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I had a friend who was always doing something for show. I think it was an insecurity problem and seemed to be compulsive. He and his wife joined a church and within a month or two he was an elder. He confided to me that he thought it was all phony storytelling and nothing to the Bible or church beliefs. He eventually latched on to the next shiny thing and left the church in the dust. He did that with wives and jobs as well. He has calmed down as he aged.
Sure, church staff doesn't need to be Christian. Although I'd think that someone who is Christian would be more motivated to work for a church than a non-Christian would be.
But the elders, deacons and clergy certainly would need to be Christian, at least if I were picking them, due to Biblical descriptions of the qualifications for church leaders.
I guess the reasons why the nonbelievers I know are leaders of their houses of worship is the ethnic connection to the ethnic group that the house of worship focuses on. It still seems odd--that the individuals would serve and that the house of worship would ask them to serve.
Well, as the first commandment is to love God, it seems best that church leaders should…love God.
I guess sometimes people have love in their hearts for their churches and communities and see their churches as a way to serve that community, even if they don't call themselves Christians. Hard to believe, isn't it?
I guess sometimes people have love in their hearts for their churches and communities and see their churches as a way to serve that community, even if they don't call themselves Christians. Hard to believe, isn't it?
I wasn't raised, nor do I attend, a church where people use phrases like "I am on fire for God!". People are not "goofy for God" They can and do talk about other subjects than their personal experience or relationship with "the Lord". So, to some, they may seem irreligious. They may seem like regular people. Because they ARE regular people who do not don sackcloth and ashes to show that they are "saved".
Who is anyone to judge who is or is not Christian? In a church that is sacerdotal, hellfire and brimstone will not be preached. At the same time, people's presence and involvement with the church are indicative of their hearts. Baptism and Holy communion confer grace. Those are sacraments. They are not hollow acts. They are ancient rituals and creeds followed by the majority of Christians throughout the world.
Being a Christian involves PROOF of the fruits of Jesus' love for the least among us. It involves a commitment to making your little part of the world a just and kind place for the least of those among you. If all you are doing is playing loud music, bragging about the things that you abstain from - wine, worldly music, movies, and separating one's self from sinners in a smug and self-righteous way, I will be bold and say that you just do not get the message of Jesus Christ.
You are prideful and judgemental. That is all.
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HOWBOWDAH!!
