Today’s QOTM (quote of the moment) is from Sarah Cunningham, a former megachurch staffer, now author and high school history teacher in Jackson, Michigan.
“Few people see Christianity as a shift of allegiance that prompts us to make personal changes in beliefs, habits, and lifestyles. We must continually examine our churches to make sure our message is one that requires transformation.” *
That’s a good reminder that if our weekly worship and religious regimens don’t translate into real obedience on Mondays, then it doesn’t matter how fluently we can talk theology. A couple of good check points for me include:
Am I treating my wife and family with love and respect? Do I regularly berate people in my thoughts and conversations? Can I accept the people I interact with without requiring them to change first?
My answers to these questions on a regular basis give me a good idea of how much transformation I’ve allowed to take place in my heart lately. Also, I receive unbiased and sometimes painful answers to these questions when I let the people I’m close to answer them about me.
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*Quote was taken from the Out of Ur blog. Originally from “Dissing Illusionment” in the Winter 2007 issue of Leadership Journal.
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Curious Heretic 
sobering thoughts.
We are merely clanging symbals without love the Apostle reminds us. We can preach to many, speak in the tongues of angels and recite the Scriptures frontwards and backwards. But without love…
Thanks for this blog.
Many Christians’ minds are under bondage. They don’t figure out things themselves under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit but rely too much on their pastors and church elders to do the thinking and searching on their behalf. They do not question and study, so they lose the ability to discern. The clergy use the church leadership to coerce the congregation to fear them quoting from Scriptures “thou shalt not touch the anointed one of the Lord”! Such demeaning tactics are subtly used and communicated to subdue the “sheep”. The few who question the tyranny and the demonic control over the sheep’s mind thereby striking fear in their hearts, those courageous few. are being sidelined. Or neutralized by the pastor and his “cronies”.
This is what’s happening in my church. People are professionals in their own right , well-educated, but willingly put themselves in such an ungodly spiritual compromise . I am very much wounded by what is hurled at me for speaking up and deeply grieved by what I see. I have given up on the church ( but not on God ) and its teachings. Its teachings ( which I know are not compatible with that of Jesus ) are all about control and power. Such clever manipulation! I can’t see God and feel His presence in the church nor in the whole league of pastors who do not walk the talk. They are no better than the crooked politicians in my country, each one looking after his own interest. It’s a no wonder the majority of the people in my church feel unfulfilled spiritually and psychologically. I’ve been in my present church for ten years and I see no transformation in the lives of key leaders and pastors. I see more control, more self-protection and self-preservation. The many marginalised and poor in our society are ignored and given “crumbs” occasionally to make a show.
Deeply disillusioned.