The Resurrection Of The Standard Have you ever wondered why Christianity today looks so different than it did in biblical times? Have you ever wondered why the church model today in no way truly reflects the church model represented in the book of Acts. How does the modern Christian culture in the world today give an accurate reflection of the Biblical standard of Christianity presented from Matthew to Jude? If you are like me I find myself reflecting on these types of questions more often than not. There is a massive difference between our ten o’clock central standard time Jesus and the one in the Bible. In the next few pages I am going to cover some of the common misconceptions in Church today along with reviewing the standard presented in the Bible. In the hope that all believers today would live empowered with the Spirit of the living God and be reminded of the lifestyle we are called to live and the ministry that God wants to achieve through us. Often in today’s culture, leaders give the appearance that the standard has become church attendance or loyal tithing. Dawning our Sunday best, getting in our air conditioned vehicles and driving to attend an hour long church service is not, the Biblical version of Christianity. Neither is our attendance once a year at youth camp, or our attendance when they cook barbecue and play volleyball. The American Church Model today is a fast song, followed by a slow song, followed by a fast song, followed by a slow song, followed by the offering, followed by the announcements, followed a twenty minute watered down sermon telling us how awesome we are, followed by the laying on of hands, followed by an 11:57 dismissal, so we will feel better about our country club, socialite existence, instead of actually getting touched by the power and presence of almighty God. This coffee and donut Jesus we have tried pushing on the world is created dysfunction in the church today. Most people that call themselves Christians today live, talk and act no different than the world, living in total dysfunction and we expect the world to come join us when so much of the Christian community looks strikingly similar to the world. We have traded jumping up and down for the healing of blind eyes. We have traded smoke and lights for pulling people out of wheel chairs and healing the sick. The culture today has told everyone if you have two cars in the driveway, three bedrooms, granite counter tops, a white picket fence, two point five kids and yellow Labrador retriever you will be happy, when in reality you will never be happy until you truly know Jesus and the power of His resurrection. In the American Church culture today the standard looks strikingly more similar to an extravagant facility. Also it has become more about a preaching and numbers contest with the church down the road than we care to admit. The Great Commission is not tied to a profession it’s a lifestyle. Jesus said in John 6:63 New King James Version (NKJV) 63” It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” The Spirit comes from the Holy Spirit that lives in all believers. Romans 14:7 (NKJV) says 7 “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The purpose of all Christ centered ministry is to impart through words, the Spirit of the living God into the earth; to impart His presence, into all nations and all people groups. To speak the Spirit of the living God into the earth that it might find a person or place to rest upon. To say what the Father is saying. The true goal anytime believers gather together or even alone at home should always be coming to a place in which there is a manifestation of God’s presence. Entering into a place where we truly get touched by the living God. With the lack of power currently showing up in today’s culture it would not be a reach to say the church can go so long without the power and presence of God in it; that when He does arrive we call it demonic in nature. Or in other areas it becomes such an isolated incident that we as the body are not properly trained on, in order to know how to sustain or support it. Let me clarify my statement here, God does not need our help, He does however desire to fellowship and commune with us. We we designed to co-labor with God to fill the world with Him. That His Kingdom come His will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. With that in mind when the body of Christ gathers together we need to have leadership in place that understands how to host the presence of the Living God. It is essential for leadership today to first be able to acknowledge the manifestation of His presence and secondly to be able to steward the manifestation of His presence. We need to learn how to be a vessel that He uses, a person that He ministers through, instead of us ministering for Him. We need to achieve this as to not interfere with how God is moving in the situation and thru His people. We have to be able to give the reigns over to God and let God move within His people without any hindrance from leaders. Leaders have to get out of the mindset that they have to have full control all the time. There needs to be a mindset that the entire goal of the day is for God to show up in God’s house and when He does for leaders to be glad to give the reigns over to God and let God move how He desires in and thru His people. In the modern culture today there is much more quenching of the move God instead of a stewarding of the move of God. If we as the body would return to this type of mindset we will see God’s power return to the church, healings, miracles, signs and wonders, with the body having a much deeper relationship with the Living God. Israel camped around presence not sermons, sermons and praise should only be an invitation to Gods presence not the final act of a play or show we gather together to watch and participate in. In the physical we describe peace as the absence of war, noise or turmoil. In His realm peace is the presence of Someone not the absence of something. Today Healing in the church has become more of a rarity than a common occurrence. Jesus says in John 14:12-14 (NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask[c] anything in My name, I will do it.” To quote another verse we can take look at Mark 16:17-18 (NKJV) 17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they[a] will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Let us now look at one more verse Matthew 10:8 (NKJV) 8” Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,[a] cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.” One of the most common questions in the body today is “What is God’s will for my life?” Jesus tells us plainly in Matthew 10:8 (NKJV) 8 “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead,[a] cast out demons.” We might rebuttal that comment with, “I was actually unsure if God wants me to work in the medical field or in business administration?” Just pick one, then “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.” “Well, does he want me be married or single?” Which one do you want to be? “I’d like to be married” then get married, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.” It is funny God told us to heal the sick, not pray for them. It’s a bummer when God’s theology doesn’t match our own. In conclusion I would like to remind the reader the purpose of this essay is not to discourage the reader from the American Church model today. It is however, to remind the reader of the Biblical standard presented in by the lifestyle of Jesus and the Disciples. I firmly support the Church today and I have nothing against the body gathering together to lift up the living God as long as the focus is Christ centered and not us centered. We have had a generation go before us that has spent their entire lives trying to make themselves famous instead of laying down their life to make God famous. We have been trying to show the world the Church because we have not been willing to pay the price show the world Christ. It does not take holiness to get to know people; it takes holiness to get to know God. It is my firm belief that God has given me the vision, desire, and empowerment needed to bring a Christ centered, presence oriented message to the church today. God has instilled a divine calling on my life and with His guidance and instruction I intend to bring this mindset to all nations and all people groups. God has placed a burning desire and hunger in my heart that the world today might experience the power and presence of the living God in such a way that His people are saved, healed, set free, discipled, equipped, empowered and serving. To be a vessel that God can use to heal and restore His people unto Him.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 02:06:38 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015