Denominations are of the Devil!

Do you agree with my title of this blog? I've known many people who do. I have heard preachers say this very thing.

But, what is so bad about denominations? The one arguement that the above defenders would say is that the modern church is divided and not acting as one. Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. So either I must be sinning, or every church is sinning by having their church over there, while I have this perfectly good one right here!

This arguement sounds good on the surface, I used to be a proponent of it. There are several "one another's" throughout the New Testament, so why can't we get along?

Just as there are millions of people and we all have similiar, yet different personality traits, so too does a church. People's preferences are as wide as the Grand Canyon. I really don't think Jesus is upset that we have Baptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Catholics, or Pentecostal denominations.

The book of Acts tells us of only four events the early church partook of: teaching, fellowship, meals, and prayer. There were elders appointed in each church per Paul's instructions to Titus and similarly to Timothy. Beyond that the look and feel of a church is pretty much up for grabs. Now, understand that alot of churches are doing it right and alot are doing it wrong, just look at the first seven churches listed in Revelations. This blog isn't about right and wrong practices, at least, not today. This blog is about denominations not being sinful.

Some prefer small and quaint, some like big and loud, some like traditional, some like rock shows, some like preaching, some like singing.

I hope you don't get bent out of shape about denominations.

God's Training Wheels

Someone has said that tithing is like training wheels. As we learn to ride a bike we have to start somewhere, hence the need for training wheels. This can parallel to the giving of our wealth. The tithe is a biblical mandate that has not ceased being operational in our day. Here are four principles about tithing.

1. Tithing causes us to fear God - Deut 14:23. As we learn to give a portion of our income to God we will either trust Him more knowing that He owns it all anyway or we will not trust Him thinking we can't make it by giving 10% to Him.

2. The tithe is most definitely His, it is holy - Lev. 27:30. Yes, God owns it all and we are stewards, but the tithe MUST be His. This leads easily to the third principle.

3. Not tithing is robbing God - Malachi 3:8-10. We see clearly that to not tithe is to rob Him.

4. Our tithe must be the best, not left-overs - Prov 3:9. God denounced the Israelites for bringing to Him decrepid animals for sacrifices. He wants the best. This teaches us that He knows what we need and will provide it. It teaches us to trust Him and depend upon Him always.

But, isn't tithing a law? Christians are under grace, therefore, we don't have to tithe, we just have to give joyfully whatever we feel like. WRONG!

We aren't to murder, but Jesus raised the bar and told us not to even hate someone. We aren't to commit adultery, but Jesus raised the bar and told us not to even lust after another. If He came to fulfill the Law, Matt. 5:17, then the Law still stands. We are required to tithe, it is our duty.

Yet, as believers, who understand how wretchedly sinful we are and from what we have been saved, to tithe should be a small incidental detail to us. We shouldn't mind obeying His Word. The real obedience takes place when we begin to give beyond the tithe. Just like when we go beyond not murdering to not hating, beyond adultery, to not lusting.

The tithe was God's plan for using earthly resources to empower His Kingdom agenda. The tithe caused the people of Israel to focus all their energy into Him. That hasn't changed today. The church is the HOPE of the world. Our giving supplies the agent which God will use to save men, women, and children from eternal damnation.

Do you tithe? If you don't, I hope you will begin to wrestle with this and ask the Lord to guide you into this biblical truth. We are sanctified by His Word!

Growing a Church

How is your character?

Ephesians 4:1-3 says we are to walk with these five characteristics: humility, gentleness, patience, tolerance for one another in love, and unity through peace.

Humility - no you first, no I insist, you first!

Gentleness - I have carried your burden for a mile, may I take one more?

Patience - though the Lord sends storms and tries me, yet will I praise Him!

Love - No greater love is shown than to lay down your life for one another.

Unity - I have been saved according to the Bible, through grace, by my faith, in Jesus death and resurrection, for God's glory! You too? Let's do lunch.

These are expected characteristics for the children of God. Do you see them in your life? Do you see them in other believers you associate with?

God desires a pure bride for His Son. The church of Jesus Christ will be made up of believers who diligently work to display these characteristics into their lives.

The growing of the church is up to God. Our duty is to simply be obedient!

Stop Growing the Church

The church was and is being built by the Lord Jesus Christ and the gates of Hell will not overpower it. Yet, it can remain in-effective as long as we use worldy gimmicks and models to try and prop up God's work.

The Lord has called every church to be a sold-out and surrendered church for His use. If we add anything other than that, we prostitute the church for the world's pleasure. When pastors preach sermons based on media hype or based on some wild e-mail forward making its rounds we deny the people of God true pure milk of the Word of God. When we apply worldly models of bigger and better, more shiny, new model, faster, happier, prettier, better results, all we do is deny God His place in His church. This is why many churches are sick.

Pastor, stop trying to grow the church. Preach the Word, disciple believers, discipline the wayward, make prayer a vital part of all that your church does. Go back to Acts and count up the number of verses that reveal that "God was adding to their number daily those who are being saved." The early church had no slick campaigns, no million dollar facilities, no sermonettes. They had one another and the apostles teaching. Pastors, ministers, leaders, if you are not drawing upon God and His Word to feed the sheep, protect the sheep, and nurture the sheep, then you have no business this Sunday trying to fake your way through the service or teaching hour. If you aren't prepared to be an honorable vessel for the Master's use, then step away. You are called to shepherd the Lord's flock until He returns. Be a faithful steward, not a slick salesman trying to sale your Jesus product to one more potential customer.

Church members, go to church to meet with God. Pray all week long that you will anticipate and expect to hear from God at worship. Pray for the leadership--musicians, Pastor, and other ministers that they will have had adequate prayer and preparation time so that they can HELP you come into the throne room and worship your God. If your Pastor does not teach the Word, go where it is. If the musicians sing for their glory and not for God's, go somewhere else. But, go to be fed, nourished, challenged, and encouraged. Do not go to see how the staff beefs up Jesus to make Him more interesting or culturally relevant.

The church is the body of Jesus. Do not pollute it with the world's standards or idealogies. Don't make Him come in there with a whip and overturn tables. His house is a house of prayer, a place of communicating with your Savior and God, Jesus Christ.