Charlatans (Pt. 3)

Avoid Angry Influencers.

It was my first visit to a new dermatologist. He asked me about my work as a pastor and writer. I told him of my concern for people struggling with the church. He didn’t need any clarification. Instead, he began to share the struggle that had caused him to step down from leadership in his church. I am finding more and more people, like my doctor, who are trying to figure out their next step. That is what these “Charlatan” posts are all about.

In the first two posts, I have focused on people inside the church. But in this post, I want to share some advice on who to avoid outside of the church. Avoid the angry influencer.

Angry influences are people who have gotten stuck in their grieving process with the church. They have decided to make anger their home. That is troubling enough. But some of them work to convince other disappointed people to join them in their anger. Their anger becomes their brand.

Some use their disappointment to plant a new kind of church.

• I know of at least one person who has built an organization that retains all of the institutional trappings of the church; pews, hymns, choirs, and liturgy, but rejects belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

• Another leader wrote a book with a chapter entitled, “The 1,700-year Wedgie.” In this chapter, he claimed that the Christian church had been on the wrong track for the last millennium and a half. His anger had morphed into self-righteousness and he has decided to build a church there. The likes of Augustine, Pascal, and Wesley had misunderstood Christ’s message. The author, however, would lead the church back to its true path.

At least they are trying to be constructive. Many social media platforms don’t ever get past the anger. Before joining them, let’s remember that global Christianity is making good happen in the lives of billions of people. Many Christians in China are boldly worshipping Jesus in underground churches as the CCP tries to find them and punish them for their faith. North Korean Christians are shunned by their families and persecuted by a government in a country where it is illegal to have a Bible. Anger, in whatever form, is no place to build our lives. Following Jesus is not about anger no matter how justified. It is about love.

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By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

-Jesus¹

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Journal Prompt:

• Look in the mirror. How are you dealing hurts you have received from the church?

• Who are the angry influencers you need to avoid?

• Who is a person of faith, bearing good fruit in their life, relationships and community, that you can spend more time with? They need sincere people to encourage them in their adventure with Jesus as much as you do.

  

1. John 13:35