Some of our Christian leaders are turning from their faith, and although it’s sad, it’s not something that should leave us blindsided, according to Priscilla Shirer.
During an interview with Faithwire on Friday, the author, preacher, and actor said the Bible warns believers “that days will come when even our leaders will fall away, and I think we’re seeing the inklings of those times even now.”
In Matthew 24:10-11, Jesus told his followers: “Many will turn away from me and betray me and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people.”
“Now is the time”
“Now is the time more than ever to fortify our spiritual backbone, to know what we believe, to be in the Word of God so that we can stand firm on truth that we actually know — not that we’ve just heard through the grapevine,” Shirer said, adding we need to be able to “defend our faith” in moments like these.
The comments from the star of the forthcoming movie “Overcomer” come after author Joshua Harris, known for his popular book “I Kissed Dating Goodbye,” which he has since denounced, said he is “not a Christian” anymore. Former Hillsong worship leader Marty Sampson has similarly distanced himself from Christianity, saying he is “genuinely losing” his faith.
Shirer went on to explain how important it is for Christians to pass on their faith traditions to their children and grandchildren. She also urged believers to shy away from “watering down the Gospel and the name of Jesus Christ.”
“My boldness in faith today,” she said, “will make an incredible difference to the reality that [my children and grandchildren] will live in tomorrow.”
“We are so quick to glorify people”
The 44-year-old Bible teacher cautioned against the human propensity “to glorify people and to put them up on pedestals that many of them never even asked to be on.”
“So when they fall, the fall is hard and rough on everybody,” Shirer continued. “No one is perfect except our Lord and we’ve got to take the burden off of people’s shoulders to be what only Jesus can be for us and only what the Holy Spirit can be for us.”
In fact, for many who have been hurt by the Christian community, the best way to welcome them back into the church is by separating the Gospel from the broken and imperfect people who preach it. The Christian message, Shirer said, is “not about fallen human beings.”
“It’s about our Savior and the church is designed to point you to him — not to people who are speaking about him,” she added.
Shirer is starring in the upcoming movie “Overcomer,” a new project from the Christian filmmaking duo Alex and Stephen Kendrick. The Affirm Films movie, which hits theaters Aug. 23, chronicles the difficult experiences of several small-town families whose lives are upended by a series of unexpected events.
For more information about the movie, click here.