more often than not, i find myself disturbed by what i see- and read- from most congregations. in these “churches,” big-headed leaders, ordained by a man-centered system, parade around on stage, proclaiming prophetic nonsense and working the crowd like the manager of an automated milking machine. In the audience, the bovine eat what is offered, occasionally stepping in the dung, and moo loudly when the sound around them gets louder and louder. it is in that moment that the poor animal is mesmerized by manipulation beyond his or her spiritual capacity.
In that moment of such ecstasy, heresy is born. And heresy is alive and well in the Western church.
one of those heresies has long been with many in the Western church- the fence mentality. this heretical church is an organization meant to herd in as many as possible, not gather in the believers. when you look at the church in the New Testament, the church gathering- the love feast- was not for “seekers,” only disciples. The disciples operated outside the love feasts in spreading the gospel through healing the sick, casting out demons, making disciples, equipping disciples, baptizing the new disciples, and more.
It was in some corner of institutionalism in more recent times that the fence mentality was born. It joined the business model and social marketing as background structures for reigning in the herd and bringing in stragglers. but it also opened the gates to tempt the wild animals to come into the cage…with enticing bait like the prosperity doctrine, machine-gun style prophecy, dramatic scenes akin to a Hindu service (see “kundalini” for just one example of the practice of failing backward to the carpet, writhing and twitching…and other such nonsense), popcorn and movies, cute coffee and goody bars, welcome packages complete with candy and tissues, committees to make you feel special, and countless endless seminars and retreats…not to mention softball teams, church t-shirts, and the like. Yes, the bait is there for the non-believer standing outside the fence looking in, but also for the captured chosen.
Now you may think I am harsh, but consider what other organization tells you to give at least 10% of your income (and more) to a professional marketer (often also a psychologist/actor) so he or she can build up an income base that he and his or she and her associates can use for “living expenses;” and build more buildings and sound systems and light shows (instead of following scripture and supporting the widow, orphan, and the poor), put on “evangelistic programs” that cost the faithful a ticket fee…all inside that fence (instead of being real and going out into the world as disciples as it states in Matthew 28). They will spend your money without giving you a receipt or account of where it goes….and, do it all in the name of “it’s in the Bible.” You certainly would not give to any other charitable organization without them showing you where the money went- but not the churches of Churchianity.
Consider also how these same marketers encourage the herd to keep their bibles closed and read from a screen while the Word of God is twisted to meet the fence mentality heresy. Considering that none of this is in the New Covenant brought by Jesus Christ, it makes you wonder who these big-headed bovine mooers are. Are they Wanna Be Jews? Or, are they part of a heresy that has been established in the West as “church” when in reality being a new religion based primarily on the doctrine of a spiritual aristocracy…Churchianity?
But for you, my dear reader, the question is: do you want to remain behind the fence in this new bondage, or do you want to come out from it, embrace Christ and become a daily-living disciple of Jesus Christ? The world free from the fence, is where the real church operates, the church that will reform the apostacy, and call the heretical to repentance…the church that will be worthy enough to be the bride of Christ because the disciples follow the Master not the manipulator.
8 responses to “at home behind the fence”
My eyes have been opened. About a year ago, our diocese ran a fundraising campaign that on the surface was to spread the wealth to poor communities that could not sustain a regular church service. Now I find that our own parish has requested (and will likely receive) over $30,000 to ‘spruce up’ the office for the new incumbent as a direct result of the success of the money-grab.
Nothing for the working poor of the neighbourhood, nothing for improving the inaccessible entrance for people in wheelchairs, nothing for the kids going to school without warm jackets on cold Canadian winter mornings, and nothing to feed hungry children in 3rd world countries.
What is missional work? Is it making the office prettier for the priest, or is it going out to our own streets and roads and sharing God’s love? Rhetorical question…
As ‘Pink Floyd’ said “Tear down the wall”…or the fence, as the case may be.
Thank you for your insight. It never ceases to amaze me how God works through these posts. When God impressed upon my heart to write this, I thought God wanted me to write mainly toward the Charismatic-emergent churches caught up in this heresy…but you see, God’s thinking is much more complex than ours…just another sign. I give God all the glory.
Sadly, even conservative mainstream denominations can stray off course at times. Your message (God’s message) struck a chord with me to be sure. Unfortunately, it gives atheists and agnostics fuel to say ‘told you so’. God is not flawed, but man is.
yes, “mid-life crisis,” it does give fuel to the atheiest and agnostic, which is why we need to come out from the institutionalism and go back to the meeting of believers in assemblies- in houses and small groups. The New Testament is the example we were supposed to use, and should still use. If they met in houses, ate together, shared together, then went out doing that which Jesus commanded us to do, we should do the same.
When we do that, operating as Jesus did in the power of the Holy Spirit, as baptized- dead to the world and alive to Christ- disciples, then we see people being healed, drug addicts freed from addiction, schizophrenia and other mental diseases gone…and people saved from their sins.
The time is now to come out, reorganize, and be the church. Jesus is certainly not coming back for denominationalism.
This is an eye-opening post. I give my tithe where God tells me to give it. I’ve been to those mega-churches and I’ve been to tiny house churches. I find that God will meet me at both, but I’m more comfortable in the church that is in between. A Church where Scripture is not taken out of context and a place where they are not afraid to preach about the awful things that are going on in the Church and in the world! It’s going to be great when we can all be listening to Jesus as He talks with us every day in heaven!!!
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, this is a bit harsh, but i have seen and heard too much…and know many pastors, preachers, and ministers myself. Many years ago I sensed God telling me that the church- where I was planted- was way off from the one He established through Jesus and the disciples. No one wanted to listen to me. Fast forward twenty years later- now- and many people are talking about NT discipleship and going back to an early church structure and mind-set…finally. I’m excited about what God has been doing. Just last month I saw God heal a cancer patient (Praise God!)…and now I see daily miracles (like a teenage girl deciding not to have an abortion after much talk and praying)…it all makes life even more interesting. I love how God allows me to be both sober and silly, compassionate and loving, even while He gives me hardcore messages for the church. I am glad you found the post eye-opening. It was intended to be just that. But even I was surprised at what He gave me- especially the bovine thing. That was indeed clever- but all the glory belongs to God.
I look forward to reading more of your poems…you continue to surprise and impress me. Maybe you are a kindred spirit, as Anne with an E (Anne of Green Gables) would say. Daithi
I’m actually in full time ministry and I’m blessed every day watching God heal and change peoples lives! We each have a God given role in spreading the Good News. Yours is a role of speaking truth and you do it well!!
Apostasy is alive and well, and it dwells within the church! Praise God He delivers us from deceit and destruction. God bless you:)
http://holdingforthhisword.wordpress.com/2014/04/10/faithful-shepherds/