Letting The Building Fall Apart In Jesus's Name

Why Don't You Repair The Building? It looks terrible.

There is a Biblical principle that I discovered many Christians either do not know, or just ignore. It simply states:

And whatever you do, whether by speech or action, do everything in the name
of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17

Let's say there are some maintenance issues with the building. Normally, you would REPAIR the building. Most Christians would want to do the right thing. After all, whatever you do OR DON'T DO is supposed to be in the name of Jesus.

If you want to convince the congregation that the the building is falling apart, you just IGNORE issues until they become impossible to repair. After, the ends justifies the means...right?

TWENTY YEARS AGO...a solution was given to the church. At least two members, including a professional builder, told you to put a slant on the roof and that would take care of the leaks!

It is SO SIMPLE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT in the name of Jesus!

Instead, you just let the roof leak, refuse to correct it with a slanted roof as church members said would work twenty years ago, allow the leaky roof to discolor the walls in the auditorium so you can then look at the congregation and say, "See, the building is falling apart like I told you."

Yes, the ends justifies the means. It is Baptist tradition. I was at the Southern Baptist Convention when some of that rationalization was happening over 20 years ago in order to elect the right people. I sat at restaurant table over 26 years ago when the architects of the SBC "take over" were plotting their moves. Although they used highly unethical tactics to begin electing conservative presidents, to them, the ends justified the means.

And that lack of integrity has seeped down to the local level, where church leaders simply LIE to the congregation to get a building program going. And worse, they say "GOD TOLD ME THIS IS OUR VISION" or some other trite falsehood.

So it is with First Baptist allowing the building to rot in the name of Jesus when there is such a simple solution, a solution they have ignored for twenty years.

Why don't you repair the building in the name of Jesus?

Because if you FIX THE BUILDING, then you can't justify buying that land on the Bells highway.

Lying in the name of Jesus. Allowing the building to fall apart in the name of Jesus. Deceiving the congregation in the name of Jesus. Is there any wonder that people stay away on Sunday morning? Is there any wonder that membership has stagnated for the most part?

What is it about lying to the congregation in the name of Jesus that attracts one to First Baptist Church? What is it about allowing the building to fall apart in the name of Jesus that gives your message integrity?

REPAIR THE ROOF! It looks terrible. Is THAT what you want?