A. Amos Love

Mara
Thanks for the referral.
“The way church ought to be?”
Bob Lund says some thoughtful things.
and the book has many quotes from other authors.

“Where in the New Testament do you find the same man – who
(1) preaches every Sunday,
(2) marries people,
(3) brings a message over a corpse,
(4) then buries it with a prayer,
(5) visits old ladies,
(6) says prayers over football games,
(7) CEO’s a church,
(8) presides over elders and deacons,
(9) is virtually always in a dress suit,
(10) speaks strangely and prays funny,
(11) baptizes new converts,
(12) and whose office and all the above practices are supposed to be based solidly on the Word of god and found in Scripture.”

“As the Church Fathers attempted to cope with the various pagan philosophies that threatened the church from without and the heresies that were popping up with within, they resorted to establishing a hierarchical structure as their solution. “Hierarchy” comes from two Greek words meaning, “rule by priest.” Thus, in doing this, Church Fathers neatly and permanently divided God’s people into two castes: laity and clergy. We have lived with this caste system ever since, even though the Bible teaches otherwise.”

Today, when I here The word “Church.” Oy vey!

Who knows what it means?

Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition…
Mark 7:13

Hmmm? A simple word, church?
What do most people understand the word “church” to mean?

Building with a steeple?
Is that in the Bible?

Pastor in a pulpit preaching to people in pews?
Is that in the Bible?

That’s what the world thinks,
the unbeliever, isn’t it?

Isn’t that what the so called “local church”
has accomplished with four buildings on
four corners in a lot of “local towns?”

Haven’t we deceived the people
we’re supposed to be reaching out to?

How many will know that “The Church of God?”
The ekklesia of God? The called out one’s of God?

Are the habitation of God? Where He dwells?

The redeemed of the Lord? By His blood.

The body of Christ? Purchased with His blood.

The Israel of God?

And Jesus is the head of the body the church?

Does God dwell in buildings made with
the hands of men? Or does He dwell in us?

Did Jesus shed His blood for;
a building, a denomination, an institution,
an organization, a corporation?
Should we call a corporation, The Church?

Will people know that “The Church of God?”

Are kings and priests unto God?

The bride of Christ?

The servants of Christ?

The sons of God?
Led by the spirit? Or led by man?

Disciples of Christ?
Learners and students of Christ?

Ambassadors for Christ?

How many will know, in the Bible,
no one ever went to church?

How many will know, in the Bible,
you become “the Church?”
And hear His voice? And follow Him?

Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice,
that he might instruct thee.
Deuteronomy 4:36

Thanks again and – Be blessed.