A Generation of Vipers

Abe Lincoln turned to a preacher in Boston for prayer and comfort during the darkest days of the Civil War. Many are not aware of the fact that it was the preachers in the North (especially those who had read Uncle Tom’s Cabin) who enlightened their congregations, lit the fires of conviction, and eventually led the U.S. into that same war that ended slavery (this was 100 years before the Civil Rights movement . . . also led by a preacher!). Around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, President John Kennedy had Billy Graham brought to D.C. for one-on-one prayer and to share with him about Christ - especially about Christ’s return. Many remember that George (HW) Bush also called Billy Graham to pray with him right before the Gulf War. And George W. Bush candidly states that it was a conversation he had with Billy Graham in 1976 that was the turning point in his life. George W. Bush happens to currently be the leader of the free world!

Yes, a preacher of truth has a tremendous assignment upon his life. He is a moral lighthouse for which there is no substitute. I am still shaking my head about the comment of someone I was speaking to in the 1980s. He was not committed to the things of God. I openly shared with him about Christ, his role in history, his role today, and his role in my life. The man thought I was off base. I am still haunted by his rebuttal to me. He ended with, "Yeah but we’ve outgrown God. Our minds have evolved. Plus, we don’t need good morals anymore - we have computers . . . " And he walked away. His words haunt me because they are commentary on our modern mind-set and culture as a whole. Where are the preachers?

Need I remind anyone of cyber-crime, computer virus’, hackers, stolen credit cards, cultic WEB sites, ad infinitum? It seems that Satan is enjoying modern computers with the best of them! Where are the preachers?

Thus a Pastor’s job is deathly vital, today, as much as ever. It is painful yet inspiring to think what could have been different if Pastors in Germany would have stuck to the Scriptures during the 1930s and 1940s. Instead most sold out to Adolf Hitler and his newly instituted Nazi curriculum for the state church of Germany. The moral void left the country wide open to the cancer of madness brought in by one leader who left scores of millions dead before he finally killed himself.

Faithful Pastors could have ushered in a totally different scenario instead of the cyclone of terror that ransacked Europe. But no, Germany’s "pastors" just turned their heads and remained willfully ignorant while 10,000,000 were killed in concentration camps (60% were Jewish). They, for the most part, kept silent, hunkered down, and thus secured their jobs. Did anyone notice that an entire continent was nearly lost in the process? God calls a Pastor to stand against the tide of evil not go along with it.

Pastors have a great effect in so many ways when they do their job. When they do not, it’s hell on earth. What is graver is that it is merely a preview of hell for real. Stated bluntly, when Pastors ditch their call, people go to hell, in every way. That is why Jesus reserved his most scathing words, not for lost sinners but for religious leaders who operated from their selfish, manmade and evil agendas. Jesus called these double-minded religious leaders "blind guides," "sons of hell," "white-washed tombs," "a generation of vipers." He was angry with them because they knew better and were disregarding their call to minister and speak for God.

This expose’ is about the disaster that happens when Pastors are derelict in their duty, when they neglect their call and proceed with their own agenda. Pastors are not to go for the gold for themselves and their pockets. They are to be concerned that people reach the streets of gold. The late Henri Nouwen laments that many Pastors today are greedy, jealous, angry. This is because they are concerned with power, control, and pleasure. What a shame it is to drift from the assignment of preaching the gospel! Only Pastors can give society the direction it so badly needs. Without such direction, people are flying blind and sailing straight toward a collision. The Apostle Paul asks, "How will they hear without a preacher?" The answer is, they won’t.

How long will God tolerate Pastors who resist His clear command? There must be change. If the Pastors of this nation do not do what God has called them to do, this nation is a ship without a rudder, nor a radar. Most of us remember that final horrific hour of the 1997 movie, Titanic. The double shame is that Titanic did not need to go down. 1500+ died that night because the captain had a hidden agenda. It wasn’t enough for him to pilot the world’s largest and most luxurious ship on its maiden voyage. He needed to break a speed record! And no one pressed in to override him as they sailed full throttle on a winter’s night through a north Atlantic ice field.

In addition to the following books co-authored with her husband, Albert, Aimee Anderson is also the author of Broken, Yet Triumphant.