THIS WRITING IS NOT TO BOTHER THOSE IN PASTORAL MINISTRY WHO SELF IDENTIFY AS PROGRESSIVE OR LIBERAL BUT ONLY THOSE WHO CLAIM TO BE BIBLICALLY ROOTED, GROUNDED AND COMMITTED… THE GIG IS UP -CORRECT COURSE- STOP THE WOKE AND OTHER MADNESS OR ELSE MANY PEOPLE ARE DONE WITH YOU AND THE CHURCHES YOU ARE- OR HAVE DESTROYED.

By Rev Thomas Littleton

3/12/2024

(NOTE this article is a very personal and rare first person perspective addressing America’s desperately LOST pastors and church leadership. There are still some good guys out there but they are getting harder and harder for honest Christians to find. You may not agree with a single word WRITTEN HERE -BUT the warnings do apply to all and if ignored and unheeded will only result in more and more decline and loss. God give us shepherds after YOUR heart and give lost pastors ears to hear what Your Spirit says to a generation of pastors.)

EVERYDAY OCCURANCE FROM EVERYDAY PEOPLE

Since having helped many thousands of people navigate the present situation of compromise and decline in our churches over the last 15 years it has become an everyday event to receive emails, text and calls from Christians still experiencing shock, disbelief, and deep grief brought on by their pastors and church leadership. Over and over the stories of paranoid reactions to concerns and “criticism” brought by honest and godly people flood this researchers inbox and voicemail. Most pastors respond as if they refuse to admit or fail to recall that these are the people who pay thier salaries and the light bills, healthcare AND retirement benefits for the ministry positions they enjoy.

A SPECIAL KIND OF ABUSE

The stories are SAD and most often include intense ABUSES of power from men who seem to have either lost touch with the “servant leadership” of pastoral ministry modeled by Jesus Himself. Rather they have assumed the attitude that they are not servants at all but bosses..and not accountable to anyone…least of all some pew dweller who has “no formal theological training” so therefore must be ignorant and ignored.

NOTE- a quick reminder ( one of many ) from God’s word :

23 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. ² Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. ³ “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. ⁴ I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.

⁵ “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the ^[c]earth.
⁶ In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called:

THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

REMEMBER- guys you ARE indeed VERY Accountable. He knows your name- all your history and how you treat HIS SHEEP.

DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT APPLYING ANY MORE PSYCHOLOGY AND “PEACEMAKERS PROCESS” METRICS.

We are neither suicidal nor homicidal just because our questions threatened you or made you angry.

BELOW is a false meter to control the conflict and situation. If you are not familiar with how pastors and elders are trained to use this and similar tools and low budget psychological tactics to turn the tables on those who speak up with concerns-making them out to be the problem …then try speaking up about your concerns and you will get a front row seat for the spectacle of the pathetic peacemaker process.

PATHETIC “PEACEMAKING“

The narrative goes like this- “Thank you for sharing now sit down shut up and just keep giving and serving. Wait your still speaking up? We are sorry that you are so angry…this is a slippery slope you are on.You need to submit (unquestioning of course) to God’s appointed authority… US… or we will flip the narrative and you become the problem and we will have you on a fast track to church discipline and ,if you do not submit then, to EXCOMMUNICATION. O yes and we will use that little CHURCH COVENANT our lawyers put together salted with bible verses to force you to submit and prevent you from filing a lawsuit while we smear your names in this congregation, all around town and to other churches to prevent them offering you membership or communion. AND we will declare that you are not welcome on the church property and will call the police and have you removed and ARRESTED for trespassing if you do return. “

Yes people this is really what they will do to you while they smile and say this is them “being biblical” in response to you being a problem with your questions.

THIS is how they answer the call the be PEACEMAKERS. YES INDEED. Ask someone who have been around the block and spoken up in the past.

Do not fear this cheap and desperate tactical intimidation. Fear God and Serve Him beloved and count it all joy to suffer at the hands of desperate men for the sake of HIS name.

It is not the person who reads their bible and prays and shares concern who is on “the slipper slope”. It is the dishonest and abusive pastor who is on the “slippery slope”.

BEER, BLOGS AND BOONDOGGLES

Most have made note that you like Beer and like to talk about your freedom in Christ to drink a lot of it. We get it. Nothing like a tall glass of your favorite craft brew sitting with your besties on the church staff or pastoral buds from seminary to “theologise ” your afternoons away. BUT whether or not alcohol consumption is helpful to theological discussions (especially “Reformed ” or Calvinist discussions) is in fact highly questionable. It IS however -a risky business when it comes to maintaining a reputation Christians can point their children (or your own children) to and say”follow that man as he follows Christ”. Being a man of God and having a frat boy style pride about your taste in beer seem to fail to intersect from a biblical point of view. Preachers puffing cigars doesn’t help the perceptions either. That seems to be obvious but we realize it isn’t to many. More on Beer and our Children soon.

BLOGS –

Most of us really do not care for blogs- yours or anyone elses.When it comes to gleaning biblical perspective in trying times like these, Christians want to hear the Word of God faithfully applied to every day life. Keep the rehearsing and POLISHING of theological frameworks and terms, social shaming, spiritual virtue signalling etc you have been indoctrinated WITH to yourselves and give your people the pure unadulterated Word of God. Share with them the Wisdom that comes from obeying the Word to the point of costly discipleship yourself.

Preach Christ like you know Him and the Cross l;ike you have encountered it.

IF YOU DO NOT ( know Him) AND HAVE NOT ( encountered the Cross) – THEN GET OUT OF THE PULPIT AND OUT OF MINISTRY until you do and THEN can truly discern if you are indeed called.

IF you are NOT CALLED and do not have a prayer life and know what it means to pick up the CROSS and Follow HIM then you do us and the CHURCH a grave disservice. You are NOT ABLE to be a “Friend of the Bridegroom” and are not helping but harming. This is not a job you choose it it a calling that chooses YOU. Most blogs are the work of some other poor soul in a similar lost state presenting their rambling thoughts and opinions on maters of little importance to us. OR worse they are the outlets of activist preachers seeking to get to us THROUGH you . And you do not seem to see their deceptive motivation at all.

We are really sick of the political shaming stuff. Just stop repeating it. WE likely dont care for your politics either.

Pulpits are not the place for Blog quotes or Bloggers. Prophets are to occupy pulpits with a firm “Thus says the Lord”. Our pulpits not only lack the message of Christ and Him Crucified but they lack authority. Nothing is worse than an effiminate man with a powerless message in a pulpit. Such activity is spiritually criminal.

EMPTY, FRUITLESS, BUSY NOTHINGNESS – THE CURRENT STATE OF FAITH BASED “SERVICE” AND “COMMUNITY BUILDING”.

PLEASE- think on the meaning of the word below. So much of todays “justice based narratives and “communitarian” service /mission amounts to nothing in the light of God’s true call to fulfill the actual Great Commission. You would have us chasing the wind and dancing the boondoggle buggie:

boon·dog·gle (Describes the average ministry vision casting ,project and program.)

/ˈbo͞onˌdäɡ(ə)l/

INFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN

noun

plural noun: boondoggles

1. work or activity that is wasteful or pointless but gives the appearance of having value.”writing off the cold fusion phenomenon as a boondoggle best buried in literature”

verb

3rd person present: boondoggles

1. waste money or time on unnecessary or questionable projects.”the only guarantees are higher taxes and bureaucratic boondoggling”

WOKE -WEARINESS, WORKPLACE REALITY AND LESSONS FROM A BEER CAN.

When you attend some conference by The Gospel Coalition of Together 4 The Gospel or read one of thier many activists writers article- you seem to love to bring these same messages to our pulpits and deliver them (often as your own thoughts) like something akin to a really low budget 70s TV dinner in a sad and sorry substitute for the bread of LIFE.

You are most often NOT in the workplace for some corporation or public utility or government agency like most of the people you like to ignore in the pews.You FAIL to realize that DE&I is force fed to people working in secular workplaces EVERYDAY. The last thing wanted, needed , or that should be tolerated from our pulpits is you promoting more of the SAME DE&I message wrapped in a thin veneer of theology or a few flimsily applied bible verses.

THE GIG IS REALLY UP. Look at Disney’s losses and financial crisis – look at Bud Lite- though clearly not your preferred local Craft Brew- it is a REAL object lesson for you if you can understand why one trans inclusive custom can of beer can cost a giant corporation BILLIONS . Stop it – stop it! People have had enough.

Selah – Pause and consider that … if that makes it seem more spiritual to you .

By the way – Ennegrams are NEW AGE mystical tools feeding self obsessions.They are not giftings test.

Leadership Coaching is based mostly on secular corporate/ pride-filled and FAILED ideology counter the scripture and God’s principles. His Strength is actually made perfect in our weakness. Weakness and inability coupled with some rare humility are great qualifiers for being used by God. If you do not yet get this- you are still adrift and far from the School of Christ yourself. This is leadership training 101- go and “learn what this means”.

YOUR MENTORS ARE NOT OUR MENTORS BUT ABUSERS AND TEMPLE HUSTLERS MOCKERING YOU AND GOD’S FLOCK.

ENOUGH -AWAY WITH THESE PEOPLE.

If you quote Christianity Today or Religion News Service or (worse) The Atlantic or The New York Times in favorable ways then you are simply revealing how out of touch with reality you remain.

When you STILL quote men like Timothy Keller, John Piper, or John MacArthur, R. Albert Mohler, or any of their disciples then you are telling us that you are clueless still and dangerous in our pulpits.

When you consider guys like Russell Moore, Ed Stetzer,David French , Michael Wear or Jonathan Leeman to be reliable sources of journalistic insight on politics or “how Christians should vote or act in the public square” then you are telling us your blind spots biblically, socially and morally are large enough to drive a truck load of left wing propaganda through and you will never notice. You are telling us you drink the koolaide and you LOVE it. Don’t think about passing it on.

THE MONEY MATTERS.

Hey guys the economy is in a bad place and inflation is eating away at household , educational, grocery and mortage payment budgets . BUT you still show up casting visions of grandure with building projects and “missions offerings” to further the UNBIBLICAL BOONDOGGLES mentioned above. You are wasting our time and want to waste our money and God’s money. Bad idea guys- really bad.

Many of us know you are likely getting government funds through Faith Based Partnership no matter how you use varied Church non profit/ 501 C 3 optics to hide the gray money. We get it that far too many people have their price- their “thirty pieces of silver” at which price they are willing to sell out themselves- their Master and us. We see it every day.

Many of you are paid too much for what you really do and the actual hours you put it…though most often church annual reports no longer tell the flock how much they are over paying the pastor.

YOUR WORLD DOES NOT SEEM TO BE THE REAL WORLD AND YOU SEEM ILL PREPARED FOR OURS.

You often lack real business backgrounds or broad academic training but think in very lofty theoretical theological unrealities. You also have the time for these indulgences. Most people do not. AGAIN these are the visions you have bought hook line and sinker- no matter what STINKERS they have proven to be for decades. Some of you worked or are woking hard for your degrees but others have been cake walked through denominational institutions to frame fairly worthless degrees and hang them on your office walls. In these cases you might just stay in ministry because it is all you know.

DIGGING UP FOUNDATIONS, REMOVING ANCIENT LANDMARKS AND HEAPING UP JUDGEMENT AS YOU PILE ON MORE AND MORE ABUSE.

Some of you would benefit from a good spanking like mothers and grandmothers used to do for spolied children before it was considered abusive but biblical not to “spare the rod”. Others are crusing for a bruising from the Lord. He has given you ample warning and serious space to repent and you have not.

Be warned again..God is not mocked. Your day will come.

In our city we have seen some seriously abusive pastors get some VERY intense and swift divine judgement for their long term abuses of the flock. In recent years significant numbers of the abusive long time deceivers have died suddenly to meet their makers unrepentant and still laiden with the weight of their iniquity.

Proverbs 22:

²⁸ Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.

EVERYTIME you pervert the Gospel with your Rethinking or Reimagining the FAITH -you are messing with these boundries God set up. Enough!

Hebrews 10:28-31

²⁸ Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” ^[a]says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES AND WHAT YOU ARE BUILDING “FOR THE GLORY OF GOD”.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15

¹¹ For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

PREACHER

You are not unaccountable -BUT MORE accountable being in leadership.

You are accountable to those you serve and to their Great Shepherd.

You seem to have been taught that ministry is a “pyramid scheme” but no it is an inverted pyramid where we in ministry are at the bottom as “servants to all”.

Please note that arrogance is NOT a virtue.

Being unteachable is not how disciples are made.

Theology is not a basis for Christian identity.

Theological training does not make for an elite priestly class.

(we can all read too now. It is not the Dark Ages anymore.)

Being unreachable is not laying your life down for the flock.

Being heavyhanded is not being a leader.

Jesus is Meek and Lowly, Humble and gave Himself to the uttermost. The bar is high to lay claim to being like Him and to being His servant. We all fall short but these virtues almost seem fallen off the radar for Christian leadership metrics today.

Surrounding yourselves with yes men staff and elders who “have your back” is more of a gangland or mob tactic and has no place in the church.

If you feel the need to do this- “WHAT IS IT YOU HAVE TO HIDE?”

HEY PREACHER-LEAVE OUR KIDS ALONE!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST.

We are NOT entrusting our faith , families and children to you so you can indoctrinate them for FEMA Corps “Serve Days”or for the Democratic Party or BLM Marches or “LGBTQ Welcome and Hospitality” church iniatives.

Sam Allberry, Rosaria Butterfield, Jemar Tisby, Jonathan Merritt, Russell Moore, Nate Collins, Preston Sprinkle, Jonathan Leeman, Colin Hansen, David Platt, and many more like them are NOT prophets. For the most part they are “activists” engaged in their field of training critical theories adn feminine theology “promoting social change” YES in fact they are “change agents” and you look to have no fear of placing their “stuff “in the hands of our children and grandchildren in the name of Christian discipleship. Really? Think this through guys.

Part of the Southern Baptist Convention looks to have been operating its own “pedophile island” in our Sunday Schools and Christian Schools and Churches while others in leadership have hidden it and given cover and “new job positions” to offenders. The DOJ has been investigating the church -especially the SBC and one law suit in Federal court accuses the SBC church of RICO – crimes- and therefore “operating as a criminal enterprise”.

Keep away from our children unless you are willing to be vetted and proven faithful by Biblical standards on ministry and qualifications of godliness and holiness. Stop placing poison in the form of false doctrines in the hearts and minds of our children.

CONCLUSION

The conclusion here is that many of you have killed the churches that pay your salaries and the number of job openings is declining as the number of churches failing or closing are increasing. The seminaries just keep processing more and more theologically trained graduates with little or no hope of employment in “ministry”. This trend is like some kind of instituinal insanity that will not end until it cannibalizes the church.

The fake numbers from Church plants and overplants from so called “revitalization” plans can not turn the numbers around from the STARK decline we face. Too few people are being saved- because too few pastors are preaching the Gospel and calling people to spiritual repentance.

The pews are like a dry and parched land where no water is – when Jesus promised us “wells of Living Water springing up to Eternal Life”.

The instituional church is gone or all but gone and the House Church and truly off grid- gatherings for worship – prayer and the Word are on the rise.

This death of the church took place on your watch- by your hands.

If there is a possibility that you have ears to hear and a heart that can be humbled and repentant then there is some hope but it is shallow, feeble, and unlikely to happen.

Meanwhile if you want to know what it is we want- AGAIN it is so simple-

John 12:21

“Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

MATTHEW 20

²⁵ But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. ²⁶ Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. ²⁷ And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— ²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”