Indulge me
On October 31st, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Luther's 95 Theses brought attention to corruption in the Catholic Church.
Q: When the great German Monk posted the 95 theses, did he shout… “TRICK OR TREAT?” It was Halloween after all. Ok, maybe not.
Luther appealed to the Pope to stop the practice of squeezing ‘indulgences’ from parishioners as ‘down payments’ on Heaven, and/or petition God to limit the time their dead loved ones spent in purgatory.
I know the Catholic Church still practices indulgences, but I believe the purpose of these gifts is seen as part of turning our attention from our sins and to the Church. I can't say I completely understand this, but that may be just my Protestant upbringing.
Anyways, Catholics and Protestants should agree that our salvation is found only in Jesus Christ as our savior, then loving God and serving others with our lives. Giving money, work, or anything resembling an indulgence should be an act of service to God.
But no matter how much we try, social media almost daily highlights that we protestants are still often dismissive regarding the Catholic Church and its history with indulgences. I think that is ok, as long as we realize our state of Protestant Indulgences.
How does that 'speck' scripture go? Be careful about pointing out the speck in someone else's eye when you have a beam in your eye.
So 'INDULGE ME' as I share the world of possible Protestant Church Indulgences?
THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL The lavish lifestyles of these Rich and Famous Ministries are displayed and led by men like Joel Osteen, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, and others. They share a 'Name it Claim it' message to live your best life now + MONEY. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 God loves a cheerful giver, but not a protestant 'indulgence' pyramid scheme.
THE MEGA CHURCH This is today's 'seeker-friendly church model phenomenon. The 'MEGAs' fill seats in exquisite buildings with mega preachers, mega worship, mega programs all streamed to multiple mega sites. *important note* Not all Mega Churches are like this, but too many are.
A worship show followed by a self-help TED talk is, in my opinion, mega-impersonal. A place where words like SIN and REPENT are rarely spoken. (These are yucky words, and 'Yucky' does not fill the seats.
* If Jeff Foxworthy attended a Mega Church, he might say, “If you know more about the Church and its 'glorious' founder/preacher than Jesus Christ… You might belong to a Mega Church."LESS THAN MEGA Then the churches are far less than Mega in size or grandeur, stuck in time and tradition, where their indulgences keep the status quo. In contrast to Mega Church excitement, they are Mega dry.. maybe mega dead.
And finally, there are…CHURCH BUILDING PROGRAMS born out of hiring well-paid 'Church Growth Consultants' focusing on putting people in the pews with a bigger, better church building, but light on discipleship.
- These building programs are 'marketed' around a series of church services focused on the exciting church growth news, followed by sermons on (guilt?) giving. The focus is on WE, which is special, dare I say anointed. Insert 'humble' pat on the back here without breaking the arm?
- The pursuit of giving (indulgences?) above and beyond normal is promoted via video testimonials of ordinary folk blessed by the church when they were mega-generous in giving.
- The congregation is 'gently coerced' over several weeks, leading to a special 'Sunday of Giving' where the congregation is called to come forward and drop their pledges/indulgences into special baskets at the front of the church.. This makes it visibly clear who gave and who did not. All while the Worship Band plays.
Note: Jesus’ ministry did not have a building program. Jesus’ message was the organic meeting with the people where they were. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, blind, and lame, and taught the loving Gospel message to a lost world.
God's house is special. We are to be reverent and generous with our resources for the church. God does love a cheerful giver, but let's not lose sight of the Gospel Message compromised by giving protestant indulgences to men or buildings of men. Everything we have belongs to the Lord. Hebrews 10:2
Bumper Sticker Theologian
Jesus said after clearing the Temple. “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you made it a den of 'indulgences based on a Bumper Sticker Theology Mt. 21:13 PIV (Protestant Indulgence version)
So I pray all believers return to a genuine pursuit of God, not compromised by indulgences of self, churches, and/or ministries. For where our treasure is, there will also be our hearts. Mt 6:21
May God bless each of you and the churches you attend. No person or church is perfect, and when we stumble, I pray we return our focus to Him and His Gospel Message.
Jeff
