Organized Religion
“I believe in God. But I just do not care for organized religion,” he said.
“What do you mean 'organized religion?'” I asked.
“I don't go to church,” he said. “I am a good person. Don't cuss, lie, am honest, and try to help people. But I quit church,” he said, as if he were quoting scripture.
“Why did you quit church?” I probed.
“My son graduated from high school. Started going to church. Worked all day. Came home, showered, and was going out with friends. He went to sleep, ran off the road, and died instantly. That day I quit church,” he replied. The story was told as if it had been repeated many times.
“Well, Sir, allow me,” I continued. “I too lost a son. Standing in a cold cemetery looking at a coffin holding my son made me want to go to heaven. You say your son was a Christian. Has it dawned on you that if you go the other way you will not see him again?”
One can never be certain how a person will respond when pressed about sensitive matters. However, I noticed that he stopped what he was doing, put his mechanic hands into de-greaser soap, rubbed his hands and arms, put them under water, dried them, and sat down. We continued to talk about Jesus and salvation.
Hear me, My Friend, there are days that this preacher would be less weary digging ditches. There is a therapy to hard work. Putting one's hands to a task and seeing a product is rewarding. How do you know if caring and love for individuals will yield good results? How do you know if a person will receive the gospel and allow holiness to become resident in their heart? How do you know when a young woman decides not to have an abortion? How do you know when a young man settles in his heart that he will honor God?
Investing in people is wonderful. The caveat is that it is not like putting paint on an ugly house and making it beautiful. It is not manicuring a lawn and planting shrubbery. It is not buffing a car until it looks new. People are driven by the choices they make. We invest, but we cannot make people change.
Being a pastor is a calling. A pastor first fears God. A pastor is an undershepherd, working for the Great Shepherd: Jesus. The desire is to build a solid church family. The desire is to develop a sound system of leadership, guard accountability with finances, insure sound doctrine, rescue lost souls, and make disciples.
As a young man I was a paint contractor. Very good at my trade. Painted homes of well-to-do persons. Did not have to advertise. Folks came looking for me to paint their house.
As a pastor the product of my labors is measured in time by teamwork, maturity of leadership, godly elders and teachers, and manifest evidences of God changing lives.
It is impossible to have a sound local church without organization. I want to laugh when folks tell me they do not believe in “organized religion.” But in truth my heart is gripped with pity.
God is an organized God. God does everything by divine principles. His laws are immutable. Unorganized religion is the devil's territory.
When folks tell me they do not want “organized religion” I translate it to mean: “I do not want to be accountable. I want to live my life without God or anyone else judging me. I want to be in control of my life and eternity.”
God, who is organized, wants you in an organized church, living an organized life, working with an organized team, and planning on going to an organized heaven.
Pastor Bare
Genesis 1...what an organized God