Church Blessing Rant

 Have we made Churches into Our ATM for blessings?

So many of us that are still practicing Christians have slowly turned organized churches that meet in brick-and-mortar buildings, mainstream churches we attend into a blessing ATM.  We give a few dollars and ask for our actions to be forgiven and to get blessings back.  Similar to the way we get money from our bank. We slip in a card and get money out.   We move on with our lives doing the same we have been doing knowing full well in our minds that come Sunday our trusty Blessing ATM is waiting for us.  Small cost to give to be the person we are, Right?

The problem with this is we do not change.  The Church does nothing to facilitate change.  The clergy are stuck in their routine and are defeated for the most part by the fact that they have to have the money to run the Church and all its programs. They know well over 90% did not get or understand the message of the homily.  The traditional churches find themselves losing out to the big Televangelist churches with TV broadcasts, merchandise, and preacher that has charism.  They see him pull up in a Mercedes and live in a mansion on the outskirts of town.  The church is all new and shiny so he must know the right words he would not be successful, so his Blessing ATM must be the right one.

The problem is that is not how Jesus taught his beliefs.  He taught that for a Church to be a servant to the people.  That a church is at its best when it is giving to all people.  Jesus did not have a building, an income, not a chariot, or even a donkey of his own.  No, he spread his teaching to all who wanted to listen.   Remember the story of him tossing tables in the temple and chasing the money changer out as blasphemy to his father's house?   Think how he would react to these mega-churches. 

So I say it is time we return to the mentality that the church is here to serve all peoples, that it is meant to provide, love, peace, and harmony.  No longer should any church preach hate, exclude those who are different, and should never be run for the enrichment of a few.   If we truly want the Christian faith to be strong and a focus of people again, we have to deserve it.  Stop being the Blessing ATM and start being the tool of God’s love for all his creation, large or small.