Jeremiah 12:10 – Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

Pastor – A shepherd, priest or minister in charge of a congregation.

It’s sad to say when we hear about ministers today in the media, it’s nothing good, but a reproach against God and the disciples of Jesus Christ. Years ago, when a man or woman would say he or she was a representative of God, you could depend on them leading you to God and not away from God; or the minister leading you to them as though they were God.Because some ministers have ordained themselves, sent themselves and were ordained by man rather than God, many of God’s people have been abused, misused and corrupted by false ministers. A man or woman ordained by God will have the people’s best interest at heart. Too many times people look at the person rather than looking into the Word of  God to see if the minister’s life is lining up with the Word of God.  A lot of times people don’t take the time to read or study the Word of God, and because of this, they categorize all Christians as the minister(s) that has brought a reproach to Christianity.

Anyone professing Christianity should live a life that represents what he or she is professing. When you profess you’re a Christian, you will not find people over-joyed. Non-Christians are watching and waiting for you to do or say something that contradicts the life you’re professing. Every Christian is a minister.  A  minister is a diplomat representing his or her government in a foreign nation. Although we are in this world, we aren’t of this world. Our lives are on display; we’re on a pulpit daily preaching the Word of God through our lives. Too many people are professing Christianity, but you don’t see the fruit of the Spirit of God being manifested in their lives.

From the pulpit to the congregation, we need spiritual surgery to bring us back to holiness. Holiness is not a denomination, it’s a lifestyle, instructed by God for us to live by (For thou art a holy (set apart) people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people (treasure) unto himself , above all people that are upon the face of the earth- Deuteronomy 7:6). This Scripture wasn’t just for the Jews, but for the spiritual Jew (Romans 2:29 – But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God).

It’s time for us to take a spiritual examination of ourselves to see if we’re producing godly fruit, are we really living a life whereas the fruit of the Spirit would be manifested through us?  Are we confusing the unbeliever by the way we live; can our neighbors or family members know we are Christians by the way we live and talk?

Ministers are seducing women in the church, and some have gone as far as seducing men.  Pastors are teaching, but they can’t live the word they teach. Choirs are singing, but can’t live according to what they sing. Some of our churches have become a social club rather than the house of God. Many have made a mockery of Christianity as well as the gospel. Many Christian artists are supposed to be composing  Christian music, but the music is so much like the secular music that non-Christians listen and dance to it. We have Christian nightclubs, Christian dating websites and we don’t see the power of God moving in the church or in individuals as we did in Biblical times.  God hasn’t changed, it’s the people whose professing to be Christians who have left Biblical doctrine.

Years ago, you wouldn’t have heard nor would it have happened, ministers molesting children, having children out of wedlock, or being involved in adultery as well as fornicating with the women and men in the church.  The events some ministers have in the church, minister more to the non-Christian rather than the Christian.  Sad to say, most congregations are full of people that live more to the world standards than God standards. The ministers are aware of it and turn their heads because it’s more about the money and not about people receiving salvation.

Christians should pay tithes and offering, but along with paying tithes and offering the individuals should live a life pleasing to God.  People paying tithes and offering who live according to the world standards will knock on Hell’s door just as quickly as the non-Christian. It’s the right thing to do, honoring God with our monies, but when the money becomes more of prosperity than the soul, our hearts have been hardened.  The money should be used to operate the ministry as well as assisting the elderly, widows and those that are in financial need, but too many times church members are suffering financially while pastors are living in houses with four and five bedrooms and its only two people living in the house. Or they possess four and five cars while they can only drive one car at a time, the Bible calls this type of life-style lasciviousness.

In Biblical times it wasn’t as many Christians in need as you see in the church today. (Acts 4:34-35- Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of  lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, V.5 And laid them down at the apostle’s feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need).

Many pastors are assuming the funds from the congregation upon themselves while some in the congregation are living paycheck to paycheck or no check.  Single women and men can’t receive counseling from the pastor because many times the pastor will try to lead them to the bedroom rather than leading them to God. In some ministries, the children aren’t safe in the church because rather than finding out a person’s background before placing them in the children or teenager ministry, they just place them in the ministry.  All this is happening because the man or woman of God is not praying seeking  God for directions they are going by what they see on the outside rather than allowing God to reveal to them what’s in the heart and soul of the individual.

No way a minister can be full of the Holy Spirit and influence a person whether it’s an adult or a child to be sexually active or other explicit actions. Rape can be with consent or non-consent. Ungodly ministers will use the Word of God to get their fleshly desires met and because the person is too young or ignorant to the Word of God they will give permission to be used by someone using the Word of God in deceit.

The majority of the sermons now are self-help, how to get rich, or how to accomplish your goals. God has been replaced with the god of gold, silver, cars, and houses. God’s desire for us,  is to live an abundant life, but when we place more emphasis on how much we can get rather than how can I please God? How can I lead someone to Christ, how can I minister to someone that has lost their self-esteem or a loved one?  We have left from seeking God, to making ourselves god – the lust of the flesh (physical desire), the lust of the eyes (personal desires), pride of life (self-interest).

Don’t accept a person as a minister or a Christian just because they say they are, judge them by the Word of God (Matthew 7:16- Ye shall know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles? (Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness. goodness. faith, meekness, temperance).  If a minister has been ordained by God, they will be an example to the congregation as a man or woman of God, living a life that edifies the  God they serve. Whether its a minister or lay-person, when we submit ourselves completely to God, He gives us the power to dominate our fleshly desires.  (Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth). 

Ministers seem to be afraid to minister about sin and hell. It isn’t that much teaching on how to be citizens of the Kingdom of God. God’s written Word gives us instructions how to be Kingdom citizens.  We can’t be citizens of two kingdoms, either we are citizens of God and His Kingdom or citizens of this world which is Satan’s Kingdom (In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should shine unto them – 2nd Corinthians 4:4).  When Jesus return, Satan, his kingdom, and his followers will come under the wrath of God. How can one be a minister and not inform the people of the wrath that is coming upon the world to those who have rejected and denied the instructions of God’s written Word?

God holds every minister reliable for teaching His Word rather people believe it, receive it or reject it. What people don’t do isn’t the responsibility of the minister once they have given God’s Word. The problem is, many aren’t living according to the Word of God so they can’t teach or preach God’s Word. The glory of God has left many churches (building) as well as the individual church, because we are trying to live as close to the edge of the world as we can, and yet be a Christian. The temptations we have wouldn’t be as powerful if we submitted ourselves more to prayer and fasting. God gave dominion to men and women to dominate the earth. The earth is producing corruption, disasters, murder, rape, poverty because the people that supposed to be dominating aren’t taking the authority God has given them. If Christian begin to fast and pray, we would see a healing in the land (2nd Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land). The land is our physical bodies, minds, family, employment, neighborhoods, finances, and communities. As long as sin is dominating us rather than we dominating sin; Satan, his imps, and his followers will continue to steal, kill and destroy.

As a minister one should never get so busy they don’t have time to pray, read and study God’s Word as well as sitting in His presence before ministering to the people. Rather than giving them the sermon, we think they want to hear, we will give them the sermon that God has given us which will come with power and effectiveness.  Ministers are to equip the people with the Word of God to become Ambassadors of Christ, to become warriors, to be the bridge that will lead people to the Father. Ministers should ask themselves am I feeding God’s people with His Word? Is the congregation growing spiritually or are they spiritually dysfunctioning? People of God discern whose ministering to your spirit, your very life depends on it.