I have heard over the years many people say things like “if we could just get back to being the New Testament church…….” Or things like “our desire is to be a ‘book of Acts church’.”

Statements such as these indicate a real yearning by Christians to ‘be’ what they think Christ wants them to be, by ‘doing’ church a different way. Most are genuine in their desire to see change come into the church. I have said things like this myself over the years but I have discovered that this way of thinking is fundamentally flawed.It is fundamentally flawed by these reasons.

1/ we are looking backwards from what we have, to what we think we should have.
This is flawed because we are ‘seeing through coloured glasses’. We are influenced by our experience, teaching, doctrine, belief etc etc. including being influenced by the ‘model’ of the church we have now. We are looking at trying to ‘fit’ something we perceive the NT church to be, into what we have today. This goes on the premise that the ‘church’ we have today is correct and we just need to add something back into it, something we have lost along the way needs to be retrieved to make us whole, a fully functioning church, just like the book of Acts.

But what if what we have today is the wrong starting point. Merely adding or changing something is not going to correct the error. We know it is the wrong way of study to interpret scripture through your own modern mindset. It is the wrong way of ‘building’, to interpret scripture through your own thinking. Most guys would have probably experienced buying something that needs assembly, assembling it without using the instruction manual only to find, it looks ok, but it just isn’t quite working properly. You then go to the maker’s manual to see how it ‘should’ be set up.

We can try to build by our own understanding but if we are going to do something right then we need to go back to what the maker’s manual says. Adding to that, we really need to unlearn what we have been taught and see what the scripture ‘really’ is saying. Coming to the scripture without any preconceived thoughts. Hard to do I realize, but this is where the Lord honours a truly ‘searching heart’. The idol I have been talking about blinds people’s minds to the truth, but this is cleared when we turn to the Lord. The principle is; if we turn to the Lord for truth, the veil is lifted and we then see clearly.

2 Corinthians 3:14-17 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

2/ What many are looking for in the New Testament, doesn’t exist. The ‘church’ we have today didn’t exist in the NT. If we are looking for a ‘model’ on how to ‘do’ church, how to run or structure the church, it doesn’t exist. Do we have a clearly defined plan set out in the NT for the church, its order, how it works (its methods), its constitution, business plan etc – No.

Is there a blue print to copy – No.

Why ? The answer is that the concept that we have today of ‘church’ didn’t exist in the NT. Let me say again – it isn’t in the NT, may I suggest you take off your glasses and study the scripture.

If we take a concept, we can use scripture to try to prove the concept, but this is the wrong way around. We need to view the concept of the scripture.

In an earlier article I exposed, that church planting isn’t even in scripture, yet the church planting proponents use obscure scripture to prove their theology. They take scriptures like the great commission, to go into all the world and make disciples. They distort this to say ‘go into all the world and plant churches’. Their reasoning is “how can you make disciples without a church”. This is flawed reasoning and the answer is very basic really, how did they do it in the NT. (how did they make disciples before the church planting movement existed?)

Sure we can take things from scripture and make them fit our concept. Eg “they met on the first day of the week”, “do not forsake the assembling”, “bring the tithe into the storehouse” etc etc but we must make sure the scripture we are using actually means what we say it does. One easy way of doing this is, Take our concept away – does that scripture still mean the same thing, or something different?

The church concept we have today didn’t exist in the NT – they didn’t have church then, as we know it today. Yes the early Christians went to the synagogue or temple but these were Jewish buildings, not Christian. I have explained in previous newsletters that the word ‘church’ didn’t even exist until just before the 12th century. The concept of the word church that we have today didn’t exist until then. There are many, many other writers expressing the concern of the word ‘church’ and the manipulation surrounding the origin and use of it, even this one that says we need to be set free from what the meaning binds us with http://www.lapstoneministries.org/church.html

(I encourage you to read it, not just skim it)

I believe we need to be delivered from the idol called the church – why? Because it is an idol - a spiritual entity that controls people. At the very least we need to repent from serving it, and turn to Christ.

So how did Christians practise Christianity for 1200 years without ‘church’? Before I get to that lets look a little at what we have today.

A western church system is based, believe it or not, on Old Testament concepts, with some of the world’s concepts thrown in.

(a) Church is based at a ‘place’ (OT)

(b) The presence of God is in the building (OT)

(c) The building is the house of God (OT)

(d) Run by a priesthood (OT)

(e) Run on business principles (world)

(f) Use of marketing to ‘grow’ the church (world)

(g) The church is the centre of activity (OT)

(h) Viewed as a place of worship (OT)

ANSWERS.

(a) Church is based at a ‘place’ :-

Nowhere; absolutely nowhere in the New Testament is there any reference to ekklesia being a place - period. (Please read the previous writings regarding what ekklesia is)

(b) The presence of God is in the building

No one place in the New Testament is described as being “where the presence of God is”.

Why? Because every born again believer ‘carries’ the presence of God, everywhere.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

John 15:4-5

Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

John 14:16-17 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Eph 3:17, Romans 8:9

(c) The building is the house of God:-

Nowhere; absolutely nowhere in the New Testament describes a building as the house of God.

Please read the article on “The house of God” – (Pt 8)

God no longer dwells in a physical temple.

Acts 7:47-50 But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?

Again Paul said in

Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

(d) Run by a priesthood:-

Nowhere; absolutely nowhere in the New Testament is the ekklesia run by a priesthood or any form of hierarchical office.

The body of Christ (the ekklesia) is ‘a holy priesthood’ – the whole lot of us.

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

While many ‘churches’ say they believe in the priesthood of every believer they do not allow the function of the priesthood of every believer. The function they adhere to is that one or two priests, pastors or clergy act as the priest in the local church but everyone else just sits by and spectates instead of functioning as priests themselves, or are taught that you are priests in your own home but not in the ‘church’.

You see there is no hierarchy, ladder, grade, chain of command or pecking order in the ekklesia – we are ALL priests. The five fold gifts are ‘functions’ - not positions. Some people over the years have asked questions like “are you a pastor” as though it is a position, title or job. I should have said “no I am a human being, my function, or the thing I do, is pastoral in caring for others but it isn’t who I am or the position I hold”. It isn’t scriptural to view the five fold gifts as offices or positions. (yes there are translations that talk about offices but if you look at the Greek meaning they are all talking about ‘serving’ rather than a ‘position’.)

No one should smother our priesthood or our functioning as a priest, the gifts or functions of others should encourage, guide and build up. There are functioning gifts within the ekklesia, there are elders with responsibilities to the local gathering (usually elder people with some years under their belt) but they are not positions of employment.

This is another huge subject that will follow in future articles.

(e) Run on business principles:-

There shouldn’t be any need for explanation for this but for many they just don’t see the error in using the worlds concepts to ‘expand’ their church.

“There is perhaps nothing worse than reaching the top of the ladder and discovering that you’re on the wrong wall” Joseph Campbell.

When Roman Catholicism evolved around the fourth century it embraced many pagan practises as well as embracing Judaism. It instituted a professional priesthood and erected ‘sacred’ buildings to worship in.

The western church has been built on top of these foundations of religious idolatry and then mixed in worldly concepts or ideas. Today most churches are run on business principles rather than biblical principles. People would argue that bible principles are the same as business principles – dear Jesus, please open their eyes.

(f) Use of marketing to ‘grow’ the church:-

The vast majority of changes taken place in the last 50 to 100 years have been basically a smokescreen used to screen the religious spirits by making things ‘relevant’ (I hate that word used in church circles) Choose any trend, church growth, mega-churches, seeker sensitive, purpose driven, multi campuses, worship style, big productions using music and large screens, credit card giving, cell groups, home groups are all different marketing attempts to perform the same things in different ways or in different places.

The church system embraces marketing in all its various forms to expand the Kingdom. Question how can the Kingdom of God be expanded by marketing? Jesus never said go into the world and market the Kingdom. He never said go and use fads to entice people in. He said go preach the gospel to every creature. Go make disciples.

Some would say they are just being ‘relevant’ and using modern ways to perform what Jesus commanded. This shows a complete lack of the understanding & working of the Holy Spirit to draw people to the Father. Instead they use surveys to work out where to ‘plant’ a church. Instead of relying upon the power of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus they use programs to get people into ‘church’. Instead of relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to convict and convert people they use all sorts of ‘tools’ and gimmicks to get people into church. Instead of leading people to Jesus they get them to sign up for church membership.

(g) The church is the centre of activity

You have probably seen the signs, heard the statement, but what does it mean?

What does ‘I Love my church’ really mean?

Does it mean I love the building I go to? (The seats, the lighting, or the décor)

Does it mean I love the coffee and the fellowship at the organization I go to?

Does it mean I love the ‘worship’, the preaching, or the programs of the church?

Does it mean I love the culture of my church? (the way we look, act or do things)

Does it mean I love what I do at my church?

Or

Does it mean I love my church because it is where I meet with God?

Do you realize that if you said yes to any of these questions you are probably loving the idol.

Why you may ask?

You see the bible clearly states that we are to love Christ and put no other before Him.

Anything man made that we love, is an idol

“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21

Please read what constitutes and idol here

http://www.miraclerevival.com/articles/208-an-idol-called-the-church-part-9.html

Acts 7:41 And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

Like so many churchianty statements they lead to doctrinal confusion. For example, some would argue that the church is the body of Christ – if this is true, how can you accurately say “I love MY church” – when the body of Christ isn’t yours.

The church that we experience in the modern western world is not necessarily the ‘Ekklesia’ - ‘the body of Christ’,

There are members of the body of Christ within the system called the church but that doesn’t make the church system the body of Christ.

Many people (protestants) outside of the Catholic Church system see this clearly within that system yet are blind to see the same system at work around them, Pentecostals included.

People have accused me of bashing the church, well I don’t want to bash the Church (the system, the idol called the church) I want to see it destroyed because it is an idol. It is actually against the body of Christ. It is designed to keep people immature and bound within the system.

If you don’t believe me try and get out and see what happens. I am not talking about leaving the body of Christ I am talking about leaving the system of the church (the idol). Leave and all hell breaks loose in your life, people disassociate you, lie about you, distort what you say, treat you as a backslidden idiot etc. Some pastors have left the system and they appear to lose everything, yet they gain everything.

I heard a visiting speaker a few months ago say that there were more people outside the church than inside and that we should be encouraging them to ‘get back to church’. He didn’t mean outside of the body of Christ, he meant outside the organized system called the church?

It’s almost as though you are backslidden if you don’t tick the box of ‘attending’ church. One pastor shared of their concern about getting their son back to church – what about his relationship with Jesus, if he hasn’t got one, what about getting him back to Jesus. A church system is the last thing he needs.

A pastor of one of the largest churches in New Zealand said on his TV show recently, where he preached about his church, “you cant be a Christian and not attend church” –
Well Peter, that’s heresy.

He also made statements like “you should be found in the house of God” referring to his church. “you must belong to a church”. And that his “ministry was successful” because it was large and growing.

Again that’s heresy Peter. It is just preaching to build your kingdom and people are swallowing the error.

You see statistically, most Christians don’t go to church.

If there are more people of the body of Christ outside of organized church, why?

Could it be that the system is not working? Could it be that they have something that the system hasn’t – a relationship with Jesus instead of a relationship with church.

Pastor Peter, why should I be found in the house of God when I am the house of God. Where does it actually say in scripture that I have to belong to a church, when in fact the moment I accept Christ I belong to His body.

Many People are leaving the system in the droves; pastors are leaving the system in the droves also. One example of a maga church pastor, Francis Chan, in the USA recently left the church because he said “his life, including how famous he has become in the Christian circle, no longer fit the Bible and he wanted to take time off to realign it with Scripture.”

View full article here http://www.christianpost.com/article/20110103/francis-chan-shares-details-of-asia-trip-at-passion/

Bill Hybels discovered that older Christians were leaving churches in the thousands because they felt they were not able to mature in the system. That’s because it is designed to keep you from maturing. Mature saints see the futility of the system; it is designed for failure from the start.

Don’t get me wrong; I love the body of Christ and I love meeting with the body because the body isn’t an idol and its not man made.

Someone once said “you shouldn’t go to church you should be the church” I like to go one step further and say “I shouldn’t go to church or even try to be the church (because of its error’s), rather I should be the person Christ called me to be within the body of Christ.

You may say “how can you say I am loving the idol if I love my church, because it is where I meet with God”

Acts 7:47-50 But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?

2 Corinthians 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

(please read part 8 and part 10 for further understanding)

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

You know this was the scripture Pentecostal preachers were using to get people out of ‘traditional churches’ and into theirs. Now I believe God is saying it to all believers.

What does ‘My church’ really mean?

http://www.vimeo.com/10345604

(h) Viewed as a place of worship

This is a religious term not supported in the N/T – Jesus actually said in Jn 4:21-24 that worship would not be confined to ‘a place’ and if we study what worship actually means we then understand that it is not going to a place to sing three fast songs, three slow songs, communion, offering, announcements and then listen to a sermon. A Christian’s worship is more than singing songs – it is their whole life, as an expression of worship, in word, thought and deed. So the actual place of worship is – the person.