Discernment

Discernment - Should We be Actually Walking in it?

Many years ago we attended a church that was big and growing by leaps and bounds. They had to build a bigger place because so many were being added every week. In the end the place could hold several thousand people. Every Sunday the worship team got everyone going. Thousands of people lifting their hands and jumping in worship. They had a staff of about ten pastors and the main pastor was highly respected by most. He could preach in a way that could move people.

This church had guest speakers continually over the years we were there and you would know them if I named them. They were the biggest names and the people most respected in the church world as being men and women of God. Everything not only looked just fine but looked great. People would jump and dance and pray in tongues, every kind of class and group you could think of could be found there and all the things we know should be happening seemed to be happening.

In all the years we went there, I always had a bad feeling about the pastor but wrote it off as a personality conflict. I didn’t like him but figured that was just my problem. I just asked the Lord to help me from judging people wrongly.  I ignored my “gut” feeling.

In the end, after about 8-10 years we left the church. Not long after that we found out the church was going through a really hard time as the pastor was found out to have been having a long standing affair for almost the whole time he was in ministry.

​Several of the assistant pastors computers were audited because of this about the pastor coming to light, and it was then uncovered that several of the assistant pastors had pornography “issues”.

You don’t have to agree with me on this, but as for me and my family I don’t want them to be sitting under the teaching and authority of those living in sin. Period.
How could all those people and all those famous ministers miss it, and for so very long? Was there no one walking in any degree of discernment? I blame myself as well because I was in the same boat. I talked to the Lord about this and when I asked Him “where are those with discernment”, He said “You be the one.” That was not just a statement for me but for all of us. He was telling me that it is each one’s responsibility to hear God’s voice clearly and discern good from evil, truth from lies, and what is of God and what is not.

Having discernment is especially critical for those desiring to be used of the Lord in ministry. It’s critical for deciding in whose care to place your children. It’s critical for choosing who you join to and who you don’t. There is no getting away from this responsibility. (In my opinion)

So… the cat is out of the bag. Feel free to comment in any way you choose. Do we bare any responsibility for walking in discernment or is it all on God or does it even matter? You tell me.
I
​ may sound a bit hard here. If so, I’m sorry. I don’t like to see people get hurt.
with love, Mike