The Goat Rustler

I grew up in a preacher's home as a so-called "preacher's kid".  One thing that has always amazed me is the attitude that some preachers have towards the so-called "sheep" in other churches.  Their eyes look covetously over the fence at those "sheep", longing to take them for themselves.  They long to be "goat rustlers".

What such preachers often do not notice, (or do not care to notice), is that such sheep are usually "goats", and not sheep at all!  But many preachers' hearts long after such "tithing" goats who are sitting in the pews of other churches.  Such a "tither"-goat  might be going to Hell, but so what?  After all, money is, after all, money, and isn't money what preaching is all about?

The Bible says that the love of money is the root of all evil.  If a preacher is jealous of , or covets after another preacher's flock, even if such a flock is comprised mainly of lost sinners who are in rebellion against God, then such a preacher is in deep sin and rebellion against God himself.  This sin is the great sin of covetousness.

The command by God against coveting money is actually one of the Ten Commandments.  God calls covetousness "idolatry" in the Bible.  Loving money more than God is idolatry because money effectively becomes your "god" -- money becomes more important in your life than the God who made you if you commit this sin of covetousness.

The desire of a preacher for goats is in and of itself evil.  The soul should long after the lost, but not this way.  The preacher's soul should long after such goats to win them to Christ, not to fill up their pews with the wicked.

The "goat rustling" preacher cares for money and the prestige which comes with having a larger congregation.  Such a large congregation can help a preacher to puff himself up in his own eyes and increase his self-esteem.  But God hates the sin of pride.  Should a Church become filled with the wicked? Should a preacher's heart become filled with pride?  Does such sin glorify Christ?  The answer should be obvious.

But frankly, there are quite a lot of lost "un-churched" people out there in the world, often some of them within a block or two of the goat rustler's church.  So why should a "goat rustler" go after another pastor's flock instead of the lost who live around his church?  There are plenty of lost in the world, after all.

Many preachers already know the answer to this question.  The answer is that it is easier to get "churched" sinners to come to church than it is to get "un-churched" sinners to come to church.  Some preacher might say, "Soul-winning is hard.  Why not do 'goat rustling' instead?  After all, doesn't the Bible say to bring them in that God's house might be full?"  But Balaam also had his excuse for wanting to prophesy against God's people.  The real issue in both cases is not the excuse given, but rather the sin of covetousness.

A preacher who commits the sin of trying to steal people from other churches obviously does not care about that other church, about its people, its pastor, or about their own financial problems.  He has no love for his spiritual "neighbor" who is trying to pastor another church.  A "goat rustling" pastor is therefore in sin against God by not loving his neighbor as commanded in the Bible. 

Are you a preacher who steals goats or sheep from other preachers?  Judas was a thief as well.  What was wrong with Judas?  Well, Judas was lost!  You are probably lost as well, (even if you are preacher), if you act like Judas did.  Therefore, come to Jesus that He may cleanse you with His blood so that your sins may be forgiven.

Jesus can cleanse every sin, even those wicked "preacher's sins".  Trust Jesus today before it is too late and you die and drop down into the flames of Hell.  Trust Jesus today.

[Trust The Real Jesus Who Is Up In Heaven]

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