Welcome to the NPPC!

My husband came up with a pretty nifty idea in our discussion the other day.  What we need in the Christian Community at large is a new movement called the NPPC - No Paid Pastor Church!  I had to laugh and agree - yes, that is what is needed. 

Like alot of our tribe on the internet trying to figure out what's going to become of those of us who can't stomach church as usual anymore, we've pretty much concluded that the next big thing God does may have to be at a grass roots level.  Many of us see how ridiculous it is that certain churches allow their pastors and families to spend money so freely on anything BUT the work of the ministry.  The prosperity-driven church we left is a perfect example of pastors making no bones about living like elite citizens instead of identifying with the lowly faithful who donate their money each week trusting that the money is furthering the work of the Gospel.  In addition to paying for extremely comfortable homes, they are funding an on-going extensive travel itinerary, designer sunglasses (note: Karen Walker Sunglasses cost anywhere from $200 on sale to $380) and new cars et al.

This was tweeted last year

It's not that youth pastors aren't allowed to share their fantastic news with the world but the fact that they feel free to without giving thought to how badly certain folk in their care must feel looking at their ongoing extreme good fortune when some of these tithers have lost jobs and homes and are having a hard time making ends meet.  How Pastoral is THAT??  It's not pastoral, it's shallow and insensitive.  It confirms how deep they aren't.  As images of their new worldly possessions show up online like a tidal wave no wonder some of us think it's time for God to cave the Christian Community in so there will be no alternative but to meet in each others homes and take care of each other.   It'll actually be a relief.  No need to tithe - no need to pay anyone for doing what we all can do, because we all have something to contribute in order help each other instead of just helping the pastor.  And, concept, maybe we will be more free to help other people discover authentic Jesus, the one whose reputation has been so tarnished by the bratty behavior of the proponets of the prosperity gospel.

Of course, the prophetic flow (or wishful thinking) of certain leaders (especially celebrity wannabe types) say God is fixin' to move in deluge style - the next big tidal wave from heaven.  One such leader even mentioned the Third Wave is about to descend on us. So, there was a Wave One and Two?? If those 2 moves were significant, why have we yet to see any lasting fruit, other than church leaders increasing their salaries so they can live like high rollers more than ever?  The Third Wave?  Sorta echos The Third Reich.  Maybe not, but it does remind me of Mitt Romney's speech at the NRC the other night.  All these promises are well and good, and wouldn't it be great if all those things he said could really happen?  Seriously, we are supposed to believe you dudes now, after all we've gone through with promises up the wazoo that have yet to come to pass.  All I can picture is 2016 with some faceless new charismatic tauting promises from a big stage in the midst of hyped-up people in full worshipfest swing.  Am I talking about the NRC or a mega church convention?  Both! Ha! Can you believe how interchangeable these two worlds are?!

So, while we are waiting for church world as we've known it to collapse, here's a nifty twitter page I came across the other day for our amusement.  Someone else is thinking this pastor thing has gotten way out of control too.  Click here to read some pretty funny 'Celebrity Pastor' tweets!  One of my favorites is ""Ask not what your pastor can do for you, but what you can do for your pastor."  Thank God for humor to keep us busy, or to help usher in the new NPPC realm!

Payment for Services Rendered

While cleaning my window blinds this afternoon (by myself because I can't afford to have a housekeeping service) a new thought occurred to me about why the church across town allows their pastor leaders to live a lifestyle of the Up-and-Coming Elite in good conscience. Till now, when they cross my mind, I've been perplexed, wondering how they can justify the senior pastor family freely accessing the money provided by the weekly tithes and endless extra offerings to use as their personal expense accounts.

Since I'm cleaning, I can't help but wonder if each member of the family employs a housekeeper (one for each household). If not that, then they at least have a volunteer come once a week so they are getting free housecleaning - no harm in that other than for the poor schmuck who then has to go home and clean her own house, again for free. It's been said that the senior pastor household has their grocery shopping done for them (eyeroll). The younger set loves to shop, we know that. Maybe not for groceries, but there is plenty of evidence that clothes shopping is a favorite pastime.

The question always begs to be asked: What do the faithful tithers think of the fact that the money they give to run the ministry is used to keep their pastors in expensive houses, cars and clothes when other fastidious ministers can't afford luxuries with the allowances given to them by their churches.

As I mused, a little light flickered on. I realized the tithers justify it as paying their pastors for services rendered. They think they are giving in obedience to God's word - or what they think they know to be God's word but all they are really doing is paying for something they want their pastors to do for them.

Their tithe:
1)pays for a bi-weekly commentary on the Bible (is it so they don't have to study it themselves?); 2)pays for a false sense of security as in a covering (if you are under the leader's canopy then Satan can't get to you as easily);
3)pays for their pastors to look successful so Christianity is attractive to non-believers, especially to those with money and position.

Much like Prince William and his new bride appear beautiful and dignified, the royal pastor clan must have an allure of importance and presence everywhere they go. The faithful tithers are paying for this assurance. They are paying to feel like they are important by association. I really have no bone to pick with them for doing so, other than this church claims tax exempt status as a 501 3 C non-profit organization. Seems like that fact alone could warrent that the money be used in ways to profit others beyond the pastor family.

As I pondered this, I couldn't help but remember what I had read in the Gospel of Mark earlier in the day about the rich young man who wanted to inherit eternal life. It paints such a different picture than my musings of pastoral affluence. Here's what I read:

The Rich and the Kingdom of God
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. (19) You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! (25) It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel (30) will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (31) But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

If Jesus wanted us to live like kings wouldn't he have said so? Instead he emphasizes how a rich lifestyle is in conflict with living for God. Of course, then I remember that those who believe in the prosperity doctrine use these same verses (29 and 30) as text to validate their position on the accumulation of earthly possessions - when in fact the text says if you sacrifice for God it will be made up to you somehow but not without earthly troubles. I think the key word there is 'sacrifice' and you certainly don't see a lot of that going on in prosperity gospel circles.

Oh well, at least my mini revelation helps me see why the faithful tithers keep giving to the black hole across town, and why the pastor leaders can sleep at night.

While I slave away vacuuming wood window blinds, I think it could be worse - I could be cleaning 2 houses instead of just one. (If I ever do that it will be for my parents who could use the help.) So today, I'm counting my blessings once again that I am free from the old world. Yes, I still think about it, processing the affects of being in there way too long. Even so, I'd rather be doing this than be in that orbit of delusion paying someone else to do and be something that I should have been doing and being for myself all along.

And I can't help but lament that I used to be there doing what they do. The old saying is so utterly true, "But for the grace of God, go I". Or how about "Once I was blind but now I see."?

Travel Money

Where DO they get the money to travel so much? Orlando in May, Colorado in June and now they are in Hawaii. Cant wait to see what August thru December brings. It must be nice to jet set all around the world and have a travel calendar filled to overflowing.

Here are a few of the pastor girls tweets:

[Went to church outside in my swimsuit.. What?! Maui is where I be.. Embracing the aloha spirit. 2:20 PM Jul 25th via Twitter for iPhone ]

[sitting under a huge palm tree looking over the ocean in Maui! http://tweetphoto.com/35265141 3:39 PM Jul 27th via UberTwitter ]

[Just got back from a spa, and am now officially relaxed! 10:50 PM Jul 29th via UberTwitter ]

[Last day in Maui.. We've done a whole lot of nothing and I've loved every second. Pool, eat, read, beach, spa, eat, repeat.. 1:11 PM Jul 30th via Twitter for iPhone ]

Again, not that pastors shouldn't take vacations but, really, when the rest of us are trying to make house and car payments, and travel has to take a back seat, are we supposed to believe God loves and favors them more because they charged 210 per person at their youth camp and the offerings were so dang good their reward is a week of in Maui?

Again, do the families that lost their houses over there at vortex church ever ask these kinds of questions? (They lost their homes because of bad advice given by the senior pastor who elevated a scammer guy into leadership who scammed these families out of money taken from the equity in their homes. He is now a wanted man in 3 different states!) (BTW, why didn't the pastors all lose their houses too??)

So, do they merely believe God blesses his anointed with abundance while the rest of the congregation suffers? Don't they wonder just a little bit where the travel money comes from? Aren't they curious to know whether their tithes and offerings (which was essentially their money before they gave to "God") are funding all the foo foo fluff that so easily hides under the big broad category tabbed "ministry".

Fine. If God wants them to get away with it scott free in this life, so be it. Is it too much to ask for justice in this life? Not so much that we can see them 'get their just desserts' but so God will validate that he is watching and isn't happy with this sort of thing. If nothing else, they will have to give an accurate account for it someday even if it's only in the hereafter at the Day of Judgement. Wouldn't want to be in their shoes then.

House of Cards. . .

One of the hardest parts about leaving a controlling environment is watching the entity still continue on in their quest for dominion. They continue to exist, for one thing, which is bad enough because we now know that they are Dominionists who believe that they are going to inherit the hard-earned money of those in the world who have no clue that this is why they working so hard for their money. If the organization itself no longer existed maybe they'd figure out they aren't here to take over the world any time soon and their building could be used for something else like a charter school or a post office.

If the Dominionists were only delusional and not so harmful to others, then I'd have no problem with them staying in business. But when they continue to exert their control using spiritual manipulation over the fine people that remain, then it's hard to keep quiet.

Some of those fine people we randomly run into at the store. I must say, some of them can be really nice, politely acting like nothing ever happened even though we can still feel the pity through their kindness since in their minds we are the crazy ones. There are others, however, that treat us like we are the untouchables, no longer acceptable, since we deserted their camp. You know the type, they either pretend they don’t see you (which actually works out best) or, if they deign to speak, it’s with a hint of condescension and distain. They are judgmental and patronizing, with a smile, in the most aggravating way. These are the types you would leave town because of to start a new life in a new city. It’s actually a clue to us that the worship-fest for the pastor family is still going on over there which means not much has changed.

If nothing has changed, why does God still allow it to still continue? Lucky for them, His forbearance has depths we can’t even fathom. I readily admit he’s been extremely patient with those of us who have left. He doesn't rush us to hurry and get over it, giving us time to heal, as he guides us toward more and more truth that helps us understand what we endured when we were there. So, God, not being a respecter of persons, must be holding out till he absolutely has to do something to stop the bad behavior over there.

Waiting for God to deal with former world is a bit like waiting to see if the bail outs help the American Economy. I guess only time will tell.