REVELATIONS 3:16 SO BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER HOT NOR COLD, I WILL SPIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH. Just a few comments for now:TO START WITH FROM JEREMIAH BALWIN 1. On the cover page have a short statement that all sections are on-going. 2. Cover WHY the churches don't have a higher level of education and witnessing. You already brought how the history of the church is a reason. Like the Roman Catholics, the churches falsely think [although they aren't aware of their thinking] that the 'seed' of their power is the strength of the leaders along with a week congregation. The power of the priest is their authority and knowledge, so that the congregation must depend on them. This is the opposite of true Christianity, whereby the leaders are the servants and their strength is not in them, but in those that they train and lead. There are also numerous theological problems that are associated with an ignorant and non-witnessing congregation. As an example, Calvinism and/or soft-Calvinism goes in the face of personal responsibility. The churches reject completely or in part the full nature of God. It's as if, the church really doesn't believe in wrath, judgment and hell. They really don't structure the church so that all the believers become strong. Pastors lack the courage to have open meetings. The churches are also "power-hungry" and believe that they are the head, rather, then the Lord Jesus Christ. The above statements are so simple, so, I would also ask why the churches aren't aware of these problems, or, the seriousness of them? The emphasis toward the social aspects of the congregation is more important to them, then having sound doctrine or witnessing. The "materialism" of modern Christianity in America is completely out of control. The ideas of Jesus about "denying yourself," "forsaking all," taking up your cross and following Him" are completely foreign to modern Christianity. Like the "rich man," they walk away because they have so many possessions. They want Heaven now, so, they don't have the idea that Christians are merely "pilgrims" on their short journey upon the earth. And, even when the church can see the full nature of God, they don't even attempt to have that nature in a practical sense in this life. All Christians believe in imitating the love of Christ, but not the anger. They are trying to make God in their image. They take the part of God that makes them feel good: peace, joy, prosperity, love, etc., but they reject or ignore the parts of God that don't make them feel good, or, are hard. There is almost a complete lack of "community" in the modern church. When the chips are down, almost all of Christianity seeks the help of their human families' way above their brothers and sisters in Christ. The idea that our family relates to those "hearing and doing the will of God" is foreign to the church. They are lazy and lukewarm and keep going to church because that is where they can find peace without hard work. There are also too many distractions: pets, TV, computers, hobbies, ownership of too many things. None of those things are bad, but they want them all. It takes too much of their time with worldly things for them to have the time to serve the Lord. They want to support the 'spiritually' weaker leaders because such leaders will not preach hard or hold believers accountable for their sissy Christianity. The men are week and the women are out of control. The idea of loving God and neighbor is only seen in the 'warm and fuzzy' way. Like the cults, they are deceived along with being sincere. Christians can be heavy to a point in the closed and protected environment of their churches or these mutual admiration societies. But, they don't have the guts to mix it up in public. So, they can call the Mormons a cult in church, but not in front of their temples. They are little gossiping back biting bitches. They are such hypocrites, who think that we are the ones who don't love God and our neighbor, but we often love more then them. They don't want to learn the Bible and witness more for Christ because it takes too much of their time. They also don't witness more about Jesus because their relationship with Jesus stinks. Christianity is more excited about the World Series, than they are about God. Sissy Christianity is a generational problem, as the churches raise their children to be punks for Jesus. They lie about the level of their dedication to God and the brethren, or their concern for the fate of the heathen. The Toungers want miracles because they are too lazy to work hard for God. 3. Got to stop, thinking about the churches gets me so upset, I am losing it and almost fell out of my chair. 4. Keep up the good work! God bless you and Toni, Jeremiah BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE Introduction: Churches today are big business. People want to be right with God. Church is important, isn’t it? But what really happens in churches from God’s perspective? Are the churches healthy and vibrant in the eyes of God, or are they sick? 1. The problems are many. Churches send millions of dollars overseas to effect lives for Jesus Christ. Recently the world cup soccer playoff’s were in my town I went down there to be a witness attempting to be faithful to the words of Jesus in Acts 1:8 but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (NASB) There were unsaved people from all over the world, but other then myself and a few Jews for Jesus no other representatives of Jesus Christ were to be found. No church people passing out tracts or any thing else in a city with a hundred or more churches. When you think about this it enough to make any spiritual man of God sick. James 2:20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (NASB) It appears the Church people are pimping off other people to do what is far from where their hearts and action are. Spending money for others to do what they won’t do thinking that gets them off the hook with God, as if He can’t see their hearts and actions but only sees their money. Sad as it is this is how it is in every place in America with very few exceptions observed personally by myself and others for over 30 years. After all from start to finish the main theme of the scriptures is redemption, love for God love for man, yet love without actions is not love at all. Who is responsible for these self-centered impersonal churchmen that take such pride in calling themselves Christians yet have no desire to follow the example of Jesus and the apostles, and prophets. A Bull and a Steer look alike, yet the Bull is action oriented and reproduces whereas the Steer is primarily good for nothing other than hamburgers. So it is with the Churches, some are Bulls but most are Steers. BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE 2. Active/Passive Pastors that breed passivity, are the problem. O the shame of it. They are to be the example leading the march as the song sings "onward Christian solders marching as to war" But no, they want to look like big shots for God as they attempt to build their little empires. At this point many will try to examine me, thinking I am bitter or that I have had some bad experience with a church or pastor. Please do not make this mistake in judgment. It’s not a bad experience but just the opposite, I have had a good experience studying Gods word and attempted to be all I can be in Jesus. And after over 30 years I look around and see Churches that are quick to run to religious fanfares, music, so called praise, so called growth groups, all centering on how "I can personally benefit from being a Christian." Pastors and leaders are primarily the blame along with the devil for promoting this lack of love for the masses that will spend eternity in Hell. The purpose of the Church is education. Building disciples who in turn have the ability to build disciples. We should measure success by knowledge to a point coupled with the practice of the knowledge. The Churches have fallen way short in placing far too much value on primarily biblical knowledge as a means to determine a persons worth. Rather then the practice of biblical knowledge and the condition of one’s hearts, a man should be measured by his walk with God primarily, not the schools attended and degrees earned. I am not saying knowledge is not important because it is, but it is not to be worshiped in a way that many Churches do. The Devil has had 2000 years to mess up the Churches and He has done a wonderful job. The Churches as a whole are so far from the Biblical model that I would have to write a book to cite all the problems. So I will just mention a few and then move on to the simple solution. BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE 3. Prideful, power-hungry time-vested elder’s/deacons who love to be viewed, as pillars of power and godliness but who actually do almost nothing are also a major problem. The local church must have good leadership. A good leader cannot have two masters. A church cannot be content to bury its treasures in order to keep them safe for the Lord's coming. A church requires involvement by the leaders in a personal way with people. Questions for leaders. 1. How many people from the Church have you visited this month? 2. How many phone calls have you made to the people of the church this month? 3. How many people from the community have you contacted this month? 4. Have you done a church mailer this month? 5. Have you handed out a tract this month? 6. Have you shared your faith with someone this month? 7. Have you had a Bible study with someone this month? 8. How many new contacts have you made this month? 9. Have you invited someone to church this month? 10. Are you fully using the talents of the members of the church? 11. Do you have a vision for your community? 12. Have you set goals on how to accomplish your vision? Please consider these items. We have been given a great responsibility. It's an honor and a privilege to personally represent the Lord Jesus Christ. HEAVEN AND HELL IS REALITY. IT IS AN URGENT MESSAGE. BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE 4. The Sick Church I believe the basic structure of the local Church is defunct and breeds dysfunction. I believe each Church has the freedom to choose whatever structure it wants. But oftentimes freedom can be the very noose of the hangman around our necks. That’s why a careful look at the Biblical model is desirable. Note: There is no education system I have ever heard of that is as inefficient as the normal Church. For example each week the members all come walking into a building for about one hour, of which about half the time is made up of music. Then week after week the same person stands to speak for about 30 minuets. No one has the freedom to raise their hand and ask a question during that 30 minute presentation. Now if one would raise a hand to ask a question he would probably be viewed as a troublemaker or as disrespectful. This mode of education is not found in the public schools, college or other educational institutions of learning. It is not seen in the Bible. 1 Cor 14:26 What is {the outcome} then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (NASB) All members of the local church have a most important function. The Church can only be the Church God intended when all members of the local church are actively functioning. Please don’t use the dumbbell excuse; well I am just waiting to find out what God’s will for my life is. OK dead beat, wait all you want to find God’s perfect will for your life and place in the Church but in the mean time go talk to someone about Jesus, share your faith faithfully and I guarantee you won’t be far from the bull-eye. BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE 5. Solution to the pollution. In times of old they would carve out of wood or stone false gods to be worshiped, today the same thing is done but they are carved in the "so-called Christian" mind, the false imaginary gods that are promoted in many churches. I can step into just about any church and ask their youth or adults some simple Bible 101 questions and almost all will fail the test. Yet if I were to ask simple questions about sports, music, business most would pass with flying colors. If you don’t believe me, just try it for yourself. Some simple suggestions for question: Please note in most cases we are not looking for exactly correct answers. Just about anything in the ball park would be ok with me. 1. What’s the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament? 2. What’s the central message of the book of Galatians? 3. What’s the central message of 1Corinthians chapter 13? 4. Give me the best verse you can think of for the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. 5. Give me any verse that shows how a person can be saved. 6. Name 3 attributes of God. And so on… At the same time many will have big smiles and want to brag about how great and wonderful their church is. If what I am saying is true it should make any pastor that is worth his salt, hang his head in shame. Keep in mind if this is true its’ not the people’s fault primarily its’ the Pastors and Leaders that are in love with a Church structure that produces Biblical dunces. Also note: there are those members of the cult of the intellect that may be able to answer just about any question asked. They all appear to be Godly and sincere, and faithful to showing up Sunday morning but for the most part they are good for nothing. They are hearers of the word but not doers. Most would speak highly of Jesus but care little to follow his example. Churches today are run like commercial business and most would have a better chance of spending quality time with a ceo of a major corporation than many of the pastors of our day. The true goal of many pastors is not seeing people saved and built up in the things of the Lord but to build themselves up and outdo their fellow pastors in regard to the size of their Church. BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE THE LOCAL CHURCH... is to be active, action oriented, on the offensive, this is seen in the life of Jesus, and the men that God has used through the ages. It is seen over and over again in the scriptures, for example: Matt 22:37-39 love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. These verses like many others require something on our part. 1 John 3:18 Little children, let us not love with word or tongue, but in deed and truth. For the local Church, deeds and truth are teaching the Bible and preparing the saints to become reproducers. The whole idea of the local church is to get the people off milk and on meat. People personally being a part of fulfilling the great commission. How is this measured? 1. Are the people learning the scriptures? 2. Are the people learning Bible doctrine? 3. Are the people learning to defend the scriptures? 4. Are they learning to share their faith and becoming reproducers? 5. Are they being given opportunities to share their faith and become reproducers? 6. Are they attempting to live out the scriptures, being disciples? 7. Do they realize their responsibilities of being a child of the King? These are a few questions that need to be asked in considering a local church. BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE The Church is made up of People that have Trusted in Jesus Christ as their personal savior. The responsibility of a church is a great one, from the children to the elderly from the budget to the youth programs it is all encompassing. We all need to realize the running of a Church is not easy. In far too many cases pastors and leaders are smothered, by people’s problems that in most cases are solvable by the people themselves if they were to practice biblical principles. The Board members in many cases are less concerned with the kingdom of God going forth into the world, than they are protecting their position, and operating their church business. Entertainment, "music", "jokes", and impersonal bible teaching is the answer for many in our day. Many Churches have conformed to the world believing the answer is building Churches, and running them like corporate business. They have lost touch with Jesus’ Commands. And it is doubtful they will change as a result of their love for money Matt 28: 19-20 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; JESUS COMMANDMENTS LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; ...AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." The Churches should be made up of People that are personally involved with other people, that is love, making phone calls, visiting them in their homes, coffee shops, and etc., relationships centered around the Bible, and the example of Jesus Christ is the backbone of the Church. Not the love of the world and the caressing of it in hopes to win the lost. Belly to belly encounters with people. People accepting their own responsibility, as members of the Body of Christ. Small group meetings of 2-3-4 people can be like concentrated soap for the soul The object should be to, let people know you have a legitimate interest in their lives. To help them be,... all they can be in Christ. To train believers to realize who they are in Christ, and therefore out of appreciation to God, they desire to testify, provoke one another to love, and preach the Gospel. There has been at the forefront of each Revival Open-air preachers confronting people in the streets. One reason revival may not occur in America, is because: The body of Christ, (across denomination lines) has constructed an aberration to the teaching of the Bible, that will not allow the Great Commission to go forth, other than in a limited way. The church has created a system that does not allow its members to exhale what they have inhaled (with few exceptions). 1 Tim 4:13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading {of Scripture,} to exhortation and teaching. (NASB) Excitement about Jesus comes as a result of being active. Now in dealing with the churches we should always keep in mind Eph 4:1-3 1.) I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2.) with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3.) being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Rom 14:19 So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another Col 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Matt 6:15 "But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE In are dealings with the Churches, there are some things we need to keep in mind. The Bible speaks very clearly of religious people who think they are Christians when in reality they are not. It is evident that these people attempt to weave themselves in with true believers. The writers of the New Testament speak to the Churches with this understanding. For Example: 1 John 2:19 ...but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Thessalonians 3:2 and that we may be delivered from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith. If you think you are a Christian, but do not have good works continuing after your initial salvation, then more than likely you are not a Christian at all. James 1:22 And be not just hearers of the Word, that deceive themselves... (false believers) , but be doers of the Word. 2 TIM 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; F a l s e B e l i e v e r s Satan controls false believers within the Churches, what is his intent and where are they to be found? Satan's intent is to keep the Churches from being what God wants them to be. False believers may be found anywhere but, Satan's purpose for false believers is in places of influence, leadership, teaching, Church boards, elders, and even pastors. They will speak the truths of the Bible at times. They will tell half truths. They will tell just enough truth to keep them from being detected. Their intent is to keep the truth out of balance. They will appear to be Godly. They value people because of who they are, not what they are. They do not want to follow the examples of the apostles. They do not want to follow the examples of the early Church. O the sorrow of many well meaning saints that have been on Church boards, in places of authority, and leadership. When they find out their decisions and Church polices were influenced or controlled by unbelievers, who they thought were true believers. Some things to keep in mind. Do they speak out against sin? Do they address the need for the Savior? Do they advocate righteous living? Do they teach man is responsible for his sin? Do they teach there will be a judgment? Do they teach people will go to Hell that reject Christ? Do they teach the urgency of the message? Do they set the example by their actions? The True Believers demonstrated by Paul "I am under obligation" Romans 1:14 "I am eager to preach the gospel" Romans 1:15 "I am not ashamed of the gospel" Romans 1:16 THE FALSE BELIEVERS False believers are happy to talk about Jesus, but are not willing to follow His example, of personally getting involved with unsaved people, by attempting to reach them with the message of salvation. They do not want to teach the urgency of salvation, and that Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation. (Simply because, they are not saved themselves.) BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE BIBLE All of this should help us in our understanding of why the Pastors and the Church members often times find fault with us the open air preachers. THE OBJECT IS WISDOM, AND ATTITUDE IS EVERY THING The Church is the body of Christ, our purpose should not be to repay Evil with Evil or to look for faults but to be objective, demonstrating Love. The Churches are the fields of our day that have many weeds, yet there are good plants growing side by side with the weeds Our envelopment with the Churches can be two fold, one is to expose the weeds and the other is to water the plants, so they may grow. More than likely the open Air Preacher of the Future, will be those that have come from the local Churches like many of us have. Let us not forget the Churches are a resources that we can wisely use for the fulfilling of the Great Commission FEAR is one of the main reasons churches are so inefficient. Fearful someone will say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing. There is little flexibility for error, which cuts the lifeblood from the training field. It is possible many of the silent Saints when they get to heaven may say "knowing what I know now boy O boy if I could just go back down there, boy would I let it rip for Jesus." Matt 6:9-10 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. 10 'Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. (NASB) If you want to change a dead church into alive church, go talk to someone about Jesus. If you want to change the lives of pastors and elders, take them with you, and go talk to someone about Jesus. If you are depressed, go talk to someone about Jesus. If you are lonely, go talk to someone about Jesus. If you are sad, go talk to someone about Jesus. If you want to be in God’s will, go talk to someone about Jesus. If you want to see God work through you, go talk to someone about Jesus.