Time To Be Revolutionary

 Earlier, I posted on Facebook a link to an article written by a brother who, I believe has nailed the source of apathy in the western church.   (that article can be read here: A Stunning Body- (A Vision of Jesus Christ part II) « illuminate wp.me)  There are two parts to this blog, so make certain you read both parts.   A brother that I had attended the IC with responded back after reading the article:It's not revolutionary if you already are living it - unfortunately most people are not. The whole concept of we, the church, being the physical body of Jesus here and now in this world with the priviledge and responsibility of representin...g Him in this present age has been all but omitted from modern religious teaching. This same religious system has created a generation of spiritual spectators rather than participants who come to weekly services prepared to do nothing more than receive what is put out for them. They bring nothing to encourage or lift up others, nor are they even expected to.

"I would have to agree with another brother who said there is nothing revolutionary about what is said in this article except the part about the institutional church which I disagree with in part. Having read alot of Madame Guyon, Watchman Née, St. John of the Cross early in my fellowship with Christ is what has helped me tremendously."

When a person is born again, they are endowed with spiritual gifts specific to that person. These gifts are not to be suppressed, but rather used to lift up and edify others in corporate meetings of the body (Hebrews 10:24-25). We were not designed to be spare parts in the body of Christ, but each one intricately interwoven into this body to be active and growing, contributing to the overall health of the community. You cannot do that in the position of a spectator - nor will you be inclined to be.

My brother responded to this with:

"I would disagree with the part where you talk about spectators. I would agree there are an abundance of those that do just "sit" there and are content with that, but there are those that don't. Who of which are involved in others lives and so fulfilling there calling as a member of the body and all this while attending an 'iC'."

Of course there are those who will participate - to whatever extent the order of service will allow - did not mean to insinuate otherwise. But that order of service and the hierarchy that controls that limits the interaction significantly.... And if Joe Flatt, who can't carry a tune in a bucket, felt led by the Spirit to stand up in the middle of the service and offer up a song of thanksgiving to God and acted on that leading, he would be - more often than not - led out of the meeting until he could control himself and stay within the program.
I have poured over the New Testament for the past 18 months looking for any validation to the modern, western religious version of the church. It is not in there. No pastors, no worship leaders, no youth ministers, no hierarchy - at all. ... Just brothers and sisters coming together as community, meeting the needs of those in their families and communities, supporting mission efforts and living lives that honor God. It worked great for over three hundred years until the Roman government got involved and organized religion. Can God use organized, institutionalized religion? Yes. God used the pharisees and sadducees to accomplish His plan two thousand years ago. Just because a system has been in place for 1700 years does not mean it is right. That does not mean that everyone trapped in this system is evil or wrong - it's just all they know until someone comes along and has the nerve to "tell the emporer he is walking around naked in public". Going against 1700 years of tradition is not a popular thing to do - but if you do your research - look hard into God's word and study the historical facts - you'll find it is the right thing to do. Jesus did it. Peter did it. Paul did it. I'd say I'm in pretty good company. And, I'm not alone.
Yes, there are sincere, devoted followers of Christ amidst the throngs of people who are merely believers in God, but have yet to fall in love with Him.  Some of these followers are doing all they know how to, within the confines of the institutional church to serve Him.  Others are trapped within the system, blindly following leadership who stand to lose everything if the church returns to meeting as they did in the first three hundred years of existence.  These leaders, may have the best intentions at heart and even believe they are serving God by supressing the involvement of the flock.  I'm sure the pharisees felt the same way.  It's time to stop and listen to what God has to say in HIS word and follow th e Spirit, rather than a man or denomination.  It's time to re-introduce Jesus to the world as the Bridegroom who is coming for His pure bride - holy and just and intolerant of sin.  It's time to be that which God designed us to be from before the foundation of time and start to fulfill His eternal purpose.

II Timothy 3:1-5 speaks of a time, which I believe we now live in, when men will have fallen away from the Truth and hold to a "form" of godliness where the true power of God is denied.  Could this be any more accurate?  The church today has become a spiritual paraplegic  because nerve impulses from the head (Christ) have been severed from the body.  The hand will not receive profitable information from the foot that will allow the body to lead a fruitful life.  Only when the body gets in sync with the head once again will it be able to function the way it was designed to.  The western church is failing in accomplishing God's eternal purpose set forth from the foundation of time. 

Many of the characteristics set forth in II Timothy 3 describing the world today have crept into the church, causing great damage to the body – like a cancer destroys the physical body.  Several years ago, I watched my father die from a cancer which reduced him from a very healthy 6’7”, 250 lb. man to a withered 90 lb. lifeless frame.  This spiritual cancer within the church has withered away the body and the church is ailing today, not far from death.  We need to ask God to heal the body spiritually, just as we have witnessed Him heal physically.  My God can heal, He can restore, He can cleanse, He can make right the things that are wrong.  II Chronicles 7:14 says: “…and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways then I will hear from  heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”  As I pray, YOU pray as well.  Pray that God will change our hearts and restore the church.

Foundational Thoughts

I just read a review of a book entitled "A Heretic's Guide to Eternity". Normally, I won't comment on a book without reading it first, so my comments here are actually on the review itself - which may or may not reflect what the original author intended.

The reviewer quotes the author as writing:

"His [Jesus] message eradicated the need for religion. It may come as a surprise, but Jesus has never been in the religion business." I could not agree more. "Nowhere does Jesus call His followers to start a religion. Jesus' invitation to His first disciples was to follow Him." Again - I agree wholeheartedly.

What I saw that disturbed me was:
"A core of this is the rejection of the belief in the inherent sinfulness of humankind, calling for the suffering and death on the cross of God's Son, Jesus."  If it was unnecessary for Jesus to suffer and die the death He did on the cross, then God is a sadist - and He is not.  This 'new age' thinking that no one needs saving, that God would not send anyone to hell, goes totally against scripture.  Scripture is clear that God is holy and will punish the unrepentant, Satan and his fallen angels in a very real place called hell.  Yes, God loves everyone, and again, as scripture states, He desires ALL to come to repentance and that Christ died for ALL.  But our sinfulness demands a blood payment and Jesus became that payment on the cross.  One only need look into the mirror to see that we are ALL inherently sinful and self-centered.  To argue this point is - well - proving the point it argues.

"Instead, the authors believe humankind is loved by God from conception and never needs saving from the wrath that would send them to hell. Instead, the real journey of the spiritual traveler is to continually move toward the understanding and experience of that surrounding and saturating Grace that has always been present, though we are often unaware of its existence."  YES, humankind is loved by God from BEFORE conception, but our need for saving (or salvation) is by far greater than our need for oxygen.  God's wrath, I believe, does not send the unrepentant to hell, but rather allows them to go there - by their own choice in life - to remain unrepentant.

I don't know that I will ever read this book in it's entirety.  I have seen groups rising up, even locally, that promote this way of thinking that goes against all scripture - that by which I must weigh everything.  But, do not take my word for it - take God's.  Get into His word and see the truth for yourself.  This truth is foundational to my faith and this thing I will defend with all that I am.

Moses, Egypt, Me & the IC

In looking back through the Old testament, I pause at the story of Moses leading the children of Israel out of bondage to the Promised Land and cannot help but draw parallels to my life in modern day.

Not to suggest that I, in any way, am even on the same level as Moses....

Moses was born a Hebrew. He was, however, raised as an Egyptian. Even thought his birth mother was his personal nurse in the house of Pharaoh, he no doubt was aware of his Hebrew heritage while growing up. But rather than be subjected to the hard life of a slave, he had the priviledge, because of his relationship with and the favor of Pharaoh's daughter, of being raised as the grandson of Pharaoh in the royal palace with all the trappings that came with that. Growing up, the future Pharaoh was his brother. He enjoyed all Egypt had to offer - while his own people (the Hebrews) and his own family - brother and sister - were forced to labor to support his lifestyle.

At some point, when waching an egyptian slave master whip a Hebrew man, Moses, stirred by guilt, perhaps, came to the Hebrew's defense, striking the Egyptian and killing him - probably accidentally. Later, when trying to stop two Hebrew men from fighting, one of them popped off, "So are you going to kill us like you did the egyptian?" Fearful that his Egyptian family would not understand his taking the life of an egyptian in defense of a Hebrew, he fled to the wilderness in a move of self-preservation.

It was during his stay in the wilderness (some 40 years later) that Moses encountered God. It was not a casual, "Hi, how ya doin'" meeting, but rather a full blown in the actual presence of the creator of the universe meeting - the kind that brings your face to the ground because you know you're not worthy to be here. At this meeting God directs Moses to lead His children, the Hebrews, out of bondage and into the Promised Land that God had promised Abraham 500 or so years before. Although he felt totally inadequate for the job, Moses finally accepted the calling and set out for Egypt to deliver the good news to the Hebrews - "God has heard your cries and is now ready to deliver you out of bondage into a glorious freedom so that you might worship Him!" somehow, I don't think Moses was quite ready for the reception he was about to receive - from the Hebrews.

Most everyone knows how the story plays out, so I won't go into great detail here. What I want for us to see is the heart of Moses. Moses was a messenger. Moses had developed "allegiances" to all of the parties involved. He was called by God to deliver His message and deal out His judgement on the egyptians. He was the Hebrew's "lost son" who was returning home to be God's instrument to set His people free. He was also the "lost son" of Egypt - retuning to tell them that His God was about to wreak untold havoc on their political, social and economic system as judgement against them - these egyptians who raised him as their own. No doubt he had many friends and step-family members he still cared about in Egypt.

The truth I want us to see is this: Moses did not return to Egypt specifically to destroy the Egyptian culture (political, social and economic systems). Although that was surely a result of the judgement God poored out, that was not Moses' calling. His calling was to lead the children of Israel out of bondage into freedom. What was the message God had Moses give Pharaoh? "Let My people go that they might go into the wilderness and worship Me." Wow.

I feel this as my calling.

God placed a calling on me to come out of the bondage I was under in the institutional church. He brought me into the freedom that was originally intended to be experienced by His children in corporate worship and body life. No longer a spectator nor the leader, but rather an equal with all God's people in the priesthood. Having experienced this freedom and knowing that bondage to anything is bad, God has also called me to reach out to others in bondage and let them know there is more to body life that attending meetings and giving money. So much more. My calling is NOT to destroy the institutional church system. My calling is to help people see it for what it is - bondage. My heart is for my fellow followers of Christ, to see them set free. There are so many followers of Jesus out there who know there must be more to body life than what the IC (institutional church) offers that are praying for God to come and deliver them (I know this to be true for I was one of those followers).

There are brothers and sisters out there who's calling is to aggressively expose the IC for the imposter it is, masquerading as the bride of Christ. My calling is rather to show followers and non-followers alike what the body is supposed to look like (according to scripture) so that they will recognize the counterfeit when they see it. Not to say that the aggressive manner is wrong - that is just not the manner in which God has called me to answer His call.

Halloween and the Church

It's that time of year again, and I feel compelled this year to address a serious problem with Halloween - the church. I know, most folks would clamour to condemn the pagan ritualistic celebration of All Hallows Eve - the witches, vampires, werewolves, zombies and any other assortment of 'monsters'. While the cultural obsession with such things is disturbing, yet more disturbing is the traditional church's contribution to the un-holy day - the Hell House. Running a group of teenagers through a morbid scene of the untimely death of a peer and their impending sentencing to hell because of their failure to 'give their heart to Jesus'. Faced with the choices of going to hell or getting their life in order, many impressionable teen choose the latter - I mean, who wants to go to hell? So, what is the problem with this? However well intentioned, the church is guilty of giving our young people a false sense of salvation. Playing on the emotional instability of many young people, we send a false message that simply not wanting to go to hell will get you into heaven. All too often (not always, but more often than not) we fail to mention confession, repentance and the Lordship of Christ. It's just "believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to pay the price for your sin and that He was raised on the third day and BOOM! - you are saved". They repeat a prayer to this effect when really what they are thinking after going through this bloody drama is, "God, I don't want to die and go to hell. Please save me from hell!". Effectively, the church is trying to 'scare the hell' out of them instead of sharing the truth with them - as Jesus said, "Unless a man is born again, he cannot enter the kingdome of God". To be born again, we must first die to self - selfish desires, ambitions and motivations. In order to do this we have to agree with God that these things are sin and turn from them - or die to them. We then must respond to Jesus, acknowledging the love He showed when He paid the price for our sin and run to embrace Him, receiving all that He has for us - choosing at that moment to live for Him - letting Him live through us. Like John said, "He who has the Son has life - he who does not have the Son, does not have life". If all these kids are getting out of Hell House is that they don't want to go to hell, then they didn't get the Son. If they didn't get the Son, then they have not been born again. If they have not been born again, then they cannot enter the kingdom of God. And all this because we lied to them and told them if they prayed this prayer, they would not go to hell.



Sadly, the same thing happens in the pulpits of America every Sunday morning. It is just done without the bloody, mangled car and vivid imagery of a fiery hell. We have watered down the gospel, lowering the bar, so to speak, to make it easier for people to 'get into heaven' to make the membership roll numbers look better. Friends, the bar has been set at Calvary and cannot be lowered. If they are running away from hell and not running to Jesus, then we have miscommunicated the gospel.



All that said, yes, I realize there are some true salvation experiences that come from these Hell Houses. But how many countless more young people are leaving these places thinking they have eternal security jsut because they ahve done nothing more than what Satan, himself does? Satan believes that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died on the cross to pay the price for your sin and that He was raised on the third day - he was there when all this happened. He believes all the facts, but he does not have the Son - he has rejected the Son to live out the remainder of his existance in rebellion to the authority of Christ. See the difference? Churches today are filled with the past generations of those who made a decision to not go to hell, but never made a decision to live for Jesus. So, we have large groups of people calling themselves the body of Christ who are in fact still living for themselves with no concern for the lost condition of others because they are still in a lost condition themselves. They may be good at telling you how to become a member of a church organization, but they cannot introduce you to Jesus because they have never met Him themselves.




It is that time of year again, and I feel compelled to implore you, first of all to examine yourselves - "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you not recognize for yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test." (2 Corintians 13:5) Look back to your 'salvation experience' and ask yourself, "was I running from hell or running to Jesus?" Weigh heavy the words I have written here for they are the litmus test of salvation. If you were not running to Jesus then I have good news - you can make that right today. Secondly, we have to stop trying to scare the hell out of the lost and start loving Jesus into them. Give them the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth - so help us God! When we share the love of Christ, we glorify God. After all, isn't that what the church is all about? Come on, let's run to Jesus!

Frank Viola and George Barna: Round Two

Frank Viola and George Barna: Round Two

The End and the Beginning

Well, it is approaching fast. What? The end - and the beginning. This coming Sunday (October 3rd, 2010) will mark our last Lord's day in the institutional church. On October 17, 2010 we will begin our journey on The Way, to my knowledge, the first organic church meeting in Terrell, TX. As of now, we have at least two other families who will be joining us on this journey. My heart is to grab up all of our friends and beg them to join us, but because I do NOT want to cause any division in the church body we are leaving, we are not trying to proselytize any. If any desire to follow, we will counsel with them about their decision to make certain their desire to join us is a calling from God, not running from their current situation.

So, what is different about The Way compared to the traditional church? Well, everything, nearly. We are not a cult - we worship the Lord Jesus Christ, son of Yaweh God and are indwelt by His Holy Spirit. We do not have a paid pastor position, as our meetings are participatory and every member is allowed and encouraged to contribute freely and spontaniously in the meetings from their spiritual gifts. We do not have a "church building", as we serve a God who dwells in a temple made by His hands, not one we put ourselves into debt to impress the surrounding community by building. We will meet in homes of our members (who are not voted-in, but born-in when they are born-again.) and will not be restricted to one to two hour services once or twice a week. We will have a set startup time, but will go until the Spirit says we are done - be it 20 minutes or 8 hours. We will work hard to build community and family relationships among the members and will focus on becoming living, breathing disciples of Jesus. We will take meals together regularly, fellowship with each other and really get to know one another - the good, the bad and the not-so-pretty. And we will love each other in a manner that will make the lost community around us want to be a part of that special thing that is growing in our midst.

I have been asked why I can't do this within the confines and under the authority of the traditional church - why break away and start something new? My answer is in the way of a parallel:

Yesterday, we took my wife's car, a 2007 Dodge Charger, and traded it in for a 2010 Challenger. The Charger was a lease and still looked immaculate, aside from a few minor scuffs and stains. We could have purchased the Charger for a lot less than what we would have had to pay for the same car on a dealer's lot. The only problem was this car started using A LOT of oil - about a quart every two weeks. Although it still ran great, looked great and was priced great - internally it is destined to fail mechanically because something in the motor is just not right. The car's ability to drive is inevitably goin gto fail. So, rather than buy the car and even have the engine replaced with a new, better one, we chose to trade and get the more streamlined model that catches the eye of most who see it (as far as we know it is the only one with this color scheme and wheels in Terrell). While the Challenger is brand new, is is patterned after the early model (1970 - 1972 models) and has the look and feel of the original with the punch of current technology.

I think you can connect the dots here and see where I am going with this. The traditional church "model" looks good, for the most part on the outside - it seems to run good most of the time - and can be had on just about every corner in every community in the USA. But, internally, it is built on a flawed system that takes away the priesthood of the believer (the common believer that fills the pews) and places body ministry on the backs and in the hands of a select few, which is totally unscriptural and ineffective. It has created a generation of spiritual zombies and even more misguided souls who believe they have salvation simply by believing the stories - the facts - about God. Church building are filled with strangers for two or three hours a week who's interaction with others can be summed up as "polite acknowledgements". It is no longer enough for me and my family. We yearn for the earlier model that had the spiritual muscle to change lives and positively affect the Kingdom. We want that stream-lined model that will catch the eyes of the unrepentant and cause them to look deeper to see what could have caused such a life-changing joy in our lives and want that same change for themselves and thier families. Putting a new engine in the old model would be alot like putting new wine in old wineskins - it could not hold up to the task you ask of it - because it wasn't designed to do so.

God is placing us as new wine in a new wineskin. It is all new and we are totally dependent on Him to guide, direct and bless.