Critical Adversaries – Lesson #.13: Denominationalism (Part 2) Usefulness and limits of denominations 1. Denominations were useful at a point in history when Holy Spirit used their leaders to forcefully advance certain truths in the Word which could have been lost. The truths that denominations were used to restore include such fundamental ones as Justification by Faith, not works; necessity of Water Baptism; Baptism in the Holy Spirit; The Five Fold leadership Office gifts of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers as collective instruments of perfecting saints for the work of ministry; Holiness of Life and Entire Personal Consecration and the message of the Kingdom of Yahweh which was ignored as humans built religious enterprises. We now take these Biblical Truths for granted. To the credit of the vessels that Yahweh used, there were several hundreds of years when these truths were lost and the Church operated in darkness. Out of the backside of the desert, Yahweh raised vessels, male and female, who were used to declare the truth so forcefully and consistently that even those who were hard of hearing later opened up to receive them. Because they dared to stand boldly on their convictions in spite of rejection by their contemporaries, those missing truths were restored! 2. At some point in history, denominations were active instruments for advancing the preaching of the gospel of salvation or proclamation of the ‘lost truths’ into various parts of the world. Through their missionary agencies, they invested substantial resources to reach out to other nations and regions of the world. This dimension of how they advanced the gospel world-wide is an interesting study in how Yahweh uses all things – good, bad and ugly – to His glory! In their competition for space to expand their spheres of influence, denominations basically ‘planted their flags’ by very visible spiritual colonization schemes. As they built worship centers, schools, hospitals and other catalysts of Western Civilization, for instance, their presence became visible. What other denominations did was to avoid such places where their ‘competitors’ had pitched tents. As they veered to different parts of nations and regions where they made their own visible presence, the other denominations unwittingly expanded the ‘Christian sphere of influence’. In this way, denominations became great instruments of both expanding their limited versions of the gospel as well as Western civilization and culture. In a practical sense therefore, they and the colonialists of old worked hand in glove! Though it now seems distasteful to consider this matter, in the days when this kind of religious rivalry took place, the adrenalin pumped into the hearts of those folks made them to go beyond borders, spending much and being spent to advance what they knew of Yahweh and the gospel. With the benefit of hindsight and fuller revelation, their motives and methods now seem less than noble. But in the process of their rivalries, the basics of the gospel went forth and many had opportunities to hear, embrace Yeshua, Jesus and became saved. Some of those converts remained stuck in denominations going through the motions. Some however grew to be exposed to the full truth by embracing other revelations granted to other denominations. In the process, they were delivered from denominationalism and became instruments of preaching the full gospel of the Kingdom! By so doing, this scripture was fulfilled: Philippians 1:15-18 (KJV) 15) Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 16) The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds; 17) But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18) What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. Modern denominational trends and the Superstar, Mega-Church trend If religious groups allowed their limited understandings of Yeshua, Jesus and His gospel to divide the Body, looking back, the contemporary applications of denominationalism are truly odious! That Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Charismatics, Five Fold and even those who purport to be ‘Kingdom’ would consciously build denominations that hem in some saints and exclude others is bad enough. That regulations were put in place to continue the fostering of divisions cannot be defended in any way! What shall we then say of the worst form of denominationalism which is the ‘fan based’ Mega-Church movement that centers on individuals with Star power, not religious organizations? If it was bad that religious organizations created such divisions, it is worse that Christians gather around fellow humans, are soul tied to them and endorse whatever they do, including absolute degrees of worldliness, covetousness, love of money, power drunkenness and gross immorality. With no checks in place, no true accountability mechanisms, these individuals run truly personal ultra rich religious corporations which raise enough money to win a basic psychological battle: plant their faces and personalities, into the hearts and minds of their awe struck followers. In this, the displacement of Yeshua as King is persistently effected. The fans end up addicted to the humanistic spins put on the milk of the word which justifies all kinds of anti-Kingdom lifestyle. There are today, many such congregations where Christians have read every word of say 20 books written by their Pastors but have never for once read through the Holy Bible and have no intention to do so. There are those who can quote many of the favourite sayings of their leaders but do not know whether the book of Haggai is in the Old or New Testament. What makes this perversion possible is a very simple trick: pointing saints to themselves and not to King Yeshua! By massive investments in how they look and body shape, some of which include plastic surgery, they create as it were models of themselves packaged for others to follow. From the simple to the complex, ‘smart’ marketing of their ‘image’ is implemented. You find this in huge billboards in which their names and faces dominate the skyline as well as on television. For all manner of activity, use of posters and flyers with their faces and names are deployed occupying more dominant space than the name of Yeshua. By branding their religious enterprises after themselves rather than with the person of Yeshua, a new denominationalism has been birthed with Christians in camps of fellow humans! They could borrow a line from John the Baptist who had this to say of Yeshua and himself when some of his disciples complained that more people were flocking to the One he baptized: John 3:26-36 (KJV) 26) And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27) John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28) Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30) He must increase, but I must decrease. 31) He that cometh from above is above all; he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth; he that cometh from heaven is above all. 32) And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. 33) He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true. 34) For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. 35) The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 3)6 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. Mega is not the issue but the method that focuses on humans! Let it be said clearly that King Yeshua does enlarge His Church. Growth is of and by Him. It is His will that His Church will multiply through three broad approaches. The first is by Conversion which turns people from sinners to saints as the gospel of Salvation is preached. The second is by discipleship as saints are systematically taught the full counsel of the New Covenant and the Word at closely engaged quarters. Thirdly is the training, equipping, activation and release of those disciples which processes them into the Royal priesthood walking as sons of the Most High Yahweh, just as Yeshua walked! For this to happen, all ministries and congregations heed to be intentional in making King Yeshua, not humans the focus of their life and ministry. Outreaches need to be consistent while the teaching ministry needs to be structured in such a way that no one gets lost in the crowd. Above all, is the responsibility of leaders of Mega-Churches to consciously allow those in the five fold who are gifted separately from them to find space to release their gifts and callings so that the ministries and congregations are processed into Kingdom communities of mature saints, according to the model decreed by heaven: Ephesians 4:11-16 (KJV) 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. These remedial steps that would have matured the saints and thus unleash them as Kingdom citizens and ambassadors are the very things that the Mega-Church movement has consistently fallen short of. To fail to do this but rather deliberately keep saints on leash as ‘fans’ and cash cows to be milked to finance this kind of gospel is to bring Babylon to Church! To be continued. Please share this freely so that the Lord may reach some people within your loop of influence with liberating truth! If you need clarification, please contact us. If you need prayer support, please write to frontlineprayer7@gmail and real prayer warriors will stand in the gap for you. Apostle George
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 11:25:12 +0000
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