American Pastors that Masquerade as Angels of Light…

 “13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”

– 2 Corinthians 2:14

First…

Being a pastor is tough. I’ll always try to be the first to say this.

Every week you have to get up on stage and explain the unexplainable by somehow infusing hope into hopeless individuals. It’s scary, exciting, painful, embarrassing…. and, most of all exhausting.

Inevitably, you’ll upset some and please others. It’s almost as if to be a pastor you have to be a pushover, a “yes-man,” agreeable, un-opinionated… (i.e. someone other than who God created you to be).

This is not to mention that a vast majority of us pastors are “feelers.” (If you’re familiar with the Myers Briggs, for instance, I’m an INFJ.)

We’re social introverts, we’re insecure, and, if not careful enough, we become so adaptable that we lose sight of our mission.

The problem with this is that it’s not just soul destroying, but, it’s not necessarily what Christ intended; that is, for us to continuously feel as if we need to wear masks in order to disciple or pastor.

Second…

Whenever I write a blog post I always try and ask myself before I begin to write it “what’s my agenda, my purpose, or at the very least, what are my hoped-for expectations…?”

A vast majority of the time my “agenda or purpose” is to paint a more true picture of not just Jesus but the gospel depicted within the manuscripts that make up our evangelical version of the Bible.

The platitude that’s commonly misattributed to St. Francis of Assisi, says “Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”

Regardless of who said it, the sentiment still stands…

And, if we’re being honest with ourselves, as evangelicals, we’re doing a very poor job in preserving the integrity of these texts; because, the gospel we’ve been “preaching” is in direct contradiction, not just to the life Christ lived but the life Christ has called us to incarnate.

I mean, do you remmeber this video, from this angel of light…?