In a capitalistic society, every field is an opportunity. I get this, but I have a personal dislike for how church consulting is approached.
Full Disclosure: What I am addressing here no longer concerns me in that I no longer have a voice at the table. Some will think it bad form on my part to address something I’m not part of. What Southern Baptists do anywhere will always be of concern to me. One, the vast majority of my friends are pastors in churches that participate with the Southern Baptist Convention. Two, what Southern Baptists do has big influence on Christendom around the world.
The interest is genuine and the concern is growing.
I have many friends in the Utah/Idaho Southern Baptist Convention. Because of this, it grieves me to see that the UISBC is offering a seminar next week for churches to learn how to apply for payroll refunds. This may be legal and many churches around the country have been able to apply for payroll refunds through government tax dollars. This is classical forced redistribution of wealth which the church should be standing against.
- Did churches face real financial hardships during the COVID days? I am sure many of them did.
- Did churches give in to the government-mandated shutdowns? Nearly every church in my city did (with very few exceptions)
- Did churches require members to wear masks? Uggh, I’m honestly disgusted to think about how long that scam kept the Lord’s Church in fear.
So here’s the thing. I respect that not every church journeyed through the COVID days the same way I or my church did.
To offer churches a seminar to apply for payroll refunds from the government due to financially complicated days brought on by the government is an ethical dilemma worth bringing up. I won’t labor longer on this because I’m not part of the SBC any longer. But I appeal to my SBC pastor friends to speak out to the UISBC staff for answers about why they think it is advisable to encourage churches to play with the government like this. We are two + years from those days.
- Was God not your captain then?
- Is he not your captain today?
- Who is giving the UISBC permission to advise the Lord’s church like this?
This is not how churches of the Living God survive and thrive. This is how churches show that their god is the government. This is really idolatry.
Repent and trust the Lord.
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