It seems that some of the 21st century pastors and teachers don't believe Jesus got up, some don't believe Jesus can make a-way out of no-way nor do they believe He's a healer either...In other words they don't believe what they preach in the pulpits... That's according to a recent study out of Tufts University....This study paints a less-than-attractive picture of the church.One pastor, a Methodist, said he no longer believes that God exists, but his church members do not know that he is an atheist. Most of them, he said, don't even believe Jesus literally rose from the dead or literally was born of a virgin.
Another pastor, from the United Church of Christ, said he didn't even believe in the doctrinal content of the Christian faith at the beginning of his ministry, but he continues to preach as if he believes because it's the way of life he knows.
A Presbyterian pastor in the study said he remains in ministry largely for financial reasons and acknowledged that if he were to make known that he rejects most tenets of the Christian faith he would obliterate his "ability to earn a living this way."
A Church of Christ pastor explained how he continues to lead his church despite losing all theological confidence. "Here's how I'm handling my job on Sunday mornings: I see it as play acting. I see myself as taking on the role of a believer in a worship service, and performing," the pastor said. He describes himself as an atheistic agnostic and said he still needs the ministerial job and no longer believes hypocrisy is wrong.
A Southern Baptist pastor included in the study said he was attracted to Christianity as a religion of love and now has become an atheist. If someone would offer him $200,000, he said, he'd leave the ministry right away.
Every real pastor or teacher should agonize over the reality that there members in the congregations who might lack a genuine faith in Jesus Christ....But for the man of God to not believe in Christ is just wrong.
The ministers that participated in this study didn’t harbor evil intents but were instead swept along by the winds of convenience and comfort, and often reassured by unbiblical teachings. In some cases the minister’s denominational affiliation made it easier to play fast and loose with the tenets of an orthodox faith, most importantly the necessity of trusting in Christ as Lord and Savior.
If a pastor or preacher is an unbeliever or has doubts about his belief in God and His Word he should not be in the pulpit.
Question: Does it matter if your pastor or teacher is a believer or not?
