Fire And Brimstone...

Boomer/Gen X style evangelists...tent revival meetings...preaching in the street...the Holy Rollers they called them...preaching Hellfire and Brimstone, with love an afterthought or casually thrown in with John 3:16 as the Hail Mary of bonuses to coming to the front to be saved.

The age of 'you couldn't get there' without a proclaimed, church-official prophet, preacher, pastor, or evangelist...it was the age of Bible-waving with little or no content unless hand-picked. They didn't bring in perhaps as much as the time honoured Circus Act complete with Freakshow, but they fared well.

Many a man was made rich and famous with the aid of Television back in the 70's and 80's.

Healings happened with increasing frequency as oil was annointed and hands laid upon forehead and chest. It was the fervour of those decades, the popular go-to...Hell the topic of discussion with Gold-paved roads to be found in Heavenly places waiting for the righteous.

Today...well today one hopes that the masses are better instructed...that the greater number of people attending church understand that these men/women in positions of pastor, preacher, evangelist and so on, have a mammoth responsibility placed on their shoulders to lead, to show by example, to serve. However...this was not the case then and from certain things seen on internet and news, still occurs to this day.

Money becomes the push...instead of tithing being a choice of honour, it becomes mandatory...power becomes the star of the show, and many would and will be led astray.

Fearing for their salvation, for their lives, based on lies fed them from the pulpit...

My friends, I hope you hear my heart tonight...there have been amazing people speaking from the pulpit with the best of intentions...Billy Graham comes to mind...a wonderful example of humility and kindness, with no intention to amass power over the people who would flood his meetings. I write these words tonight, I suppose prompted by surveying all that is happening in our world today, with leaders heavy laden with narcissism and greed guiding our countries into upheavel and unrest. We see evidence of such crimes against humanity, the overwhelmingly shocking facts regarding Child trafficking across the globe, the epidemic of domestic abuse worldwide. I truly believe it is time for those who would speak of God, would speak love, not fear...would speak of God as a true Father, obsessed with His children and how they are, not of a monstrous entity seeking our demise.

Is it not time to see true humility and uprightness from the pulpit? Humanity squared leading the way to more, to better, to churches who do for the community what the government struggles to provide.

I had one woman speak to my amazement at the newest movement of church and worship in North America and how encouraging I found seeing love and faith preached more than hell and brimstone. She spoke on the need to understand consequence, to have fear of God, that all this love wouldn't bring people to belief in our creator, or accepting Christ as their saviour. No, only preaching on hell and brimstone...terror driving people to their knees before God.

Here, here we deviate from truth. Here is an example of Old testament beliefs...why continue with that train of thought...Did God not send His son, sacrifice His only son so that we might have life? And life more abundantly? No more sacrifice at the altar, no more penance and penitance, just following principles of a God who loves unfailingly, without remorse, without regret.

Dear treasures, love is the answer.

Love saves...

Here we find truth...would we reign fire down upon the heads of our children? We are mere mortal men and women...how much more does God love each one of His children?

No. He reaches down with Love, with unfailing patience and forgiveness. He seeks US out...listens to our cries, to our worries and sends help, provides comfort...

I listen to the sound of rain upon my roof and contemplate humanity...I reflect on kindness from complete strangers, on compassion and acceptance from loved ones...

...it is not fear that motivates love, any more than love would or could motivate fear...

May God bless you with wisdom, with truth, and more, with the courage to live each day on principle, handing out love and grace where you can.