No Thanks!

No Thanks!

Have you ever been somewhere to buy something and the salesperson was grouchy or unfriendly? What about rude and obnoxious?  What about arrogant and a know-it-all? Makes you want to rush to buy something from them doesn't it? NOT!  No Thanks!  I am not going to buy something from someone who acts like any of these traits, but the funny thing is many preachers, churches,and christians act like this and then wonder why no one wants what they offering?

You can't share Christ or influence people they need Jesus if you are constantly grouchy and unfriendly. You aren't going to win people to Christ or get them to become a Christian if you are rude or obnoxious about it. And you aren't going to lead people to Jesus or get people to come to church(or come back if you do get them there) if you are arrogant and have a know-it-all atttitude.

This doesn't work selling cars, appliances, or houses, and it definately isn't going to work trying to share the good news of Jesus with people. I'm not making excuses for people. There are people out there who do not go to church or will not become Christians and they have no good reasons, only selfish excuses, "church is boring", "it's full of hypocrits", "and I've done too much wrong", etc....excuses are endless, but at the same time there is NO EXCUSE for pastors, church leaders, church members, or christians to hurt the church or the cause of Christ, because they have a personal agenda, a narrow-mind, a legalistic attitude, or won't deal with their hard heads or hearts.  

Everyone can be grouchy or unfriendly sometimes or be moody, but when you are that way more than you are friendly or nice,  you obviously have issues you are not dealing with or being convicted of in your life. There is also NEVER a good reason to be rude or obnoxious when talking about God, but many christians and sadly pastors, thrive on this!  They think they are smarter, and doing God a favor, but really they are scared or insecure, they are so afraid they are going to be proven wrong or not be right, that they'd rather put you down, be judgemental,and argue than listen to you, think things through, and act like Jesus.  Jesus was Never rude or obnoxious, he was firm when he needed to be, appropriate with his anger, and kept his emotions in check.

Also, being arrogant or cocky is the opposite of Christ, yet many christians and preachers act this way. They almost gloat that they are smarter, know more, and "are saved" and you're  not.  And I don't care how much you know or think you know, NO ONE "knows-it-all" except God!  Nothing to me is a bigger turn off than a christian, a preacher, or a church where everyone is pushy, arrogant, and you can't talk to them or discuss anything, because they "already know", sad.   (I don't know it all or  my blogs would be a lot better, ha!) No thanks. I don't want what they are selling.

We have to keep in mind, that some people have learned the wrong way how to invite people to church or to evangelize the lost.  We have to keep in mind some preachers, were trained in ignornance and are simply mimicing the way they have been taught, and therefore they aren't afforded an open-mind, to think for themselves, and realize that though there are many commands in the Bible, there is also freedom and not everything is a sin, wrong, abominination, or sending you to Hell.  Yes, only one way to God through Jesus and only one Message(gospel), but many ways and methods to get to Jesus or grow in your faith.  This type of behavior is not conservative or keeping on the "old" ways or "old" path, it's serving and speaking out of fear or ignorance. When all you say, or preach, or talk about is what is negative, wrong, a sin,  or people have to agree with you or everything has to be  a certain way for you to accept someone, then to me that's a sign you are on the wrong path, being legalistic, and sort of like the pharisees in Jesus day, they missed Jesus because they were too busy with their own agenda.

People, we need to realize when we preach, wear the name Christian, or call ourselves a member of a church, that WE represent Jesus.  Whether its' fair on not, when people see us, they should see Jesus and if they see a grouch, a gossip, a punk, a jerk, arrogance, judgemental, ignorant, and conceited, that is how they are going to view God, because they don't know Him yet.   I'm not saying we have to be perfect,  but what I'm saying is we need to be sincere, honest, and transparent.  We need to strive and pursue a right relationship with God, which includes constantly evaluating our actions and attitudes.

Take a good look at yourself, would you want to go to church or become a christian if someone just like you acted came and invited you to church or tried to tell you what you needed to do to become a Christian?  Would you make  sell for Jesus or would you say "no Thanks", I don't want what they are selling look at how they act? Something for us all to think about!  We want to be like Christ and we want to share Christ!

2 Corinthians 12:20(NIV)

For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.

(here it is in KJV incase you don't accept the NIV)
20For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

Love people the way God loves us all, and share Jesus with Love, people will want that!