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Since doing Part One of "Words We Use," I have compiled a list of other words which we need to consider. These all came from situations which I have had to deal with, in the lives of friends, or in my own experience. I hope you will use this opportunity to examine your speech further to see if you have wasteful or even heretical words in your vocabulary. Matthew 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Proverbs 13:3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction. |
I have come to the conclusion that there are three principle ways by which all pointless words come into the mouths of saints:
1. Saints come to be accustomed to the unsaved and worldly influences, and they then easily allow cute, or even filthy, worldly vocabulary to come into their mouths.
2. Old Bible words come to seem odd or quaint, so newer more contemporary words come into use. This may even be exacerbated by commercial marketing to local churches by book publishers and seminar gurus. "Assembly" gives way to "church." "Give" gives way to "Support." "Teacher" gives way to "keynote speaker." And, it goes on and on as we exalt men and ourselves over the Word of God.
3. Some of the pointless vocabulary we use comes straight from the Whore of Rome. "Sanctuary," the word "Altar," which is used to serve the Lord's Supper, are examples. This often borders on blasphemy.
We are not called to be trendy and up to date with the masses, even the masses of Christendom. In fact, if you use a correct form of an incorrect usage, you will often open up an opportunity to:
Philippians 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Thus:
Words We Use Which Degrade the Word of God and Christ
Church Board--
This notion is not in the New Testament of the Word of God. Neither Jesus nor any of the Apostles had a "church board." There certainly is order in the Lord's Church, but it is gained by one mind in the whole assembly and the ministry of the Holy Ghost. Anywhere you find Paul calling for "one mind" you will find that he is addressing a local church in a general manner in a letter. He does not address this instruction exclusively to the leaders of the local church. Check it out.
So, church boards who meet in private and secret session, even "executive session," are Nicolaitans-- above the people. There is NO indication that any godly saint cannot sit down with any leader in the Lord's Church and decide something along with all the other godly folks in that assembly. This is also NOT a "church business meeting." UGH! It is to be a thing done in simplicity, and "minutes" are not ever called for in the Word of God either. Minutes are one of the most damnable things in any church. I burned most of the file of every church I pastored.
Consistory--
Same as Church Board, but it is found in Reformed churches. It has no basis in the Word of God. It sort of implies a bunch of eggheads who hang together for their mutual aggrandizement.
Vestry-- Vestibule, Vestments, Vested--
Now, this one comes straight from the Whore. It is the group of leaders who run the affairs of an Episcopal church. It all runs back to the group in the Whore of Rome who are in charge of the vestments and other accouterments in the secret chambers behind the "sanctuary." They fall in the shadow of the one wearing the vestments, the one vested with high authority, and this vestry then rules over the rest of the hoi paloi in a fearful order of the peck. Not a biblical notion at all of course.
Presbytery--
This one is the closest to a Greek word from the Greek Bible. It is, however; warped out of context of course, for this is the elite in many Reformed churches, who rule over the people, and the whole thing is crassly Nicolaitan.
Chapel--
This is a purely pagan term, and has no relationship with the Lord's Church in any age. If your assembly calls itself a chapel, I want you to read the ONLY text in the Word of God which uses the term "chapel."
Amos 7:10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.
14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
16 Now therefore hear thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac.
17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.You now see that Amaziah, the "archbishop" of the king and the king's chapel, was protecting pagan worship on behalf of the king, and the center of worship was no longer even under the pretext of a "temple" or "synagogue." They had a new name, and it very likely came from Philistia or Moab.
It is a marvel to me that many of the Brethren assemblies, which have cleansed themselves of much of the evil tradition in this age of sloppy church, nonetheless; call their gathering place a Chapel! It is time to decide whether we will use the Words of God or the words of the flesh and Satan.
Supporters-- Support--
This is the end result of the collection when it reaches the leeches around the world and in the "Home" sending area, which "missionaries" live on. Do some of them do God a service? Yes. But, this word fosters a freeloading welfare society of people who learn to define and expect their sustenance as an obligation of local churches "back home."
Paul did not do this. Nor did anyone in the Bible talk of his "support." While he did receive some help from one or two churches, he reserved the choice to refuse help from others, and he worked as a tent mender to "support" himself in some places.
This is why mission boards will declare a nation "closed to the Gospel." This means that you cannot send "missionaries" to that nation. It so happens that about 90% of these "closed" nations are delighted to accept Christians from other nations who come to teach English, help them farm, promote US business interests, and generally go to work in the host nation. Ah, there is the rub-- Go to work? Never! So, "That field is closed." You cannot collect "support" and go there and use the non-biblical title "missionary." You may go to that "field" with Shell Oil Company, or as an English teacher and "support" yourself.
Deputation-- As in "Going on...."--
This is part of the "support" issue. In order to "get supported," you have to travel all over the USA for up to six years begging for the cash to be a soul winner. Now, this is not how Paul used his life, but never mind, times have changed they tell us. Many pastors foster this deputation monster, which destroys the "missionary's" home life for that period of time. Pastors and local churches will not consider "supporting" a "missionary" unless they come from a "mission board" and are "on deputation." Until local churches start LOOKING for a servant in THEIR assembly and "support" them 100%, this Laodicean device will continue to deform the ministry of evangelism until the Lord returns.
Mission Board--
This device came into existence in a rather innocent way. William Carey, David Livingston, and a number of other men went to the field of the world long ago alone. After they were "on the field" for some time, it was clear that those who wanted to help them financially had no reliable way to meet their needs. Thus, good business men were called on by British pastors to act as a conduit of the giving of the local churches so that the cash and materials needed "on the field" could get there safely.
Well, Satan warped this innocent beginning of the "mission board" concept. Over the years, organizations like China Inland Mission, Sudan Interior Mission, Africa Inland Mission, TEAM, New Tribes Mission, and many more, became massive corporations much greater in size and grandness than any local church in the world. Power corrupts, and these missions have become self-governing, outside of the local church, and sway the minds of local churches and their pastors like General Motors determines the thoughts of a local car dealer in your town.
Where is this in the New Testament? Nowhere! Where is this in Rome? Hmmmmmmmm
Temple-- Tabernacle-- As in "Tabernacle Baptist Church"--
These are Old Testament terms, and they clearly are used by local churches which have the disease of law keeping and dispensation hopping. They may want to avoid the use of "church" for real estate, for which we may commend them. But, they have blundered on down the road into Hebrew Roots notions that we can call ourselves by Old Testament terms and still claim that Grace is the foundation on which we build our law system.
The grandest Baptist Temple in America, the one in Detroit founded by Frank Norris, is now totally liberal and degraded. Why use clever non-biblical names in the first place? It just helps the thing go in the ditch later.
Offertory--
Taking the collection, as Paul called it, could be done with a box at the door. We did this in Michigan in a church where I ministered, and it delivered us from a big waste of time. You see, "The Offertory" consists of the following:
1. The pastor, or some tough guy leader, stands up and tells the people how urgently "the church" needs their "tithes and offerings." They people are shamed in a manner which causes them to rise to the occasion through either guilt or extreme urgency. I know, I did this once at Bible college, and the airplane sitting on the quad was paid for by the students' offerings in short order. It is 100% of the flesh and NOT found in the Bible.
2. The "offering" is collected. Small envelopes are used, and the giver knows that, if God is not paying attention, his pastor sure is, and he better pay up, or he will be getting a visit from the deacons. This collection is timed so that latecomers are caught, usually just before the sermon.
3. During the collection, the pianist plays (the people never sing), and she is instructed to play money grabbing songs. These will be military in nature so that the giver, who never witnesses for Christ, can get the impression that this act of giving is tantamount to preaching the Word. The pastor will then assure the giver that he, and the "missionary" from that church, are busy using the givers cash to "preach the Gospel." Of course, this is spelled out in the form of a raise for the pastor and a new parking lot, right?
Prelude-- Postlude--
The Prelude is mellow music played as the saints gather in a formal assembly, and the Postlude is the same king of music played at the end of the meeting as they walk out. Deep reverence for the system, the very sincere pastor with his head bowed in his big chair up front, and an awe of the moment as the cathedral empties, is the mood, and the music does wonders.
Would Fundamentalists do this? Yes, and it is all too common. Why not just end with the closing prayer and let everyone chatter and talk and catch up on fellowship? Answer from the liturgist: "That would not be reverent," whatever that is. God is in the saints, NOT the building or the hubris of the moment. The music should be for the joy of the saints, NOT to synthesize reverence for the system.
Church Constitution-- Bylaws-- Church Government--
Where is "government" in the New Testament? Peter uses it once to speak of civil rulers, and that is it. There is no such thing in God's order of things as "Church Government." To use the term implies that some potentate is up yonder being mighty and great-- Commonly known as Nicolaitanism.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
This...
What is the basis of "Rule" in the Lord's Church?
1 Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
So, a pastor who preaches the Gospel, takes lots of offerings, learns Karate, runs through the woods with the deacons shooting each other with paint balls, catches lots of bass with his deacons, keeps the sheep in fear of leaving the local church, but will not study his Bible and never teaches doctrine-- That pastor is NOT worthy to receive the financial support and the respect of the saints. There is no other way to earn this respect outside of LABORING (not just personal devotions) in the Word of God, and becoming thoroughly immersed in Bible doctrine AND teaching it.
Any church which has a minister of Christ obeying this instruction needs NO "government" other than its Head, Christ.
Church Planter--
We are not talking about the container out front holding the azaleas.
This is a fellow (or Methodist lady :-) who goes to some location and declares a need for a church. The man starts from scratch using all the clever methods he can glean from his Bible College class notes and by reading how-I-dunnit books from the Christian bookstore. Usually, these guys last about two years, burn out, and try to land in an established local church as pastor.
There are church planters who don't beg for the cash of churches ("support"). They go find a job in some godless community, and they start inviting people to their home for Bible study and singing. They follow the example of the Apostle Paul, and a local church results in the homes. The problem is, this method is actually considered subversive by the majority of pastors of Laodicean churches, including 80% of Fundamental Baptist churches, so the fellow has to be content to be on his own with the Holy Ghost and never be approved by man.
Thus, there is biblical "church planting," and there is Laodicean "church planting." Don't kid yourself friend-- When the rapture of the Lord's Church happens, the next Sunday there will be a bunch of house churches meeting as usual. We won't give up on the house church because of this, but I can already see the perverting of the house church idea, and it is just getting under way.
Sanctuary--
Sanctus, sanctus. Holy, holy. The sanctuary is the holy room, for it is based on the Latin word "sanctus" for "holy." This is a totally Roman Catholic notion, that is, that the room and church (Body of Christ) meets in is the holy room, and being there makes one more holy. This is of course grotesque perversion of the Word of God and anything taught by Jesus or Paul:
John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.Why do Fundamental Baptists not know how to worship anymore? Why do they even mock at anyone who tries to teach the Lord's people to worship? Answer: They think that worship is attendance, giving, loyalty to the organization, going to preacher's events, soul winning, and long sermons. They have totally lost the concept of "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." The only part they like is the "bring an offering" which goes with that verse.
More and more Baptist pastors and local church leaders are venturing into unstructured but reverent gatherings which are centered on exalting Christ. But, these people lead a lonely existence, for the big Baptist associations and colleges mock them and accuse them of all sorts of unspeakable things for their hunger and thirst for righteousness. This gives me hope for these good people, and you ought to go look for any like this in your area. They will be meeting in a home, a rented building, or some other non-organizational venue.
Vespers--
This is a high church and Reformed notion from the Whore of Rome. It has to do with a ritual service in the evening and it is accompanied by "The Angeles" in Catholic locations. It is pure invention and very dead stuff.
The Irish in Ireland are very devout about "The Angeles" at sun down. They recite the Angeles as the church bells ring in the distance saying, "Bong, Bong, Bong, Bong."
Second Blessing-- THE blessing-- THE anointing-- As in, "Have you received the....?"--
Charismaniacs use these terms to exalt themselves for having gotten the second, and thus the whole "full Gospel," load. Since their beginnings in Scotland, Oklahoma, and Azuza Street in California, they have been trying to explain their loonie bin antics and devil possessed baboon show with the logic that, if you and I had the "second blessing," we would understand the glory of rolling on the floor and vomiting on ourselves "in the Hooooooooly Ghost.
Frankly, I wish to inform my Charismaniac readers that I have indeed had the Second Blessing. Also, I have had the Third Blessing, and the Fourth Blessing, in fact, I have had thousands of blessings since I believed in Jesus Christ as my Savior long ago. You have nothing on me friend!
Anointing-- Anointed--
Everything is being anointed these days. Sermons are anointed. Music is anointed. Guitars are anointed. And, if it isn't anointed, and if you feel it should be, just call on your local Charismaniac preacher, and he will bring his little bottle of olive oil around and anoint your Volks Wagon.
Where did this come from? Well, the vocabulary and ritual are from the Old Testament, for we see that oil is often involved, and OBJECTS are often the anointed thing. This is sub-Christian paganism. The other factor is that the Catholic Church has its holy water and its anointing oil and its incense, and we don't have any. The anointing frenzy in Pentecostal circles gives the groupies their own post Catholic fetish.
Now, do we see this anointing thing elsewhere? Yes. Many Fundamental Baptists are now getting this "anointing" lust, and they too are starting to sound like Pentecostals. What is anointed in the New Testament:
Jesus anointed people and healed them-- Mark 6:13. This was in His presenting of Himself as Messiah and giving signs to the Jews.
Jesus is anointed prophetically-- Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor.... Ac 4:27 ; Ac 10:38 ; Heb 1:8-9
Jesus was anointed by those who love Him-- Luke 7:46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
A man's eyes were anointed-- John 9:6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay...
Saints are anointed-- 2 Corinthians 1:21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;
Now, think of all the anointed THINGS and SONGS and BOOKS and BOOGIE SESSIONS and MEETINGS and SERMONS and BUMPER STICKERS and BUILDINGS and OFFERINGS and HONKY TONK CCM and BLAH BLAH BLAH which you have heard of from gullible saints.
Jesus is anointed by God and those who love Him, you are anointed by God, and sick people were anointed. Only PEOPLE are anointed by God or by the servant of God. You are an abject jerk if you blabber about anything else being anointed. It is folk lore at best, and it is probably devils controlling you flapping yapping loose jointed jaw. Shame on you!
Sunday School--
Robert Rakes invented Sunday School back in the late 1700s. He lived in a very pagan city in England, and he had a burden for the souls of unsaved kids on the streets. He started holding Sunday school classes for unsaved kids. This "ministry" had nothing to do with church growth or getting the numbers out. He just wanted to win souls, and church growth and planting was not the object.
Ralph Wetmore was a missionary for the American Sunday School Union back in the days when they had not yet run into the ditch in compromise. Ralph was known to put 90,000 miles on his car in a year driving all over Nevada keeping Sunday Schools going in dead end mining communities. These Sunday Schools would often be run by women, and they were attended mostly by kids. The whole thing, like with Robert Rakes, was to win souls. Out of some of the Sunday Schools developed local churches.
Sunday School is not evil, but it has come to be associated with orthodox Bible based local church zeal. Any Fundamental Baptist pastor who has no Sunday School will also have no future. His resume will be pitched in the trash can by anyone reading it. In fact, a pastor will be far more famous for building a huge Sunday School than for anything else he does.
But can you believe it, for over 1700 years, the Holy Ghost got along just fine without Sunday School?
If your Sunday School is taking most of your adults away from Bible study-- If your Sunday School is wearing out the saints-- If your Sunday School turns the fellowship of the assembly on Sunday into a crazy house of chaos-- If you cannot get really mature teachers to teach all the classes you invented-- If you have Sunday School only because you do it to keep your job-- You are a wimp preacher. The saints are gathering on Sunday to be edified, according to the Apostle Paul, and you are wearing them out.
Altar-- As it is used to describe where the Lord's Supper is served--
There is NO altar in the New Testament. The veil was rent in two when Christ died on the cross, and the altar of the temple became a piece of antique obsolete furniture. So, what is the altar in YOUR church house? We better get this vocabulary right so that we are not fostering stupid notions which will offend new believers from the Roman Catholic Church.
At left you see the altar in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. Basilica is a Latin word which survived from the name of the ancient phallic god, Basilisc. How very fitting that they named their pagan temple after a filthy god from Babylon.
Choir--
There is very little history of choirs outside of the Catholic and Reformed churches. Anabaptists, and most other groups which met in homes and in modest manners, had not choir. They did all the singing as congregations and were happy to hear one anther sing. "Special Music" is often more special to the leaders and the ones performing than to the people listening, but with time, you can fool the people into thinking they are worshipping God by being spectators and non-participants.
The strong churches I have visited did their own singing, and the quality of the heart was the priority, not the quality of the voice.
Special Number--
Similar to the "Choir" topic is the notion of "Special Music." Not content with the zeal of the assembly, pastors and leaders of the local church come to want the sound which they hear in worldly music. They want long holds, complicated harmonies, upbeat rifs, vibrator, and gracious body language. All of these accouterments of music are fleshly and exalt the singer. They often have to be trained into the singer, and this makes the average saint feel inferior and timid about singing out during worship time.
I have no truck with this circus. It is my opinion that solos and "special music" should be done in such a way that the fellowship can come in on the last verse and sing along. I have often asked someone to sing one of the verses of a hymn spontaneously. This gives freedom to the singer and the congregation because it is self-evident that perfection is not the object.
Again, if there comes into your assembly someone with a charming voice, and if they act like they expect to become a big treat to the assembly by their clever performances, I would encourage you to tell them to sit still and try to become part of the fellowship in song. If they sing during worship time with affect and use classy voice tricks, run them off. Just because someone is known as a great singer is no indication they are right with the Lord. I am so sick of this notion.
Only the best--
This is like unto the two above items. If you think performance is the determinator of "the best," you are sick preacher. You don't need "the best" if you have people led and moved along in the Holy Ghost. The listener will be blessed with the singing of the sincere and godly saint, and the singer will be blessed to have served.
Why would you deny Maudy Gibbon the joy of singing again, even if her voice is cracking now and she forgets here place? Maudy is of far more value to the people who love her than the quality of her voice. Let her sing. Of course, some of you boys have churches with 1000 people sitting there, and they have come to expect "the best" from you. You are beyond help. I pity you and your goon show.
Pride-- as in, "I am proud to be an American" or what is called "TEXAS Pride"
"We are proud of you." "We would be proud to have you come to dinner." This is typical southern speak. It is an example of a case where culture is NOT the standard for the Christian. The use of "proud" in an allegedly "innocent" manner needs to be changed in the mouth of Bible believers. Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
"I know how you feel" as in, I know how you feel-- (Submitted by a reader)
A whole lot of people say this, (in sincerity) when in reality, they don"t have a clue how someone feels. For example, If you are trying to console someone who just found out they have cancer, and you don't have cancern, don't tell them you know how they feel. Because YOU DON"T. Encourage them, tell them you will pray for them, tell them you wish there is something you could do, love them, offer a shoulder to cry on, but don't tell them you know how they fell unless you have been there yourself.
Self-Esteem-- As in, don't spank your children, it will ruin their self-esteem-- (Submitted by a reader)
This term is not in the bible and in fact, SELF, is for the most part (if not always) condemned the bible. Have no confidence in the flesh-- Have faith in God, not in yourself. You may be saved but you still must crucify the flesh daily. let each esteem other better than themselves. (Philippians 2:3)
Rights-- as in I have the right to do this or that-- (Submitted by a reader)
As Christians we have no rights. Not even as Americans. If you are saved "ye are bought with a price" We are servants. (bondslaves). (1 Cor 6:20) and your rights now belong to God. See also Romans 14:7-9)
Worship--
Here is Fundamental Baptist worship:
Open with jokes and chopping of the pastor and deacons of each other. Ha ha ha ha.
Opening prayer: Pray real fast, saying the same thing every Sunday.
Announcements: Drag on and on asking people to add comments along the way.
Sing the first and last verses of two songs (Keep it down to only about 12 songs that you use all the time so people will grind through them by memory and not think much about what they are singing)
Take the Offering
Sing two verses of one more hymn
"Special Number" or choir sings
Sermon
Long altar call using every possible combination of reasons for people to "go forward"
This is NOT worship. Here is what you are missing
The beauty of holiness
1 Chronicles 16:29 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Do you ever think of your assembly as reverent, filled with quiet zeal, and eager to be with their Lord? Or do they come together just to get the rush of the group and the preacher's good jokes?Awe and fear of God
Do you, preacher, have a fear of silence and meditation? Does it sound like a waste of time to stop and by still before God? Got to keep the thing moving, right? Some of your people could use a few moments to just sit and think about who God is and why they are sitting there. When is the last time you got alone with God with only your King James Bible and no plans-- I mean away from the routine? Maybe NEVER? I dare you to go find a tree, sit down, get quiet, and say, "Dear Lord, talk to me please."Confession of their faith and zeal by the people
Not the same old testimony for the 40th time. Tell what you got from the Word last week. Give a verse in praise. No sorry tales.Adoration of Jesus Christ verbally without a plan
Are you the only one in your church who talks to the Lord Jesus or the Father in prayer out loud? If so, you have a kindergarten, and you need to teach your people to speak out loud in exaltation of Jesus Christ in the assembly.Prayer by the people assembled
Who says you and a deacon are the only ones who can pray? You don't trust your friends there do you? I have seen some real moments of power as people, even children, prayed for requests which were handed in as they all came in the door in the morning. Tears come, and people realize what it means to be really close in the Lord. You probably don't even have a clue what I am talking about, you poor thing.Singing with the understanding
1 Corinthians 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
Do you ever sing for 30 or 40 minutes. We often did in Michigan. If you ask for requests from the folks, do you have a 7 year old kid whose favorite is "Arise My Soul, Arise"? How about the 16 year old who sings "Ring the Bells of Heaven" at top volume like he can see right into heaven. Only we changed it to "Sing about the Savior" because someone in the pew figured out that there are no bells in heaven. Did you ever sing all the verses to "For All the Saints" by William Waltham How? And, if you added three verses, so that there were a total of 11 verses, would your people be singing top volume at the end? I know things friend that you have never seen or heard, and we were a small country church. Wake up friend.Reading the Word of God just to read the Word of God
Not the preacher's text. You are NOT the main event, and your sermon is NOT the only thing the Holy Ghost is interested in on any given Sunday morning. If you read the Word in unison, have some godly kid read, or pass out assigned passages for folks to read, you will see that the Word will take hold of people all by itself. I have had to cancel my sermon because the men started bantering back and forth on some passage we read, and the Holy Ghost told me to fan the flames of zeal and let it go. What a time we had, but this would sound like an alien spirit to some of you.Exhortation by the elderly men and deacons
In our assembly in Michigan I asked the godly men to come with a word of exhortation as often as the Lord led. This was shocking to the men at first, but they soon caught the biblical need to this, and we often were taught and rebuked by the men who loved us as an assembly. It was often a time of very close fellowship.Reports of victory in witness from the past week
We would ask where the Gospel tracts went last week, and we had some great moments and some Bible based chuckles as kids told of their exploits, and saints who never witnessed caught the zeal and started coming with tales of new zeal.Attention to include the children
We had a chapter from a missionary story every Sunday. Sometimes I did a thing about evolution as if I were a PhD and I would encourage the kids to try to stop me and catch me as I gave evolutionary notions. The kids loved it and learned to use their Bible to defend their faith.You see my friend, the alleged Fundamental churches today abandoned worship when they left the liberal churches. Most Fundamental Baptist pastors go out of their way to make the alleged "worship" time into a circus for two reasons:
1. Someone convinced them along the way that worship is High Church and only for dead churches.
2. They think they, and their sermon, are the main event.
It is my conclusion that most of you Fundamentalists are terrified of letting go of the reins and letting the Holy Ghost lead the assembly in worship. I am NOT talking about some Charismatic counterfeit, but I know that this is possible because for about eight years in my last church we did this, and it did not get out of control once. It DID get out of MY control of course-- that is what is supposed to happen when the Holy Ghost is in charge. A couple of times the Holy Ghost clearly showed me that the saints were moving along in such joy and zeal that I should not preach that Sunday. I can hear you clear down here in Arizona yelling, "Blasphemy!" I feel sorry for you.
Prayer Meeting--
What do you do on prayer meeting night?
Sing
Bible study
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Ah, but do you ever pray? If not, why do you call it "Prayer Meeting"? Satan loves your do-gooder plan to replace prayer with all those noble substitutions, and that is why you are sick and have no power.
In Michigan in the church I pastored there we had a brief buffet, and then we prayed, and nothing else, every week of the year. Weird eh?
Teaching--
Do you preach the Gospel and tithing four Sundays in five and call it "Bible teaching"? Interesting.
You are like the Mexican kid who was asked what he had to eat each day.
He said, "We have beans and tortillas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday."
The man asked, "Don't you ever have any variety?"
"Oh yes, Señor," the kid said, "On Sunday we have tortillas and beans."
Evangelist--
Here are the steps to become an evangelist:
1. Get saved at about age 12.
2. "Surrender" at an "altar call" to preach at age 13.
3. Preach your first sermon at age 14 (Jesus waited until He was 30 years old, but you should not do this. You will be accused of "holding back" and "he is not committed.")
4. Go to Bible College and major in Bible preaching. Do NOT get a job or dirty your hands any more than you have to. This will slow you down.
5. Get ordained like Jack Van Impe based on no evidence of fruit but on your zeal and ability to quote Scripture.
6. Get married to a lady who "surrendered to merry an evangelist."
7. After you graduate from Bible College, return to your home church and announce to the world that you are about to "launch out in faith." This is the trigger which will do two things:
a. It will tell your pastor he better get you a cash flow soon, or you will be hanging around his acre and may take his church away from him.
b. The local church will get guilty if they don't support you, and thus, they will fork out the cash.
8. Buy an aging RV.
9. Dump you wife and eight kids into the RV, and hit the road. "The Lord will provide."
Here is the biblical evangelist:
2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Timothy didn't go anywhere-- He evangelized in the church in which he ministered-- where Paul placed him. No "hit and run" tactics here folks.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.Evangelists were to edify the local church, and there is no hint of traveling obsessively in this text. The letter was to a local church, and in that context, the evangelist served in that church, possibly for his whole life, without any sign of "I feel like traveling on..." The evangelist was part of the "measure of every part" which ministered in one church.
Acts 21:8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.
9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.If you can visualize Philip traveling around the Middle East with a camel train for his family to ride on, I like your imagination. My son could use your help. He has this idea for a fast food operation where you shove the live cow in one end of the thing, and hamburgers are served in a drive up lane on the other end. He really needs some imaginative gullible fools like you to help him.
I am sick of traveling evangelists who leave their family at home and hit and run their way around America and the world "serving the church." The ones who get convicted over this fix it by offering to stay at the churches they visit "for at least two weeks." Wippy doo! How about buying a home in the area and staying for 20 years? Then there are the boys who leave their family at home and roam. "Six days on the road, and I'm gonna make it home tonight"-- two nights at home, and then, "On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again..."
I have no other emotion about these loner evangelists than that they are out there hustling women along the way. God NEVER gave a man a wife and then told him to abandon her "for the Gospel's sake." NEVER! I don't care who you use from the past as an example-- he was out of God's will. Peter carried a wife about with him according to the Apostle Paul. You need to dig a little deeper into the lives of some of these old time missionaries and evangelists like Moody and Billy Sunday. You will find ruined kids and lonely miserable wives. And, you will find some paying child support also!
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Missionary--
Great Missionary Statesman--
Similar to "keynote speaker" This is a fellow who spent only one or two terms on the "missionfield." He was so grand in his bearing and his inspiration of the folks in the "home land" that he was pulled off of the "field" and run out on the Bible Conference circuit. He is a fantastic recruiter, he holds people in awe with his stories, and if you can book him for your "missions conference," he will pull a great crowd from all around the area.
Problem: He is nothing but a great salesman and motivational speaker. He seldom is caught even handing out a Gospel tract. He is away from his home and family for many months of the year, and, if you could follow him close, you would find him very demanding of those around him between stops, like on the airplane. You might easily catch him on the make in his hotel room also.
There is no such person in the Word of God.
Para-church Organization--
Read "Mission Board"-- The same applies here, but there is more to say. There are organizations which publish Bibles and meet many needs in Christendom. They look good when you read about them, but stay out of the back room. Many of them hire unsaved people and fornicating backsliders to run the main office and the shipping dock.
The problem is, they become big in the eyes of gullible saints, and they know how to make the saints feel guilty if they don't help them. They finally sell out to Rupert Murdock, and the devil has a good right arm holding the collection plate.
Tithing--
Not in the New Testament-- Not taught by the Apostle Paul-- Not for us today. If you really don't know how giving is done in the Lord's Church, read:
1 Corinthians 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.No gatherings FOR the visiting Apostle of Evangelist????? Horror of horrors!
The word "giving" in the New Testament is mainly used for "giving of thanks." Did you ever hear of a pastor canceling "The Offering," and instead telling the saints, "Today we will give only our thanks to Jesus-- Who will be first?"
The Fundamental Baptist movement is now notorious for its main emphasis-- sheep sheering. These jackboot preachers are experts at giving you a guilt complex if you are not flat broke all the time from giving to the treasury and neglecting your kids' and wife's needs. Yet, as Peter said,
2 Peter 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;There isn't a particle of difference between the sheep sheering pastor of some Fundamental Baptist church and Paul Crouch. Paul Crouch simply does a better job of fleecing the sheep.
SEE OUR ARTICLE ON THE ERROR OF PREACHING TITHING IN THE CHURCH AGE
Family Altar--
The use of the word altar is a throwback to the Roman Catholic Church. There is no "family altar" in the New Testament, nor did the Jews have one. Now, what HAPPENS at the "family altar" is precious to our Lord, so don't mistake my point here-- it just might be smart to change the vocabulary.
A friend of ours who came out of the Catholic Church also has a problem with "family devotions." It sounds too much like the Catholic word which they use often. How about "the simplicity of Christ," and call this "Bible time" or "Family Bible reading"?
Altar Call-- Weeping Rail--
This is an event at the end of the sermon when the preacher gets to carve notches on his gun. There is not altar call in the Bible in any of the 66 books, and none is invited. I sure will not complain about those who got saved at the weeping rail, but it is a cheap substitute for soul winning between Sundays.
This thing can get so obsessive that people don't feel right with God and their pastor unless they get "down front" at least once a month. Also, the altar call is often used by jackboot preachers to bring the people under subjection to the preacher. The people are made to believe that they cannot get right with God unless the jackboot is standing over them spewing and raging.
Minister--
In the Bible, the main use of this word is as a verb. There are dozens of uses of "minister" as a verb, and only a handful as a noun to describe a servant of Christ. In spite of this, we hear men say:
"I am a minister at such and such church"
"He is a minister of the Gospel"
"When did you join the ministry?"
"I am on the ministerial council."
"Do you offer a ministerial discount?"
The word, as used today, is Nicolaitan. Look how God used it in the Bible:
1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.This means "any man" in the local church is a minister of Christ if he does so in the biblical manner.
1 Timothy 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
Simple but profound qualifications. Are YOU qualified preacher?
1 Thessalonians 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: Note the comfort qualification in Eph. 6:21-22
You are not a minister of Jesus Christ if you don't, along with preaching the Gospel, establish the saints and comfort them. I hear of many many alleged "ministers" these day who never show their face in the homes of the saints between Sundays-- Unless, that is, they go there to shake them down for a better offering.
Colossians 4:7 All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:
Key word-- "fellowservant" He was not a loner, and he did not think his church was the only right one around.
Key word-- "Faithful" Are you faithful to the saints, or are you only there to sheer the sheep and "make a living?" Check out the "faithful minister" again in Col 1:7. Are you faithful to your wife and kids? Are you faithful to your friends?
Called-- Calling-- Called to preach--
HERE
IS THE FOLLY OF THE "CALLED TO PREACH" DOCTRINE--
IT CAN BE TWISTED
IN ANY DIRECTION BECAUSE IT IS ERROR AS USED TODAY:
Watch this:
Rom. 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Rom. 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:
Rom. 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (That is, every saint)
Rom. 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified:
Ro 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
1 Cor. 1:1 Paul, called to be an apostle
1 Cor. 1:2 Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,
1 Cor. 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Cor. 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God,
1 Cor. 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;1 Cor. 7:15 ........but God hath called us to peace.
1 Cor. 7:17 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk.
1 Cor. 7:18 Is any man called being circumcised? (This is to salvation in context)
Gal. 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal. 1:15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,
(Not by an ordination committee and not at an altar call with pleading preacher officiating)Gal. 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;
Eph. 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(Nothing about called to preach. Hmmmmmm)Eph. 4:4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
Col. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
1 Thes. 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
1 Thes. 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
2 Thes. 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Tim. 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called,
2 Tim. 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
1 Peter 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
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:
1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.
21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
(Called to suffer? What a calling! How many people are rushing to the altar and claim to be called to suffer?)1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus,
2 Peter 1:3 .........through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:
Jude 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Rev. 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Not called to preach though!)
Rev. 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
One time in the Bible someone was "called to preach." We will check it out later. So, where did you get the idea YOU were? You want to perpetuate the Nicolaitan plan of calling young men to preach and then claiming to give them authority under your blessing. Well, you have taken the Captain's authority away from him.
Acts 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
That is the ONLY "called to preach" in the Bible, and if you check the context, Paul did not "go forward" and "surrender to preach." He had a vision in the night. Pretty special event I say, and you better not claim it as yours friend.
2 Tim. 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
This is a command, and anyone who wants to obey it is free to do so. The special "calling" notion goes along with the Nicolaitan process of raising a man into the order of the peck through initiation, and ordination, and approval by higher ranking preachers. This is wicked.
Also, and get this straight friend, preaching is exclusively associated with the Gospel. Preaching and preachers are not identified as rulers and potentates. Elders are the ones who rule in the Lord's Church, and preachers are NOT necessarily elders.
Preach-- Preacher--
Preach is ONLY associated with the Gospel in the Bible. It is not a title by which anyone ever ruled over the saints or introduced himself as one in authority. Get used to it big man.
Ordained-- Ordination-- Reverend--
Leonard Verduin, who did massive research into the Anabaptist era in European libraries in nine languages, reported to me that he never found the Anabaptists ordaining men the way we do today. One man approved of another man he had discipled, gave him a letter, and sent him to a church to serve there. That is all there ever was in 2000 years, outside of the Catholic Church and the Reformed movement, which was called "ordination."
As to the title "Reverend," which some of you boys hold so dear:
Ps 111:9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
HE, in the above text, is NOT a Baptist preacher. So, how did you get God's title? Huh? Hello there.... Where are you?
Church--
This is a well known fault which most all Fundamentalists try to deal with. The Brethren have done the best with this. They call their buildings a prayer chapel or meeting house, and the group is called the assembly. This leaves the word Church for the Body of Christ exclusively.
But, many Bible believers still talk about "going to church." It is very helpful to Satan if we turn the believers in Christ into something else, for then we can ignore the admonitions to assemble. The assembly is referred to as "at the church" in the "sanctuary." It is time to correct this, and it is getting late in the Age of Grace to unload this bit of Roman Whoreology.
READ MY ARTICLE ON THE DANGEROUS BEAST CALLED THE "CUMULUS LAPIDUM"
Dedicated-- As in "I rededicated my life to...."
Heb. 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
This is the only text in the New Testament with the word "dedicated" in it. It has nothing to do with our zeal but everything to do with Old Testament imagery. I have no need to dedicate my life to Christ if I obey the teaching of the Word of God:
Phil. 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.I can do this because my Lord "dedicated" Himself at Calvary in my place. If I could ever master Romans 12:1-2, I would have total victory in the Christian life. If you think I, or any of your Christian friends, need your approval as to our zeal and "dedication" then you must have been recently promoted to the right hand of the Father. OR, could it be that you think of yourself more highly than you ought to think?
Revival--
Why do you try to "win the lost" and call it "revival"? You need to get the dictionary out (it is not in the Bible) and see what the word means. If you preach for a real revival, they might vote you out, right?
Psalm 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
(And, that sure ain't "revive us Philistines" :-)
Full Surrender--
No such thing in the Bible. Maybe that is why the hymn, "I Surrender All" is played by the world. HEATHEN
Committed-- As in, "He is not committed."--
This word and concept is not used in the Bible in this form. The word is used in all sorts of ways, but not as we use it. We should find another way to say what we mean. Furthermore; it has come to be used to castigate and degrade anyone not following hard on the heals of the jackboot preacher, right? I hate that neo Nazi stuff.
One mind-- Like minded--
James 1:8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
This is used by many preachers to mean, "we all agree with me." That is not what the Apostle Paul had in mind.
2 Cor 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace;
Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Many preachers will call for one mind on various decisions, and this is used to make anyone who has some other opinion than the preacher feel they are a trouble maker if they speak their thoughts. For this reason, many preachers go astray due to their own limitations. The assembly holds back and is reluctant to share their various minds with the jackboot preacher out of fear of his wrath.
Pulpit Committee-- Candidating-- Resume--
The pastor search and selection process used in churches today is not found in the Word of God. I have heard of a handful of men who were sought out by the former pastor and brought to the assembly by the former pastor. The assembly accepted the preference and approved the man he selected. This very often is the most peaceful way to find a pastor and parallels Paul's method greatly. This is what Jerry Rubingh did with me years ago in Michigan, and it was a good experience.
The other method is for the local church to appoint a "pulpit committee" which searches for a pastor. The man candidates, jumps through the hoops he hopes will attract the church to call him, and generally sells himself. He sends around a resume and some tapes of him preaching, and generally both the local church and the "candidate" show each other their best side. Six months to a year later, this pastor grows some warts, as it were, and the church starts having second thoughts. Then there is a period where the local church leaders and the pastor have a sort of struggle, and either a handful of leaders are run off by the pastor, or the church leaders prevail and run off the pastor.
Much of this chaos comes from having committees, business meetings, candidating, voting, and discussion forever until a minority is well defined which fully expects the new pastor to be a perfect jerk. His first blunder is then used to prove he was the wrong man. If the methods of the Apostle Paul were used, that is, if a pastor or a single elder in the church were assigned to find a pastor, much evil would be avoided.
Pulpit Supply--
Not an evil term, but it is not in the Bible. The reason a visiting pastor is called in to fill the pulpit between pastors is that an order of the peck system of leadership has been fostered by the former pastor. If all the men in the assembly were teaching the Word, there would be no need to call a hired gun from afar to keep the rodeo going.
Sabbath--
This is the word from the Old Testament for Saturday when the Jews rested and worshipped at the Temple. The church in this age has no Sabbath, though many saints use the term for Sunday. Along with the use of this word goes a good dose of legalism, which is also not called for in the New Testament.
House
Church-- Under Authority--
As in, "That house church is OK, but they
need to get organized and under authority."--
I hear of way too many preachers these days who are demanding the saints "get under authority." By this these preachers mean that the saints should submit to the preacher and do what he demands. Jack Hyles used to boast that he had a bunch of deacons who would walk over a cliff if he told them to. These men were then babies who had no concept of the leadership and fellowship of the local church. Paul never boasted like this, and Jesus made it clear that a lust for lordship was evil:
Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.So, the early church met in homes for 300 years, and the narrow way met in homes until about 1650. There is no reason to listen to the nearby jackboot preacher calling the house church saints to crawl in under his authority.
Church Member-- Church Roll--
This is vaguely familiar to the ex-military man. Roll call was done every Monday morning to make sure no one in the unit had gone AWOL over the weekend. And so it is in many churches. The "church roll" is used to see who has gone AWOL. The vast majority of churches today even have roll call cards that the members fill out each Sunday, and a record of attendance is kept. This is 100% alien to the ways of the local Apostolic church era. There is virtually NO record in the New Testament that any attention was paid as to who showed and who didn't.
It is essential though for Laodicean churches to keep a roll. They are either dead and dull, or they are run by a brutal jackboot brat, and the leaders need some device to intimidate the sheep so that they will not want to miss the counting. There is no tenderness and love in this, as in the story of the Good Shepherd.
There is a story in the early church era which has come to us by word of mouth and not the Word of God. It is told that the Apostle John won a very dangerous bandit to Christ, and that the man attended the local church in Ephesus. After some time, the fellow backslid and went back into the hills and joined his old friends. John determined to go find the fellow and rebuke him in love and plead with him to repent and return to Christian victory. The local church begged him not to go, for they knew the bandit would kill John. John went anyway, and the bandit did repent, and he was restored to fellowship.
If that stupid little card you hand out and gather in was for this purpose, one could tolerate your motive. But, pray tell, how could you MISS someone you really cared about? The card and the roll call is an advertisement that your assembly is either way too big and needs to be busted into smaller assemblies, or you really don't care.
The only church roll the Lord approves of is the rolls made by Maude Gibbon for church dinners. My, but they were good.
Pews-- Aisles-- High Ceilings-- Platforms-- Steeple--
When local churches build a church house, so many of them include all sorts of attachments which send signals which point back to the Roman Whore Church. Why sit in pews in rows and look at the back of each other's heads? Why the big aisle down the middle of the assembly? Why not aisles only along the sides, or why not the old New England and Brethren idea of pews along the walls with the people facing each other?
Why the high ceiling which is a cooling and heating monster in cold climates? Why the high raised platform? Is it so that the people can see and hear the reader, as with Ezra in Nehemiah, or is it so the big show and performance can be developed? Why the phallic symbol, a steeple? Some church houses have a sort of abbreviated steeple which looks more like a wart on top of the building.
All of these high church liturgical trappings come from rejecting the house church and wanting a big cathedral like the Vatican and most other system churches.
Sacraments-- Eucharist--
Neither of these terms is from the Bible. They come down from the Whore of Rome, and no one has any business using these terms for the Lord's Supper. They are blasphemy. Neither term reflects anything to do with the Lord's Supper.
Order of Worship Number Six--
Many Reformed churches use an order of worship which is printed in the back of the hymn book. This is done ostensibly so that the people can stay together and respond with the right prayer and Amen at the right time. They also learn from this when to kneel in prayer. This method of alleged "worship" makes dead sure the Holy Ghost has absolutely nothing to do with the whole process. High muckity mucks decide this for the illiterate masses, and the masses follow like lambs.
The folks in Liverpool,
Their heart is in their boots;
The go to hell like lambs,
Because the hooter hoots.The "order of service" is just the old hooter, the devil, hooting and demanding that the people submit and hoot with him.
Dispensational-- As in, "We are...."--
This is a cute way to put God into a box and make it easy for us to ignore the teaching of the Word. We just define our version of boxology, buy the book by Larkin or Darby, and that becomes our Fundamental Baptist creed. How is this different from the sterile extra-biblical Heidelburg Confession or the Westminster Confession of the Reformed churches? It is about time some preachers learn to study for themselves and teach the saints how God works throughout the ages.
Associate Pastor-- Assistant Pastor-- Senior Pastor-- Youth Leader-- Christian Ed. Director-- Bus Pastor-- Sunday School Superintendent-- Sunday School Teacher-- Custodian-- Doctor-- Worship Leaders-- Worship Team-- Church Moderator--
All of these titles are NOT in the Word of God, and when you use them you ask for trouble. Why? Answer: The requirements for these alleged offices are not defined in the Word of God, so they provide a multitude of opportunity for the flesh and the devil to turn people to lust for power and disobedience of Apostolic order as given by Paul and others.
If you are so big that you think you need these titles, you are too big. Break the assembly up, and start some local churches around your area. Then you can get back to the simplicity which is in Christ.
By the way, the only doctors in the Bible were (a) in the temple talking to Jesus, and (b) Gamaliel in Acts 5. Gamaliel's counsel was that whatever succeeded must be of God. Robert Schuler would love that, and so would Joseph Smith. You who love to be many masters and doctors and demand that people call you "Doctor"-- You are asking for a big fall one day. Mark it down.
Budget-- A Plan-- Ways and Means--
In Michigan, for 12 years, we never had a budget. Why? The Holy Ghost moved the people to give according to the need. Of course, if you don't trust the Holy Ghost, then you need a budget. Just don't go looking in the Bible for a budget-- No one in there had one.
Roberts Rules of Order--
This is a crutch for babies who fight a lot and love to "move the previous question" and "table the aforesaid motion." There is nothing which advertises the local church's lack of one mindedness better than a session of Robert's Rules debate, followed by a voting event to divide the church for months to come. You are a fool if you follow this method of decision making. It is of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
The Solution To Church House Jabberwocky
2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
Please meditate on all the horrible things you read about in First Corinthians which had come into the Lord's Church there. The reason for all this chaos was one thing-- They had come to despise the simplicity that is in Christ. If you cannot make the right conclusion now as to your life and this discussion, just back out and go play church-- Go be a subtle clever organized freak. I have no more pearls to cast.
Hebrews 6:9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
OUR READERS CONTRIBUTE:
1. The use of "Praise the Lord".
I don't know about you but I cringe somewhat when I hear people say that. I know it should be used to show REAL praise to Jesus, but the way people say it sounds awfully flippant (or whatever). It reminds me of a situation about 20 years ago a pastor attended a meeting of pastors (a retreat I guess) and some pastors said to him "Praise the Lord", "Hey, aren't you gonna say praise the Lord?" and similar statements. He replied, "Look, you have said that to the point where it is becoming meaningless."
2. "Rapture":
You are correct stating that it is not found in the Bible. "Caught up" (or something similar) would be a better phrase. I have come across comments by smart-aleck Christians saying like, "Oh, we don't have to worry about persecutions after all we will be raptured away!". Well, let's hope so! You might disagree with me but I think this "rapture" thing is blown way out of proportions. The LEFT BEHIND novels are a typical example of this. How many people really get saved by these scare-tactics?
3. Another thing you might want to add is "personal Savior".
I wonder why the word "personal" added to this. I think "Jesus as Lord and Savior" should say it all. I suspect it is added because of the popular use of "personal" as in "personal computer", "personal digital assistant", etc. From that does it mean that Jesus is at our beck and call? Let's hope not. I prefer leaving out the "personal" part, thank you.
Love in Christ,
Richard Reaves
Salem, Oregon
Power in Words We Speak
GO ON TO WORDS WE USE- PART THREE
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WORDS WE USE- PART ONE
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