Money Changers ???

[Gracious]

Hello Everyone,

I'm kind of embarressed about sharing this ... BUT ... I need  your advise / your thoughts about something. and I sure hope that this is the proper section to post this 

OK here we go ...

My Pastor has an immediate family member who sings.  This family member sang on a cd, and my Pastor sells their cd from the pulpit. Meaning, either before or after (mostly after) his sermon.

He says something like this:
" Now I know, that many of you know that my ---- has a cd out (he'll say what the name of the cd is and repeat the cost several times) ... and should you desire one, you can either see me (then he'll hold the cd up and wave it back and forth slowly for all to see and reiterate the price) ... or them, and either of us will be happy to sell it to you ... praise GOD!!!

My Pastor has no concern about selling (exchanging cash for goods in this case) within the sanctuary.

Everytime, he does this, my spirit becomes vexed ... so much so, that I find it hard to sit and listen, and receive what thus saith the LORD ( if he does his selling "commercial" before his sermon), and if he does this after the preached WORD ... my spirit is vexed.

Now I've searched my heart about this, which led me to prayer, which led me to my Sword of the SPIRIT:

Matthew 21(New Living Translation)
Jesus Clears the Temple
12Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the merchants and their customers. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the stalls of those selling doves. 13He said, "The Scriptures declare, `My Temple will be called a place of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!"[f]

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Money changers within the inner-courts ... is what my spirit has been saying to me. Please know that I am not the only person within our House (our church) that feels this way, but some have gone to him about this, and his response (so I'm told) is that that scripture regarding Jesus turning the over the tables in the temple does not pertain to his actions, and he sees nothing wrong with it.

My feeling is now (I'm sure the position I hold there plays a part in my trepedation), what's the use of going to him about this, if this is how he feels...and perhaps stirring up  negative feelings on his part for me ... which could be hindersome. Yet each time he gives his commercial (and they are quite frequent), I feel myself becoming more saddened.

How do I get passed this??? ... Because this thing ... could turn towards resentment (a spiritual-blocker) on my part couldn't it???



Gracious

[sagesong]

I will not speak to the rightness or wrongness of your Pastor's actions.  Instead, I will advice you not to say anything to your Pastor unless you are certain, CERTAIN, with certainity that God has instructed you to do so.

If you believe God has instructed you to talk to your Pastor, as Him to give you the words.  Remember when Nathan had to speak with David about his relationship with Bathsheba he spoke in a way that David could receive.  Of his own power, he would not have known what David's heart was prepared to receive and respond to. 

In the meantime, pray for your Pastor.  Even here ask God to give you the words of your prayer.  This way your feelings and intellect will not shape your prayer request. 

Lay your own feelings at Jesus' feet.  Ask him to help you see past the Pastor to Him whenever the Word is going forward.   Amen?

[Gracious]

Amen!!!

.... Thank you my Sage- Sista  

[David Dupree]

My goodness gracious!!  hahaha I am soooo sorry that I neglected to respond to this post. Puleaze find it in yo' heart to forgive me. 

Well Gracious,
  You do have a loaded situation that has been the source of conversation and even controversy in the Body for quite a few years now. 

Having heard the arguments on both sides very well, I am convinced that the extremist will always go to the extreme..regardless of which side it is. 

With the situation in Matthew 21, Mark 11 and John 2 I believe that the church had become a flea market of sorts.  Things had gotten out of hand.  It was supposed to be a house of prayer, but it had become a den of thieves and robbers. 

Was your pastor stealing anything from anybody?  Or was he supporting a laudible effort that would 1) uplift people 2) support the church 3) encourage/support the person in his/her ministry? 

Have you been in services where preachers "push" their product before they preach?  I know I have.  Have I gotten vexed?  Only when they push the product longer than they preach. hahaha  Well, none have gone that long, but sometimes it seems that way. 

Now if your pastor was pushing kitchen products or something from the local Sears or something, then I believe that is totally what Jesus had in mind when he cleared out the temple.  And even in "legit" stuff can the church go overboard?  Yes.  But in the midst of it all does your church stay on purpose and point with its mission?  I am sure it does...otherwise, you would not be there in the first place!

I don't want to go to overboard myself, but I believe that the church should be a leader or force in the marketplace as well as in the political arena.  Many people only know certain info when they hear it at church.  For example, there are many people who have stopped eating pork because they heard at church of the negative effect on their bodies.  Or how about the people that now stay away from certain chemicals in foods because they heard it across the pulpit.  Or what about the numbers of persons who now have houses because they got help across the pulpit on where to go for a mortgage or realtor.  Or what about the political candidate that you knew nothing about until he/she visited your church.  Now sure, in a perfect world, the church should not have to do all that.  But in the Black communities, the church has always had to go the extra mile in social responsibility because our people for many years did not have the education or access to information and the pastor was the community leader.  Here we are in the new millenium and we are still semi in the same scenario..probably out of tradition..probably out of need!  But until we get to the point where we rely on the Holy Ghost more than the pastor, we have to still get the understanding.   

Okay, I say all that to say, sure as a mature Christian, things like that may be off your radar now, but tolerate those who may not go to the store, may not seed into another's ministry, may not approve those things which are excellent without the help of someone knowledgeable.  Who knows, maybe spending for that CD helped someone not buy one of those x rated cd's.  Who knows, maybe that CD helped someone see the Kingdom.  "For we know all things work together for the good of them that Love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose."   

dd

[Gracious]

Bother DD,

I too must beseech your forgiveness for the time that it has taken for me to respond to your "pearls of INFINITE wisdom" ('see I been workin' for JESUS ... an' I'm not tired yet!!!)

You have been most consistant with me ... and my spirit TRULY is appreciative ... Amen?

Meaning, YOU have consistantly succeeded in delivering TRUTH IN AGAPE LOVE ... an attribute that I aspire towards as well!!!


Especially when you penned:

"...Have you been in services where preachers "push" their product before they preach?  I know I have.  Have I gotten vexed?  Only when they push the product longer than they preach. hahaha  Well, none have gone that long, but sometimes it seems that way. 

Now if your pastor was pushing kitchen products or something from the local Sears or something, then I believe that is totally what Jesus had in mind when he cleared out the temple.  And even in "legit" stuff can the church go overboard?  Yes.  But in the midst of it all does your church stay on purpose and point with its mission?  I am sure it does...otherwise, you would not be there in the first place! ..."

I must say, I've never thought about it quite that way  ... thank you!!!

.
And ...Most Graciouslyl recieved!!![/color]