Where Faith Goes to Die

As a minister is it always our biggest fear to be prepared for service and on time to find a room full of empty seats. We dream of it happening to each of us. Why? Because this is a sign that faith has died. Faith in ourselves as a leader; Faith in our beliefs of our religion; Faith in all we stand for. The problem is we had faith and belief. We can not force faith on others though.

Faith is defined as a Belief, Trust, or Confidence, not based on Logic, Reason, or Empirical studies, but based fundamentally on Volition often associated with a Transpersonal relationship with God, a Higher power, a Person, elements of Nature, and/or a perception of the Human race as a whole. Faith can be placed in a person, inanimate object, State of affairs, Proposition or body of propositions such as a religious Creed.

When you look at this definition it appears to be a broad one. But when you simplify it Faith just means believing when all else fails.

As a minister I have faith that my congregation will grow and that I will not let any of them down. This is a huge step for anyone and those who are in my shoes understand what I mean. To be a minister is a full time job without pay mostly nor benefits as most would understand it. The benefits we really see are the change in someone’s life as they found acceptance. The smiles on a sick persons face as you are visiting them. The benefit of helping someone by being there whenever you are needed, including all hours of the night.

We as ministers can have all the faith we want, but the harsh cold reality is, usually not all of our congregation will. Someone will lose faith in us and stop believing at some point in every minister’s career, even the best of us. As a minister this hurts and we look and turn to see what we did wrong. How did we lose that one person? How could we have done it all different? Where did the faith end?

These are questions that sometimes we have to place into the hands of God and allow Him to guide us. We are not Him, and therefore we do not know all of the answers. Was it a test of our faith? Possible. Will it happen again? There’s a good chance.

Faith has died in most of the people today. They have been burned or scorned in some way by religion. As humans we sometimes have a difficulty in differentiating religion and church. We believe that if the church was bad than the religion is bad so now we have no faith. Why you may ask? That’s because we feel that the next church will do the same. God is punishing us for some reason therefore, if I don’t believe in the church the punishment will cease.

This illogical thinking is driving the world today. Faith is diminishing in front of our eyes and the religious leaders are trapped in the middle. Every day a minister looses their way and falls helpless to the same beliefs mentioned. We fall because faith has died in us. We fall because we believed that our seats will be filled one day with members who respect and love us the way we dreamed of loving them. All of us ministers have faith that we will do well and serve well. We can but our congregation must trust us as we trust them. We vow to have open hearts and not judge, but we are human just the same.

So where does faith go to die? It goes to the internet. It goes to the families who have been wrongly hurt by a church. It goes deep inside to wither into nothing but cold, darkness.

I speak with different people almost daily that tell me why they will never return to a church again. My first question to them is a natural one, where did you use to go? They usually tell me very quickly the name of the church and are more than willing to tell me their story as to why they hate all churches now. My next question to them is usually a little bit more of shocking one to them. Did you try another church afterwards? At that point I usually get a look of shock mixed with “are you kidding me?” To which most usually reply, “No, and I never will”

We as humans are quick to lose our faith for this reason. Just by telling you this story you would question your own beliefs and faith in me and God and church. God is not bad; do not lose faith in Him. People can be bad, it’s in our nature. Church is not bad, but sometimes those who lead are. I just ask that if you are going to lose faith in something, please don’t make it the church or God. Make it the people who lead that church and try again.

We have a desire to worship in groups. We long for companionship. We live for social events and gatherings. Why would you deprive yourself of something as valuable as this? When you take these desires away you find that you lack wholeness and Spirit. When you lack in faith you lack in you.

Remember to keep faith in your hearts no matter how difficult a situation may become. Faith is not a bad thing.

Yours in Faith,
Abp Isaac L. Kramer

The Interfaith Creed

I believe in one God who goes by many names and is worshipped throughout the world. My God doesn’t care what name I use as long as I give honor.

From this God came forth all humans who are created equal as brothers and sisters of this world. Each of us, no matter what we believe, are the sons and daughters of God with the ability to have a oneness with God.

God granted unto all humans unconditional love, peace, and self-responsibility.

As a gift, God gave each of us Spirituality to express it any way we choose. In doing so, we have used it as a way to suppress one another.

God commanded us to “Be Still and Know that I AM”, but we did not listen. God then commanded “The kingdom of heaven lies within you” as a way to remind all of our equality to one another, but again we did not listen.

So to assure that salvation could be reached, God sent forth messengers to all faiths of the world. Through these great teachers, we are able to be saved from our own destruction. They were given many names and many titles but we used that as a way to divide us further.

Their messages were said louder of “You shall love the Lord Your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Yet we still did not listen.

God has promised salvation to any who believe in unconditional love for all, peace, and self-responsibility.

Therefore, I believe in the Spirituality of a loving God who does not care what name I give, but only that I uphold the promise of a better tomorrow through my own actions.

I believe in a Spirituality that does not seek to divide humanity but bring us back together through the foundations of God.

I believe in the message set in stone and parchment that has been told throughout all generations of a God who walks with me.

I believe that when I am silent God is near and that my body is a key that unlocks the spirit of heaven within me.

I believe that one day all my brothers and sisters, made by and in the image of God, will unite again as one for the salvation of humankind. Together we will give honor to God as the messengers have instructed and God has commanded.

Until that day I will know that God is and always will be.

First time

This is my first attempt ever at blogging so I ask that you please bare with me. I should probably start with who I am. My name is His Most Rev. Isaac Kramer, Interfaith Bishop of Ohio. You can call me Bishop Isaac for short if you like. I'm not too big on the formalities of my name unless it's a social event or function that really calls for it.

I have been studying religion for over 18 years now, it just fascinates me. Not any one in particular, but all of them. I have started off in one and worked my way through several of them over the years. I believe that the perfect religion isn't just one religion. We are here to better our Spirit and to experience things for our maker. Religion is something that hinders Spiritual growth, Faith builds it though. I believe that once you start using doctrine and creeds you prohibit the Spirit from being free to experience pure love. Faith is something that I ask everyone to believe in, not religion.

Through the series of blogs, I hope that I can help convey that message. I hope to write about Faith, Spirit, and God (the Maker). I intend to write so everyone can understand and have some connection to it without a religious attachment. I hope that you check back and really get the chance to challenge your every day thoughts with what I write. I also want you to know that I would love to hear from you as well. Email me at Bishop.IsaacKramer@straphaelinterfaith.org anytime with any questions. In the meantime, have Faith!

+Bishop Isaac