African-American Church Pulpit

"Revelations Of Those On The Outside Looking In."

The eyes of the LORD are on church leaders. What can be seen is that these holy grounds are treated like personal prizes and not God's House. I had a revelation that God wouldn't close HIS HOUSE when people are homeless! The church as sanctuary seems to be just rhetoric from man and not what GOD intended. During this revelation I could clearly see so-called pastors, preachers, bishops and most sadly those calling themselves reverend (thought that GOD said this is My Name and no other man shall have it?) All these church leaders do is use community problems for pulpit subject matter! What they should be doing is getting in the highways and byways like Jesus when he walked among the poor and afflicted. I knew they would label me a sin for speaking from what's within my revelation. These HOUSES of GOD have become raped with mans' self-aggrandizement with GOD fearing members being "baptized in dirty water." The rape of the African-American Church is occurring because when it comes to materialism, one can be poor and still be guilty (thou hath not yet paid for what thou hast). What happened to the idea that the most important thing if filling the pews with pastoral and muscial emotionalism. Anyone who's been in enough of these churches has seen at least two or three different styles of playing on guilt and emotion. Praising God is secondary to everything in the church, even the color scheme of the sanctuary. If restaurants can be open 24 hours, why can't churches be refuges for those who are looking, whether or not they have money for the church cup? The rape of Martins' dream is occurring because of the fragmented thinking of a population that refuses to vote two-legged beasts out of office. It's based upon the fact that neighbors don't speak to one another because they fear that they might actually like one another despite their differences. The African-American Dream is dying because the neighborhood is dying. If neighborhoods of African-Americans die then the "dream" dies! When neighborhoods die then the church membership dwindles. When membership dwindles pulpit subject matter is about those on the outside looking in. What should be done is to go out there in the highways and byways and minister to them about using GODS' HOUSE as a spiritual as well as a physical sanctuary and shelter as if they were HIS WINGS! We've gotten away from sermons that brought comfort, condolence, encouragement and sympathy. Instead of egos we need to hear church leaders as "wounded healers," ones who heal in spite of his or her own infirmity. Church leaders need to get into the highways and byways next to their Sunday subject matter instead of standing up there pointing out the specks in poor peoples eyes! This atmosphere of consolation echoes the words of the prophet Ezekiel, who went to the exiles by the Chebar and exclaimed, "I sat among them" (Ezek. 3:15). When was the last time these African-American church leaders stood for something or someone other than themselves? What can be seen is them hanging around the white power structure downtown rubbing elbows at city halls across America. Stay tuned for: "Uncle Toms in the Pulpit"