To the Churches:These are the main things which God has against the various churches of today. Too many of them are worldly, selfish, prideful and terribly lacking in love and genuine concern for the lost. Spiritual immaturity abounds. Most operate within the framework of a corporation or business, with the preacher appointed as CEO. (Has this finally been said enough to make a clear point?) Too often a pastor either reigns as a king over a little kingdom and the members are the subjects to whom he or she dictates, or he or she is a mere hireling, who simply compromises to keep as much peace as possible to maintain his or her income, and moves on when peace is no longer possible. Many well-intentioned pastors control the operation of the service, stifling the body of believers from being free to function in their gifts of worship and ministry. In this, leaders are usurping Christ's ability to be in charge and lacking faith in the individual's ability to hear and respond to the Holy Spirit. These leaders' hearts may be pure, but they are unwittingly continuing in a liturgical tradition instituted by Constantine, that is a far fall from the early church. Many Western Churches are sick from the head to the tail. The thrust of many churches is motivated by a corporately selfish ambition and making a name for their “church.” They operate in a closed community mentality, that wants more members, but only reaches out to the lost if the lost will come to them and measure up to their social and traditional standards. Many never extend their witness beyond the doors of their sanctuary. The members, pastors and elders are preoccupied with the health and success of their “church,” or their “club.” Leaders and members alike are possessive of their own sheep, often shunning anyone who would dare venture to another “club” or “church,” as if that person just forsook their faith. Precious few modern churches bear much resemblance to the early Church established by Christ and the apostles. We all must humble ourselves and repent of this mentality. If God has moved someone to another fellowship for any reason, that person is still in the body of Christ, and should be loved and respected accordingly. God often moves people, in order to take them through a particular lesson or through a new area of growth. Sometimes, staying in one place can cause stagnation and stunt one's spiritual growth. Yet many presume to play God by claiming to know what is best for a particular believer, discouraging them from change or even from stepping out to minister on their own. The reason for this is self-preservation of that particular church. Members, elders and pastors alike, fear a mass exodus from their “church” that will reduce its income and cause its demise. But God uses change to bring growth and maturity to His Bride. He caused Abraham to move out, not knowing where he was going. Moses led the children of Israel forth out of Egypt, trusting God for their destination. God scattered the early Church, through severe persecution, to get the Gospel spread to a wider area. He is also going to drive the modern “church” attendees out of their secure sanctuaries. Many argue that if there weren't a remaining, faithful core to support a group of believers, or “church”, it would crumble, and there is some truth to that, but let God be God. If a church is operating within God's will and according to His purpose, He will not let it falter, but will preserve and provide for it. He will send new supporters to replace those whom He removes. He will ensure that enough faithful members remain involved, to accomplish every good work He has ordained for it. If He lets the church dissolve, He has a reason, and He will work in each member's life to see that they survive, if their hearts seek after Him. He never leaves nor forsakes us. When we think a particular church is the only one that can be best for a person, we are operating in pride and distrust of the power and wisdom of Christ and the individual's ability to hear Him. None of us knows which church or fellowship is best for a believer, or where God wants to place that person. When we frantically try to manipulate members to stay put, it is more likely we are trying to ensure that the kingdom we've built or prefer, is adequately funded. It isn't likely that God would give any of us a personal revelation of God's will for another person's church home. Whether one is a sheep or a shepherd, repent of trying to control where people go to worship God. Membership to a particular group of believers in itself is a strange notion. We are all members of the one and only Body of Christ. So repent of all manipulation! If any of these many structures and their expenses is not God's will, He will tear them down and no mortal can stop it. If any of them exist due to His will, then the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Stop trying to be in control! A “church” is often not all that representative of the “Church.” We must take care that our passion doesn't become misguided into a carnal work, as opposed to just being Christ's Bride. If a believer has prayed and hears a call from God to attend a different fellowship or denomination, such a one is not in rebellion. He or she is a not a “traitor.” Such are still members of the one true body of Christ. We must repent of church “nationalism,” repent of strife between bodies of believers, repent of slander and defamation of other denominations and their leaders and pastors. There was a pastor who was going to withdraw from participating in a multi-church, community revival because someone from one the “other churches” was making vicious accusations that this pastor was trying to steal members away. That accusation is ridiculous! God schedules the removal of a Christian to another church. What qualifies anyone to know which church is best for another? As the one true Church, which is about to enter into the final days of earth, we had better grow up and out of such petty thinking! Those who refuse to be unified into one Church, willing to work together for the common good of the eternal Gospel, will not be used in the final harvest of souls. Our lamp stand will be removed and our light taken away. (James 3:16) For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and every evil practice. [NIV]The early church met in homes and would branch to form another group, if one group was too large to meet, or if they were called to expand to new areas. They were still part of the same church and Paul admonished them for any spirit of division, whenever it would erupt. They were only given names to refer to the area in which they existed. That was not meant to set the precedence for divisions into various churches. In persecuted countries such as China, Christians meet in small groups for safety, as did the early believers, then they will occasionally meet in large groups if an elder comes through the village. But they do this at great risk, as do many believers in countries where the practice of the Christian faith is forbidden. This is the whole body of Christ operating as one, which is what we are supposed to be doing. Yet even China and other countries are suffering the division of denominationalism as missionaries come, only to represent and draw converts to their particular denomination, rather than to Christ alone. This is causing strife and confusion among the brethren, rather than unity. I covered this in the first section on denominations, but it bears repeating. The Church is NOT supposed to be collecting into camps, whereby we advocate one preacher over another, or one denominational practice over another. We are not to be striving with one another, accusing each other of heresy, sheep stealing, rebellion or not having the truth. We are not to be focused on counting heads and offerings. The true way is a very narrow road and few will find it, Jesus told us. Why then, are we measuring our success as a body, based on the population of a church? If the church is full, should we assume we are doing something right or could it be that we have made the path broad, leading them to destruction? This possibility should have every pastor who enjoys a constantly full house, on his or her knees, praying for discernment and protection from teaching falsely. (Matt 7:13-14) Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. [RSV]On the other hand, if there is no growth by way of new converts going on, we should be especially concerned because it is not the will of the Father that ANY one should perish but that all should come to the saving knowledge of Christ. If our growth is only coming from those who have transferred from another church fellowship because one church offers more physical benefits, activities or programs than another, we have work to do, because the fields are white and ready for the final harvest, and it is the lost we should be seeking. We work harder to make our churches more attractive to the desires of existing Christians, using worldly appeals such as programs that cater to the flesh. We lure the immature in Christ in this way, and thereby keep them immature as well. We must repent of the indifference and hypocrisy that has turned off so many potential believers and led them to reject the Gospel and despise religion. The various church groups must repent of their isolationist tendencies. We must get out and compel the lost to come in and if they won't, we must go to them where they are, and share the good news of salvation, not the ill tidings of judgment, traditional religious bondage and division. But first, we must ask God to fill our hearts with genuine love and compassion, for without that we are merely noisy gongs, unable to be a true representation of Christ to anyone. I have seen too many churches lure new converts into their ranks, only to hurt them and cast them back out with their indifference, petty strife or lack of love. How dare we ask God for fresh souls if we don't minister Christ's love to the ones He's already given us? Sometimes, when I recall horror stories of how many Christians have unkindly mistreated one another, I can only shake my head and think, dear Lord, with Christians like us, Satan can relax! We'll do his work for him. Even though the many expensive structures and mega churches are not pleasing to God, neither are some of the alternative “home churches.” The Lord has this against some of these groups. They practice isolationism and exclusiveness that fails to demonstrate a concern for bringing in those souls who are not yet in the safety of the cross. They are content to dwell in unity with their own little group of believers and are not actively engaged in bringing more souls into the kingdom. If they are independent of a parent church, they are nearly impossible to locate. This can be good in a country where persecution is high and gathering forbidden. But the Western home churches should desire to make their presence known to a lost and dying world. There are those who have secluded themselves because they find the behavior of those they deem spiritually lacking to be distasteful, and choose to avoid the fire that such people bring into their lives. It is very difficult for outsiders to even locate a home church and some home groups actually vote as to whether to allow a person to come to their meetings or join their group. One such house church sent me a questionnaire to see if I qualified to be a part of their group! I soon discovered that after over 25 years of serving Jesus, loving Him with all my heart, walking in a radical and uncompromising way, I failed to meet the standards of this group because I wear jeans and occasionally, some light make-up. I didn't fit the fundamentalist mold of a quiet, head bowed, hands in her lap woman in a long dress and covered head, who is content to be saved through literal childbearing. (Where does this leave an infertile woman?) While I agreed with some of this group's reasons for rejecting the established “churches,” they impose severe requirements and restrictions upon their members that are more demanding than the laws of the Pharisees in Jesus' day. While home churches are better able to overcome the Constantine traditions that plague the structure building “churches,” these groups are not immune to the fallacies common to any group. They run as much of a risk of falling into false doctrines as any “church.” They tend to have no plan of distribution of tithes and offerings or supporting missionaries, so they are not as effective in meeting the needs of the Body, foreign missions or other outreaches. (Although some large churches and ministries that are better equipped and organized to give aid and support, often fail to do so in proportion to the wealth they have.) Home churches are better able to help one-another within their own group, which is more biblical in principle. However, those who establish home churches, while they have many good changes and simplicities that do follow scriptural precedence more exactly, they, nevertheless, must take care that they don't become smug and prideful, thinking they have the only truth, and sit in judgment of their Christian brethren in the “big churches.” For God is in control of all things at all times. He works within all avenues of men. (2 Cor. 10:12) Not that we venture to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another, and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. [RSV]Some bodies of believers get very caught up in outward and religious expressions of holiness– demanding certain styles of clothing and appearance. Yes, the Lord loves modesty and Paul instructed women to adorn themselves with a sweet spirit, rather than jewels. Yet, if we require a specific type of garment in order for the converts to enter in, we are no different than the early, Jewish Christians who demanded circumcision of the Gentiles, before letting them in. Women wearing women's slacks, does not mean she is wearing that which pertains to a man. Men once wore gowns and robes as well. Shouldn't we all then, if we want to dress to show holiness, return to both sexes wearing robes? I used to wear only long dresses. But one day, as I was in the barn preparing my goats for milking, one goat chased another, who dashed between my legs to escape. The goat plowed into my skirt, effectively throwing me flat into the manure. (Sorry, but to everything there is a proper garment!) Once, while entertaining some brethren in Christ of another denomination, I made it a point respect their beliefs. I kept my hair pulled up, wore very conservative, plain dresses and no make-up, so as not to offend them. No problem for me, as I understand I can become all things to all people for the sake of the Gospel. But they left a pamphlet behind, as their only thanks for a weekend of meals and hospitality. It was about the proper dress of the Christian. As I read, my heart broke. They felt strongly about not showing any leg and that only black stockings, (of which I owned none) were acceptable leg covering. Good grief and God have mercy! If we get caught up in such legalism, where would it ever end? We will find ourselves right back under the law. It is nothing more than man-created bondage. There is no specific clothing required other than the robe of righteousness, which can only be provided to us by Jesus Christ. I believe that is the wedding garment that was missing with the man who was thrown out, in the parable of the wedding feast. God does not approve of scanty clothing, immodesty and a sensuous look. These are certainly not in keeping with the mature Christian, but neither does He require extra-long skirts, tightly wound buns, caps or suspenders instead of belts. There's nothing wrong with such dress, and it can certainly make one look chaste, but it does not make one's heart any holier. These are outward appearances and God is more concerned with the things that are in the heart. Jesus said not to be so concerned about what you should wear. It will be those who do not place their hope in the cross of Jesus Christ alone, and those who fail to circumcise their hearts and see to their internal holiness, that will be cast outside, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! (Matt. 23:28) So you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. [RSV]Repent of having a spirit of religion. Don't be like the Pharisees of old, using God's Word as the authority to oppress brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a religious spirit that makes us more obsessed with the outward appearance rather than the heart. In this spirit we condemn a fairly new Christian brother, who might still be in bondage to tobacco, while some of us, who have walked with the Lord for years, are still struggling with self-control over our temper or with unforgiveness, or an inability to love. These are far more dangerous sins and in all honesty, they are areas in which I am still learning to overcome. That brother who smokes may have other issues that are more urgent for God to weed out, and that brother may have a more tender heart than some of us will ever have. We all have some area of unconquered sin in our lives, be it gossip, anger, gluttony, taking offense, being busy-bodies, etc., and we would do well to focus on the areas God wants to change in us, rather than worrying about others. I have heard Christians who otherwise appear to have spiritual maturity, lash out a racist remark or speak out against another's weight or housekeeping. God wants us all to be free from all sin, so we can't dare assume for a moment that any of us are one bit more holy than our brother, just because his is external and obvious, while ours may be internal and insidious, well hidden from the scrutiny of others, but not from God. Let God choose what to eliminate and when. It is His Holy Spirit that convicts and molds, not any of us. He is sovereign and in perfect control of the situation with each of His children. He knows what is in each of our hearts, something we can't know about each other. He knows exactly what it will require to change our hearts and He will do it in His divine time and wisdom. We all need to mind our own business and let God mind His. It is a religious spirit that adamantly claims women cannot ever preach the Gospel and must only serve God in the capacity of a servant/wife. Why is it that we will cling to such scriptures as “women must be silent in the church,” yet we ignore the scriptures that announce that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female but all are equal? Do we say it is better to sit under a carnal, unsanctified man, because he is a man, rather than to listen to a woman who is operating in the anointing of the Holy Spirit? Why do so many wield scriptures like a hammer, with which they mete out perverted judgments, laws and regulations? I don't know why Paul made two such apparently contradictory statements, but I don't think he intended his words to be used by men as a tool to oppress and carnally lord over women, as is done in many religious circles. As a woman, I do respectfully concede to my husband as the spiritual authority, and especially when we are in disagreement on a matter. I do believe the Word instructs us to do that and I don't think a woman should be overbearing, nor be exercising authority over men. I have heard women publicly berate their husbands in a shameful manner and such a one ought to be corrected. But I also appreciate my husband's willingness and maturity to allow me to speak and work as Christ leads me. I am thankful that my husband treats me as an equal sister in the Lord, and it increases my respect for him all the more. Many men want to use scripture to degrade their wives and demand silent obedience but don't fulfill their scriptural obligation to love their wives as Christ does the Church, nurturing her and building her up. There are other worldly abominations occurring in modern churches that do not please God. Besides the already mentioned focus on entertainment, there is a disproportionate balance on “sacrifice,” versus obedience. How we love to bring the sacrifice of praise, offerings, and tolerance through the “service,” but we do not obey God in every other aspect of our lives and church group or fellowship! We harbor unforgiveness; we are lacking in love, we offer a portion of our income to God, expecting a “blessing” in return; we neglect to read the Word; we ignore brothers and sisters in need, and we make daily decisions on our own without seeking God's counsel. We expect God to bless us because we come in on Sunday morning and shout and clap and sing His praise. Pastors rush through the carefully planned and orchestrated worship in order to get on with their sermon, allowing the Holy Spirit mere minutes to act. Then it's “thank you, Holy Spirit, move along now.” As “spectators,” the rest of us expect His Holy Spirit to fill us for a few minutes. Then, many of us sit back down and think ungodly thoughts, or wonder when the pastor will finish the message so we can have some lunch. The rest of the week, it's back to the “real” world. We don't bother to look after the widows and orphans, visit the sick, shut-in and imprisoned. Why should we think God would be pleased with this Sunday morning lip service? “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” (1 John 2:4) He who says, “I know him” but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. [RSV]We don't bother to just be still and know that He is God. We don't wait upon the Lord so that he can renew our strength and make us to mount up with wings as eagles. We don't get revived and refreshed because we aren't given a chance to truly experience the presence of our living God. Everything about the service is prepared, controlled, programmed and one-sided. True participation through corporate prayer, singing and just experiencing the Holy Spirit, as He moves and speaks freely from person to person, is not allowed or encouraged because saving time for the message takes precedence over everything else. We are passive recipients of the worship leader's songs and the pastor's sermon and it is all on man's liturgical allotment of time, rather than on the Holy Spirit's bidding and thereby we grieve Him. Personally, I love praise and worship time more than anything else. I enjoy the music and the more instruments, the more I enjoy it. These are wonderful additions to the whole experience, and I am disappointed when worship is cut short. But perhaps we have over-emphasized the importance of the production of worship and fallen short in other areas that are vital to God. Everything is practiced, performed and planned and there is little allowance for the work of the Spirit of God. A single, simple instrument would work as well as all the grand equipment, if the Holy Spirit is allowed to work. And if He is not allowed to work, what good are all the instruments and equipment, anyway? There is something to be said for the small home fellowship that is more able to adjust to the desires of the Holy Spirit with each member able to burst forth into song, rather than a planned worship service. The Holy Spirit can be given all the time He wants to move. Believers can be still and know that He is God. I have enjoyed small groups where only a guitar or autoharp or no instrument at all is used and it is sweet, pure, unrehearsed and spontaneous, corporate fellowship with the Lord. I yearn for the little unlocked church building with a parsonage next door, where a sinner could walk up and walk in, to pray and seek help, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Today's large, well-equipped and locked-tight churches are formidable and impenetrable. They make it impossible for walk-in salvations or urgent cries for help. If one is desperate for immediate spiritual help, what good is an answering machine? I recall several times when I longed for the companionship of a comrade in Christ. One particular Easter Sunday evening, at a time when my life was in shreds, I was so hungry for Christian fellowship that I drove from church to church for two hours. But none were having services and everyone I knew was occupied with their relatives, doing the usual pagan Easter activities. There was no prayer warrior available anywhere to pray with me or encourage me. I learned to encourage myself in the Lord and draw from His strength. That is a good thing, but true fellowship with another believer would have been a comfort many times, yet none could be found. Community is absent when you drive across town to a church structure once a week or so, sit quietly through a program, rush home and are not involved with the daily lives of one another in a family sense as was intended for the Church. (Rom. 12:13) Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality. [RSV]Often, when someone needs a spiritual crisis met, they must make an appointment. Many years ago, I was cleaning my church and the secretary was out, when the church office phone rang. The pastor, who did not wish to be disturbed, instructed me to tell the caller he was not in. I stood indecisively and wound up just letting the phone ring until it stopped. But I was sick at heart because I had been asked to lie by my pastor and besides, the caller could have been in desperate need. This should not have happened. But neither should pastors be so overwhelmed with such a great need for counseling in the first place. Look at any large church website and you'll find a list of services available that are geared to social and psychological needs of a people who should be strong in Christ and doing good works, themselves. Why are we not powerful in the Lord and His might? Why are we spiritual weaklings, still needing milk and seeking after secular answers to our problems? Why are we so flesh-focused? Something is very wrong. For all the spending on ministry, for all the preaching, week after week, why is the Bride of Jesus Christ, the very ones who should be examples of strength and power to the world, such a bunch of spiritual weaklings? (Rom. 5:3-5) More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. [RSV]All our fancy trimmings are costly and require more and more money to protect, insure, maintain, clean, heat, and cool, therefore more money is always needed. In a time where people are financially strapped more than ever and getting deeper in debt, some just over basic necessities, a church's continual cry for money is a hardship for the people. I have been stressed when a church leader pleads for funding for another costly project after I have already tithed and given even beyond that, and am struggling to pay my bills. Plus I usually know of several folks at a time who are in desperate need of help and the churches are not meeting their needs. I am normally a very cheerful giver. I love to help others and I especially love to give assistance to brothers and sisters in need. However, it has been difficult for me to contribute to financial pleas of the “church” above and beyond the tithe, when my furnace is broken and winter is coming on, my water heater is about to die and my toilet is leaking and I have no funds to repair them. On top of that, I often hear some pastor or evangelist boast about how God has just stirred someone's heart to give them a fancy new car or house and wants His children to be blessed. Many people, who would otherwise love to gather in Christian fellowship, are turned off by the constant fund-raising, when they are barely getting by themselves. They tend to stay away from churches and ministries for that very reason. (1John 3:17-18) But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. [RSV]I have heard true accounts of people being described among pastors as “giving units.” I have been given a visitor card that asked for the guest's annual income amount. The church is supposed to be collecting money to disperse among the body as they have need, not consuming everyone's resources to support a building, musical instruments and equipment, sound systems and an endless list of wants and needs to make us like “other churches.” What used to be a problem of “Smiths keeping up with the Joneses,” has escalated to coveting within the churches themselves, as they each push to have what the church next door has, with attracting financial contributors as the real goal. God will bring down the material minded preoccupation of these churches as he takes this nation and the entire world into “survival mode.” (Heb 13:5) Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” [RSV]This demand for money from the congregation only causes an unnatural indebtedness of the pastor and elders to the people who do the giving. The wealthiest givers to church funds often control the spirit and work and thrust of the church. These elite members of a “church” (not to be confused with members of the Church) develop a bad habit of dictating to the leadership, and the leadership feels a need to cater to the whims of these often controlling and manipulative folks. This cripples the whole body of believers and attempts to usurp the authority of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Those of us who are caught up in this activity need to repent.
Transforming Movies Eva's Desktop Art Victor's Desktop Photos Audio Talks Printed Talks Statement of Faith Our Testimonies Home Church Resources Our Blog and Podcast Devotionals Links Contact Us |