In a certain Church somewhere , a ban has been slapped on the youth dance troupe because their dance has been suggestive........
In another Church, the FEAR of false tongues crushed the speaking of tongues..
In another Church, the youths with certain gifts and talents of preaching teaching and evangelism were quenched, because no-one is supposed to over shadow the resident pastor....
In another Church a certain Pastor who waxed original whose word was filled with the anointing of heaven and whose service was free flowing was demoted to the office of a curator...
Recollect what Jesus said concerning the Pharisees;
"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses seat, so you must do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. Thy TIE UP heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything is done for men to see...they love the places of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues.They love to be greeted in the market-places and to have men call them 'Rabbi' (Matthew 23:2-7)
A youth who desired to join the choir in service to God was discouraged because her desire to innovate and render a song in a certain youth friendly manner was rudely turned down.
"this is not a disco!"
she said,
"I will never go back to that Church again!" insensitivity may have damaged, even lost a soul!!!!!
The service order is the "same old", "same old", the same old songs, the same style, the same liturgy, the same...the same...the same....
One pastor in defense of this said; "God is the same yesterday today and forever"-I say yes he is is but HE who is the same, did he not say through the prophet Isaiah;
"Forget the former things
do not dwell on the past
See I am doing A NEW thing!
Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it?(Isaiah 43:18-19)
If HE is the same, then logically, it is in his nature to ALWAYS DO A NEW THING!!!!
Are we so afraid of change that we would rather maintain the status-quo, and crush the spirit of creativity in our youth in our Churches?
When Bezalel was filled with the Spirit of God, did not skill, ability, knowledge and creativity follow him to make all kinds of artistic designs for the Tabernacle? (Ex 35:30-31)
We MUST admit that we have CRUSHED the youthful zest for creativity, we MUST admit we have quenched the Spirit of God, we have hurt many precious saints with our posturing,our gerrymandering,our gymnastics, our fear; fear of change, fear of being out-shined, fear of falsehoods.
What manner of fear is this that cannot allow saints freedom to express praise in a certain way?
Is it not written,
"Now the Lord is the Spirit,
and where the Spirit of the Lord is
THERE IS FREEDOM"(2 Corinthians 3:17)
So in view of this, where there is no freedom, where there is no room for creativity, it follows, THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS NOT THERE
Now if the Spirit of the Lord is not there, then there is NO LOVE
Where there is no love who reigns????fear is a factor of the reign of Satan
YET
"Perfect love castes out fear"(1 John 4:18)
What kind of perfect love quenches, scorns, scorches, and pierces? What perfect love is that?
That is NOT LOVE...It is something else.
Is it a wonder that youth are mass migrating in droves, either to disco's or the Charismatic Churches, where their creative juices can find acceptance accommodation and expression?
Yes yes, if the dance is suggestive, who is there to mentor them? to groom them? (not to monitor and judge them) no one should judge if they have not mentored. A mentor has a right to say, do it this way not that way, but one who neglects walks in foolishness if they stand as judge and jury.....
"Make disciples" Jesus said; not neglect then judge...the youth services are neglected, the main services are "WELL SERVICED", no? perhaps that is where the MONEY is no?
This is the eternal question that Peter was asked by our LORD,(Thrice was he asked) "Peter, do you LOVE ME? then FEED MY SHEEP"
Do we feed them rough rod, rough shod with the sword of judgement, the sword of Damocles, having never taken time to 'incarnate' into their lives, understand their 'lingo', their 'issues', and their 'turn of phrase'?
That in itself is a sin, when Jesus met with the Samaritan woman, he did not tell her, "stop that, come on, that is sin"
HE simply asked her whether she wanted to stop being thirsty, and he gave her water that would never be quenched....
But we are leaving the youth so hurt, and we have added bitterness, anger, pain resentment; What JESUS was calling "heavy loads", which we are "not willing to lift a finger to move !!!!!!
So we have added more sins on their backs, and the WOE appended to the Pharisees, is now speaking to US!!!
I SAY LET US JUDGE OURSELVES BEFORE WE ARE JUDGE BY THE JUDGE. FOR JUDGEMENT BEGINS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD!!!
