EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH
Company men use the church
By Kevin James Gilbert
In the last time, there will be company men." Company men are workers so dedicated to a company that they put loyalty to their employer before relationships or personal beliefs. The phrase could be used in contrast to "family men," who put their families first.
In churches, they are usually devotees who put loyalty to the "company" (accepted tradition, practice, fellowship, etc.) before the Lord, relationships and often, personal beliefs.
Company men are the antitheses of what Jesus came to create. They are contemporary replicas of those first century sectarians in Scripture known as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, or the villagers of Nazareth, etc. If they are employees of the church, Scripture calls them "hirelings," selfish people who do things for pay or personal benefit rather than because those things are right and good.
For example, they receive compensation for being ministers, elders, secretaries, etc. However, when personal benefit is threatened, they either compromise conviction to toe the company line, or desert the flock when it is facing struggle, largely to keep their cash flow or reputation/employability intact.
I believe that a significant number of ministers are hirelings, created by our churches and ministry training schools. These institutions often expect ministers to be company men, who won't think for themselves or grow; who know purse strings are attached; who put church before family in the face of the apostolic decree that such a one is worse than a non-believer; and who accept abuse other members refuse to accept for themselves, among other weaknesses.
I'm so blessed to serve my church, which is a healthy antithesis to our company churches and company men. Christians don't want to be company men. Yet we shouldn't be surprised when we find them among us. It was foretold by the Holy Spirit through Jude, to whom the Spirit moved to appeal to remind us that certain intruders have stolen in among our churches, "people who long ago were designated for ... condemnation as ungodly, who pervert the grace of our God." They call themselves Christians, but their actions "deny our only master and Lord, Jesus Christ," (Jude 1-5).
Yet God is merciful and just.
"But you, beloved, must remember the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; for they said to you, 'In the last time there will be scoffers, indulging their own ungodly lusts. It is these worldly people, devoid of the Spirit, who are causing divisions.'"
In other words, in the last time, there will be company men. So don't be surprised. Just let them be other people, at other churches.
Kevin James Gilbert is a minister of Wahiawa Church of Christ. Expressions of Faith is a column that welcomes written works by leaders in faith and spirituality. E-mail faith@honoluluadvertiser.com or call 525-8035. Articles submitted may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms.
