The Gantt Report would like to wish all of it readers and supporters a very happy and prosperous New Year.
New Years is the time that many people use to make resolutions. They will say that they resolve to quit smoking, quit drinking, lose weight, exercise more, work harder, study harder, be more faithful and so on.
I say one of the main resolutions that African Americans should make is a resolution to change their place of worship.
What? Yes, I’m saying you should change your places of worship as soon as you can!
I think Black people should practice a religion that does something for Black people. If your church can’t do anything for you, you shouldn’t miss that church anyway.
Besides, what good is a shepherd that can’t or won’t help his flock? Don’t expect a lot of money from your church when times are hard but you should at least expect a call from the Deacons, Mothers, Stewards and Stewardesses and preachers when you have been hurt by catastrophic illness, cyclone, tornado, tsunami, floor, fire or other hardship.
I attend church on most Sundays and every time I go I put money in the plate for what is called a “missionary offering”. Where is that money?
Well, a rudimentary investigation would reveal that the so-called missionary money is there but church officials of today are using that money supposedly designated to help people in the community for other purposes.
You tell me, at your church when was the last time the pastor got a pay cut?
When did the parsonage get shut down and caused the preacher to move to a smaller house. When did the music director money get reduced? When did the television and radio ministry money get cut?
I don’t know the answers to the above questions but money for the sick and shut in, for the victims of abuse or violence and the money for the congregation members who have suffered a devastating loss of some kind is cut or reduced all of the time.
Leaders of the biggest Black church in Florida’s capitol city told me that he big church Tallahassee residents call “The Mall” doesn’t give any members or community members a dime when people are in need. I was told the biggest Black church there now only provides a referral service.
If somebody went to a Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years dinner, sat at the table and saw everybody get a plate with a generous helping of food while they got nothing but still called their self a diner, you would think they were crazy!
So what do you call yourself when you contribute to a missionary offering every single Sunday and get no help from their church when you are in need?
I say find you a church that is as eager to help you as the church is eager to ask you to put money in a collection plate or basket. If your preacher can get church help when he or she needs help the church members should be able to get help too.
You don’t need to go to church to read the Bible or to worship God but you do need to attend a church that does what Jesus did and help people in the community that need help.
I’m just saying, perhaps you are a Gantt Report reader that should consider changing churches.