Can
you imagine the scene ?, the young,
eager and very enthusiastic disciples gather around the young anointed leader,
and they discuss amongest themselves and through pray and prophecy that they will
become a new but different expression of church in the location they live, they continue to prophesy
to themselves that God has called them and He will bless them, and off they go.
They
decide that the expression of Church that they spent their formative years in,
is no longer relative and is outmoded, they criticise that expression of
church, and say we’re better than them because we’re God’s Joshua
Generation, and we will unlike our forefathers
or the Moses’s generation will cross
into the promised land, and they continue to prophesy to themselves.
We don’t need
another “ new “ expression of Church, being built out of people’s
own sense of importance , and because of their misguided zeal they
will attempt to draw followers after themselves from established
churches, offering false promises and prophecies and they tell people
that if join us, the grass will be greener, unfortunately these “ new “
expressions of church have no foundations and no covering, because
they think that we will build our own foundations and we will become our own
covering, we need to be built up together as one church, and not
be separated into another tribe or grouping.
People
start coming and joining in, because
they want to be inclusive all are welcome,
and it seems there is an “ anointing” from the Lord there, so other Christians from various other church
backgrounds join them , some fully commit to this wonderful new church and
others have one foot in this new expression of church and keep one foot in
their home church.
Perversion
of the Gospel
Galatians
1 6F
I am amazed that you are
so quickly deserting Him who called you [c]by the grace of Christ, for a different
gospel; 7 which is really not
another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort
the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an
angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel [d]contrary to what we have preached to
you, he is to be [e]accursed!9 As we have
said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel[f]contrary to what you received, he is to
be [g]accursed!
10 For am I now seeking
the favour of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still
trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Paul
Defends His Ministry
11 For I would have
you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not
according to man. 12 For I neither received it
from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation
of Jesus Christ.
How
many new churches are planted out of people’s need or desire for fame and/or
recognition and is built not on the foundation of Apostles and Prophets, but
built on the people’s selfish ambition?
We, the Church are the visible representation
of God’s Kingdom Rule and Reign here on Earth, we are his messengers of hope,
love and compassion, salvation & restoration, the people we see every day
are the people for whom Jesus died on the Cross for, we are the ones who are to
bring hope and healing to our communities.
I’ve
been a Christian for over 30 years, having been raised in a Pentecostal Church
in South Wales and for the last 20 years
I’ve been part of the New Church/Restoration movement because when I was a
student in Bible School saw something about Church in my Bible and couldn’t see
that expressed in that Pentecostal Church at that time, I stayed for as long as possible and I tried to see
things changed, but I felt increasingly like a square peg in a round hole, feeling
frustrated and confused , I visited another church in my home town during the
Toronto Blessing phase that was happening at the time, just to get refreshed
and go back to my home church, however
the Lord had other plans for my life, and
I’ve been part of the Restoration Movement and the Pentecostal Movement for just over 30 years, in many ways the Pentecostals and the
Restoration Movement are very similar and time will not allow to go through the
differences.
A
number of years ago, some good friends of mine, decided to launch an evening
service from the Church we were part of, into a nearby town, I wasn’t keen and
said I would pray for them, but I wouldn’t join in, I noticed that for the want of a better word,
misfits and other people who felt that the churches they were part of weren’t
recognising their gifting/ministries/anointing or calling joined in the new
service my friends were leading. I
visited a few times, and I noticed at one service, two ladies who had a “ prophetic gifting” were having a” prophetic dual “to see who
could bring the most “ anointed prophecy” ! I and several others had concerns and
so did the elders of my church, and they later pulled the plug for various reasons on this new service , two of our elders visited the service to
explain why it was being closed down,
one of the ladies who was having the prophetic dual a few weeks earlier, while we were praying for each other and my
friends who were disappointed that what they thought were God’s plans had ended
before they saw success, this lady prophesied
over my friend to say God had called him to shepherd the people of the new
church, my elders were there, and in
fairness to them, they didn’t take
offence over this prophesy although both of them have pastoral gifting and
serve as Pastors, nothing came of this
new church and my friend left the church sometime later the church over
personal issues.
I
was watching a TV programme called Rip Off Britain some time ago, and in this particular programme, a
young couple had bought a cottage in the town of Ifracombe in North
Devon, due to unforeseen circumstances
they have been unable to move into their new home because it was uninhabitable ,
the previous owner had decided unwisely to make the separate kitchen and dining
room into one room and had removed a wall,
the only problem this was a loadbearing wall, and the first floor of the
house indeed the entire house could collapse . Some of us have decided to
remove the loadbearing walls of the church because we want to be relevant and
inclusive.
The
Church is built on Biblical Foundations and Principles see Luke 6:46-49 New American Standard Bible,
46
“(AW)Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47
(AX)Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and [ac]acts on them, I will
show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who [ad]dug
deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the
[ae]torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had
been well built. 49 But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is
like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the
[af]torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that
house was great.”
1
Corinthians 3 New American Standard Bible.
3
And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to (A)spiritual men, but as to
(B)men of flesh, as to (C)infants in Christ. 2 I gave you (D)milk to drink, not
solid food; for you (E)were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you
are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is (F)jealousy
and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking [a](G)like
mere men? 4 For when (H)one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of
Apollos,” are you not mere (I)men?
5
What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? (J)Servants through whom you believed,
even (K)as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. 6 (L)I planted, (M)Apollos
watered, but (N)God was causing the growth. 7 So then neither the one who
plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 8 Now
he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will (O)receive his own
[b]reward according to his own labor. 9 For we are God’s (P)fellow workers; you
are God’s [c](Q)field, God’s (R)building.
10
According to (S)the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master
builder (T)I laid a foundation, and (U)another is building on it. But each man
must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a (V)foundation
other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man
builds on the foundation with gold, silver, [d]precious stones, wood, hay,
straw, 13 (W)each man’s work will become evident; for (X)the day will show it
because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test [e]the
quality of each man’s work. 14 If any man’s work which he has built on it
remains, he will (Y)receive a reward. 15 If any man’s work is burned up, he
will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet (Z)so as through fire.
16
(AA)Do you not know that (AB)you are a [f]temple of God and that the Spirit of
God dwells in you? 17 If any man destroys the [g]temple of God, God will
destroy him, for the [h]temple of God is holy, and [i]that is what you are.
18
(AC)Let no man deceive himself. (AD)If any man among you thinks that he is wise
in (AE)this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. 19 For
(AF)the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He
is (AG)the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; 20 and again,
“(AH)The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” 21 So
then (AI)let no one boast in men. For (AJ)all things belong to you, 22
(AK)whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or (AL)life or death or
things present or things to come; all things belong to you, 23 and (AM)you
belong to Christ; and (AN)Christ belongs to God.
Acts
2:42-47 New American Standard Bible
42
They were (BF)continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to
fellowship, to (BG)the breaking of bread and [ao](BH)to prayer.
43
[ap]Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many (BI)wonders and [aq]signs
were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed
[ar]were together and (BJ)had all things in common; 45 and they (BK)began
selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as
anyone might have need. 46 (BL)Day by day continuing with one mind in the
temple, and (BM)breaking bread [as]from house to house, they were taking their
[at]meals together with gladness and [au]sincerity of heart, 47 praising God
and (BN)having favor with all the people. And the Lord (BO)was adding [av]to
their number day by day (BP)those who were being saved.
2
Timothy 3:16-17 New American Standard Bible
16
(AU)All Scripture is [h]inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for
reproof, for correction, for [i]training in righteousness; 17 so that (AV)the
man of God may be adequate, (AW)equipped for every good work.
Yes,
our Foundation Is Christ, yet there are
Biblical Leadership Structures set forward in Scripture, Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and
Teachers and Elders and Deacons, these
are what I like to call the load bearing walls of The Church, if we remove these
structures because they don’t fit in with our views/opinions/perspectives of the
church or with our accepted modern or indeed post - modern perspectives of the Church, we can
end in trouble such as heresy, erroneous
teaching and practice or deception.
Ephesians
4:11-16 New American Standard Bible
11
And He (V)gave (W)some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as
(X)evangelists, and some as pastors and (Y)teachers, 12 (Z)for the equipping of
the [d]saints for the work of service, to the building up of (AA)the body of
Christ; 13 until we all attain to (AB)the unity of the faith, and of the
[e](AC)knowledge of the Son of God, to a (AD)mature man, to the measure of the
stature [f]which belongs to the (AE)fullness of Christ. 14 [g]As a result, we
are (AF)no longer to be children, (AG)tossed here and there by waves and
carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by
(AH)craftiness [h]in (AI)deceitful scheming; 15 but [i]speaking the truth
(AJ)in love, [j]we are to (AK)grow up in all aspects into Him who is the
(AL)head, even Christ, 16 from whom (AM)the whole body, being fitted and held
together [k]by what every joint supplies, according to the [l]proper working of
each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of
itself (AN)in love.
2
Peter 1:16-21 New American Standard Bible
16
For we did not follow cleverly devised (AP)tales when we made known to you the
(AQ)power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were (AR)eyewitnesses of
His majesty. 17 For when He received honour and glory from God the Father, such
an [h](AS)utterance as this was [i]made to Him by the (AT)Majestic Glory, “This
is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— 18 and we ourselves heard this
[j]utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the (AU)holy mountain.
19
[k]So we have (AV)the prophetic word made more (AW)sure, to which you do well
to pay attention as to (AX)a lamp shining in a dark place, until the (AY)day
dawns and the (AZ)morning star arises (BA)in your hearts. 20 But (BB)know this
first of all, that (BC)no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own
interpretation, 21 for (BD)no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will,
but men (BE)moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
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