Moral Crisis in America

It’s a hot topic – the ministries being investigated to check on their financial practices. It’s nothing new really, everyone remembers other ministers in times past who have reached “the top”, had the slickest pulpit, and … so swiftly fell.

We aren’t the ones to judge, and for that reason, we’re not even going to name names. Everyone is at fault – not just the ministers who run these top-notch organizations, but also the people who have supported them without discerning for themselves if these are good people to follow. We’re not saying these preachers are guilty. In fact, let’s pray that they have done nothing wrong and that nothing comes of this. But, in case they did….what a huge reflection of the times we’re living in.

There’s a huge moral crisis in America, in case you haven’t noticed. Look at the MySpace phenomenon for example. Here are 16, 17 year old kids who feel a need to broadcast every thing about themselves and post a “sexy” (bleh more like “disgusting”) photo of themselves in order to feel accepted, in order to feel popular, in order to — – - get attention. Kids haven’t changed – all kids want and need a certain amount of godly attention. What has changed is all the media around them and the wicked tactics that are working to steal their moral values.

What’s more, the chunk of evangelicals who could be doing some powerful things will all their networking have been deceived, too — it has happened to all of us. We’re evangelical, so we’re not knocking our faith – we are knocking the poor decision making, the blind following, and the thoughtlessness that has gone into supporting a presidency that was supposedly “Christian” but has turned out to be only about bombs. So now, evangelicals, (hopefully) have learned to pray a little harder. Pray that God reveals who exactly these people are who say they are Christian or say they are who knows what — people can say what they want, but if their actions aren’t showing it, let’s get rid of the labels and realize that a guy isn’t Christian just because he says he is.

We’re starting another year. The folks at Charisma Magazine are encouraging a 21-day fast. Here’s an excerpt of an article for

“Never in my 15 years at Charisma have I known a time of such intense spiritual turbulence. God is shaking everything that can be shaken, including our Christian colleges, our megachurches and our most prominent ministries.

At a time when a U.S. senator is investigating the financial practices of six well-known preachers, I sense that God has taken out His holy plumb line to conduct His own detailed inspection of every church and ministry in this country. He wants to unleash a nationwide revival, but He must bring His correction first.

These are desperate times that require desperate measures. That is why I have joined with the Awakening America Alliance to call for a solemn 21-day fast that will run from January 1-21.”

In his article, he lists 5 things to pray for:

1) The Fear of God

2) Integrity and purity in the church

3) A return to evangelism

4) Godly leadership

5) A National Spiritual Awakening

In the old days of Pentecostalism, repentance and passionate evangelism was core. Now, everything is so focused on the latest and greatest keyboard sounds and the budget for the “executive” pastors’ salary that we’re throwing out those core values. We got to get on our knees, people of God. This stuff has got to get turned around.

You know, this title, “Executive Pastor,” has really been getting on my nerves lately. We don’t want to say anything negative about these leaders, they are probably leading plenty of people to Christ — but c’mon guys!!!! Executive? Choose one — Corporate World or Kingdom. You can’t have a kingdom purpose driven ministry when you are so set on your corporate title or rank. Are these executive pastors the ones who feel like they should be something so they give themselves a worldly title and phrase it in such a way to convince the flock that the title just makes them appealing to the corporate crowd who wouldn’t otherwise know Christ…………are these executive pastors building a hierarchy that Jesus died to destroy?

Jesus wants us to be on a level-playing field. Yes, there is some degree of hierarchy and order that is appropriate and even Biblically mandated. We must rightly discern that. The problem is when these hierarchies become about the people in them rather than in the people God wants to heal through them.

This new year, pray with your brothers and sisters around the nation (and world) who have noticed America’s spiritual crisis and who desire a breakthrough, that revival could wash over this land again. Revival cannot come without repentance. Pray that this nation together gets on its knees and pray that the Holy Spirit once again would move mightily!!!

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