As I was falling asleep last night I was imaging myself blind
and sitting in the deaf section at a church with a gathering of Church leaders.
Because I was not good at Braille, since I had only been blind a short time, I
was using a voice recorder to make notes about what the speaker was saying. A
man behind me complained about my talking out loud so I turned so he could see
that I was blind and I told him in a less than friendly manner why I was
speaking during the message and that he did not have to sit by the deaf who
were not bothered by me talking into a recorder.
Then I was the next speaker, as I took the podium I said to
the audience, “I have probably offended one man this evening already and my
message will probably offend some more of you. I am speaking about religious
and political leaders. Jesus offended the religious and political leaders of
Israel during His ministry. The Apostles offended the religious and political
leaders of the world during their time of ministry. As believers we should be
offending the religious and political leaders of our time. Because religious
and political leaders are arrogant and believe they know better than the “common”
man; they are motivated by pride to achieve control to fulfill their greed.
Those who practice Christianity as a religion are doomed to fail because
Christianity means to be “Christ like”. That only comes out of a personal,
intimate relationship with the true and living GOD – Elohim (Father, Son, Holy Spirit).” Then I got up
and made a note before I fell asleep. So this is what that imagery message
would be.
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever chastised
the religious and political leaders of His time for making regulations that
negated the commandments of GOD.
Of doing their religious activities before men so that they would be thought of
as special servants of GOD.
Of being pompous while truly being liars, thieves and cheaters. Of telling the
people to do things that they did not do themselves; or of being lawless.
The Apostles following Jesus’ example did not obey the
religious and political leaders when told to stop proclaiming the resurrection
of Jesus Christ and that salvation only came through Jesus. They were accused
of turning the world upside down, an accusation that the Church of today is not
living up to.
Why is it that the Church today is not turning the world
upside down? One reason is that much of the Church has stopped preaching the
Gospel! Many churches are more social gatherings with a laser light concert show
and a feel good short positive message followed by the café being open for
fellowship. A regular Sunday service should be more like; intimate time of worshiping
GOD led by a group that
is not showing off their musical and clothing talents and the message should be
a life challenging meaty word for believers. Social activities and a café are
good for before and after the service but are not necessary for feeding the
sheep.
Wow! That is rude of me! Actually Sunday services do not
have to be exactly as I describe. If the congregation supports and enjoys a café
type of fellowship, if they like and participate in the laser light concert
worship that’s great. But the word preached must be solid food that keeps the
congregation being challenged to grow in faith and obedience to the Great
Commission that Christ gave the Church. It should challenge us to be in unity
and fellowship with other congregations that are not apart of our select group.
It should challenge us to be missions minded both locally and abroad.
This can only be done in an hour and half or two hour
service if the pastor and staff know that the congregation is meeting in small
groups throughout the week where young believers are nurtured and mentored.
Where non-believers feel welcome and their questions are answered in an
informative and caring manner. Alter calls and baptisms should happen in the
larger service because the pastor and staff know that the small groups are
growing through evangelism not recruitment. Ministry time at the end of the
service should be reinforcing the ministry that the congregants are getting in
the intimate small groups where mistakes are lovingly corrected and everyone
has the opportunity and the challenge to participate by both ministering and
being ministered to.
This is not about small, large or mega churches this is
about humble, serving the community and fellow believer churches. GOD did not call us to conquer or
to socialize our communities. He called us to live in and minister in our
communities, proclaiming the Gospel, laying hands on the sick and seeing them
recover, casting out demons, treading on serpents, raising the dead, making
Christ’s enemies His footstool and to disciple the nations of this world into
His Kingdom. Size, glamour and social correctness (a subset of political
correctness) are the antitheist of the Great Commission to the Church.
In the 80’s and 90’s David (Paul) Yonggi Cho pastured the
world’s largest church, it grew so large that parishioners could only come to
Sunday services on their appointed date. All of the evangelism, growth and
ministry happened in the house churches scattered through South Korea. It’s
still the largest or at least one of the world’s largest churches, this growth
is maintained through the house churches even with the controversy of the last
decade. It’s the intimate and deep relationships of those in the house churches
that gives the congregation the maturity to face the controversies and not disintegrate
and split into numerous divided congregations. This type of maturity should be
the goal of every pastor and church staff no matter the size of the congregation.
Well, if you are still reading I just want you to know that
I do not believe the whole church is going to hell in a hand basket. I believe
there are more true believers in the Church than not, that said I see the
problem as being more of a denominational and local leadership issue. Those
building up a ministry that is about their denomination’s liturgy or individual
gifting and calling more than the Great Commission of the Church. Everything is
about what GOD is
telling them and how He is using them rather than raising up and sending out
ministries as the Holy Spirit directs. I also want to apologize because this is
much longer and much more of a tirade then I envisioned as I was about to fall
asleep last night.
“Father Bless Your Church, Holy Spirit lead us so that Your
Kingdom comes and Your Will is done where we live, work and play. Amen!”
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