Which Is More Important

The local church is in the midst of trying to define its "brand" - oh, so important in this day and age you know!  (that was sarcasm!)  A brand for the church?  How about Jesus, and Him crucified, and Him resurrect from the grave, and His LOVE - our love to all peoples!!!!!  Oh, how insensitive of me to pick an image so politically incorrect.  This leadership of this church is solid, until they are gathered together and then stupidity such as worry about public brand image becomes a concern!

The church has been doing well.  They attribute this to God and His blessing on the church.
Conversely, Joel Osteen does quite well and I do not for a minute believe that he represents the God I know!  eepah!

The church is doing well enough that the question arises, "can we give the elders of the church discretion over say, $25,000 without prior approval by the congregation?"
Why?
"Well, it is not that much money in today's culture and barely a fraction of what we take in."
My eyebrows go up ....
For example?
"Well, a tree falls on the building or the youth pastor needs a big/better/newer car ...."
Well, we have insurance for the first problem and if the staff can not afford a vehicle then we ought to adjust their salary, accordingly, not buy them a car!
"You know what we mean, why can't we spend without prior approval?"
Why?
What is so important that you can not wait to get the approval of the trustees?
"But, but, but, the trustees do not meet that often!  We have immediate needs (that were not in the budget apparently) and we can not wait even weeks much less months!"
For example?
"Starting up of a new ministry opportunity or getting a much needed assistant pastor ..."

And there we have it.
The pastor is back on his I want an assistant campaign.  No he does not need an assistant, there is no need for this, he wants it because his mentor, Rick Warren, continues to tell him he needs this to be successful.  Too bad our church is not Rick Warren's, our ministry is not Rick Warren's, we are to be what God moves us to be - not Rick Warren.  But, just try and get that through the pastor's head!  You can't.

Quietly I commented that God told us not to go into debt, and if we did, then to get out of debt as fast as possible - not to hire more staff, not to start more ministries, etc ... get out of debt!

Utter silence filled the room, and then -
"Okay, now back to expenditure approval for items not on the budget ...... "

Welcome to the new paganism of the Western Theological Church, where God does not reign, man does.  The best of intentions, without God, is nothing but pure evil ...

Matthew 7:21-23

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  
²² Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  
²³ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’