As we anticipate next week's celebration of Pastor Sam's tenth year at Bronx Bethany Church of the Nazarene, I will take today's blog to talk about the elephant in the room.
The "elephant" is a metaphor for a small, but powerful, contingent of persons at BBCN who are dissatisfied with the direction God is moving in, and they are pouring out their dissatisfaction at the feet of Pastor Sam. In my five years at Bronx Bethany, I've seen some interesting and disturbing activities launched in a prolonged attack designed to discourage our senior pastor: Negativity spread through emails and phone calls. Refusal to give the Lord His tithe. Stealing Pastor Sam's portrait from the church lobby while leaving behind the portrait of the pastor who preceded him. Presenting a spirit of unbelief in the face of an appeal to exercise faith.
This contingent stands as representatives of the dominion of darkness. Their purpose is to undermine the plan and program of God. While God moves forward, they marshal every resource under their control in order to maintain the status quo. They are worshipping denominations, traditions, and cultural expectations. If you see yourself in this group, please know that I love you... and because I love you, I am warning you that God is not pleased. If God is calling us to move forward, and you are standing still, then you are in disobedience.
My prayer is that, instead of worshipping the Bronx Bethany of thirty years ago, or the Bronx Bethany of ten years ago, each one of us will joyfully embrace and fully support what God is doing today. Let's start by worshipping God and God alone. Let's continue by joyfully embracing and fully supporting our senior pastor as he seeks to carry out the will of God.
Pastor Sam, I love you and thank God for you. God bless you with health, strength, and a heart to always obey our great King regardless of what it costs you. "Stay in your lane." -Genise
Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper. (from Second Chronicles 20:20)
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