Friday, March 6, 2009

CCD - COMPULSIVE CRITICS DISORDER

Ministry brings with it its fair share of criticism. The moment you become passionate about pursuing a dream, is the moment somebody – usually somebody with absolutely NOTHING invested – will begin taking cheap shots at you… It’s part of the territory.

When possible, I try to heed the advice of Rick Warren and “turn my critics into coaches.” Sometimes there’s something I CAN LEARN from a critic – especially if it’s someone whose made a significant investment in my life, who loves me unconditionally, who wants the best for me, who is deeply committed to me…

Sometimes I need the wisdom and viewpoint of someone who shares a piece of “constructive criticism.” After all, Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend…” A good friend who will tell you the truth – not just what you want to hear – is priceless. I treasure the advice and insights of these people.

But let’s be honest, when it comes to “CHURCH WORLD,” there are way too many people who seem to believe that criticism is their spiritual gift. There are loads of people filling up far too many churches who suffer from what I’ve come to call “Compulsive Critics Disorder.”

These people criticize EVERYTHING. And I mean, EVERYTHING.

“He’s a great preacher, but he’s not really a pastor…”

“He’s way too loud… All he ever does is scream…”

“He’s not bold or ‘anointed’… He just sort of talks…”

“I know that church is growing, but it’s only because they don’t preach the word.”

“I know they’ve got a huge crowd, but it’s because they’re ‘seeker sensitive.’”

“Can you believe he said, ‘Crap’ during his sermon? What kind of language is that for a pastor?”

“That music is loud… That music isn’t anointed…”

“I don’t like this… I don’t like that…”

Blah… Blah… Blah… Blah… Blah…


You name it. At some point, I’ve probably heard it… “CHURCH WORLD” is full of people with “compulsive critics disorder.”

I used to believe that people with “compulsive critics disorder” were reasonable. If they just knew your heart, if you really listened to their criticism and tried to understand their viewpoint, if you made concessions, cashed in some of your personal preferences and tastes, did things their way, then maybe they’d be happy and finally start actually noticing something good.

Nope! It doesn’t work that way. People with “compulsive critics disorder” – let’s just call it CCD – will never be happy! NEVER! They’ll always find something they don’t like. Always!

Jesus nailed this issue in Matthew 11.

Here’s the background on the passage. Jesus has just made some pretty incredible comments about his cuz, John the Baptist. He basically says, “Of all the people who’ve ever lived, there’s none greater than John. This guy is the real deal…” An amazing compliment, especially when you consider the source.

Then Jesus turns around to the crowds that have gathered and He UNLOADS… I mean, He UNLOADS! He didn’t use any of the techniques that he picked up from the Dale Carnegie classic, “How To Win Friends and Influence People.” He goes ballistic! Here’s what Jesus says:

Matthew 11:16-19 (NLT), "How shall I describe this generation? These people are like a group of children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends, 17 'We played wedding songs, and you weren't happy, so we played funeral songs, but you weren't sad.'
18 For John the Baptist didn't drink wine and he often fasted, and you say, 'He's demon possessed.' 19 And I, the Son of Man, feast and drink, and you say, 'He's a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of the worst sort of sinners!' But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it."


If you still don’t believe Jesus is ticked off, just check out the verses that immediately follow. Jesus begins a series of “Woe’s…” He takes on the religious establishment and basically says, “Guys, if the miracles I did in you had been done in Las Vegas or Amsterdam, it would have already gotten their attention… But you’re so stinkin’ smug and self-righteous, you don’t recognize the work of God when it’s taking place all around you…. Woe…”

Jesus’ assessment of people with CCD in Verses 11-16 is amazing. Get this: He wasn’t ticked off by first rate, cut throat, run of the mill, absolute SINNERS who spent a lot of time hanging out at Sammy's or Hooters... Jesus was ticked at self-righteous, smug religious jerks and probably “jerk-ettes” who spent a boatload of time at Synagogue but had never really experienced a moment of joy and freedom in their entire life and thought it was their God-appointed right and destiny to suck the life and joy out of every body around them!

So, Jesus let loose. I mean, he LET LOOSE! He went “Glen Beck” on the crowd. (Sorry, Glen… You know I love you...) He basically said, “You guys are never going to be satisfied…”

John was confident and courageous… He wasn’t well dressed… He would never make People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” list… He probably wouldn’t rank in the top one million… He was a wild looking guy with no political power or position… He was hard-nosed and straightforward… He rarely smiled… And when he did it was one of those “Clint Eastwood-like” grins that just sort of dared you, “Make my day…SUCKER!”

John was the antithesis of seeker-friendly and seeker-sensitive. He was wild and radical, and when sinners heard his message, they responded! But the religious just couldn’t get on board. They looked at John’s methods and said, “The guy is out of his ever lovin’ mind. He’s insane. He’s demon possessed. He’s not refined… He’s not educated at the right school… He’s not one of us…”

Jesus, on the other hand, was the polar opposite of John. He smiled, laughed out loud, attended parties (and actually got invited back)… He loved kids, healed the sick, attracted huge crowds, would pack out the BJCC, the works… And what did the same folks who criticized “Mr. Ultra-Conservative, Wild Man John” say about “Mr. Laid Back, Love’s Everybody Jesus”? “He waters down the truth… He’s seeker friendly… He’s a drunk, maybe even an alcoholic… He’s not one of us…”

No wonder Jesus LET LOOSE! Jesus understood. Plain and simple: people with CCD or “compulsive critics disorder” will NEVER BE SATISFIED.

You’re wasting important time and essential energy if you try convincing people with CCD to like you or get on board. They won’t. When they do, it’s only so they can sabotage or undermine what God is doing.

When a person has CCD, if you turn up the music and want to dance, they’re going to say, “I can’t believe you. It’s not time to dance… I don’t like that music… Could you please tone it down… It’s time for prayer…” And if you turn off the music and say, “It’s time to repent,” They’ll be the first to say, “Repent? Are you out of your mind? You might need to repent, but not me… Let’s sing…”

Here’s the truth about people with CCD. They’re usually people who have never played a quarter of ball in their entire life… They’re lazy, out of shape, couch potatoes who don’t know what it means to lead a person to Jesus or take a risk for God… They just love pointing out every failure, criticizing every mistake or second guessing every methodology of the COACHES and PLAYERS who actually care enough to show up for practice, lay their blood, tears, time and sweat on the line, and actually walk out on the field and GET IN THE GAME.

I've spent a huge portion of my life trying to get the approval of people with CCD. No more. No how. No stinkin’ way! It’s a dead end.

To put it the way one of my mentors put it to me: “There are some people who won’t be satisfied if Jesus is their pastor and Gabriel is their minister of music.”

I think Rick Warren was right. Whenever possible, “turn your critics into coaches.” That’s wisdom.

But I also think the lesson Jesus taught in Matthew 11 is crucial. In Verse 19, Jesus made this important statement: “But wisdom is shown to be right by what results from it.”

Do you get what Jesus was saying? Put it in context. He was basically saying to people with CCD : “You guys are foolish…” Or, to put it even more bluntly, “You’re a bunch of idiots and I won’t waste a second of my time trying to get your approval… Woe to you… I’m moving on…”

If you find yourself getting hammered by people with CCD, maybe you need to “GO JESUS” on them.

“But they might leave?”

Yeah, they might! On the other hand, they might stick around and do the same thing to you the religious people with CCD did to Jesus. Think – “crucify.”

Just something to think about…

2 comments:

Jennifer Giadrosich said...

you're getting fiesty! I like it! Bring it with you Sunday :)

Shannon Johnson said...

Great Post Chris! I heard about this one from a few people. Can't believe I was behind! Amazingly true, eye opening and humbling. Seriously...thank you for continuing to push the envelope for all of us to look inside who we are....and toward who we want to be.