This is a harder-hitting message than what I usually produce… but it is where I believe God led me.

I heard an elderly parishioner once admonish a preacher for a sermon that stepped on that parishioner’s toes…

“Preacher, you went from preaching to meddling…”

Apparently, as long as the preacher spoke about someone else’s problems, it was preaching. The minute he spoke about that elderly man’s problems, it became “meddling”. I think in this segment, I am moving towards “meddling” in the eyes of some. So be it.

For centuries, the American Church has played a significant role in carrying the message of Christ to the world. God has blessed the Church in America with resources, influence, leadership, and financial means that have helped spread the Gospel across the globe. Yet I cannot help but wonder whether we are beginning to see some of the very attitudes Paul warns against in Romans 11, i.e., arrogance and spiritual entitlement.

To understand the seriousness of this warning, we need to return to Paul’s illustration of the olive tree. In Romans 11:17–18, Paul describes how some of the natural branches were broken off and wild olive branches were grafted into their place. He then issues a direct warning to the Gentile believers: “Do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches.” Why? Because, as Paul reminds them, “you do not support the root, but the root supports you” (Romans 11:18, NIV).

That is a warning the American Church would do well to hear. We must never confuse God’s blessings with proof of our own superiority. We ( the American Church) have enjoyed extraordinary opportunities to proclaim the Gospel, but those opportunities were given to us by grace. We did not create God’s kingdom, establish His promises, or become the source of His redemptive purposes. We have been invited to participate in what God is doing. We are branches sustained by a root that existed long before we arrived.

Where do I see the danger of arrogance and self-entitlement that Paul describes? I see it in the presumption of those who believe Christians can command angels to carry out their wishes. I see it in churches that claim to be the sole, authoritative voice of God for this generation. I see it in individuals who readily assume the titles of prophet or apostle, as though such titles automatically establish their spiritual authority. I see it in prosperity ministries where the promise of financial blessing seems to benefit the leaders far more than the people who support them. And I see it in the heartbreaking abuse of women and children by those entrusted with spiritual leadership, whether clergy or laypeople.

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Of Dough and Olive Branches

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Of Dough and Olive Branches

In His Grip,

Paige