Let’s talk about one of those awkward elephants in the room.
Church parasites.
What is a parasite? A parasite is a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others.
Just like people get sick from them the church does too. The church gets malnourished from people who suck the life and vitality out of its blood.
So how do you know if you are one?
If you ever said, “The church isn’t meeting my needs.”
The Bible says: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” 2 Thess. 3:10
The church is actually commanded to not to meet your physical needs if you aren’t working. The same principle applies to emotional needs. You gotta work toward the goal of food on the table and peace in your heart otherwise God tells the rest of us to not help you.
If you never offer your time, money or resources to serve the body.
The Bible says: “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” Rom. 14:19
Mutual. That’s reciprocal service. You have to put in more than you expect to get out. If you are expecting more that you are giving you are out of balance.
If you complain more than you praise.
The Bible says. “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Eph. 4:29
Are there problems in the church? Do people make mistakes? YES! But our response should not be to complain or gripe. Our verbal response should be one that builds people up and encourages. If you complain and aren’t contributing solutions you might be a parasite.
If you think your personal problems are the church’s fault.
You don’t feel “fed” by the church whether spiritually or physically. You blame your bad marriage and bad kids on the church. You blame your unpaid rent and broken down car on the church.
The truth is sometimes, well most of the time, our problems are created by our own foolish ways.
“Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.” Prov. 1:32
Now, what if you have suddenly realized that this is you? What do you do?
You confess. You repent.
Confess your sins to each other… James 5:16
Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Mt. 3:8
