Who is at the doorbell?

“He will raise a signal for nations far away, / and whistle for them from the ends of the earth; // and behold, quickly, speedily they come!” (Isaiah 5:26, ESV)

When the nation of Israel refused, ignored, and ridiculed God’s call to “ police themselves” to address their evil scandals and corrupt abuses, God sent out an all points bulletin accompanied by the loudest megaphone for Assyria to come and flatten the Northern ten tribes and the Babylonians to destroy the Southern two tribes and enslave its people.

So what happened?

They both willingly came in “ obedience” to their enemy’s invitation.

When Christian leaders in their churches, colleges, and ministries ignore, refuse, and coverup scandals and abuse, arrogantly declining to “ police themselves” from within, God sends out an all points bulletin to the secular press, to non-Christian organizational leaders, and/or to atheists to investigate, publicly report and expose the hidden sins of His people.

And they come running to do so.

For the Catholic sexual abuses—— the Boston Globe speedily came;

For the Southern Baptist’s decades of abuse——the Houston Chronicle quickly arrived;

For Bill Hybills, Ravi Z. and other well-known leaders—- CNN and MSNBC sprinted.

For Steve Wingfield and the FCCF elders——the Riverfront Times came knocking first.

But where were the Christian journalists , the Church pastors, and the leadership of Christian institutions?

They were overwhelmingly silent; and for the few who were not, they were exceedingly slow and hesitent to publicly speak out.

The irony?

When the secular, non-Christian institutions and their leaders publicly expose the abuses, the church leaders and members too often decry their motives and actions as ungodly, driven by greed and a hatred for God.

Thus, ignore them.

But if a Christian journalist, or church pastor, or a god-fearing advocate calls out the same abuses and scandals, they are too often criticized for their divisive, gossip driven actions to destroy the gospel.

Thus, ignore them too.

If church leaders and their communities will not hold each other accountable— to discipline and correct— their own corruption, our loving Father will send out a loud “signal” with a clear “ whistle” to those who hate His Bride to do what She refuses to do.