Faith leaders plagued with the “Man of God” disease are becoming a liability to the community. They’re more interested in building a brand than being a servant.
—
Lights, camera, action! It’s Sunday morning and the band is in place. The organ is tuning up; the mothers of the church are checking the length of the skirts on the young women and a few of the effeminate men who comprise the tenor section on the combined choir are planning how they are going to extend service another 30 minutes by “cutting a rug.”
Service begins, the music thumps and moments later the “Man of God” and his “armor-bearer” make their grand entrance on the red carpet leading to the altar. The nurse awaits his majesty to take his throne before presenting him a frosty goblet full of fruit juice, while his faithful sidekick—whose lack of discretion makes it obvious he’s bucking for position and validation—anxiously await his next order; if he’s lucky it’ll be a request for a handjob.
The musical part of the event ends and now the supreme leader is ready to stand before his peasants and reveal the results of his pontification. With one hand lubed up and the other reserved to take the napkin of the glass, the king’s humble minion assumes the position of a runner preparing to sprint a marathon, as he’s determined to not let one bead of sweat drip onto his “Man of God’s” zoot suit.
Once time comes for the curtain call, the “Man of God” takes his sweaty rag—drenched in his six-figure sweat—and lays it upon various members of his flock who are praying as he’s preying. Aware that the church doesn’t pay overtime, the “Man of God” quickly ends the show, denying request for an encore. He’s ushered to the back where he receives his cut of the admission fee and scurries of to his car before any of the “regular people” can approach him.
♦◊♦
I wish this was just a figment of my over-active imagination, but unfortunately I can’t make this shit up, I’m not that good a writer. This scene comes from the many churches I’ve attended and played for in my career as musician in Philadelphia. Preachers and over-compensating deacons with the “celebrity mindset” have become my arch-enemy, my pet peeve, the thorn in my crown and a pain in my ass.
I was born in church, or at least that’s how it feels. It seems like since I came out of the womb I’ve been turning down melted butterscotch candies from women with too much make-up and perfume on. When people ask why I don’t go to church, I tell them all the same thing: “I’ve seen behind the curtain, I know how the hot dog is made, I know how Santa fits in the chimney and I’m not impressed.”
As an adult, I’ve had a few encounters with the type of faith leaders who feel they have to be recognized when they walk into a room, or those individuals who have a “word from God,” every time, all the time; or even those elders who need to remind you that their Dad help build the church.
I’m not proud of it at all, but I lost my job at a church because of one of those types of personalities; actually I was asked to leave, but whatever. It was a Baptist church seeking to move into the 21st century. They showed their progressive edge by allowing women on the pulpit and singing only one Negro spiritual a service instead of the anthology of Mammy and Coon Carolers. The chairman of the deacon board took the reins of the more than 100 year-old place of worship after their former pastor stole cotton bails full of money from the “storehouse.” In the interim, the deacon became the HNIC and he made everyone know he held the deed to the church. He sat on the board with almost absolute power and asserted his authority on the weak, vulnerable, old and frightened.
His powers were useless against me, however, as I have mastered the art of “negro-tiation.” I made it very clear that I didn’t bow to his presence and that his commands were not mine to follow. The dick-swinging contest lead to several near-violent encounters, with him once showing me the glock on his hip and assuring me that he hasn’t always been saved. My response was: “brother, I still ain’t saved; you got the right one this time.”
After getting into a shoving match with another deacon almost a year later because the “church offering was low and they couldn’t afford to pay me my salary,” I made my exit, involuntary at the time, but impending for sure in my timeline.
♦◊♦
Although church is where I first fell in love with the drums, my encounters with “Men of God” who think more highly of themselves than they ought has led me to walk away from the whole institution all-together.
In an article entitled “Is It Time to Put an End to Celebrity Christianity?” Duke Taber says:
“The next generation of Christian leaders, pastors, evangelist and teachers need to do more than give lip service to servant leadership. They must replace the model of serve-me leadership with true servant leadership. They must kill the idea that they are God’s man of power for the hour.”
Our young ones are watching and they are being taught the wrong way to serve. For Christ’s sake, can we pull up the red carpet that leads to the altar?
Thanks for reading. Until next time, I’m Flood the Drummer® & I’m Drumming for JUSTICE
Source: TBO Inc®
Twitter: @therealTBOInc
Facebook: /therealTBOInc
©2013 All Rights Reserved.
—
Photo: vestman/Flickr
Happy New Year to you as well. Glad you responded with what you said. I hate the idea that some people are turned off of worship because of “people.” Take care.
Something else I’d like to mention and hope that you never forget is that you were given a gift from God and that is the gift of music. When you play in church, it is and of itself praise to God. Having attended a couple of Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir events and speaking with some of them, they see their amazing music as prayer and praise to God. I encountered a similar attitude with the DC Choir from St. Augustine Catholic church that we brought to our parish for a series of concerts. What’s great is that the music is more… Read more »
Hey Tom, thanks for reading and providing feedback. Although I don’t frequent church on a regular basis, i feel that my relationship with my creator is stronger than ever. I definitely still engage with worship because it all starts with the heart. Happy New Year!
Sorry to hear about your experience and hope that it;s not turned you off of worship. Although I’m Catholic, I have had the benefit of attending other denominational services. Personally I enjoy daily evening mass, no organ, no glamour … just plain old worship. Years ago, at least 20, We’d moved to Texas, the proverbial bible belt. I’ve always been active in my parish but something was missing. Our neighbor (Baptist) told us about St. Bartholomew’s Catholic church but warned me that being from the Midwest, it was different from what I may have experienced. He sure as heck got… Read more »