My Review: Preachers of Atlanta

So, out of boredom, the other night I turned on " Preachers of Atlanta.”

First off, I believe that we need to see REAL Christians on T.V. Christians that follow the word of God and who are unwavering.

Christians on TV are not the problem.
Christians who desire to look like the world, to fit into the world, are.

Now, let me state, I am not giving a "review" on the pastors themselves. I know very little about the ones that have appeared on the show.  What I do know is that they were not portrayed in a great light, at all.

1) Meeting People where they are at

One of the Pastors on the show talked about how her ministry handed out cigarettes and condoms.  That caused a huge debate. She stated that it brought members to the church and she was able to meet them where they were at, showing that she cared. So that made me wonder- how do we meet someone where they are at? How do we tell people to come as they are, and that we love and care about them without going against the bible?

We all know what the bible states about having sex outside of marriage, so wouldn’t handing out condoms be promoting the very thing we aren’t supposed to be doing…? Her response? "They are going to have sex regardless, at least this way they are protected." Hmmm... so what happens after they visit, does the church continue to provide condoms and cigarettes? Why is it that people who smoke or have sex can be reached only if we assist them in satiating their vice?

2) Ghetto Praise and Worship

Pastor Canton Jones shared about how he uses hip hop to reach people. He talked about why the traditional gospel isn’t reaching the youth today. Being someone who loves hip hop, when I got saved I did realize that 90 percent of the music I was listening to did not glorify God in the slightest. But that did not stop me from wanting a fast beat and great lyrics.  When I found Lecrae, I was so amazed that hip hop could bring glory to God. I do not disagree that christian hip hop is a great tool to reach others, but what does being "Ghetto" in praise and worship look like? The main line of the song was "I'm so ghetto with my praise and worship"....someone explain that to me please. lol

And also, Christian hip hop shouldn’t be us trying to mirror secular hip hop artists. I am tired of Christians feeling like we have to conform to the world instead of the other way around.

3) Gay Church Leaders

The same pastor who hands out cigarettes and condoms also believes that it is possible for church leaders (Pastors) to be gay. One of the other pastors then stated that his father is a Pastor of a church and is openly gay. My biggest confusion- when they are doing their sermons do they just skip all scriptures about being gay? Are they only preaching the part of the bible they agree with? The preachers were having a round table debate over say about these topics. One stated that if liars, cheaters, and abusers could lead a church then surely a gay person can. My thoughts... they can't! Liars, abusers, etc, should not be leading churches either. Though we know that no pastor is perfect because they are human, it is completely different to acknowledge the fall and repent, than to just live in the lifestyle as though it is pleasing to God.

So my question is, how is it that Jesus was able to walk the earth, lead people to Christ, and display the heart of God without wavering or conforming to the world’s standard.. and why do we feel that in order to lead people we need to forgo bible standards to get them there? I feel like we are minimizing the power of God, and the Holy Spirit by believing that by simply operating with the power of Christ in us that we can’t make a difference.  Jesus didn’t give weapons to the murders or women to the adulterers so that He could minister to them. Jesus was unashamedly different yet, loving and relatable at the same time. He met people where they were at all while being HIM.

Overall...its just seemed like one big MESS. Just another reality show that looked no different from a Love and Hip Hop. etc.  A room full of Pastors who seemed unsure of the power they hold by appearing on TV for millions of people a week. Instead of being a united force that glorifies God, they appear to be doing everything they can to fit into the world, including the drama that is needed to keep a TV show running.

I wont be watching this show again.

Because it is exactly that... A SHOW.

#winning

                                                   Everybody wants to win.

I mean, who doesn’t want the Oscar, Championship ring, Title belt, or Gold Medal?

It’s the reason people sacrifice, practice for hours a day, and miss out on things that “ normal” people can do. It’s a struggle and a battle. It proves how bad you really want it. You can never talk to an athlete, or anyone who has ever won anything without hearing about how much hard work it was. How much time and effort were spent, how many late nights and early mornings they had to overcome to get them to the place they are now.

It is so easy to see people basking in the glory of a victory and say “ I wish that was me” or “ its not fair so and so has this or that”

But really, if you knew what it took to get them there, would you still want it?  If you saw the tears cried, or the people lost along the way would you still be envious?

How bad do you want “it”? Whatever that IT is to you. That new job, those weight goals, or that relationship to work. It all comes down to the fight. It all comes down to realizing that anything worth having really isn’t going to be easy. It is all a realization that things don’t just get handed to you. That you won’t wake up in the Olympics. That you wont be married if you are not willing to put in work to be that godly wife or husband your spouse will need. You wont get a new job without applying and working hard at whatever the craft is to prove that you are worthy.

If you find yourself starting, but not finishing like most people do, you are not alone. I myself have said I wanted things before I truly realized how hard it would be. If I didn’t, in fact, want it I eventually quit.  If my heart was honestly set on it, then no matter what came my way I fought through it, because it was mine.

I am learning to spend my time on things that matter, on things that I will fight for. In the long run, when your life is coming to a close you would not want people to say that you ran a lot of races, but that you ran YOUR race and fought to cross the finish line.  

You will win, even if you fail.  True winning  happens when you decide you ARE going to. 

Reaching Out : North Hollywood Train Station

Last night, I was apart of  an outreach with my church. We went to the North Hollywood train station and begin to sing praise and worship songs and pray for people. One thing I noticed when I first got there was how many different churches and organizations were there doing the same thing. It was very interesting to see how people had there different tactics for accomplishing the same task. We were all trying to find the best (and sometimes the most loudest way) to get the love of God out.  

I am not going to lie. I was initially a little uncomfortable. I mean, I am used to doing outreach and I love it, but this seemed different somehow. Everyone [at the station] was on the move and I was certain that the last thing they wanted was somebody being a burden and trying to stop them.

Boy was I WRONG 

I came across so many amazing people last night . People who just wanted to talk, and who wanted to encounter the love of God. Not only did they want it, but they were hungry for it.  It was jaw- dropping how many people just needed intentional, personal contact. You would think that everyone would just shun these strangers coming up to them and asking them if they needed prayer. 

Yes, we got many no's but  the few yeses we got were priceless. There were laughter, tears, and questions. It all just reminded me of one important factor: 

We are made to love people.

We are made to be in relationship. We are made to step out of our comfort zone and do the work of God. Why else would we be here? We are not just being kept around to simply fulfill our life goals and business plans. It is so much bigger than us. As I was leaving I was half humbled and half ashamed, because I realized that I needed to be doing outreach way more often. Not solely organized outreach but also the more in-arms-length reaching out to the people I see on a daily basis; making sure I stay in God's word enough so that when He tells me to go, or speak, all I hear is His voice and will do so without  hesitation.

My final point is this: People NEED you. They need your conversation, your hug, and most importantly they need you to be willing to let God use you and move through you in any and every circumstance.