Kirk Minor remembers a time when working with his church was centered around people, and not rhetoric – and he’s wondering where those days went.
 
“There’s an old axiom that states, ‘Those who speak, don’t know, and those who know, don’t speak,’” said Minor, a retired pastor and author of Journey Across The Tiber: My Many Rooms (www.truthsofcatholicism.com).

“We’re finding more and more that there are a lot of people out there doing a lot of talking and protesting and bellyaching, but fewer people actually walking the walk. We have extremists protesting funerals of gay soldiers, pundits decrying the use of abbreviations for the word Christmas and activists campaigning for prayer in public schools. These are all very divisive issues, and have little to do with the good works the Bible wants the faithful to perform. And people wonder why the media tide is turning against people of faith.”

Minor believes that there is a very vocal contingent of religious leaders who are using the Bible not as a teaching tool, but as a bludgeoning tool, which was not how the book was intended.

“If there is something about society that you don’t like, chances are you can find a quote in the Bible that demonizes it,” he added. “It’s not difficult to take just about any reference material, secular or non-secular, and use it as a means to pit people against each other. But that’s not what the Bible was meant to do. It was meant to bring people together, to teach charity and tolerance, and to bring about peace and harmony. I think it’s time that pastors and people of faith stand up and recognize the elephant in the room. Too many people are using religion as a sword to fight those with whom they disagree, instead of as a plowshare to help their fellow neighbors tend the land and form a community.”

The key to reversing the trend, according to Minor, is to use actions more than words, and for people of faith to quietly go about the good works and charity that is at the essence of the Bible’s teachings.

“In the face of all the shrill voices that capture the media’s attention, good people sometimes wonder what they could possibly do to make a difference,” he said. “Shouting louder than the other guys only results in more shouting, which never gets anything done. The key is to go about your life, as one of the faithful, and to make sure you actually do at least one thing each day that reflects the faith in which you believe. The Bible has endless passages about charity, comforting the sick and providing shelter for the poor. Imagine how many of our unfortunate brothers and sisters we could help raise up from their situation if everyone who calls themselves Christian did one kind act each day to help their neighbors. Imagine the impact on a world stricken with strife and pain when literally millions of people – all at once -- stand up and, instead of talking about their faith, actually act on it. That’s the world the church was built to realize. That’s the kind of world that can only become a reality when people of faith band together and commit themselves to achieving it.”

About Kirk Minor
Kirk Minor earned a Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Alabama in Florence, AL, a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, and a Doctorate of Ministry from Lake Charles Bible College in Lake Charles, LA. He was a Licensed Certified Social Worker with the mental health system for 25 years. He was also a pastor with the United Methodist Church for 23 years; 10 years were served on a part-time basis and 13 were full time. In both capacities he was involved in helping others learn ways to resolve their problems and live more happy and productive lives.

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