Requiem for the Western Church
Approximately 18 years ago my friend and I, while lamenting on the embarrassing and immoral way the church was using the money it was collecting, struggled to find some answer to the issues we were identifying. If the ways of the western church had been foretold to God’s people a century ago they would have been aghast, and perhaps they would have refused to believe it was the authentic church of the Living Christ. But what were we to do besides expostulate the behavior of the present day church?
We decided to form an independent missionary organization which had no staff and no overhead and just raised and sent money overseas to missionaries, especially those working among unreached peoples. This past Sunday one of the men we have supported for over a decade, a pastor from Togo who has started 16 churches, spoke in a church here in America. Within his message he gave a stark and revealing comparison between the American churches and the churches in Togo, Africa. It was obvious how wide and growing is the gulf between how believers gather together in Togo and how we gather here.
Besides some specifics about the length of the service and the church disciple that exists over there, there was one major component that seemed to be the core difference. It was the emphasis, or lack thereof, of the practice of prayer. We do not need to pray more here in the church in America, we need to pray period. What is called corporate prayer here is an affront to God. And if God’s people do not pray with conviction and passion, with tears and repentance, then we have a form of godliness while denying the power thereof.
I do not need to rehearse the doctrinal falsehoods and the self righteousness that is prevalent within the community of faith. It is unnecessary to present a long list of the carnal practices and the pleasure seeking mentality within the western church. I can refrain from repeating the divorce statistics and the pervasive promiscuity within the youth groups. It would be redundant to expose the pitiful subject matter and powerlessness of the pulpiteers across this nation. And the political entanglement is obvious and unfortunate. All of that is just symptomatic of the church’s condition.
All I need to do is to communicate how little the church really cares about prayer.
Until that changes the die is cast.
Let the requiem begin.
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3 comments:
Brother Rick,
I have heard in the last 2 weeks a statement that does not set well with me. A statement that I when I hear it, it is very troubling and vexes my spirit. I have heard 2 pastors who have nothing in common say the following when it comes to "funding" missions or "funding" the gospel.
"The Gospel is free, BUT sending it forth into the world is costly/expensive/takes money."
Where is that in the Holy Bible? That sounds like Americanized Christianity/Americanized Gospel? Yes...
When I read throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the Acts, I do not believe these men and women went forth preaching everywhere looking to see what kind of money they were going to collect. I keep hearing this in my spirit, JESUS CHRIST was not concerned about money or mammon on HIS blessed mind when HE went forth preaching the KINGDOM. Money was not even a concern. The only place where I read in the gospels that the LORD JESUS took up an offering is when a young lad offered up his 2 pieces of fish and 5 loaves of bread. We know he had a treasurer who was a thief(Judas Iscariot).
I believe American Christianity is a type of Judas. Selling out JESUS for MONEY! Am I off base?
I have been reading your writings like Nicodemus from afar, and I got to say Brother, your writings resonate with me. I do not want to preach to for money! I want to preach, teach HIS Word because of the awesome love HE bestowed upon me when I had no hope, no future, nothing. If you truly love something, you will do it with all your heart and you will do it for free. I think you did a writing where a young Sunday School student truthfully described the Church that becomes a business is a harlot? Yes.
GOD bless you for being a radical voice of courage and truth in this time and hour.
Sincerely,
Brother Grover Stephens
Upper Marlboro, MD
"Funding" the gospel is more about lives than it is about money.
Very interesting article....
Todays American style churches are more interested in landscaping and growing their building space than in spreading the gospel it seems. Have you ever noticed how much money is wasted on buildings and such that get so little use weekly? It is time to bring back the new testament home church concept where we all take part in worship, grow closer disiples in small numbered setttings and use our money to fund Gods work not the American church model.
God be praised!! Jim
http:verilytimes.blogspot.com
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