Author: Plumbline Faith
Simple Truths from a Lifetime of Service to the King of Kings
The New Testament doesn’t say “church” is where we encounter or are ushered into God’s presence through “worship” or any other means.
There’s not a single verse in the entire New Testament to that effect.
Nope, not, nadda …
Just ain’t there.
Rather, the New Testament says that Christians already have God’s presence in us and when we gather together we’re to minister one to another …
Which includes congregationally singing God’s praises to encourage each other.
Big difference.
Let’s start being the church as God instructs in His Word …
Rather than feeding our own carnality and calling it “church.”
I understand why “church” is often reduced to sitting in impersonal rows to watch a staged, scripted “service” each week by the “senior pastor” and his “worship” team.
Although it has nothing to do with church as the New Testament commands it …
It does eliminate the hard work of actually being the church.
In contrast, the New Testament says we’re to be a functional community which, among other things, gathers together to unassumingly minister one to another …
By strengthening and encouraging each other through the diverse gifts and abilities God distributes among us.
God’s redeeming grace is the means:
He offers His undeserved mercy, truth and forgiveness.
Repentance is the only acceptable response:
I receive, submit and change.
Anything less …
Is a lie.
Mono-church?
When a church or movement organizes around the vision, natural abilities, or spiritual gifts of a particular leader …
It will grow rapidly at first but then stagnate as it eventually bumps up against his limits.
This is not how it should be.
“Church” must never become a platform for one particular person, ministry or mission.
True church in Scripture is the wonderful, dynamic, fluid, multi-gifted and fully participatory Body of Christ …
Where we all minister one to another and to a waiting world, each according to the unique grace and differing gifts God distributes among us.
There is no mono-church in the New Testament!
Lord, raise up true elders – “grown ups” among us …
Who guard your flock by teaching sound doctrine and confronting those who define:
Doubt as faith;
Obedience as optional;
Grace as merit;
Tolerance as love;
Truth as relative;
Perception as reality;
Morality as feelings;
Scripture as subjective;
Diverse gifts as distractions;
Unity as conformity;
Worship as an event; or
Church as a platform.
May we, Lord, understand the times and proclaim with Paul:
“Henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive …” Eph. 4:14
Sometimes, I wish I was ignorant …
Because I hear that’s bliss.
😉
Churches focus on meetings, hoping community will happen.
It seldom works.
What, instead, if churches were communities where gatherings happen?
Maybe it’s time to stop doing it backwards.
I want a bumper sticker which says:
“My faith is bigger than some bumper sticker.”
Mega-Church Celebrities and Television Preachers:
Multimillion dollar mansions, private jets, net worths exceeding tens of millions of dollars …
All from “ministry.”
Paul of Tarsus:
“Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.”
Get it?
Repressive “Progressives” and other cultural marxists feign surprise when their ideologies of victimhood and entitlement …
Destroy personal responsibility and economic opportunity.
This then leads to big-government cronyism, with them at the helm …
Which allows them to peddle even more victimhood and entitlement to the very people they harmed.
And so the downward spiral continues …
At everyone else’s expense.
I’ve seen – up close and personal – their bitter fruit as I’ve gone where others fear to tread in fulfillment of the Great Commission …
In homeless encampments, jails, crime infested housing projects, fatherless wastelands of subsidized poverty in the ‘hood, and other dysfunctional communities of dependency beyond the fringes of “polite” society.
While there, I saw God redeem lives.
But I also saw the stark reality of ignoring a fundamental Biblical principle, mainly:
“If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3
It’s time for those of true compassion to rebuild our nation’s foundations by breaking the repressive “progressive” cycle of despair …
And restore the hard dignity of Godly cultural precepts – like local community accountability, strong nuclear families, prioritized self government, responsible personal benevolence, and the moral imperatives of individual culpability – in our society once again.
Anything less will continue to destroy lives and the very fabric of our nation.
What if “churches” stopped being a “service” where the few try to usher the many into God’s “presence?”
(A concept nowhere found in the New Testament.)
What if, instead, they became gatherings where all can express God’s diverse presence already in each of us, as the Holy Spirit directs, for the mutual edification of one another?
(Just like it says in the New Testament.)
Wouldn’t that be amazing?
The law may not make anyone moral …
But I’m sure glad it can protect us from their immorality.
That’s why I won’t vote for candidates who think they can pass laws that will make people good …
Because that’s God’s job, and it never turns out well when governments try to usurp His authority.
But I will vote for those committed to passing laws that protect what’s good and our right to do what’s good …
Just like God intended.
Big difference!
These days, church “leaders” seem more interested in an elevated stage and delivering prepared messages …
Than living among us and making disciples as a prepared person.
The problem is …
Many folks seem to want it that way.
Jesus established the church as His local participatory assembly …
To represent and advance His Kingdom here on Earth.
Instead, we’ve turned it into an entertainment business with weekly staged performances.
Nearly all heresy starts as truth out of balance.
When someone insists on one unifying “truth” that explains everything …
Watch out!
Even our personal perceptions of Christ Himself fall short …
No matter how otherwise accurate.
Seeking the favor of power by laying aside our Godly values …
Rather than making those in power seek the favor of our Godly values …
Seldom turns out well.
Lord, give us more Nathans …
Who speak truth to power, rather than seek the privilege of its favor.
Those who think Christ’s return is about saving us from the problems of this world amidst evil’s imminent triumph,
Have bought into a theology of retreat, defeat and escape …
Which is a big reason why the problems got so bad in the first place.
In an age of radical autonomy – with individuals fractured from themselves, others and God …
It’s time for Christ’s disciples to bear open witness – through our lives and words – to God’s transcendent truth and immanent grace.
What’s trendy is seldom eternal …
And what’s eternal is seldom trendy.
When we capitulate to evil in the name of “peace” or in the name of “unity” …
We become the evil.
When “church” and “worship” are about stirring up carnal feelings, God’s not there.
And that thing you feel?
It’s not God, because it’s more about you …
Than Him.
It may be intense, but trust me …
It ain’t Him.
Judge not?
Never have two words been taken so out of context to distort what Jesus actually said …
Which explains the mess we’re facing in our culture, churches and politics.
May God’s people and those of goodwill begin to judge righteously once again.
Apart from God who created us in His likeness and image …
Reason, creativity and virtue lose all meaning.
Which makes the Christian retreat from reason, creativity and virtue …
Rebellion against God Himself.
Plumbline Faith 