I am writing tonight about a subject that is as important to me as anything I have ever said. I often speak and often my words are harsh when I do not intend them to be. I often speak of Pastors as if they are all wrong and I am right. I do not intend to say that. I try hard to point people away from religion and one day worship, and a worship of man, and toward a return to early Christian biblical assembly and who and what the church (Ekklesia) really is. However, I want to make it perfectly clear, that I am not disparaging the work of a Pastor or what he feels his calling may be. I am only disparaging the idea of the office which man has elevated to a position that it was never meant to be. There are many fine Christian men who are serving in Pastorates aross America and elsewhere. These men are serving Christ in the best way they know how, trying to reach the lost, bandage the hurt, teach the Word of God and many really do desire deep in the heart of hearts to see the people rise from their pews and begin to live out and preach out a life in Christ. I am not their judge. I can be and am a judge of what scripture teaches us about true worship, true assembly, etc. we are all to have discernment of evil and good, as based on scripture as the authority and not myself. I try constantly to bring scripture to bear where I can on the subjects I speak about. Scripture should be the most important item of proof of God's will, even over history, my opinion or the opinion of others. The old saying the proof is in the pudding. Well the proofs for God's will for His people is in Holy Scripture.
House church is not a cure all for the ills of the assembly of God's people.
Christ is.
House church can be as off the wall as a Catholic Mass would be for Protestants attending. It can be just as much a one man show as any building bought and paid for by the congregation.
It can be chaotic and even non-spiritual if it is not lead, created and inspired and taught by the Holy Spirit.
It is easy to be critical of others, when we need to look at ourselves as well. I am writing this right now, because even in my rantings about Early Christianity, I must remember, and always recall, that I am no special prophet sent here from God to correct all the problems within organizational Christianity or non-traditional places of assembly. God forbid I fall to the same demonic lies that Gene Edwards has fallen into, that he is an Apostle and House Churches just can't be planted or grow without his presence or involvement.
I have learned to listen and observe and shut up at times, so that others can speak.
This even involves at times, listening to and speaking with a friend of mine who is a Pastor in the institutional sense of the office, yet, I know the men, and he sincerely loves Christ and wants nothing more than I do to see the people of his congregation to get up out of the pews and begin to take the pulpits into the streets of life.
I am sure he may even fear me, that if he reads my rantings, that he may fear I may be some false prophet or that I am seeking to take others and win them over or something to that end. I have no such intentions. I have been gifted to teach, and I love teaching others the Word of God. I would love to have open opportunites to speak to the congregation, but I would never speak to the congregation there on any matter other than Christ and Christ alone. It is not my calling to go in and tear another man's work down, for if it is built on Christ it will last, if it is not, it won't. So, I don't have to come in and put anything to the test. God is the one that test the hearts and the people, and - the Pastors. Not me. it is the Father who builds and brings together those that are seeking to know him. Not me. It is the Father that will teach them what they need to know, with or without the Pastor or myself. Our words are so meager, and insufficient, our teachings are so filled with ourselves at times. Only God can give a man or woman what they need to hear. If they are His child then it will be Him who guides them into all truth. So, once again, though my stance is what I believe to be scriptural, and what I believe is to be the truth about organizational religious institutions, I still am not the teacher on these things, only Christ can bring the truth to bear as He did with me. The one thing I am learning though, is that this just may be one of the many stages of Christian growth we go through. What the Father keeps pointing me to is to love above all things. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds. Jesus was never selective in who He spoke to or who He hung around with.
He exemplified love to the trillionth degree, even when he spoke in anger or in correction to the Pharisees, it is not their destruction He desired but their repentance, it was never from a heart of being proudful, a know it all, or putting above all others, though He was from above, it was always with the intent to draw men to the Father and out of a heart of love.
This is where, I am asking daily for God to make me grow, that I will know nothing but His love and that love shed abroad to all that come into my path. Regardless of their stature or position in life. I pray that I will take time to listen and really listen, without pre-judgement or pre-suppostion about anyone. That I will love them with the degree of love that He has given to me, first and foremost. To do that, especially when you know what you think you know, you still have to be willing to be as Jesus was " though he was God, he humbled himself and became mere man". He laid down all of His crown so that He could know you and me and love us to the fullest. This is our calling to love and love foremost.
We are to love as we desire to be loved and as Christ as loved us. "He died for us while we were yet sinners."
House church is not the answer, knowledge is not the answer, Theology, Church History, Ecclesiology, Eschatology, Education, none of these are the answers for what ails the body of Christ, only Christ is the answer.
So, I apologize to any of those that feel I may have offended them in the sense that it was done without love in it. If I sounded puffed up in the things I have said, they were never intended to come across that way. I am mere man, one who like everyone else is on this adventure with the Lord Jesus Christ.
I am learning as well as you are learning. We can learn from one another. I believe what I believe about scriptural assembly because that is what the Word says, regardless of history. I believe what I believe it is because it is what the Lord has taught me. The real thing we have to remember is God never teaches us anything with the intent to lord it over others, but is taught so that we might love others.
Jesus is to hold all pre-eminence over His body, Jesus is the High Priest, and we are His Tabernacle, His dwelling place.
When I tell others these things it is not to draw attention to myself as if I knew it all, but to draw them to Jesus and Him alone. I speak from scripture, as it is the only authority given and proven by the Holy Spirit.
I hold no authority, Christ is above all. These are the points I wish to make. I don't want to draw people away to follow me, I don't want people to just get up and quit church, I want people to become "the church", the "Ekklesia" for which we have been called.
If a person finds themselves in a situation within organized religion where they believe God has called them to be, or they are, who am I to play Holy Spirit and tell them no, that can't be.
We are called to become all things to all people that Christ may be all and all.
It is his love that will draw men, and not doctrines or church practices or a million other things that we think we might offer others to seek.
It is the Father alone who will draw men to himself. I have no right to say where, how or when.
I have been re-thinking house church. It is not the answer, Christ is!
It is within the boundaries of love His love, when lived out through us, that men will be drawn to the Gospel. No men will come to a another men, that thinks he knows more than he. It must be God the Father , through the work of the Holy Spirit that will bring truth to bear, and He can do it in the organization or out of the organization - let's be honest my journey began within. Who am I to put God in a nice little neat package in how He works. I can't deliver God in a box, like he was an order at the fast food restaraunt. The Lord will work in spite of me.
Perhaps God has allowed the within to draw us without, to brings us to Himself. Let us not disparage those that the Father may be using, as a tool to draw them to His love. There are many men and women to be found both in the house church and men's traditional church who sincerely love Christ, it will be His love that will draw them without, and they may end up just staying within the organization to bring Christ to those who may never ever have known truth otherwise.
Let us pray for all the areas of God's works and administrations of the Spirit, to see the ultimate goal and that is "love".
For God is love.
I will continue to speak on matters of scripture always, but let me never become so that I sound like the letter that kills, but let me speak and act as the Spirit of the Lord would have me, and that is of the Spirit that brings life.
It is the life of love, forgiveness and compassion for all men, that we need, and that can't be pinned down to one way of worship or another it can only be found in a Christ centered life in all that we do and all that we say. Let us speak in terms of His love first and foremost.
Let love be our foundation, since God is love.
Dr. J.
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Showing posts with label the Early Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Early Church. Show all posts
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Monday, May 21, 2007
Why the Church Is Failing - Chapter 1
Why the Church is Failing. There are two things for me to clarify here. One, is the definition of the church as I am using it here. Two, what do I mean by it's failing.
I will answer the first.
The church as I am defining here is that ecclesiastical institutional organization that contains some form of hierarchy, whether it be Priest, Bishops, Cardinals, Popes, or Pastors, Board Members, Elders, Deacons, or Church Central Organizations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, or the Assemlies of God, or whatever central organization there is for any particular organized religious body.
All dictation of practice and belief and rules and regulations and ordinations that are drawn from these organizations removes any form of "real independence' of a local body of Christians who meet. This also includes those who claim to be independent but are in essence still ruled by either a Pastor, a Board, Elders or other.
The second definition involves what I mean by the word "failing". What does the organizational church fail at consistently. It is the failure to do what Christ called the body of Christ to do when he created the gifted functions, not titles, of the Ekklesia. I would define this in three goals or action that the Holy Spirit if the organizational church was what Christ had in mind.
First, the word "church" is not to be found in the original manuscripts. The word that has been so mistranslated is the Greek word Ekklesia. This word was best translated in the Tyndale version as "Congregation" or a better yet translation would be the entirety of all "those that have been called out". The Called Out One's.
It is a word universal in scope ( thus the original meaning of the word became to the original church fathers - those that the organizational church so relies upon over Christ, the Apostles and the Early Church as described by scripture it became to be known as the "Catholic" Church, the Universal church) and refers not to a place you attend or a building you go to, but to the whole entire body of Christ. All those who are redeemed by His blood and set apart to Him as "the Priesthood of Believers" with only Christ as High Priestand their Head, as clearly explained in the book of Hebrews.
There is no heirarchy in the Ekklesia except Christ as the Head. This is the beginning of the New Covenant which was the elimination of any mediator between the individual and God. Thus the renting in two of the veil in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Jesus came to replace, the Temple, the Tithe, the Priest and the Sacrifice. Jesus came to replace all forms of works righteousness with that of Grace and Forgiveness offered in His death and life through His resurrected life and ministry and godliness through the giving of His Spirit to the individual and the whole of the Ekklesia.
The idea of the office of any of the above named heirarchy is foreign to and is in direct anti-thesis, to what Christ taught and the Apostles taught and what the church had pre -100 AD or before the death's of the last Apostles.
The concept of the word "church" has been so ingrained into our minds that we can't even think of the word "church" without picturing a building or special meeting house and place we go to.
Thus all words construe an image in our mind and the definition which is entirely contrary to Christ and scripture has been re-imaged for us in our minds as to something that never existed before the Paternalistic (Ecclesiastical Church Fathers) Age. The Catholic Church did well it's job and the Protestants haven't changed it. Catholic or Protestant you will find are of the same stick just on opposite ends. They still have their foundations in the "traditions of men".
Now, as to the organized churches major failures or inabilities as to the true work of the Holy Spirit being revealed in it and through it.
One, it has failed to do nothing more than either create a special class of offices whereby only those that feel called become or have the ability to learn more and express more of what the Spirit could do in all believers and would be doing if the organization and heirarchy didnt over rule it.
The word Pastor is mentioned once in the New Testament- for Protestants to have built everything around this one of the five fold ministries or working of the Holy Spirit they have managed to erase the other four. It has kept the Ekklesia in blindness and immaturity for over 1900 years. The original and only mention of these 5 ministries in scripture are found to have one goal and it is described in the very one and only verse the word "Pastor" can be found in.
The 5 ministries working in union together by the Holy Spirit is to produce the following - "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, the building UP of the body of Christ; until we ALL attain to the UNITY of the FAITH, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man to the measure of the stature, which belongs to the fullness of Christ;.. Ephesians 4:11-13.
The first great calling of all those that are His is to "Go into all the world" ( not to the exclusiveness of your denomination or building) but into the real world where people work play and live and preach the Gospel to all creation. We, each Christiant, as Paul have been given the ministry of reconciliation, letting the world know that God has reconciled the world unto Himself through the death and life of Jesus our Lord. This is best revealed by our lifes and function within the body.
The great failure is that the organizational church keeps babies as babies who never grow into the fullness as they are never allowed the working of the Holy Spirit through them to minister and grow as God gifts them to. They must subject themselves to the hierarchy and be silent and inactive unless they have been entitled, ordained or called or permitted to do otherwise by the ruling hierarchy. Thus there is little or no known four other ministries activated by the Holy Spirit because the whole of the system locks them out. The organizational church without these heirarchies would fall apart, it would disband. There would be no one to tell the sheep what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. All except the Holy Spirit- who is our teacher, Christ our High Priest. This could never happen without the system, the money, the power, the prestige and all the real estate owned by the institutions would be gone in an instant and then 'pray God' who would want to be one of the five. There would be nothing in it that appeases men's flesh. No titles, just functions as the Holy Spirit chooses to appoint and preserve the faithful to be servants of the whole of the Ekklesia.
One, need only to begin to ask questions and seek the answers outside of pre-suppositional and preconceived and taught approaches to scripture to find the answers.
Here are some of the questions each Christian should ask, and scripturally show themselves accountable for finding the answer.
Why do we go to church rather than being the church?
Why do we have men above us or do we pay a singular man or many man to be the biblical scholars, the chief cooks, the bottle washers, the experts in spiritual things, the preachers, the teachers, the counselors, and on and on the list goes?
Where and how did these things come to be?
Why do you dress up for church?
Why do you tithe, is that New Testament Christianity?
Why do we pay for a building and electricity and all the upkeep when the Early Christians did neither until Constantine built the first "worship buildings in 300 AD?
Was there ever a point of time in history when the single Pastor didnt exist?
Was there ever a multiplicity of elders who were the Pastors, that were chosen not for their ability to sermonize but because of their humble, lowly, service they provided to others out of the work of Christ in them?
When did the church begin to pay for a professional clergy?
Where did liturgy come from?
How about titles, dress, forms and ritual where did they come into place.
Why is their a music group, praise group, music ministers, hymn books, choirs?
Where and when did the single Pastor become the only leader of the church?
We have made these things sacred as if they were dropped out of heaven by God, we have even tried to proof text them. In both attempts we have not served God with truth or the honor of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We have accepted without questioning and if we did, we never sought the answers either out of fear or laziness.
The answers which we will explore together, will shock you, challenge you and free your heart to true worship, to the place that Christ told the Samaritan woman. Those that worship me, "must worship me in Spirit and in Truth".
You will be surprised that largely what you believe even as a Protestant and what you especially practice has it's origins in paganism, Judaism, Catholicism and the Roman emperor worship and Greek mythology. You will be surprised that what you hold so divine in your mind is actual in direct anti-thesis to what Christ and the Apostles taught.
I challenge my readers to begin to read the writings of the Paternalistic Fathers- those which wrote from about 100 AD and even beyond and the many so called Religious leaders of today. Begin to read Ignatius who brought the whole idea together of the Bishop which eventually became the ruling Pope, the Priest and yes, even the Pastor.
Ignatius is the first known of the Early Church Father writers to put great stress on loyalty to a "single" bishop in each city, who is assisted by both presbyters (elders/priests) and deacons. Earlier writings only mention either bishops or presbyters, and give the impression that there was usually more than one bishop per congregation. The early Christian knew of no such hierarchy or titles such as Pastor by deferrence in name or office. Matter of fact the word office can't even be found in the Greek original of scripture as it has been translated in
I Timothy Chapter 3 verse 1.
Thus we forget, let us quote Jesus in what he defined as the function for any and all that wish to lead.
They are not to Lord over others as the Gentiles do. ie;(unbelievers)(the world and it's system of belonging to the enemy). We are to be lowliest servant to one another. Jesus said he came not to be served but to serve. He the Son of God, laid it all down to become the Son of Man. It is God who has now lifted up his name above all names because of his humility to serve.
It is not my intention to attack any believer but to help each and every one of us to come to the full knowledge of Christ and to grow up for once. It is time to be a baby no more, it is time to mature. It is time to study and show yourself approved. It is time that you, be like the Bereans and search the scriptures. It is time you reach the fullness and maturity of Christ, that will bring you to a unity in the faith. I am not talking about ecumenism either. I am not talking about a single denomination over all others. I am talking about Christians united.
The scriptures must be understood in light of culture, teaching, history and belief's at the times in which the scriptures were written and in the light that the Holy Spirit provides as our only true teacher. All things should be tested and verified. We are to hold fast to that which is good and abstain from even the appearance of evil.
All babies at some point or another must grow up and we are called to do so. I am not a cultist, a heretic or any of that. I have been a Christian since age 6, in belief and God has taken me through much in this walk of faith in Christ. I have studied and read the New Testament completely through probably over a 100 times or more. I have read the Old Testament probably as much. We must remember the Old Testament does not define the New Testament. The New Testament can only be the jumping board to understand the Old.
The Old Testament is the shadow, Christ is the light and fullness of God revealed. The New Testament is our guide to understanding the Old.
I have been a church history and history fanatic since I was a young man in school.
George Santayana wrote: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
I have read many great Christian scholars works, commentaries and more. In my writings here and online I could provide plenty of footnotes or at least mention of well recognized scholars and others that are even recognized by the institutional churches as leading experts in their field of study that will verify much that I will write about. I have chose more often to just put them in quotes with their names to save time and room on the page.
I will quote these men and woman from time to time.
I place scripture as interpreted by the Holy Spirit above all men, regardless of what they believe or teach. Facts are facts and history when witnessed and explained by more than just one eyewitness becomes true when it is in agreement. The things I will write about have a spiritual and a historical agreement that cannot be shunned as something I or others made up. It is recorded and accessible by those who are diligent enough to search the archives of history and the men that recorded it.
When one is confronted with more than one witness time after time to these things, it would be foolish to ignore them. God is a God of truth, not deception. For what purpose these writers of ancient and more recent history within the church would have when they seek no title, or money or other gratuity or power would be beyond me. There only desire is as of mine, for truth to be told and for His body to be graced by these truths to find true freedom in Christ.
I would ask you to begin to read three authors works that are well footnoted with references of well recognized authors and recognized sources, both ancient and new, that will help you begin your adventure to truth in Christ in doctrine and in practice.
The first book is "Ekklesia" by Steven Atkerson. The second book is entitled "Pagan Christianity, The Origins of Our Modern Church Practices" by Frank Viola.
I would also invite you to read Alfred Edershiem and his books on Judaism, he was a leading Jewish scholar, he was born a Hebrew and was converted to Christianity at an early age and an expert on the "Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah". He is a student of the Talmud, The Torah and all the ancient traditions of the Jews in Christ time, an expert at explaining "the Temple" and it's practices and more and he has written some very well recognized books on all the subjects.
All of these men are Spirit filled believers and love Jesus and His Ekklesia. Some like Alfred have gone on to be with the Lord. Each has a love for truth and the Ekklesia as I do.
I invite my readers to seek and find the foundation from which they stand, and if it is not Christ, then it is sand that your house is built on and not the Rock of Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation that can be laid than that of Christ and the Apostles. Paul exhorted us to hold fast to those traditions taught by him and the Apostles, as taught to them by Christ. Paul fought the Judaizers, and John the Pagans, and the Nicolatians ( the clergy-laity system seen today).
I would also invite you to go through each of these books prayerfully and scripturally. Checking verses - not for proof texting- we will talk about that habit another time but to verify the references and to read them for yourselves prayerfully.
It only took a very short time once the Apostles were gone for the teachings of Christ and the Apostles to be perverted by the self appointed leaders of the people.
There is a clear development that follows their deaths to the Catholic church, the Reformation and the Age of Enlightment, to what we beleive and practice today.
We Protestants claim Solo Scriptura but in truth, we do not practice it nor recognize it. We as the Jews in Jesus time have made null the commandments of God for the "traditions of men". We stand as guilty or worse as the Pharisees, the Saducces and Scribes of Jesus time, of trading off the Word of God for the word of men over 1900 years.
My prayer and hope for the Ekklesia is that there will be a Radical Reformation.
The beginnings are there already, there are many small but fruitful home churches and groups of Christians worldwide that are breaking out of the patterns and forms of the traditions of men. There are many today experiencing the Early Church in their lives. There worship is their life in Christ. Their practices have returned to that as led by the Holy Spirit and not according to the ancient paganistic traditions of men. They have found freedom in Christ. This was the promise of the Lord- you shall know the truth and it shall set you free. There is a liberty in Christ with responsibility that few in the "church" have known. There is a life in Christ, that brings a fresh breath of truth from the Holy Spirit that will break the bonds of the traditions of men. You will breathe and walk in Christ. You will know that "Christ in you, the hope in glory", is true. It will no longer be the search you have been on bouncing from organized church to organized denomination and never finding, community, relationship, love, care, compassion and a deep understanding of truly knowing what Christ has really done for you. It won't need to be expressed in a sermon so distant from yourself by a holy man or priest. Your life will become the sermon for all men. You will be the sermon to all men.
It is not a walk of ease, for you will be in direct contradiction to the accepted methods and practices of men. You will stand in contradiction to the pseudo religion of Christianity to really being a Christian. Christ will be alive for you and not just something you grasp at, always hopeful someday you will find the right "church" to go to to find it. I started my quest in 1977 and the Lord Jesus Christ has brought me a long distance since then, the freedom came in 2005, when I officially walked out of the institution into home churching and discipleship. Myself and one other couple, stuck home church out for over 2 years together. In that time we formed relationship, and learned a whole lot by the Holy Spirit teaching us about what it means to be a Christian. My hope for you is you will discover, "whereever two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst". In our case it was three, sometimes there were more, but it was three of us that lasted until the Holy Spirit taught us what we needed to know and then we went on. We pray for each other, see each other, and try in our busy schedules to spend time now and then together, but most of all we grew up, and began the work of service God called us to do. I am doing what Christ called me to do, and that is to preach in season and out of season, the Good News of Jesus Christ. There is no bondage in Him. There is only Freedom.
You will be free to exercise the gifts of the Spirit, Christ gave to you. You will no longer feel shamed by the ecclesiastical organized bunch of hierarchy. You will find solace in Christ and Him alone.
What I write is not to exclude you from attending a service at any building if you so choose, or nor is it to slander Pastors, there are a good many, good men and women as far as that goes, who not knowing any better are doing their best to serve Christ in the best manner they know how, but not knowing better they have found themselves in a system which is self perpetuating in keeping babies, forever babies and carnal in most perspectives while they sit in their pews silently week after week being sermonized. forever hoping what they hear could some how be realized in their lives. I pray for Pastors, for I once was "in the traditions of men", a Pastor myself. I long to see many of them freed by truth and love. We must continue to love them only because they are brethern in Christ and in as much need for encouragement, and ministry as anyone. They are on a lonely road to frustration and in many cases live their lives out in hypocrisy, because the system requires it of them.
This is my prayer and hope for you in writing this is that you will come to the fullness of knowing Christ. This is to become the book I hope to publish soon entitled, "Why the Church is Failing".
Dr. J
I will answer the first.
The church as I am defining here is that ecclesiastical institutional organization that contains some form of hierarchy, whether it be Priest, Bishops, Cardinals, Popes, or Pastors, Board Members, Elders, Deacons, or Church Central Organizations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, or the Assemlies of God, or whatever central organization there is for any particular organized religious body.
All dictation of practice and belief and rules and regulations and ordinations that are drawn from these organizations removes any form of "real independence' of a local body of Christians who meet. This also includes those who claim to be independent but are in essence still ruled by either a Pastor, a Board, Elders or other.
The second definition involves what I mean by the word "failing". What does the organizational church fail at consistently. It is the failure to do what Christ called the body of Christ to do when he created the gifted functions, not titles, of the Ekklesia. I would define this in three goals or action that the Holy Spirit if the organizational church was what Christ had in mind.
First, the word "church" is not to be found in the original manuscripts. The word that has been so mistranslated is the Greek word Ekklesia. This word was best translated in the Tyndale version as "Congregation" or a better yet translation would be the entirety of all "those that have been called out". The Called Out One's.
It is a word universal in scope ( thus the original meaning of the word became to the original church fathers - those that the organizational church so relies upon over Christ, the Apostles and the Early Church as described by scripture it became to be known as the "Catholic" Church, the Universal church) and refers not to a place you attend or a building you go to, but to the whole entire body of Christ. All those who are redeemed by His blood and set apart to Him as "the Priesthood of Believers" with only Christ as High Priestand their Head, as clearly explained in the book of Hebrews.
There is no heirarchy in the Ekklesia except Christ as the Head. This is the beginning of the New Covenant which was the elimination of any mediator between the individual and God. Thus the renting in two of the veil in the Holy of Holies in the Temple. Jesus came to replace, the Temple, the Tithe, the Priest and the Sacrifice. Jesus came to replace all forms of works righteousness with that of Grace and Forgiveness offered in His death and life through His resurrected life and ministry and godliness through the giving of His Spirit to the individual and the whole of the Ekklesia.
The idea of the office of any of the above named heirarchy is foreign to and is in direct anti-thesis, to what Christ taught and the Apostles taught and what the church had pre -100 AD or before the death's of the last Apostles.
The concept of the word "church" has been so ingrained into our minds that we can't even think of the word "church" without picturing a building or special meeting house and place we go to.
Thus all words construe an image in our mind and the definition which is entirely contrary to Christ and scripture has been re-imaged for us in our minds as to something that never existed before the Paternalistic (Ecclesiastical Church Fathers) Age. The Catholic Church did well it's job and the Protestants haven't changed it. Catholic or Protestant you will find are of the same stick just on opposite ends. They still have their foundations in the "traditions of men".
Now, as to the organized churches major failures or inabilities as to the true work of the Holy Spirit being revealed in it and through it.
One, it has failed to do nothing more than either create a special class of offices whereby only those that feel called become or have the ability to learn more and express more of what the Spirit could do in all believers and would be doing if the organization and heirarchy didnt over rule it.
The word Pastor is mentioned once in the New Testament- for Protestants to have built everything around this one of the five fold ministries or working of the Holy Spirit they have managed to erase the other four. It has kept the Ekklesia in blindness and immaturity for over 1900 years. The original and only mention of these 5 ministries in scripture are found to have one goal and it is described in the very one and only verse the word "Pastor" can be found in.
The 5 ministries working in union together by the Holy Spirit is to produce the following - "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, the building UP of the body of Christ; until we ALL attain to the UNITY of the FAITH, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man to the measure of the stature, which belongs to the fullness of Christ;.. Ephesians 4:11-13.
The first great calling of all those that are His is to "Go into all the world" ( not to the exclusiveness of your denomination or building) but into the real world where people work play and live and preach the Gospel to all creation. We, each Christiant, as Paul have been given the ministry of reconciliation, letting the world know that God has reconciled the world unto Himself through the death and life of Jesus our Lord. This is best revealed by our lifes and function within the body.
The great failure is that the organizational church keeps babies as babies who never grow into the fullness as they are never allowed the working of the Holy Spirit through them to minister and grow as God gifts them to. They must subject themselves to the hierarchy and be silent and inactive unless they have been entitled, ordained or called or permitted to do otherwise by the ruling hierarchy. Thus there is little or no known four other ministries activated by the Holy Spirit because the whole of the system locks them out. The organizational church without these heirarchies would fall apart, it would disband. There would be no one to tell the sheep what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. All except the Holy Spirit- who is our teacher, Christ our High Priest. This could never happen without the system, the money, the power, the prestige and all the real estate owned by the institutions would be gone in an instant and then 'pray God' who would want to be one of the five. There would be nothing in it that appeases men's flesh. No titles, just functions as the Holy Spirit chooses to appoint and preserve the faithful to be servants of the whole of the Ekklesia.
One, need only to begin to ask questions and seek the answers outside of pre-suppositional and preconceived and taught approaches to scripture to find the answers.
Here are some of the questions each Christian should ask, and scripturally show themselves accountable for finding the answer.
Why do we go to church rather than being the church?
Why do we have men above us or do we pay a singular man or many man to be the biblical scholars, the chief cooks, the bottle washers, the experts in spiritual things, the preachers, the teachers, the counselors, and on and on the list goes?
Where and how did these things come to be?
Why do you dress up for church?
Why do you tithe, is that New Testament Christianity?
Why do we pay for a building and electricity and all the upkeep when the Early Christians did neither until Constantine built the first "worship buildings in 300 AD?
Was there ever a point of time in history when the single Pastor didnt exist?
Was there ever a multiplicity of elders who were the Pastors, that were chosen not for their ability to sermonize but because of their humble, lowly, service they provided to others out of the work of Christ in them?
When did the church begin to pay for a professional clergy?
Where did liturgy come from?
How about titles, dress, forms and ritual where did they come into place.
Why is their a music group, praise group, music ministers, hymn books, choirs?
Where and when did the single Pastor become the only leader of the church?
We have made these things sacred as if they were dropped out of heaven by God, we have even tried to proof text them. In both attempts we have not served God with truth or the honor of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We have accepted without questioning and if we did, we never sought the answers either out of fear or laziness.
The answers which we will explore together, will shock you, challenge you and free your heart to true worship, to the place that Christ told the Samaritan woman. Those that worship me, "must worship me in Spirit and in Truth".
You will be surprised that largely what you believe even as a Protestant and what you especially practice has it's origins in paganism, Judaism, Catholicism and the Roman emperor worship and Greek mythology. You will be surprised that what you hold so divine in your mind is actual in direct anti-thesis to what Christ and the Apostles taught.
I challenge my readers to begin to read the writings of the Paternalistic Fathers- those which wrote from about 100 AD and even beyond and the many so called Religious leaders of today. Begin to read Ignatius who brought the whole idea together of the Bishop which eventually became the ruling Pope, the Priest and yes, even the Pastor.
Ignatius is the first known of the Early Church Father writers to put great stress on loyalty to a "single" bishop in each city, who is assisted by both presbyters (elders/priests) and deacons. Earlier writings only mention either bishops or presbyters, and give the impression that there was usually more than one bishop per congregation. The early Christian knew of no such hierarchy or titles such as Pastor by deferrence in name or office. Matter of fact the word office can't even be found in the Greek original of scripture as it has been translated in
I Timothy Chapter 3 verse 1.
Thus we forget, let us quote Jesus in what he defined as the function for any and all that wish to lead.
They are not to Lord over others as the Gentiles do. ie;(unbelievers)(the world and it's system of belonging to the enemy). We are to be lowliest servant to one another. Jesus said he came not to be served but to serve. He the Son of God, laid it all down to become the Son of Man. It is God who has now lifted up his name above all names because of his humility to serve.
It is not my intention to attack any believer but to help each and every one of us to come to the full knowledge of Christ and to grow up for once. It is time to be a baby no more, it is time to mature. It is time to study and show yourself approved. It is time that you, be like the Bereans and search the scriptures. It is time you reach the fullness and maturity of Christ, that will bring you to a unity in the faith. I am not talking about ecumenism either. I am not talking about a single denomination over all others. I am talking about Christians united.
The scriptures must be understood in light of culture, teaching, history and belief's at the times in which the scriptures were written and in the light that the Holy Spirit provides as our only true teacher. All things should be tested and verified. We are to hold fast to that which is good and abstain from even the appearance of evil.
All babies at some point or another must grow up and we are called to do so. I am not a cultist, a heretic or any of that. I have been a Christian since age 6, in belief and God has taken me through much in this walk of faith in Christ. I have studied and read the New Testament completely through probably over a 100 times or more. I have read the Old Testament probably as much. We must remember the Old Testament does not define the New Testament. The New Testament can only be the jumping board to understand the Old.
The Old Testament is the shadow, Christ is the light and fullness of God revealed. The New Testament is our guide to understanding the Old.
I have been a church history and history fanatic since I was a young man in school.
George Santayana wrote: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
I have read many great Christian scholars works, commentaries and more. In my writings here and online I could provide plenty of footnotes or at least mention of well recognized scholars and others that are even recognized by the institutional churches as leading experts in their field of study that will verify much that I will write about. I have chose more often to just put them in quotes with their names to save time and room on the page.
I will quote these men and woman from time to time.
I place scripture as interpreted by the Holy Spirit above all men, regardless of what they believe or teach. Facts are facts and history when witnessed and explained by more than just one eyewitness becomes true when it is in agreement. The things I will write about have a spiritual and a historical agreement that cannot be shunned as something I or others made up. It is recorded and accessible by those who are diligent enough to search the archives of history and the men that recorded it.
When one is confronted with more than one witness time after time to these things, it would be foolish to ignore them. God is a God of truth, not deception. For what purpose these writers of ancient and more recent history within the church would have when they seek no title, or money or other gratuity or power would be beyond me. There only desire is as of mine, for truth to be told and for His body to be graced by these truths to find true freedom in Christ.
I would ask you to begin to read three authors works that are well footnoted with references of well recognized authors and recognized sources, both ancient and new, that will help you begin your adventure to truth in Christ in doctrine and in practice.
The first book is "Ekklesia" by Steven Atkerson. The second book is entitled "Pagan Christianity, The Origins of Our Modern Church Practices" by Frank Viola.
I would also invite you to read Alfred Edershiem and his books on Judaism, he was a leading Jewish scholar, he was born a Hebrew and was converted to Christianity at an early age and an expert on the "Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah". He is a student of the Talmud, The Torah and all the ancient traditions of the Jews in Christ time, an expert at explaining "the Temple" and it's practices and more and he has written some very well recognized books on all the subjects.
All of these men are Spirit filled believers and love Jesus and His Ekklesia. Some like Alfred have gone on to be with the Lord. Each has a love for truth and the Ekklesia as I do.
I invite my readers to seek and find the foundation from which they stand, and if it is not Christ, then it is sand that your house is built on and not the Rock of Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation that can be laid than that of Christ and the Apostles. Paul exhorted us to hold fast to those traditions taught by him and the Apostles, as taught to them by Christ. Paul fought the Judaizers, and John the Pagans, and the Nicolatians ( the clergy-laity system seen today).
I would also invite you to go through each of these books prayerfully and scripturally. Checking verses - not for proof texting- we will talk about that habit another time but to verify the references and to read them for yourselves prayerfully.
It only took a very short time once the Apostles were gone for the teachings of Christ and the Apostles to be perverted by the self appointed leaders of the people.
There is a clear development that follows their deaths to the Catholic church, the Reformation and the Age of Enlightment, to what we beleive and practice today.
We Protestants claim Solo Scriptura but in truth, we do not practice it nor recognize it. We as the Jews in Jesus time have made null the commandments of God for the "traditions of men". We stand as guilty or worse as the Pharisees, the Saducces and Scribes of Jesus time, of trading off the Word of God for the word of men over 1900 years.
My prayer and hope for the Ekklesia is that there will be a Radical Reformation.
The beginnings are there already, there are many small but fruitful home churches and groups of Christians worldwide that are breaking out of the patterns and forms of the traditions of men. There are many today experiencing the Early Church in their lives. There worship is their life in Christ. Their practices have returned to that as led by the Holy Spirit and not according to the ancient paganistic traditions of men. They have found freedom in Christ. This was the promise of the Lord- you shall know the truth and it shall set you free. There is a liberty in Christ with responsibility that few in the "church" have known. There is a life in Christ, that brings a fresh breath of truth from the Holy Spirit that will break the bonds of the traditions of men. You will breathe and walk in Christ. You will know that "Christ in you, the hope in glory", is true. It will no longer be the search you have been on bouncing from organized church to organized denomination and never finding, community, relationship, love, care, compassion and a deep understanding of truly knowing what Christ has really done for you. It won't need to be expressed in a sermon so distant from yourself by a holy man or priest. Your life will become the sermon for all men. You will be the sermon to all men.
It is not a walk of ease, for you will be in direct contradiction to the accepted methods and practices of men. You will stand in contradiction to the pseudo religion of Christianity to really being a Christian. Christ will be alive for you and not just something you grasp at, always hopeful someday you will find the right "church" to go to to find it. I started my quest in 1977 and the Lord Jesus Christ has brought me a long distance since then, the freedom came in 2005, when I officially walked out of the institution into home churching and discipleship. Myself and one other couple, stuck home church out for over 2 years together. In that time we formed relationship, and learned a whole lot by the Holy Spirit teaching us about what it means to be a Christian. My hope for you is you will discover, "whereever two or more are gathered in my name, there I am in their midst". In our case it was three, sometimes there were more, but it was three of us that lasted until the Holy Spirit taught us what we needed to know and then we went on. We pray for each other, see each other, and try in our busy schedules to spend time now and then together, but most of all we grew up, and began the work of service God called us to do. I am doing what Christ called me to do, and that is to preach in season and out of season, the Good News of Jesus Christ. There is no bondage in Him. There is only Freedom.
You will be free to exercise the gifts of the Spirit, Christ gave to you. You will no longer feel shamed by the ecclesiastical organized bunch of hierarchy. You will find solace in Christ and Him alone.
What I write is not to exclude you from attending a service at any building if you so choose, or nor is it to slander Pastors, there are a good many, good men and women as far as that goes, who not knowing any better are doing their best to serve Christ in the best manner they know how, but not knowing better they have found themselves in a system which is self perpetuating in keeping babies, forever babies and carnal in most perspectives while they sit in their pews silently week after week being sermonized. forever hoping what they hear could some how be realized in their lives. I pray for Pastors, for I once was "in the traditions of men", a Pastor myself. I long to see many of them freed by truth and love. We must continue to love them only because they are brethern in Christ and in as much need for encouragement, and ministry as anyone. They are on a lonely road to frustration and in many cases live their lives out in hypocrisy, because the system requires it of them.
This is my prayer and hope for you in writing this is that you will come to the fullness of knowing Christ. This is to become the book I hope to publish soon entitled, "Why the Church is Failing".
Dr. J
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Why the Church is Failing - Introduction
I have decided to make an effort at examining what I believe the key issues are that effect the organizational church and the real Ekklesia of the body of Christ, that are the root causes for the ineffectivness of the "Christian" to change the world around them. Why the church is failing - others and themselves, can be argued in many ways. Many of today's evangelical writers desire to have the church even become more worldlike and others see the call for it to change to become less worldlike.
I see that organizational churches or institutions that like to refer to themselves "as the body of Christ" will always fail, at the goal for which Jesus told the Apostles to accomplish. "Go ye therefore into all the world, preaching the good news, making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit".
First and foremost, the message of Jesus Christ, that God brought justice to the world through Him is swallowed up by preachers and teachers, that most often refer to the apocalyptic message of Christ and His resurrection as some day, a pie in the sky, by and by message.
People in general are looking to find the message of Christ's love, acceptance, justice and hope to be real and for now.
They usually hop from church to church, looking to find this hope, that we tell them only Christ promises to those that believe.
The seeker walks into a church and everything appears exactly like it does in the world.
There is the hierarchy, the procedures, the set time of meeting, the 'be quiet' and learn from the top dogs, the meetings end, the note taking stops, the formula for success in life is given, now go accomplish great things with it.
Most people work in a corporate world where all these very same things are found in the world. The exact procedures, hieracrhy, etc. There is no sanctuary from it, thus they seek sanctuary from this evil world.
We tell them, Jesus offers all of this, He offers relief from this world and it's injustices.
They go to church and for a time at least the message verbally is different, but the actions and deeds the same.
Where is the difference, they ask?
I work for XYZ, Incorporated. We hold weekly meetings. The boss speaks as he of course, is the most qualified to do so, he has been especially selected by the corporation to do so and his resume and experience probably qualifies him much more than I.
I remain quiet taking my notes, and I never ask a question unless asked first to do so. The boss banters out the problems of the corporation and our market and then proceeds to tell each of us, what actions we are to take to ingratiate the corporation with more profit, so we can keep our jobs. He tells us each individually, "keep the faith, baby", "keep on plugging, you are doing good but you can do better".
So, I return back to work, to my cubicle alone, and sort through the personal issues I have in meeting company deadlines, that no one seems to really understand or address. I find myself, alone, in despair but being ever "the faithful corporate son", I remember what the boss has spelled out as "the keys to success", and I do my best to practice them, when in reality, most suggestions or solutions are not real world but theory of the upper echelon, who think they hold all the answers.
They have been educated, promoted, primed and they make the big bucks, what are my problems to them? They are miniscule, when the bigger picture of corporate growth is in view.
So,we often drift from job to job, corporation to corporation hoping to find someone who really cares for their employees and will understand how difficult it is to accomplish corporate goals and keep the employee and the customer in mind as well.
So we drift from church to church, denomination to denomination, thinking somewhere among the thousands upon thousands of Christian churches, Christian denminations, someone will hold the answer, for just us and our problem with sin, that we can finally find someone that takes us in their arms and says, "I understand, I am going to get you the answer, the help, and make the hope a reality for just you".
It never happens, simply because it is an organization, with the very same goals as your corporation. It is to increase numbers of attendees, to increase the monthly dollar intake, to increase the expansion of the real estate holdings, to increase the various programs that will try to attract the world to seek their doors. Most of all to increase it's statistics, with "how many decisions for Christ were made last Sunday". We do as the world says to do.
We build bowling alleys, rodeo arenas, life centers, swimming pools, playhouses for the kids. We advertise on television, radio, put up flashing neon lights, bill boards give away gifts with our church name on them, and more.
We grow more and more to look like the world in everything we do and everthing we say. The similarity is obvious to all that understand.
The old saying, " if it quacks like duck, and walks like a duck, it is probably a duck?! It is true of the organization as well. "
"If it looks like the world, acts like the world, it's probably worldly"
To talk about the power of Jesus to transform lives, and then to turn around and make it all something that men do with programs and more, becomes again "humanistic effort" and "works righteousness".
To lay claim to offer something supernatural, then turn it into something natural that can be found anywhere, in the work world, the marketplace, and in life elsewhere, leaves us empty and alone and still no answers.
Jesus becomes just another marketing slogan for self power, self growth and is imaged by the few select individuals getting all the cookies in life.
Is it any wonder fewer and fewer people are attending the world's numerous church meetings each Sunday?
Why not go play golf, or take the kids to an entertainment park- what's the difference? At least these things will give you a little R&R from business as usual.
No, wonder more and more church teachers are teaching the Gospel of Health, Wealth and Prosperity. These are exciting times, for you to make money in, live for money, make it your God, and God is OK with all that.
What garbage!
People are in need for rest in their heart, not more paid vacations and more material wealth.
Transformation of lives, by the living Jesus Christ, is not something to be talked about. It is not something to be sold or edifice's built to proclaim it.
It is something that only God can do in a person's life, but then when he does, along comes the organizational church, and says- listen to us, this is what you do with your new found hope and inspiration, you take it, and mix it all up with - 3 parts world to 1 part Jesus, and you have the formula for worldly and heavenly success. Guaranteed- but you don't get your money back!
Who knows maybe you have recieved the "call" to become one of the "biggies".
You can go to college, seminary or another route and obtain your own business (local church) and become a Christian success (have the biggest congregation and building and land in your city), being a great speaker ( Mouth- Pastor/Priest) for the little ears (the laity, those that attend the meetings who are nothing more than listeners), you can obtain your own radio and TV show, so you can inspire them to contribute to the overall growth and profit of the corporation ( the church organization) and your own personal present earthly success and your future heavenly success.
Who can resist a calling to do that?
Where's the difference?
The resurrection of Jesus meant much more than just that He had risen from the dead in the times of the Apostles. Matter of fact, it had to be explained in terms of the goodness and justice it brought to this world, especially when Paul would explain it to the pagans of his world.
I mentioned once before in an article that I wrote called, "Excavating Jesus", that the pagan world was full of their Caesars, and heroes both mythological and real that had per belief risen from the dead, ascended from the ashes.
What change did it effect among people?
What good did it do them?
Where was the benefit toward the poor, the sick, the orphan, the downtrodden?
Where was a just God in an injust world?
These were the issues to which Paul had to address not just in argument, but most of all in the way he lived his life.
It had to be life encompassing all that a Christian claimed to be, because of the resurrected Jesus, who now was suppose to reside within them, as Lord and as King. What change did it bring about for justice to be seen in this unjust world?
Where was this Kingdom if Jesus really was King?
How would this resurrection become more than just another resurrection of any other king, or heroe they had?
How could this best be realized by those pagans, to show them the truth of Jesus?
Perhaps, flashing forward to today, we can see, that the organizational church would have had no effect even as it doesn't today. These pagans could remain members of the their local pagan assembly and attend some of the most awe inspiring temples built in the world, they had their own priest and teachers, often wise beyond their years, and they could perform magic, they had their own sacrifices they could make to their gods in hope that it would be returned to them, to make their business grow, their crops grow, they had their own meetings full of estatic utterances and supernatural happenings, they could obtain that "feel good" feeling for an hour or two.
When it was all over, they remained empty and destitute of true spiritual enlightment, true worship, a true spirit in their hearts that would bring justice, love and mercy to this world.
They would return to their respective jobs and homes to go on living like they always had lived- at least until the next meeting. Their gods only demanded a sacrifice now and then to obtain something good in return. "Give and shall be given to you"
It gave them the same sense of being part to a worldly community but no change of heart, no change in the way in which they would interact with everyday life and it's circumstances. The injustices would remain, the cold heartless violence of their society would remain, the same wicked deeds would remain and nothing changed. Life remained hard because there was nothing offered that differed from what they had.
All until, this small short little Jewish guy named Paul came along preaching and teaching things unheard of. Justice for all, peace to all, mercy to all, love to all from God, no less through a man named Jesus.
No hierarchy, just Jesus! Just Jesus!
What this meant goes far beyond, the T-shirts some church kids wear I have seen that say "Got Jesus".
Why do you think there are so many denominations today?
Each one establishing and defining their key doctrines to success in a "works based religion". Each one thinking they have the key to success over the competitors, whatever denomination that may be.
Each one saying, "we do it different". Then people go and find the same old story told, the same old formula, the same meetings, the same, the same as they got during the week at their job. Those doing the telling to others what to do. The power over others scenario. The same hopeless, does anybody care?
Yuk!, time for a change, since the First Church of the City, didn't offer what I am looking for perhaps this new thing called the the First Church of the Charismatics will.
Oh, it does for a time offer a little something different, but soon they discover it too fits into the same corporate structure as the rest of them. Kind of like the difference between a store meeting at Walmart, or a an old Amway meeting, full of excitement, energy and more, compared to going to work at your local five and dime, where you may not even be included in meetings with your superiors.
It's new, it's exciting, at least they will let you babble out loud, no commentary or teaching, though please. Soon it becomes, not real, it becomes, self generated, no foundation in it. Just another a short trip to no where. No meaning, no spiritual growth, no being a part of and a part to. No community, same thing- big mouth, little ears.
Who is to hear me or am I worhty to be of benefit to someone else in the group?
I'm important too, we feel.
We find the same thing all over again, no reality to where the rubber meets the road.
Now let's return back to our corporation job, Monday morning.
What happens when that customer who is always right, really isn't right, and you have been told one thing by the corporation and you call on your superiors advice and they say just "lie to them and get rid of them". The hypocrisy undermines the message.
Isn't this what the organizational church does? Lie to them and then just get rid of them if they question at all the message or the goals of the institution or it's leaders. The organizational church has a well written rule, that though, not printed in the Constitutions or by laws, that says this - "Don't Rock The Boat, or you will be thrown overboard and left to drown alone".
I wished they would post this above the entry doors of every church building, it would save a lot of seeking sheep from ever entering their gates. It would also save a lot of sheep left to bleeding alone after the injury.
It isn't the messengers fault is it?
Well, perhaps it is.
Back to my comparison of corporations in the job world to corporations in the church world. In my story the person decides he will just find another job and on and on the search for something real in their hearts is desired to be found, where justice and goodness lies, these things never come to reality, they never takes foot in the real world.
This is the same for most church goers. When the service is over, the messenger has gone home, and you can barely remember what made you feel good for the hour, along comes - the rubber to the road.
The kids suddenly make you mad, the wife makes you mad, the bill collectors make you mad, the driver in the roadway, makes you mad. You just can't find enough money to pay all the bills you have accumalted purchsing all those things for a temporary "feel good".
How do you handle these things?
Usually like everyone else. You get mad, and lose your religion. That's just the problem, when it is just words, just a message, just religion and not a reality, you lose it. You will keep on losing it, until your found by Jesus.
How can it become a reality for you, you ask?
I can say this much, the organizational church will never do it. The meetings, the messages, the programs, etc, will never do it.
Only, a truly resurrected Messiah, can do it.
Paul knew this, and I believe when he invited these pagans to come along with him to a meeting of believers what they found was community, a sharing of lives, a sharing of everything they had or would be. The Agape meal, the discourse over dinner and before and after, the taking of the bread and wine, the genuine interest and behaviour of others made the pagan realize, that this was not just any resurrection that had taken place, this was truly the Son of God, the Master of the Universe, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace.
They found in those meetings nothing that resembled the world in it's "power over others", philosphy.
Most of all, there was a love and a peace present never found anywhere else, as they sat in the home of the provider, and shared food with the family and the people shared their property with these newly invited, soon to be converts.
There was no pretense, no lording it over others, no religious activity, no formulated meeting, no leader, who was in charge, not just one person doing all the talking, it was real life community, and it turned the world upside down.
God's justice could be seen for the poor, the sick, the orphan and the way that they gave of themselves and holding everything in common.
The community, genuinely cared for one another, loved one another and when they went home to their own houses, they couldn't wait to see those they loved again, which could be at anytime of day or week, for it was relationship, as never experienced with others before. Never ever seen in the world and all it's pagan worship and admiration. These "Christians" were odd people. They were strangers in a strange land.
How, why, what made them so different?
Could it really be that this Jesus they showed in their behavior in words and deed, was really alive?
Alive, in them?
They didn't find anyone trying to be better than the other guy, no special someone telling them how to increase the profits of the corporation, no special tactics to do so, no gathering the money to build a bigger house to meet in, they would just spread out to their own homes making them available as many as such that were to come to believe and give of what they had to those less fortunate then they, these pagans came to know the reality of a LIVING AND RESURRECTED JESUS!
There was an excitement, that didn't burn out, but an excitement that spread like a wild fire to everyone around them. For they had found what they had been looking for, something that was in total opposition to the way the world does things, and though in the world, they could say, "Thy Kingdom Come, thy will be done, on earth as it is heaven". The life of Jesus was creating that in them and about them.
It was radically different from all the pagan worship meetings they had been to. There was no priest, no sacrifice, no formula, for Christ was the High Priest, He had made the final sacrifice, He called those of His to worship in Spirit and in Truth, each being equal as a priesthood of believers.
Each one there, had importance or a part to the fellowship, one person missing would be liking losing a foot or an arm. Thus Paul could draw this comparison for those meeting in Corinth. They may have had their problems, but they had found community, they had discovered true worship...one has a song, one has a message, one a tongue, the other an interpretation, and so the meeting went.
There were no assigned leaders, no bulletins of formula to follow, all they had to do was follow Jesus and His Spirit's leading within those guidelines as laid out by Paul.
The Elder held no office, no authority, no education, they came up as a result of the Spirit's work among them, the gifts were everywhere among them, each had a gift, each could exercise that gift, whether it be adminstration, or teaching. There was no one going to look at them and tell Jesus, No you can't do it.
The AnaBaptist called it - "Sitter's rights".
The Quakers, today do some of the same thing but in a much different way then the early Christians or the AnaBaptist did.
Gradually as usual, men came along as sheep in wolves clothing to seek to steal, to kill and to destroy. To take away the power of the pope, the priest or the pastor over others was a tremendous threat and so the body of Christ, begin to be eroded at through a conspiracy from Hell! It has lasted for 1900 years. The battle still rages!
Just as Jesus was a threat to the powers that were - the Pharisees, the Scribes, the Zealots, the Sadducees and Rome herself. Men enpowered by he who usurps himself above God to want to be god, Satan continues today to do the same.
Had not the Apostles warned this would happen when they were gone, had not Jesus warned the Apostles of this same thing?
What has been left behind is a fragmented, distorted picture and a very pagan institution in the Corporate church of today. They have no concept of what these meetings by early Christians were like and what they meant to the overall message- HE HAS RISEN!
Why?
Didn't Jesus tell Peter, that the "gates of hell would not prevail against the Ekklesia"?
Perhaps, since we find so much evil in the organization, we must ask, is this the true physical example of what Jesus spoke of as the Ekklesia?
Is this the organizational church "that hell could not prevail against"?
Is this even a facsimility of what once was?
Is this the real church?
Is this what Jesus set out to do, to just create another religion full of hierarchy, and money and temples. If so, then why did he even come?
Why the big deal of Pentecost?
What was the reason for His resurrection, if many stories could be told of other great heroes and legends in pagan times and religion that were supposedly raised up from the grave and ascended into the heavens?
What difference if any should the resurrection have for believers today?
These are questions we will ponder, as I continue to write about this over the year.
Periodically there will be other writings in between.
In the meantime, I pray that you will find meaning and community in knowing the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that you may experience Him fully as real in your life as the nose on your face. He is real, His power is real, and His grace and mercy endures forever. I pray for each of my brethern seeking to know this reality, that for them, our Father will call them unto Himself, and that He will come and abide with them, and they with Him.
I pray that the resurrection will mean more than just words, or ideas, but something experientially you will experience through the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit.
Dr. J.
I see that organizational churches or institutions that like to refer to themselves "as the body of Christ" will always fail, at the goal for which Jesus told the Apostles to accomplish. "Go ye therefore into all the world, preaching the good news, making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit".
First and foremost, the message of Jesus Christ, that God brought justice to the world through Him is swallowed up by preachers and teachers, that most often refer to the apocalyptic message of Christ and His resurrection as some day, a pie in the sky, by and by message.
People in general are looking to find the message of Christ's love, acceptance, justice and hope to be real and for now.
They usually hop from church to church, looking to find this hope, that we tell them only Christ promises to those that believe.
The seeker walks into a church and everything appears exactly like it does in the world.
There is the hierarchy, the procedures, the set time of meeting, the 'be quiet' and learn from the top dogs, the meetings end, the note taking stops, the formula for success in life is given, now go accomplish great things with it.
Most people work in a corporate world where all these very same things are found in the world. The exact procedures, hieracrhy, etc. There is no sanctuary from it, thus they seek sanctuary from this evil world.
We tell them, Jesus offers all of this, He offers relief from this world and it's injustices.
They go to church and for a time at least the message verbally is different, but the actions and deeds the same.
Where is the difference, they ask?
I work for XYZ, Incorporated. We hold weekly meetings. The boss speaks as he of course, is the most qualified to do so, he has been especially selected by the corporation to do so and his resume and experience probably qualifies him much more than I.
I remain quiet taking my notes, and I never ask a question unless asked first to do so. The boss banters out the problems of the corporation and our market and then proceeds to tell each of us, what actions we are to take to ingratiate the corporation with more profit, so we can keep our jobs. He tells us each individually, "keep the faith, baby", "keep on plugging, you are doing good but you can do better".
So, I return back to work, to my cubicle alone, and sort through the personal issues I have in meeting company deadlines, that no one seems to really understand or address. I find myself, alone, in despair but being ever "the faithful corporate son", I remember what the boss has spelled out as "the keys to success", and I do my best to practice them, when in reality, most suggestions or solutions are not real world but theory of the upper echelon, who think they hold all the answers.
They have been educated, promoted, primed and they make the big bucks, what are my problems to them? They are miniscule, when the bigger picture of corporate growth is in view.
So,we often drift from job to job, corporation to corporation hoping to find someone who really cares for their employees and will understand how difficult it is to accomplish corporate goals and keep the employee and the customer in mind as well.
So we drift from church to church, denomination to denomination, thinking somewhere among the thousands upon thousands of Christian churches, Christian denminations, someone will hold the answer, for just us and our problem with sin, that we can finally find someone that takes us in their arms and says, "I understand, I am going to get you the answer, the help, and make the hope a reality for just you".
It never happens, simply because it is an organization, with the very same goals as your corporation. It is to increase numbers of attendees, to increase the monthly dollar intake, to increase the expansion of the real estate holdings, to increase the various programs that will try to attract the world to seek their doors. Most of all to increase it's statistics, with "how many decisions for Christ were made last Sunday". We do as the world says to do.
We build bowling alleys, rodeo arenas, life centers, swimming pools, playhouses for the kids. We advertise on television, radio, put up flashing neon lights, bill boards give away gifts with our church name on them, and more.
We grow more and more to look like the world in everything we do and everthing we say. The similarity is obvious to all that understand.
The old saying, " if it quacks like duck, and walks like a duck, it is probably a duck?! It is true of the organization as well. "
"If it looks like the world, acts like the world, it's probably worldly"
To talk about the power of Jesus to transform lives, and then to turn around and make it all something that men do with programs and more, becomes again "humanistic effort" and "works righteousness".
To lay claim to offer something supernatural, then turn it into something natural that can be found anywhere, in the work world, the marketplace, and in life elsewhere, leaves us empty and alone and still no answers.
Jesus becomes just another marketing slogan for self power, self growth and is imaged by the few select individuals getting all the cookies in life.
Is it any wonder fewer and fewer people are attending the world's numerous church meetings each Sunday?
Why not go play golf, or take the kids to an entertainment park- what's the difference? At least these things will give you a little R&R from business as usual.
No, wonder more and more church teachers are teaching the Gospel of Health, Wealth and Prosperity. These are exciting times, for you to make money in, live for money, make it your God, and God is OK with all that.
What garbage!
People are in need for rest in their heart, not more paid vacations and more material wealth.
Transformation of lives, by the living Jesus Christ, is not something to be talked about. It is not something to be sold or edifice's built to proclaim it.
It is something that only God can do in a person's life, but then when he does, along comes the organizational church, and says- listen to us, this is what you do with your new found hope and inspiration, you take it, and mix it all up with - 3 parts world to 1 part Jesus, and you have the formula for worldly and heavenly success. Guaranteed- but you don't get your money back!
Who knows maybe you have recieved the "call" to become one of the "biggies".
You can go to college, seminary or another route and obtain your own business (local church) and become a Christian success (have the biggest congregation and building and land in your city), being a great speaker ( Mouth- Pastor/Priest) for the little ears (the laity, those that attend the meetings who are nothing more than listeners), you can obtain your own radio and TV show, so you can inspire them to contribute to the overall growth and profit of the corporation ( the church organization) and your own personal present earthly success and your future heavenly success.
Who can resist a calling to do that?
Where's the difference?
The resurrection of Jesus meant much more than just that He had risen from the dead in the times of the Apostles. Matter of fact, it had to be explained in terms of the goodness and justice it brought to this world, especially when Paul would explain it to the pagans of his world.
I mentioned once before in an article that I wrote called, "Excavating Jesus", that the pagan world was full of their Caesars, and heroes both mythological and real that had per belief risen from the dead, ascended from the ashes.
What change did it effect among people?
What good did it do them?
Where was the benefit toward the poor, the sick, the orphan, the downtrodden?
Where was a just God in an injust world?
These were the issues to which Paul had to address not just in argument, but most of all in the way he lived his life.
It had to be life encompassing all that a Christian claimed to be, because of the resurrected Jesus, who now was suppose to reside within them, as Lord and as King. What change did it bring about for justice to be seen in this unjust world?
Where was this Kingdom if Jesus really was King?
How would this resurrection become more than just another resurrection of any other king, or heroe they had?
How could this best be realized by those pagans, to show them the truth of Jesus?
Perhaps, flashing forward to today, we can see, that the organizational church would have had no effect even as it doesn't today. These pagans could remain members of the their local pagan assembly and attend some of the most awe inspiring temples built in the world, they had their own priest and teachers, often wise beyond their years, and they could perform magic, they had their own sacrifices they could make to their gods in hope that it would be returned to them, to make their business grow, their crops grow, they had their own meetings full of estatic utterances and supernatural happenings, they could obtain that "feel good" feeling for an hour or two.
When it was all over, they remained empty and destitute of true spiritual enlightment, true worship, a true spirit in their hearts that would bring justice, love and mercy to this world.
They would return to their respective jobs and homes to go on living like they always had lived- at least until the next meeting. Their gods only demanded a sacrifice now and then to obtain something good in return. "Give and shall be given to you"
It gave them the same sense of being part to a worldly community but no change of heart, no change in the way in which they would interact with everyday life and it's circumstances. The injustices would remain, the cold heartless violence of their society would remain, the same wicked deeds would remain and nothing changed. Life remained hard because there was nothing offered that differed from what they had.
All until, this small short little Jewish guy named Paul came along preaching and teaching things unheard of. Justice for all, peace to all, mercy to all, love to all from God, no less through a man named Jesus.
No hierarchy, just Jesus! Just Jesus!
What this meant goes far beyond, the T-shirts some church kids wear I have seen that say "Got Jesus".
Why do you think there are so many denominations today?
Each one establishing and defining their key doctrines to success in a "works based religion". Each one thinking they have the key to success over the competitors, whatever denomination that may be.
Each one saying, "we do it different". Then people go and find the same old story told, the same old formula, the same meetings, the same, the same as they got during the week at their job. Those doing the telling to others what to do. The power over others scenario. The same hopeless, does anybody care?
Yuk!, time for a change, since the First Church of the City, didn't offer what I am looking for perhaps this new thing called the the First Church of the Charismatics will.
Oh, it does for a time offer a little something different, but soon they discover it too fits into the same corporate structure as the rest of them. Kind of like the difference between a store meeting at Walmart, or a an old Amway meeting, full of excitement, energy and more, compared to going to work at your local five and dime, where you may not even be included in meetings with your superiors.
It's new, it's exciting, at least they will let you babble out loud, no commentary or teaching, though please. Soon it becomes, not real, it becomes, self generated, no foundation in it. Just another a short trip to no where. No meaning, no spiritual growth, no being a part of and a part to. No community, same thing- big mouth, little ears.
Who is to hear me or am I worhty to be of benefit to someone else in the group?
I'm important too, we feel.
We find the same thing all over again, no reality to where the rubber meets the road.
Now let's return back to our corporation job, Monday morning.
What happens when that customer who is always right, really isn't right, and you have been told one thing by the corporation and you call on your superiors advice and they say just "lie to them and get rid of them". The hypocrisy undermines the message.
Isn't this what the organizational church does? Lie to them and then just get rid of them if they question at all the message or the goals of the institution or it's leaders. The organizational church has a well written rule, that though, not printed in the Constitutions or by laws, that says this - "Don't Rock The Boat, or you will be thrown overboard and left to drown alone".
I wished they would post this above the entry doors of every church building, it would save a lot of seeking sheep from ever entering their gates. It would also save a lot of sheep left to bleeding alone after the injury.
It isn't the messengers fault is it?
Well, perhaps it is.
Back to my comparison of corporations in the job world to corporations in the church world. In my story the person decides he will just find another job and on and on the search for something real in their hearts is desired to be found, where justice and goodness lies, these things never come to reality, they never takes foot in the real world.
This is the same for most church goers. When the service is over, the messenger has gone home, and you can barely remember what made you feel good for the hour, along comes - the rubber to the road.
The kids suddenly make you mad, the wife makes you mad, the bill collectors make you mad, the driver in the roadway, makes you mad. You just can't find enough money to pay all the bills you have accumalted purchsing all those things for a temporary "feel good".
How do you handle these things?
Usually like everyone else. You get mad, and lose your religion. That's just the problem, when it is just words, just a message, just religion and not a reality, you lose it. You will keep on losing it, until your found by Jesus.
How can it become a reality for you, you ask?
I can say this much, the organizational church will never do it. The meetings, the messages, the programs, etc, will never do it.
Only, a truly resurrected Messiah, can do it.
Paul knew this, and I believe when he invited these pagans to come along with him to a meeting of believers what they found was community, a sharing of lives, a sharing of everything they had or would be. The Agape meal, the discourse over dinner and before and after, the taking of the bread and wine, the genuine interest and behaviour of others made the pagan realize, that this was not just any resurrection that had taken place, this was truly the Son of God, the Master of the Universe, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace.
They found in those meetings nothing that resembled the world in it's "power over others", philosphy.
Most of all, there was a love and a peace present never found anywhere else, as they sat in the home of the provider, and shared food with the family and the people shared their property with these newly invited, soon to be converts.
There was no pretense, no lording it over others, no religious activity, no formulated meeting, no leader, who was in charge, not just one person doing all the talking, it was real life community, and it turned the world upside down.
God's justice could be seen for the poor, the sick, the orphan and the way that they gave of themselves and holding everything in common.
The community, genuinely cared for one another, loved one another and when they went home to their own houses, they couldn't wait to see those they loved again, which could be at anytime of day or week, for it was relationship, as never experienced with others before. Never ever seen in the world and all it's pagan worship and admiration. These "Christians" were odd people. They were strangers in a strange land.
How, why, what made them so different?
Could it really be that this Jesus they showed in their behavior in words and deed, was really alive?
Alive, in them?
They didn't find anyone trying to be better than the other guy, no special someone telling them how to increase the profits of the corporation, no special tactics to do so, no gathering the money to build a bigger house to meet in, they would just spread out to their own homes making them available as many as such that were to come to believe and give of what they had to those less fortunate then they, these pagans came to know the reality of a LIVING AND RESURRECTED JESUS!
There was an excitement, that didn't burn out, but an excitement that spread like a wild fire to everyone around them. For they had found what they had been looking for, something that was in total opposition to the way the world does things, and though in the world, they could say, "Thy Kingdom Come, thy will be done, on earth as it is heaven". The life of Jesus was creating that in them and about them.
It was radically different from all the pagan worship meetings they had been to. There was no priest, no sacrifice, no formula, for Christ was the High Priest, He had made the final sacrifice, He called those of His to worship in Spirit and in Truth, each being equal as a priesthood of believers.
Each one there, had importance or a part to the fellowship, one person missing would be liking losing a foot or an arm. Thus Paul could draw this comparison for those meeting in Corinth. They may have had their problems, but they had found community, they had discovered true worship...one has a song, one has a message, one a tongue, the other an interpretation, and so the meeting went.
There were no assigned leaders, no bulletins of formula to follow, all they had to do was follow Jesus and His Spirit's leading within those guidelines as laid out by Paul.
The Elder held no office, no authority, no education, they came up as a result of the Spirit's work among them, the gifts were everywhere among them, each had a gift, each could exercise that gift, whether it be adminstration, or teaching. There was no one going to look at them and tell Jesus, No you can't do it.
The AnaBaptist called it - "Sitter's rights".
The Quakers, today do some of the same thing but in a much different way then the early Christians or the AnaBaptist did.
Gradually as usual, men came along as sheep in wolves clothing to seek to steal, to kill and to destroy. To take away the power of the pope, the priest or the pastor over others was a tremendous threat and so the body of Christ, begin to be eroded at through a conspiracy from Hell! It has lasted for 1900 years. The battle still rages!
Just as Jesus was a threat to the powers that were - the Pharisees, the Scribes, the Zealots, the Sadducees and Rome herself. Men enpowered by he who usurps himself above God to want to be god, Satan continues today to do the same.
Had not the Apostles warned this would happen when they were gone, had not Jesus warned the Apostles of this same thing?
What has been left behind is a fragmented, distorted picture and a very pagan institution in the Corporate church of today. They have no concept of what these meetings by early Christians were like and what they meant to the overall message- HE HAS RISEN!
Why?
Didn't Jesus tell Peter, that the "gates of hell would not prevail against the Ekklesia"?
Perhaps, since we find so much evil in the organization, we must ask, is this the true physical example of what Jesus spoke of as the Ekklesia?
Is this the organizational church "that hell could not prevail against"?
Is this even a facsimility of what once was?
Is this the real church?
Is this what Jesus set out to do, to just create another religion full of hierarchy, and money and temples. If so, then why did he even come?
Why the big deal of Pentecost?
What was the reason for His resurrection, if many stories could be told of other great heroes and legends in pagan times and religion that were supposedly raised up from the grave and ascended into the heavens?
What difference if any should the resurrection have for believers today?
These are questions we will ponder, as I continue to write about this over the year.
Periodically there will be other writings in between.
In the meantime, I pray that you will find meaning and community in knowing the true Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that you may experience Him fully as real in your life as the nose on your face. He is real, His power is real, and His grace and mercy endures forever. I pray for each of my brethern seeking to know this reality, that for them, our Father will call them unto Himself, and that He will come and abide with them, and they with Him.
I pray that the resurrection will mean more than just words, or ideas, but something experientially you will experience through the indwelling life of the Holy Spirit.
Dr. J.
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