If I had a nickel for every time I heard a preacher say, “Keep your eyes on Christ because man will fail you,” I’d be in high cotton this Christmas.
The IFB church is enamored by the high-brow, well-advertised, high-profile, big-named churches. If I listed the names of these churches in CA, TX, KY, IN, MI, FL and many more, you’d readily recognize the names. So, just watch Facebook and Twitter when one of these high-profile Pastors submits a post. Oh my, the ooh and the aah quickly becomes a blaze. The feeding frenzy that consists of those tripping over their computer or smart phone in hopes of being the first to like or retweet this high-profile Pastor is sickening. Keep your eyes on Christ because man will fail you.
1 Peter 4:11 “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Newsflash!
The high-profile Pastor doesn’t ‘corner the market’ of spirituality, access to the Throne, and the ability to speak the oracles of God.
Galatians 1:10 – For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:17 – “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.”
Dear IFB, don’t be duped. Do not think too highly of the prominent, well-known, and famous Preacher or Pastor. It’s sad to admit that a tweet or a post from a leading pastor, preacher, or evangelist overshadows the wisdom shared by the less-known servant. Simply, a less-known servant’s tweet or post that may be contextually identical to the high-brow servant will not merit social networking attention. Shameful!
“Keep your eyes on Christ because man will fail you”
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
As an outsider, because I’m divorced, the true nature of the IFB church has been clear over the past several years. The lack of self and approved study by many IFB churches has affected many Godly servants.
I ran across the following from http://joshteis.com/2015/12/01/the-new-independent-baptist/
“4 – Turned Off by Denominational Politics
I Corinthians 1:12-13 …there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided?
One of the great benefits of being Independent Baptist was supposed to be the lack of denominational control. Sadly, our movement has not always been able to live up to this ideal. This is partly due to our proclivity toward the inane practice of 2nd degree, 3rd degree, and 4th degree separation.[7]
Fear is a terrible thing. Fear will lead a man to say what he doesn’t believe in order to please a critic. Fear will cause a man to sacrifice transparency at the altar of influence. Fear will keep a man quiet when he ought to speak but he will call it discretion. Fear will keep a church planter tied to a denominationally approved method though it produces few results. Instead, we choose to be men who are more concerned with freedom of expression and open dialogue than retaining influence and pleasing critics.
Trust me. I understand the pressure. Simply by writing this post I am opening myself up to reprisals. But I have found that speaking the truth is rewarding, expressing your position is freeing, and saying what you really think is tremendously liberating. Transparency doesn’t seem to limit influence it seems to expand it.”
“Keep your eyes on Christ because man will fail you”