In the current issue of Time Magazine, April 2, 2012, Tony Perkins who is identified as an evangelical leader made the following statement at a rally introducing Rick Santorum, "I wouldn't just invite anybody to my church." As I finished the article, I kept coming back to the statement by a "leader" in the organization about not just inviting anybody to "my" church, and the thought that stayed with me was, what a bizarre statement he made.
I have many issues with the mindset of such a statement as well as many questions. My first issue with Mr. Perkins statement is, First I will concede that someone made him a leader of the church, but I don't believe that the Father made him the head of the church. If he is not the head of the church then he should be only saying words the head tell him to say, and I don't believe Jesus told Mr. Perkins to say, "I wouldn't just invite anybody to my church." Jesus pretty much invites everyone to his church.
My second issue is the church has never been described as the bride of Mr. Perkins, but as the bride of Christ, and as a part of the bride of Christ, Mr. Perkins is charged with preparing the church to meet her groom, and that involves reaching out a hand to everyone who Jesus calls into his church, and has nothing to do with who Mr. Perkins believes are "okay" to let into "his" church.
So, I wonder who Mr. Perkins would not invite to "his" church? The woman at the well? Any of the many lepers? Blind Bartimaeus? The man possessed with the legion of demons? The woman with the issue of blood? Souls such as these are as prevalent in our society today as they were in the time of our savior. Which of these would Mr. Perkins not bother with and why? In the same article, another "leader", says to any people who don't like what they say, "you can get out!" The problem for these guys is I don't see that as the attitude that the savior shared with anyone, except one group and that was the religious "leaders" of his day.
So my comments to these guys is to remind you that you need to be quiet and let the head of the church speak, and the church is his church and not your church. The savior also extended an invitation to everyone, because the Father wants everyone to have a relationship with him. If you don't like what the head says then perhaps the ones who should get out are the one's looking back at you in the mirror.
But I also have some critical comments to the rest of us. How long are we going to accept comments like this in silence? Elie Wiesel said the following about silence. "Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere." Or are we silent because we agree with Mr. Perkins? I hope not because those words have nothing to do with grace, and our Father is all about grace for "ALL" of us.
I have many issues with the mindset of such a statement as well as many questions. My first issue with Mr. Perkins statement is, First I will concede that someone made him a leader of the church, but I don't believe that the Father made him the head of the church. If he is not the head of the church then he should be only saying words the head tell him to say, and I don't believe Jesus told Mr. Perkins to say, "I wouldn't just invite anybody to my church." Jesus pretty much invites everyone to his church.
My second issue is the church has never been described as the bride of Mr. Perkins, but as the bride of Christ, and as a part of the bride of Christ, Mr. Perkins is charged with preparing the church to meet her groom, and that involves reaching out a hand to everyone who Jesus calls into his church, and has nothing to do with who Mr. Perkins believes are "okay" to let into "his" church.
So, I wonder who Mr. Perkins would not invite to "his" church? The woman at the well? Any of the many lepers? Blind Bartimaeus? The man possessed with the legion of demons? The woman with the issue of blood? Souls such as these are as prevalent in our society today as they were in the time of our savior. Which of these would Mr. Perkins not bother with and why? In the same article, another "leader", says to any people who don't like what they say, "you can get out!" The problem for these guys is I don't see that as the attitude that the savior shared with anyone, except one group and that was the religious "leaders" of his day.
So my comments to these guys is to remind you that you need to be quiet and let the head of the church speak, and the church is his church and not your church. The savior also extended an invitation to everyone, because the Father wants everyone to have a relationship with him. If you don't like what the head says then perhaps the ones who should get out are the one's looking back at you in the mirror.
But I also have some critical comments to the rest of us. How long are we going to accept comments like this in silence? Elie Wiesel said the following about silence. "Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere." Or are we silent because we agree with Mr. Perkins? I hope not because those words have nothing to do with grace, and our Father is all about grace for "ALL" of us.
