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WHY I MUST LEAVE THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRISTPastor Wayne BassA few decades ago, the late Pastor Charles Quillen, penned an important book entitled “The Trivialization of the Church of God in Christ.” Its reception and reviews were widely varied, based on one’s position and/or experiences within the church body. However, Pastor Quillen presented an entirely cogent argument, that the institutional church (specifically COGIC) is in danger of abdicating its God-ordained identity and mission due to an ever increasing emphasis on politics, positions, promotions, prestige, power and patronage, as opposed to the original KINGDOM MISSION AND MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST.It is my belief that GOD inspired the late Bishop Charles Harrison Mason to found, organize and develop the Church of God in Christ. In my view, The Almighty positioned our church at the vanguard of the Pentecostal-Holiness movement in America. However, we have long since abandoned our roots and departed from our destiny.Despite frequent and urgent warnings, the CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST has gradually morphed into an organization that can now be aptly described as the poster child for PERSONAL-AMBITION-RUN-AMUCK. One can scarcely dialogue with those who seek to scale its ecclesiastical ladder without being queried as to the quality and quantity of one’s personal participation, e.g. one's official positions held within the hierarchy of the church. This degree of abject carnality constitutes a death knell to our divine calling and anointing.While we characteristically engage in meaningless debate, i.e. ‘WHO’S ON FIRST AND WHAT’S ON SECOND’ (to cite a classic Abbott & Costello comedic routine), and while we engage in calculated maneuvers to gain greater access to the power structure, and while we enthusiastically seek enhanced visibility and upward mobility within the church hierarchy (along with their resultant perks), sadly the MESSAGE OF THE CROSS and the MISSION OF SOUL-WINNING become secondary considerations. It is a disgrace, a travesty, an unprecedented erosion of our core values, marking the spiritual deterioration of a once highly esteemed organization, in full view of God and in plain view of man.A grave, systemic problem exists. Something is terribly wrong. We have a deadly cancer in the body and we desperately need to identify and excise it. Indeed, we ourselves have created a self-perpetuating, hierarchical monstrosity, characterized by rugged individualism, power grabbing and unabashed greed. To cite one crystal clear example, our financial system is ineffective, nonsensical, and even corrupt. Consider this: How can we ever hope to FUND THE MINISTRY MISSION OF OUR CHURCH when we are so intent on siphoning off funds to “bless” those who hold leadership positions? It is important to note that such funds are frequently raised on the backs of those at or near the bottom of the socio-economic ladder.Instead of these funds being utilized primarily for MINISTRIES, a significant portion is diverted to “bless” district, jurisdictional and national church officials. All the while, we hear the same old, tired, manipulative offering appeals: “It’s just nice to be nice. Someday it could be your turn, and you will want people to support you.” This fiscal ‘strategy’ (to employ a 'kind' term) is reckless, ludicrous, self-serving, self-perpetuating and borders on rank dishonesty. When oh when…will we collectively return to doing everything that we do (including raising revenue) in THE BIBLE WAY, i.e. GOD’S WAY? One disclaimer is necessary: Thank God; not all COGIC Jurisdictions are guilty of the shaky and shady practices outlined above.Nevertheless, two key questions are begged here: 1) How is it that each successive generation of leadership and laity seems more focused on personal advancement, i.e. EMPIRE-BUILDING, as opposed to KINGDOM-BUILDING? 2) Why do we seem to be more concerned about numerical and fiscal growth, in contrast with the BIBLICAL MISSION of SERVICE? Personal power-seeking, unbridled ambition, unchecked greed and self-serving agendas seem to comprise the acceptable order of our day.Along with these untoward attitudes, a not-so-subtle FORM OF IDOLATRY has systematically infiltrated our ranks, and even our worship services. The creature is now exalted above The Creator, and it is now an integral component of our collective consciousness. However, we must be ever mindful that ALMIGHTY GOD will never brook or tolerate ‘lesser gods,’ be they animate or inanimate. While I love and respect the late Bishop J. O. Patterson, Sr. (our first elected Presiding Bishop), he made one grave error, i.e. allowing one egocentric man [we all know who he is] to radically rewrite and revise our heritage – changing us from what we once were and transforming us into pretentious and highfaluting versions of our former selves. If Bishop Mason could see our present-day pomp and pageantry, our esteemed Founder would roll over in his grave, if possible.NOTE TO OUR LEADERSHIP:COGIC IS NOT ROMAN CATHOLIC; COGIC IS NOT EPISCOPALIAN. RATHER, THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST IS A UNIQUE BAND OF BELIEVERS WHOM GOD HAS CALLED TO BE HUMBLE PRACTITIONERS AND STEWARDS OF PENTECOSTAL-HOLINESS VALUES, PENTECOSTAL WORSHIP AND PENTECOSTAL WITNESS.During a recent International Holy Convocation, I was heartsick when our leaders paraded with pompous pride in ‘high-church’ liturgical fashion, taking thirty minutes or so to process royally into the arena, garbed in ornate and colorful ecclesiastical regalia that has long since been ‘borrowed’ from other denominational traditions. Can we honestly contest candid assessments that we have lost our identity and our way? The simple facts are these: WE LOOK GOOD…BUT WE ARE CONFUSED AND LOST. [Reference: Revelation 3:1-6]After initially being critical of us, other denominations sought to emulate our distinctive style and practice-of-praise. Now, ironically, we have turned to imitate them. Indeed, we have become legends in our own minds, and THE POWER OF GOD is noticeably absent. Dare I say this: ICHABOD? [Reference: I Samuel 4:21] True deliverance and miracles are in absolute decline, both being major components of our Biblical heritage and denominational identity. Because of these sad conditions, and others, we are losing a generation of men and women who authentically seek to uphold and build the Kingdom of God. And at the same time, we are negatively impacting many of those who remain, people who once held sincere and biblical views of Christ’s Kingdom, now being transformed into mere shadows of their former spiritual selves. Instead of becoming world-changers, we have become organization-climbers. What on earth has happened to us?What we now label as ECCLESIASTICAL ORDER is completely OUT-OF-ORDER, and is indeed a far cry from DIVINE ORDER. How so? OUR ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS MINIMIZE GOD AND MARGINALIZE HIS PEOPLE. I am both shocked and saddened at the abject LACK OF DISCERNMENT WITHIN OUR CHURCH LEADERSHIP. Nepotism, patronage and pay-offs are the apparent order of the day. Beyond that, we promote people who ‘look’ and ‘act’ the part, rather than those who have been duly approved and endorsed by God. It begs the question: Are positions and power now available for a price?Furthermore, while our leaders proactively preach atonement and reconciliation, we are among the most self-absorbed, vindictive and grudge-holding people in all of Christendom. Even though GOD SAYS “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more,” WE SAY let’s search and seek out skeletons in the closets of those who have genuinely repented of their sins. [Reference: Hebrews 10:17]Equally appalling is the chauvinistic and non-biblical position on women-in-ministry that we hold to so tenaciously. We are somewhat hypocritical here, since we always accept the financial reports of female pastors, while denying them full admission into clergy status. This makes no sense at all, and is largely based on our institutional bias, our fear of change AND the strong possibility that (once accorded full recognition and voting rights), women would surely outnumber men in our General Assembly and be positioned to govern the church at the highest levels.On a more personal note, various COGIC pastors and churches provided financial support to my family during our year of service as resident missionaries in South Africa, the most generous gifts coming from Supt. William Bass of Gate of Heaven COGIC, Bishop James Gaylord of Kelly Temple COGIC, Supt. Clarence Sexton of Mt. Sinai Cathedral COGIC and Bishop Frank White of Zion Cathedral COGIC, in that order. However, the COGIC Missions Department did not share one single cent to undergird our ministry endeavors. To date, we have received no legitimate reason for this, and to be perfectly candid, we were hurt (both emotionally and financially) by their flagrant lack of support. The bulk of our funding came from the sacrificial giving of my wife and me.Our church has the unfortunate tendency to embrace and empower a random and chosen few, while thousands of men and women with extraordinary potential are sidelined for completely arbitrary or absurd reasons. I have never spoken these words aloud before, but I (for one) have far too much to offer to sit passively on the sidelines, watching the parade go by. And, yes, there are multiplied thousands of underutilized people who think and feel exactly the same way. Why is it that a church with millions of constituents can only identify a relative few to engage its major work? Know this: The heart's desire of so many is simply to serve Christ and His Church with their time, talent and treasure, i.e. to make a significant and sustained contribution.It will be quite easy for some to dismiss my words as the ramblings of a cynical, unwise, or embittered man. That could not be farther from the truth. I am not angry, but I have grown exhausted with remaining silent in the face of sheer arrogance and apostasy. Indeed, I am actually a meek and sincere disciple of Christ, one who loves God and His people, one who has dealt foundationally with his own sins and errors. More than anything else, I am pleased to report that I am a forgiven, cherished and anointed son of The Most High God, fully “accepted in the beloved [Son],” and proactively engaged in building the KINGDOM OF GOD. [Reference: Ephesians 1:6]My sisters and my brothers, it is indisputably apparent that these are the last days. The second coming of JESUS CHRIST is much closer than we imagine, based upon our prevailing attitudes and actions. It is much, much, much too late to play church games any longer. If our gospel continues to be hidden, it will ultimately (and sadly) be hidden to those who are lost. A reckoning day is coming, and I hope that all of us will seriously and soberly prepare to meet OUR CREATOR in peace.In closing, I have a very powerful emotional bond with the Church of God in Christ, along with very strong, life-long, family ties. Therefore, it is more than difficult – painful beyond belief – to take leave of the church of my natural and spiritual nativity. At my current age of 62, I have literally grown up in the Church of God in Christ, having been raised in a family where my father was my Pastor (a very successful COGIC Pastor for nearly six decades before his demise in 1997), having joined in spiritually with that baptized body of believers a long time ago – some 54 years ago – and having actively served in the ministry with a tenure of 47 years.Nevertheless, it is time to make my departure in peace. It is time to execute a wise, courageous, practical and difficult decision, along with a strategic transition to the next. It is time to align myself fully with INDIVIDUAL CHURCHES AND LEADERS WHO ARE ALL ABOUT FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION OF JESUS CHRIST. Of course, I will continue to fellowship with like-minded COGIC Pastors and Churches (and all others) who wish to maintain mutually fulfilling and Godly relationships. If you are inclined to remain COGIC, and thereby to effect change from within, you have my heartfelt admiration and fervent prayers. That being said, I bid a fond farewell to my sisters and brothers in the Church of God in Christ. Grace, mercy and peace to all her leaders and members. MARANATHA!P.S. I do not purport to reflect or represent (and make no attempt to include) any family member, colleague, friend, or associate by way of the foregoing commentary and conclusions. They are mine, and mine alone.Pastor Wayne Bass ................
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