Biblical discipleship is about folks submitting to Christ’s authority …
Not your’s.
Category: Simple Church
In the New Testament, “church” is not a meeting or a “service.”
Nor is it a building, a staged event or spectator seating.
Rather, it’s a local community of people who serve God, each other and a waiting world, through ministry one to another for the mutual building up of all with Christ as the Head …
While also not neglecting to gather together to encourage and motivate one another towards love and good works.
Congregational singing is important for our gatherings, but the New Testament doesn’t call that “worship.”
Nope, not, nada …
Just ain’t there.
Rather, the New Testament says that living lives of reverent obedience and sacrificial service to God …
Is true worship.
When we say that singing and music are “worship,” however, rather than teach what worship truly is under the New Covenant …
We often end up with carnal churches and carnal people seeking a Sunday morning “worship experience” rather than living holy lives in humble obedience and service to God.
So let’s encourage one another by joyfully singing God’s praises congregationally together when we gather, as the New Testament commands …
While also learning to walk in true worship the rest of the week.
Because when all is said and done, the terminology of the New Testament never tells us to gather for a “worship service” …
But to gather for mutually building up each other so we can live lives of true worship, 24/7.
“Worship” these days is often more pagan than Christian.
It’s no longer about reverent obedience to the Sovereign God of Scripture …
But about the pagan practice of conjuring up some false spirit or man-made diety through intense, manipulated feelings.
It does this by convincing people that the more some song, band, or hip “worship leader” can make us feel intense emotions, the more we’re experiencing God’s “presence.”
Of course, an authentic encounter with God will legitimately invoke intense emotions.
But that is far different than the current practice of invoking intense emotions …
And calling it “God.”
This has become the new idolatry, by equating manipulated feelings with God Himself.
It is an addictive distraction from who God truly is, and how He wants to dwell among us and in us as our Sovereign Lord.
It also is a distortion born of carnal men, and is nowhere found in the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada …
Just ain’t there.
Yet it has become big business, with mega churches and mega recording deals …
While supplanting the simple New Testament commands to congregationally sing God’s praises together for the sole purpose of simply encouraging one another.
Unfortunately, though, it will continue to thrive …
Because just like the pagans, people still want a God who appeals to their carnality and is easy to manipulate.
Successful New Testament church and discipleship requires that we re-align our concept of “worship.”
That’s because what most people call “worship” …
Isn’t.
At least, not according to the New Testament.
“Worship” in the New Testament means living lives of sacrificial service and reverent obedience.
That’s it, pure and simple.
It’s not a Sunday “service” …
And it’s not music, singing or a song.
In fact, those concepts didn’t arise in the church until the 4th Century AD.
Continue readingIt’s gotta be said:
If you got caught up in all the “prophetic words” about Trump being re-elected in 2020 from the Elijah List of for-profit non-prophets and other self-appointed, unaccountable and attention grabbing “prophetic” crazies …
Or you got caught up in the bizarre world of Q-Anon delusions …
You need to humbly examine yourself, return to the Sovereign God of Scripture, embrace the simple – yet comprehensive – power and authority of His Word, and commit to healthy Christian community where you can begin to find balance in your life.
When you do, there will be no need or desire to pursue counterfeit realities or distracting, drama laden “solutions”.
Yes, there are real issues, and yes there are those who are authentically prophetic …
But God is not a freak show and what you gave yourselves over to was not of Him.
True disciples, who put their trust wholly in Him and His Word and are committed to healthy Christian community, will learn to discern the difference.
Those who don’t, won’t.
Repent, and get about the hard work of rebuilding the foundations in your own life and in our nation …
Before it’s too late.
Real church with real community and real discipleship …
Must embrace tough love.
Because ultimately, you can’t have real community or real discipleship …
With people who only want what they want from God and others.
Eventually, you must let them go.
Otherwise, you’re not helping …
But enabling.
Few are willing to do the hard work of actually being the church.
You know, an active community of believers who encourage and minister to one another …
When they gather together and throughout their daily lives.
Many, instead, are content to let others do “church” for them …
From an elevated stage each Sunday morning.
Be exceptional!
Dare to be the church as the New Testament actually commands it …
And leave that other stuff behind.
“Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” ~ Jesus
Many “Christians” these days …
Want spectacle over obedience.
Which is why “worship” these days …
Has become spectacle rather than obedience.
Church in the New Testament is never about gathering to enter into God’s presence …
But about expressing His presence – hopefully already in you – one to another through the many different gifts He distributes among us so we can edify and strengthen each other.
Nor is it about having a “worship service” …
But about including congregational singing of God’s praises to encourage each other so we can live daily lives of sacrificial service and reverent obedience to Him, which is true worship.
It also is not about monopolizing monologue sermons by the one …
But about ministry by one another to motivate each other to love and good works.
So why do Christians accept anything less …
Each Sunday morning?
It takes a community …
To make a disciple.
Perhaps that’s why pastor-centric, institutional spectator churches are so ineffective at actual discipleship …
And produce so many carnal “Christians” these days.
Perhaps that’s also why church, as actually commanded in the New Testament, instead is a simple and participatory community …
Where discipleship “naturally” happens as they gather together to mutually build up each other through ministry one to another out of the abundant, diverse gifts and abilities God distributes among us.
Don’t be bashful:
We need to publicly ask those who publicly tell everyone how to do or be the church (of whatever stripe) …
If they themselves are part of one – in their own lives and hometowns – like they keep promoting to others.
You may be shocked at how often they aren’t.
But hey, that shouldn’t stop them from peddling their insistent ideas, books, blogs and conferences to unsuspecting audiences.
Right?
That doesn’t mean it’s wrong to study and publicly discuss ideas …
But we should at least have the integrity to disclose when we cross the line and start telling everyone “how to” when we ourselves don’t do.
🤔
Until you admit that “church” as you know it is not how the Bible actually shows and commands it …
You will remain stuck in your rut.
God’s presence without His sovereignty …
Is an impossibility.
Which is why I’m convinced that what we call “worship” and “His presence” at many “churches” these days …
Is so bogus.
It’s just emotional manipulation, masquerading as “worship” …
To generate feelings of intensity, and calling it “God” …
During a staged performance, claiming to be “church.”
————————————
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Rom. 12:1-2
On Sunday, many go hear their pastor as part of his congregation.
In contrast, I am part of a participatory congregation that ministers – pastorally and otherwise – one to another …
Without the distraction of those solo and monologue “pastor” things others do.
Interestingly, churches in the New Testament did fine without them also …
Because there is no place for monopolies when the diverse, multi-part and multi-gifted Body of Christ operates as He intended.
There’s nothing entertaining …
About authentic worship.
Because authentic worship, as the New Testament actually defines it, means living lives of sacrificial service and reverent obedience.
Maybe this explains why real worship among many “Christians” and “churches” these days …
Is so rare.
So last Sunday, were you part of:
The Jesus Show (“church” on a stage) …
Or the Body of Christ (ministry one to another)?
Guys in jail often ask me how to find a good church when they get out.
I tell them that if they visit a couple of times on Sunday and no one ever invites them home to share friendship and a meal together, move on …
It’s just a meeting, not a church.
When people say “worship” today …
They mean reverent music.
When the New Testament says “worship” …
It means living our lives in reverent obedience and sacrificial service to God.
There’s nothing wrong with music.
It has its place, when done as the New Testament actually says …
But not as a substitute or new definition for true worship.
That was never God’s intent.
Everyone seems to want to do what the Bible says …
Except when it comes to how they do church.
YOU are the church?
Really???
So here’s the test:
Who controls the microphone and the money?
THEY actually are the “church.”
Not you.
You’re just their attentive, paying audience.
“Worship” has been reduced from its Biblical meaning of living lives in obeisance (humble submission) and obedience to God …
To music that makes us feel good.
Although music can be a good thing …
Somehow, I think we lost our way.
Many “churches” seek to thrill and entertain the masses by abandoning New Testament norms …
Not for the ultimate benefit of their members, but their “leaders”.
How we measure “church” success:
Ministry by one man to fifty each Sunday morning …
That’s nice.
Ministry by one man to hundreds …
Now you’re talkin’!
Ministry by one man to thousands …
Mega success!!
How the New Testament measures church success:
Ministry one to another.
The me-centered, contrived intensity that many call “worship” these days …
Is an affront to God’s holiness.
In the New Testament, true worship is living lives of obeisance (humble submission) and obedience to Him, as He mandates …
Rather than projecting our own carnality onto Him to feed our own soulish needs.
Let’s return to the true God of Scripture with authentic worship …
As actually defined and commanded by Him.
Because when we relate to God on His terms rather than ours …
Amazing things of eternal significance will start happening in your own life and those around you.
Plumbline Faith 