so I will get directly to the point. You see, our selfishness attitudes, our pride and egos as Christians is why we are failing at Kingdom business.

I hear this phrase quite a bit from Christians, "I'm cutting people off cause they're not adding growth or I can't be around them cause they have too many issues, or cause they don't support my favorite preacher, gospel artist, etc." Here's a rhetorical question: Did Jesus ever cut anybody off? Many people would look to Judas, but the truth is that Judas cut himself off. God never cut anybody off (He pronounced judgment only because they cut themselves off from Him). So how dare we think that we're bigger than Jesus by cutting people off? What makes this even worse is that we cut people off due to minor issues (such as the things mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph). Now I did cut one person off by blocking them (this was a stalker case and due to her mental state). Now that doesn't mean that I won't stop loving her or praying for her. See, when we tend to cut people off, we do it with so much malice that we act no different than the world. Here's a question worth considering: have you ever prayed for anyone you've cut off, or did you frown your nose when you cut them off? In all seriousness, it shows that we are on the throne and not God. Let me make something clear: I'm not saying that you don't use discernment when you deal with people, you MUST do that.

Our attitudes actually aid to the number of agnostics and atheists. If we were to show love and compassion towards them (because God loves them too), they would see how real Christ is. Yes, they ultimately make the final decision, but we don't want to hinder them with our pride and ego. Sadly, there are times they get it better than we do due to our behavior.

One of my dear friends made this comment: when you have Christians going overseas to preach the gospel versus preaching in their own state (due to fear, burned out), that's a sign that we're not heeding the New Testament (thinking on scriptures such as bearing one another's burdens, and pairing up in twos - to witness, and pray in agreement). But at the same token, another sister friend said that missionaries overseas are coming over to witness to us because we're too complacent with the gospel (I would even add the fact that we are so partial to the gospel, that we would rather hand around our respective cliques - you must go to my church to be a part of my circle - and the 99 found sheep). So, what have we shown to the world? How to be fragmented and divided. Now how's that for Kingdom business?

How did we ever get to the place that we will attack those who are truly God's anointed versus those who are perpetrating a fraud? We will tear down those who God put up, and we lift up people who we KNOW are living foul and will cover it up cause they itch our ears? What does that show? We're selfish (and heaven forbid that we call it out, then we have to hear "you're judging." And don't let me tell you that I'm in sin, for you would end that friendship with me quickly - but then you want me to show love and compassion when you slip and fall). Also, how did we get to the place where we base our friendships and associations based on who gives us goosebumps, itches our ears, and supports our personal agenda? What about God's agenda and what He wants us to do? And the last thing for this point: how did we get to the place where we tell people who are going through to "Talk to God" but then turn around and want them to stop what we're doing to pray for us? That is not only discrimination, but it's also hypocritical and we need to repent for our behavior.

There are things that people will want to debate you over such as "how come you don't defend my pastor, or my church?" and we Christians will get mad (and scholarly I might add) if we don't defend their pastor, their church, etc. I'm not saying this is arbitrarily a bad thing, but when it takes precedence over the Bible, then it's a major problem!

The last thing I want to touch on is "titles." When we put our title over the fact that we're a child of God first (and you drop your sanctification if you're recognized for your title), then we have a serious problem. Now, you can call yourself what you want, I still consider you a child of God first (but I will respect your title and your position). And granted, I may have a title, but I also know that my title is not who I am ultimately. I'm a friend/child of God (and a brother in Christ) first.

Yes, I know that we're going to be hated by men, but it's a travesty when hatred comes from those who say they're in the body of Christ. If we keep pride, egotism as our attitudes in the body of Christ, we'll be doing more harm than good when it comes to Kingdom business.

Now, this post is really out of love and concern, and really a plea that we've got to get back to being on one accord. If we really want the signs and wonders in Acts 2 (as well as seeing many get saved), we have to be on one accord (of course, not solely for the signs and wonders, that's what God wants from us anyway). It's been said, we will be known by our fruit, not by our prosperity!

Blessings.

The Mayne Man

The Meaning of Coming Together (On One Accord)

Many of you are familiar with a song entitled Come Together (from the Beatles). The song itself will not be the focus of this blog. However, I will talk about the body of Christ and the need for the body to come together on one accord.

It’s been said that I take issues that I see in the body of Christ as being cynical, I see it more as a call to accountability (yes, I admit that I go overboard at times). Consider this: when I got deep into church in 1996/1997, most of the churches were focusing on this topic Race, Religion & Racism. One thing the pastor said that was critical was that the church is the most racist organization and that somebody has to talk about it and deal with it. The problem is that we have been sitting around not doing anything about it. That's his quote, which I agree. When I left my former church in 2000 due to control issues (the lesson I gained was that a clean-up job needs to be done and more accountability is needed especially to the leader). Another lesson is that in order to minister the world, we have to keep striving for a life that pleases God (I'm not exempt from this either). For a leader to have that much control (saying that if you miss a Thursday/Sunday service, you're taking a vacation from God), can devastate lives. I didn't get upset about leaving, if anything, I gained a lesson which is another one of my passions (which I probably do get carried away with), in order to change the world, we need to be accountable to each other, our lifestyles must be subject to the Bible and leaders are not without reproach. I don't say this out of anger, but out of a heartfelt love for the church. I understand that we're living in the last days, and people will be lovers of self, gathering teachers that say what they want to hear. I don't want you to think that I go around looking for church issues, that's not my personality. I am very open with people, in the hopes that we can be honest with each other and that we can meet each other where we are without damaging a soul. I will confess to you all that I have anger issues (especially when it's a cause that I believe in strongly). Granted, when I came to college (and some of you might remember this), my attitude was simply this: either you will live by this Bible or you will die to it. It's just that simple! That approach was a little too extreme, I'll admit that.

One thing that's a concern is when some people say that the church is perfect and never question a leader. One of the problems within the church is when it's time to speak up, we don't and then we turn around and point fingers when prayers are removed out of the school. I believe that we all can be free and not let the devil have access to our lives, if we come together on one accord (again, this is one of the lessons I learned early in my Christian walk) - the scripture base is the book of Acts. Acts was one of my favorite books when I in college. I was always convicted when I would think of seeing the disciples being beaten and still praising God. I'll admit I've slipped recently from having the attitude like the disciples due to my own sin and fear. I'll openly admit that.

In summary: if we don’t come together, the world is going to die. I hope that we can cease from pointing fingers at the world saying “oh well, they’re going to hell.”