Big Brother is Watching You

The rumor is that the SBC is wanting to change its name to the BBBC. (Big Brother Baptist Convention.) They determined some years back that they could treat Christianity more as a science than a religion. They love setting goals: number of Baptisms, special attendance Sundays, keeping track of your Bible study, etc. You know, like good Thought Police. They want to control our lesson plans, our tithing, our study and, mostly, they just want control!
I’m always reminded of the story in I Chronicles when Satan "provoked David to number Israel."

David thought he could better control Israel by numbering them. (And he was right.) He did this even against the good advice of his chief general. David, like any centralized governor, e.g., Congress, the President, the SBC Executive Board, lives on control. It’s what any centralized body, however well intended, finds itself eventually doing.

It’s the nature of bureaucrats. They are constrained to protect and justify their existence. Bean-counters need beans to count. The more beans the more, dare I say it, authority, power and, yes, money. How else can they justify those really nice salaries?

I really wish that I was wrong and that they are merely concerned about my meditating on the Holy Scriptures, but I am more convinced every day that this "thing of ours," (you know, the Cosa Nostra,) has strayed far, far away from being the spring-board for missionaries that our founders intended way back in the 1850’s. Even if they are totally, seriously just trying to help us, they are totally, seriously out of line!

Far too many are glad to see the SBC move toward pushing, er, I mean, inspiring its members to greater heights of study and prayer. After all, if they don't do it, it won't get done. Right? Far too many are quite content to go along just to get along. Worse yet, far too many never even notice that there is a problem.

We've heard the old adage about boiling a frog, though. So, if we are willing to give up our personal kingship and yield our sacred priesthood, even to our particular denomination, it won't be long before we are cooked. We will become no more than cogs in a machine as opposed to the living cells of a body our Groom always intended His bride to be.

They cannot manipulate us by scientific methodology into being better Christians, a stronger congregation or even save one soul by prying into the prayer life of believers. All they can be is nosey!

We are to love Him and give our obedience to Him and Him alone. This is between me and God and if anyone comes between me and God, well, then, duh, someone is between me and God. What is between He and I is between He and I!

Like Samson who gave his secrets to the wrong person and paid with his life. Like David who desired to know the number of Israel and paid with the life of thousands of his people. All that will be achieved from their schemes is false goals, useless targets and insipid ambitions that will, in reality, bring no one to the cross of Christ. (Remember how to make God laugh?)

Politely refusing to participate in their inane polls can be difficult, but it can also be entertaining. Don't let the perplexed looks and condescending eyes allow others to pry into the very, very personal relationship you share with your Savior.

Beware! It's not enough to simply obey Big Brother. You must love him too!