Will All of the REAL Pastors PLEASE Stand Up!

A MASTERCLASS

9.I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10.I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, 11.saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last : and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. 12.And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13.and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 14.His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15.and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16.And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. 17.And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: 18.I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. 19.Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

As a believer in Christ, my image of The Lord was [more often than not] coloured by everything except Scripture. When I was a child, I said my prayers with my older brother, reciting the words of one of Charles Wesley’s greatest hymns before we went to bed.

‘Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, Look upon a little child. Pity my simplicity, suffer me to come to Thee. Fain I would to Thee be brought, Dearest God, forbid it not; Give me, dearest God, a place in the kingdom of Thy grace. Lamb of God, I look to Thee. Thou shalt my Example be. Thou art gentle, meek, and mild; Thou wast once a little child.’

The High Anglican Church of Saint Peter’s that we attended was decked out with the usual depictions of a Caucasian baby Jesus in His mother’s arms, always with a precocious & knowing countenance, blonde locks & a peculiar positioning of His fingers, almost as if He were mimicking the holding of a gun. Then there was the obligatory crucifix, with the figure of Jesus, nails ‘n’ all, firmly fixed to it & looking more as if He were taking a nap than taking away the sins of the world. Whoever had the task of painting the little wound onto the side of each Iggy Pop lookalike model as it rolled off the production line, must have been onto a very cushy little number.

In the homes of every West Indian family that we knew, I can guarantee you that there were, without fail, the same three religious items adorning the walls of the front room. First there was the plaque which read, ‘Christ is the head of this house. The unseen guest at every meal. The silent listener to every conversation’. I kid you not when I tell you that as a child I believed those words quite literally. This was always in a prominent place so that no matter where you were in the room, you could see it clearly. Then, on walls that opposed each other, there were always two paintings present. One would be a depiction of The Holy Family At Work & the other was a rather rough looking reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper. The latter was upgraded to a 3D version in the mid 1970s, which was considered quite cool at the time …honestly.

I also remember thumbing through Church publications throughout my childhood & even after I had received Christ as a teenager, the instantly recognisable portrayal of Jesus, complete with beautifully perfect teeth, conditioned hair & the slight smile of a lottery winner, was always at the forefront of my thinking. There He was, in successive pictures, with a wardrobe more extensive than a popular action figure, effortlessly carrying a perfectly well behaved lamb in one hand & a conveniently crafted crosier in the other. He looked just like Robert Powell. The Good [handsome, evenly featured, smartly dressed, softly spoken] Shepherd.

Even the occasional painting of Christ driving those who bought & sold out of the Temple, make Him look as if He was perfectly composed whilst casually strolling through God’s House, naughtily rearranging the furniture as part of an elaborate practical joke, with whip of chords poised for the cracking, like an expert animal trainer. All of this with not a single hair out of place. He didn’t even break into a sweat.

Even though we assert our belief that The Lord Jesus Christ is co-equal, co-eternal & integral to the Godhead, Saviour of the world & soon coming King, we still have a place in the back [& occasionally at the forefront] of our minds where He is gentle Jesus, meek & mild. He is infinitely more than that; He is Lord of all & He is The Head of The Church. The image of Christ foisted upon our collective public & religious consciousness for centuries, is poles apart from the biblical vision of Him in prophecy, in ministry & in resplendent, resurrected glory. If His life & ministry are to be a model for ours, then our picture of His life & ministry have to be accurately portrayed & represented. This is only done by Scripture (Just look at Ephesians1:15-23, Colossians1:14-20, Philippians2:9-11 for instance).

There are no man-made pieces of art, nor any literary works that can adequately portray Jesus Christ in His life, death, burial or resurrection. Neither are there any mechanisms of human government that will ever come close to, or rival His preeminence in all things. To gain a true picture of Jesus The Christ, we must rely on the Scriptures & in our reliance on them, we will develop our reliance on Him. In our Saviour, we have been given a supreme masterclass & as we look closely at His example we learn so very much about so very much.

In His preeminence before, over & above all things, The Lord Jesus Christ takes His position as the undisputed Head of The Church. Certain ministries & gifts are set within The Church (Ephesians4:11-12, 1^stCorinthians12:27-28), but every single one these representative offices of service belong to Him. He is the Good Shepherd (John10:11&14). He is the Shepherd & Bishop of our souls (1^stPeter2:25). He is the Chief Shepherd (1^stPeter5:4). He is the Great Shepherd of the sheep (Hebrews13:20). In this, Christ is typified throughout the Scriptures. A man may be called to be a Shepherd over a congregation, but ultimately The Lord Jesus Christ is the Senior Pastor.

It ought to follow then, that men who claim to have been called into service as Shepherds, would take The Lord as their example. Sadly, this has not always been the case. There are men [& women] in parts of The Church today who have the position & title of Pastor, Bishop, Elder or Overseer, but they do not have the heart. They are not Shepherds. They are more akin to rustlers. Jesus Christ is not their example. They are not moved with compassion. In this, they have taken the honour of a worthy place of service & made it completely ignoble. They have no care for the flock of God whatsoever, but happily line their pockets at the expense of those who believe in & follow them.

These imposters wouldn’t dream of laying their lives down for the sheep. Instead, they encourage the sheep to lay their lives down for the comfort of their lives & furtherance of their ministries. Lord, have mercy.

I am a sheep & I write as one who has had a sheep’s-eye-view of The Church for over 35 years. As such, as one who wandered from the flock in rebellion & disobedience, my own heart has cried out for true Shepherds & real Pastors.

I remember going to the office of a man who had been one of the Pastors on staff at the fellowship I had attended in North London. I just wanted someone to talk to. I wasn’t a faceless congregation member. I had served behind the scenes & knew all of the ministers on staff before I had left. I walked in & asked to see him if he was free & then I waited outside in the reception area. I waited & I waited & I waited a little longer. Finally, his assistant came out of his office & told me that my former Pastor couldn’t see me because he was waiting for a telephone call from another minister. I cannot adequately convey my thoughts & feelings to you here, but it is sufficient to say that in that particular instance, my heart sank & hardened simultaneously.

If that man had taken me into his office & rebuked me [which I thoroughly needed, deserved & still do on occasion], if he had given me a slap to knock the sinful arrogance from my proud countenance & given me a good shake to boot [which I thoroughly needed, deserved & still do on occasion], I would have left thinking that he genuinely cared for me, if nothing else. I left there with a very firm resolve, which The Lord reminds me of, often.

The Lord rebuked the Shepherds of Israel through the Prophet Ezekiel, saying, ‘Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.’ (Ezekiel34:2-6).

It strikes me, that if The Lord is a wee bit ticked off at these men for not fulfilling their duty of care towards the sheep, it’s precisely because they should have been doing these things, but had failed. It also strikes me that they didn’t neglect to reap the benefits & rewards associated with their roles, even though they had done none of the work. Paul speaks the truth when he says ‘..who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? (1^stCorinthians9:7). These men eat of the milk but do not feed the flock of God.

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke19:10).

The Apostle Peter, who was personally instructed by The Lord Jesus Christ to feed His sheep (John21:15-17) said to his fellow leaders, ‘The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.’ (1^stPeter5:1-5).

Paul warned the elders of The Church at Ephesus, ‘Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. (Acts20:28-29). This is not a joke. This is gravely serious, because Jesus Christ, The Head of The Church, has mandated a duty of care towards His flock & just as Ezekiel, who was called the son of man, was instructed to prophesy against the Shepherds of Israel, so also The Son of Man prophesied against them during His earthly ministry (Matthew23:33-35).

Throughout the Scriptures we can see The Lord Jesus Christ typified as our Shepherd by other men who were chosen in Pastoral ministry. When we looked at the lives of Abel, Joseph, Moses & David, we clearly saw the characteristics of our Saviour, not only as Messiah, but also as our Pastor. I believe that this is well worth studying. The Lord is our Shepherd.

Jesus cites the blood of Abel, the first Shepherd recorded in Scripture, calling him righteous, as does the writer to the Hebrews (Hebrews11:4). Abel paid for his righteousness with his life at the hands of his brother Cain, who is referred to as being ‘..of that wicked one..’ (1^stJohn3:12&15). The Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ the righteous (1^stJohn2:1-2), also paid for His righteousness with His life at the hands of His brethren, those [whom He said] were of their father the devil (John8:39-44). That wicked one, who was a murderer from the beginning. God respected Abel & his offering (Genesis4:4). God was also well pleased with His son Jesus Christ & His offering of himself (Ephesians5:2). The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? (Luke4:16-22).

It seems almost fortuitous or coincidental, that Joseph was the name of Jesus’ [surrogate] earthly father & yet it’s also quite handy, because the title ‘The Son of Joseph’ is also a Messianic designation. Furthermore, the Patriarch Joseph, who was also a Shepherd, typified Christ in His Pastoral role.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and Joseph brought unto his father their evil report. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him (Genesis37:2-4).

Like Joseph, The Lord Jesus Christ was beloved of The Father, a Shepherd along with others among His brethren. However, unlike those who were charged with a duty of care for the flock of God, Jesus was the Shepherd spoken of throughout the Scriptures they revered, but His contemporaries refused to submit to Him. He too was hated by them because The Father gave Him an unmissable & undeniable mantle of significance, a proverbial coat of many colours. The Lord Jesus Christ wore His God-given power unreservedly, unashamedly & unapologetically, ‘..for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.’ (Matthew7:28-29).

Like Joseph, The Lord Jesus Christ was moved with compassion despite the opposition & hatred He faced, because His concern was [& always is] the salvation & welfare of the flock of God.

*By the way, there is a trendy & modern belief that the compassion with which Christ was moved, was actually indignation at a certain point. This is not true. This erroneous assumption is based on a very thin & obscure reading of selective Greek texts by equally thin & obscure liberal lower critics & their subscribers. Scripture is very clear concerning the occasions on which The Lord was angry. I am happy to debate this falsehood, which is being perpetrated by one liar in particular that I know of & it is rooted firmly in word-of-faith mythology & the belief that the word ‘if’, when used in a prayer request, is evidence of doubt & a lack of faith & that this lack of faith infuriates Christ. What a load of hogwash & complete & utter nonsense as well as being some of the poorest exegesis that I have ever encountered. I assure you brethren, that Jesus Christ is moved with compassion still.

Joseph’s Pastoral care brought salvation to Egypt. The death, burial & resurrection of Jesus Christ, The Good Shepherd, brings salvation to the world. Like Joseph, who was sent by God to go before his brethren (Genesis45:5), The Lord Jesus Christ Himself has gone before us, having secured our salvation (Hebrews6:20).

Like Joseph, The Lord Jesus Christ could have brought an evil report against the pseudo-Pastors of His day, but instead of doing this He simply left them with a stinging castigation. The Pharisees were well known for walking through the streets with the Torah scrolls aloft, declaring them to be ‘The Bread of Life’ & ‘The Shepherd of men’s souls’ & yet when the very Word of God was among them they rejected Him. Like Joseph’s brethren, they sought to kill Him. Jesus said, ‘Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.’ (John5:45).

Before leading Israel out of bondage in Egypt, Moses had been a Shepherd in Midian, tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro (Exodus3:1). He was a meek man (Numbers12:3), beloved of God, tasked with an awesome responsibility to which he was obedient & faithful (Numbers12:7). He typified Christ as our Shepherd. Jesus said, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew11:28-30).

Moses continually interceded between God & His people Israel, falling on his face & pleading with The Lord, Who heard Moses’ cries & often withheld His awesome judgements. Even so, because The Father loves The Son, He hears the intercession of Christ our Shepherd on our behalf (Romans8:34, Hebrews7:25).

Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end (Hebrews3:1-6).

Jesus Christ our Saviour & Shepherd has led us out of the bondages of sin into His salvation. He intercedes for us before God, allowing us to obtain mercy & grace to help in time of need (Hebrews4:16). He does this for us just as Moses did who once Shepherded Israel. The Chief Shepherd leads us to the promised land.

I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God (Ezekiel34:15).

As I write these closing paragraphs I would encourage you to go back to The Gospels & read them again. Time & my limited knowledge do not permit me to go into any great detail here, but as I have looked again at my Saviour, the undefeated, undisputed, unequalled, preeminent Head of The Church, I catch a glimpse of true Pastoral ministry. The Lord is my Shepherd.

Perhaps when David wrote the 23^rd Psalm, he had understood that the very things he was doing for the flock he tended, were the same things The Lord was doing for him. I would recommend an excellent teaching on Psalm 23 by Jacob Prasch. David the Bethlehemite boy became King of Israel & a Messianic figure, but he also typifies Christ as our Shepherd. He is the humble servant who is also the conquering king.

And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd (Ezekiel34:23-24).

And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God (Ezekiel34:31).

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people (Isaiah55:3-4).

Even after David was crowned King, he returned to tending his father’s sheep. He experienced & dispensed mercy. He was a servant & he never, ever forgot that. Even so, our Chief Shepherd humbled Himself & took the form of a servant (Philippians2:5-8).

even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many (Matthew20:28).

Christ Jesus clearly demonstrates the tender, lovingkindness of a Shepherd, as well as the firm-handedness of a leader. He possesses the wisdom & majesty of a king & yet He patiently comes to us, teaches us, corrects us, disciplines us & lovingly forgives us. What a great Saviour.

For any man who claims a calling to Pastoral ministry, I only have one request. Don’t abuse your position. As a lamb, I have recognised the need for Shepherds who take Jesus Christ as their example & standard. I write these words [almost] begging you, please. Congregations are crying out for real men of God who will reflect Christ, lead, teach & protect God’s heritage, His people.

Will you do this on behalf of The Chief Shepherd until He appears? Will you take the masterclass given by The Lord Jesus Christ Himself & feed the flock of God for no other reason than this; He has called you.

I ask these questions & say these things as a member of a fellowship. I love my Pastor & willingly submit to his leadership, following him as he follows Christ. However, there are others out there who are thieves & robbers. They are wolves. They are liars & perverters of the truth who are leading the sheep into a ditch, instead of into green pasture. Not sparing the flock. May God in His mercy gather them up & deposit them into the care of genuine Shepherds, so will ALL of the real Pastors PLEASE stand up.

The New Word Order - A Clarion Call to Defending the Faith Once Delivered to The Saints PART FOUR

THE NEW WORD ORDER 

A Clarion Call to Defending the Faith Once Delivered to The Saints

And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth (Genesis11:1-9).

Something very troubling is happening. Something very troubling indeed. I realise that what upsets me may not disturb others, but in my opinion it ought to be noteworthy at the very least.

When men take it upon themselves to defy Scripture because of their own sensibilities & attempt to pass that off as ‘biblical’ by appealing to the susceptibility of their audience, it offends me. It offends me to the core of my petty & grossly insignificant little being. I say this & I know this because I myself have been guilty of this.

When men take it upon themselves to accommodate the world & seek to justify that accommodation from the very Scriptures they defy, it offends me. It offends me from head to toe & turns my stomach. I say this & I know this because I myself have been guilty of this.

When men take it upon themselves to actively make a name for themselves, erect a platform for themselves & use any & all means necessary [including a direct defiance of Scripture & an accommodation of the world] in order to accomplish their dreams, ambitions & goals while enriching themselves, it offends me. It offends my love & growing understanding of The Word of God. I say this & I know this because The Lord stopped me dead in my tracks before I went on to this stage.

Paul speaks the truth when he states [that] ‘..all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s (Philippians2:21). The subtle displacement & replacement of God’s Word as supreme authority in The Church is leading to an eventual landslide. We have been given an immovable object. It’s The Gospel. However, there is a name-making-Word-defying-world-accommodating generation of men & women today, who are masquerading as an irresistible force. They represent The New Word Order.

We are told that we are to be ‘..steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord..’ (1^stCorinthians15:58). Why aren’t we?

These are they that are rewriting & reinventing Doctrine to suit themselves. Brethren, we are in an era when something’s got to give. While people like me wax lyrical & reminisce about the ‘good old days’ & ‘the way things used to be’, others are using every resource available to them to perpetuate their Gospel. I’m not talking about the Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses. I’m talking about Christians.

In the 1990s I overheard a conversation between several ministers, in which one of them remarked that in his Church, there were some of the dumbest smart people he knew. He also said that if The Church wasn’t careful, this stupid generation [his words, not mine] would go down in history as having done the least, with the most available to it. Of course, he didn’t include himself in that equation. At the time, I thought that his remarks were a bit rude & short-sighted, but over the years, whenever I have been honest, I have had to admit that I was guilty of the very things he had said.

The 20^th & 21^st centuries have seen & are seeing, larger advanced strides in a multitude of fields of endeavour, than at any other time in the history of the world. Science fiction, with all of its fantastic & imaginative innovations, is fast becoming science fact. Information, technology & electronic communications are enabling the exchanges of all manner of data at unimaginable speeds. The Scriptures have already told us that in the last days, knowledge would be increased (Daniel12:1-4). Well, knowledge has increased & at an extremely alarming rate. Almost anything that we want to see or know, is quite literally at our fingertips, via the internet. How very much we take for granted.

I grew up in an era when none of this was offered, yet now, we cannot live without regularly updating our statuses on social media. The idea that every home would have a telephone in it was once laughed at & the suggestion that all households would have a computer was once considered a stretch. Mankind seems to be able to do whatever he imagines, but the last time that men did that, The Lord stepped in & stopped them. Will He do it again?

Knowledge, technology & information are not negative things in & of themselves. They can be used to our advantage in the spreading of The Gospel. The ability to store, access & transmit large tracts of data, frees both space & time. Instead of buying & transporting hundreds or thousands of volumes of books, stacks of CDs or editions of editorials, we can now download whatever we need to a simple & nondescript USB flash drive that is able to hang inconspicuously from a keyring. It’s what we do with what’s available to us that raises the question of its validity & it also challenges us concerning the propagation of the truth. In taking The Gospel to this post-modern & neo-pagan generation, we have to be careful. Some within The Church are seeking to redefine what we believe & Who we believe in, under the guise of contextualisation. However, as we will see, this comes at a price that, sadly, some are all too willing to pay.

The fashionable trends that seem to have come to dominate Christendom’s contemporary landscape, are little more [& no better] than the slick advertising campaigns assembled by fast food chains such as McDonalds, Burger King or Kentucky Fried Chicken. The Church might as well go right ahead & print dogma discount vouchers & coupons. Cheap Grace has been given a whole new meaning.

McDoctrine & Kentucky Fried Christianity is the order of the day, with Chicken Nuggets of teaching, a side of Fresh Fire Fries & a skinny shake that’s extremely light on sound, biblical truth. It seems that The Church has willingly lowered its standards, standards set in place by those who have gone before us, having suffered, shed their blood & died in order to establish the truth of The Gospel & The Word of God. I’m speaking of The Lord & His Apostles. I’m thinking of men in the history of The Church who stood for the truth & bowed the knee to none but Christ alone.

As I have often said, we are living in a time when anyone & everyone may have a Facebook page, blogsite, web address, Twitter account or You Tube channel. However, these things do not a ministry make. Moreover, many of the ‘ministries’ that are promoting themselves & offering their wares for sale to the multiplied thousands who listen to them, pay a nominal homage to the truth in their doctrinal statements.

The ‘What We Believe’ buttons on their websites do little or nothing to inform us about what they actually believe. Their actual beliefs are revealed in what they teach & preach as standard fare. Just like those in Genesis 11 who wanted to make a name for themselves & build a city, with a tower that stretched to the heavens, so also today, within The Church, there exists a group of men & women who are content to build their kingdoms while paying lip service to the building of the Kingdom of God, without God. Brethren, these things ought not to be so.

Again, It’s what we do with what’s available to us that raises the question of its validity & it also challenges us concerning the propagation of the truth. Whatever we are willing to do in order to attract people is exactly what we’ll have to continue to do in order to keep them. Is the simple Gospel so outmoded that it has to be dressed up or dumbed down beyond all recognition? For some, in certain parts of The Church, the answer is yes.

If we have to make The Gospel that we are preaching more sanitary, more attractive & more palatable to the world in order to reach the lost, I suggest that we’re no longer preaching the real Gospel. A slick logo, a catchy slogan & stunning graphics will occasionally mask a lack of substance in our Gospel presentation. The systematic lowering of the bar in order to facilitate numerical growth & make people comfortable, is fast leading to an erosion & ruination of The Church at large.

Jesus Christ set a high standard & an unprecedented precedent that fewer & fewer are adhering to or seeking to uphold. The Lord didn’t compromise whether those in His audience were Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, the common people, His relatives or His own disciples. However, there are some who feel that it’s both necessary & acceptable to circumnavigate the truths given to us by Almighty God, embodied in The Lord Jesus Christ & laid down in Apostolic Doctrine. They’re embarrassed. For them, their idea of ‘apologetics’ means saying sorry to the world. I kid you not.

If we dare to depart from The Gospel as it’s been given to us & as it’s prescribed & described in Scripture, we sail into error. A false Gospel presents a false Christ, preached from a false interpretation of God’s Word by false men who will, in turn, produce false converts & false fruit. This is already happening more quickly than at any other time in the history of The Church.

Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them (Matthew21:42-45).

Here, Jesus quotes from the Psalms & the book of the Prophet Isaiah. Indeed, they are speaking of a person. These verses are speaking of Him.

Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed (1^stPeter2:6-8).

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (Romans9:30-33).

The stone of stumbling & rock of offence is Christ. When the disciples of John came to Jesus with the question ‘Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?’, He answered succinctly, giving them a concise list of His Messianic miracles & adding ‘…blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.’ (Matthew11:2-6).

After His last Passover meal with His disciples, just before His crucifixion, Jesus told the twelve plainly [that] ‘All ye shall be offended because of me this night:’ (Matthew26:31). Christ & His Gospel are a stone of stumbling. Christ & His Gospel are a rock of offence. Well, they certainly used to be, but are they still?

There was a time when men wouldn’t compromise with The Gospel to the extent that they’re willing to today. They wouldn’t have dared. Those who tinkered & tailored with the truth to suit the cultural whims of the day were soon marked as fractious men. God had drawn a huge, great, big, thick, deep line in the sand, but generations have been occupied by believers & leaders who have systematically sought to fill that gap & shorten the distance between ‘us & them’.

Do we now stop preaching the true Gospel in order to accommodate the world? Do we? Some have taken it upon themselves to remove the Cross & build a bridge of marshmallow love & sickly sweet, non-judgemental acceptance, replete with angels that look like fairies, prancing unicorns in their Nativity plays & shimmering, translucent rainbows to keep homosexuals & the rest of the LGBTXYZ rebels happy. When Jesus began to preach He said ‘Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ That was His catchy slogan. (Matthew4:17). The Cross was His cleverly designed logo. Now the bar has been lowered to ‘You Don’t Have to Believe, to Belong’. You don’t have to encounter the Cross at all.

Today’s popular Gospel is completely & absolutely innocuous. It is ineffective. Today’s Gospel has no Divine guts in it because they’ve been ripped out & replaced with something altogether human. It bears more resemblance to a Piñata that’s stuffed chock full with God’s goodies. We can prosper & be in health, even as our souls prosper (1^stJohn1:2). We can give & it shall be given to us (Luke6:38). We can move mountains, change situations & harness the power of God by simply believing & speaking His Word (Mark11:23-24). If a man or woman hits God hard enough, for long enough, with their stick of faith, the blessings fall out & shower them. Yeah, right.

This is another Gospel. There is no Cross to take up. There is no self to deny. There is no cost to count. Surely Christ & the Apostles didn’t really mean what they said, did they? Well if they did, I’m sure there’s a milky, water-based translation of The Bible or a paraphrased version somewhere that will say it in a way that’s much more comfortable for unbelievers to swallow. Afterall, The Gospel is good news, isn’t it? It is, compared to the bad news. This bad news is tucked away though. No one wants to hear it because it’s not nice. Yet it’s right there in the red letters that identify Jesus as speaking.

There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish (Luke13:1-5).

What if a preacher uttered words like these after a tragedy like Dunblane or a catastrophic event like Lockerbie? What if a minister stood up on the 1^st Sunday after the events of 9/11 & told people that unless they repented, they would likewise perish? Again, Jesus didn’t compromise whether those in His audience were Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, the common people, His relatives or His own disciples. They were told what they needed to hear. They were given the truth, though inconvenient. This wasn’t all that Jesus ever said, or ever had to say. He said it, nevertheless. However, in this New Word Order, it’s cheaper to be economical with the truth & a lot easier to smooth over anything that might scare the unbeliever away. This is a false economy.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force (Matthew11:12).

Men & women need to be shown their desperate need for Christ as their Saviour, because of their sinful state. There truly is good news for those sinners who are destined for eternal hell, just as there is good news for those sinners who have believed. These facts are fast disappearing from the vocabulary of many modern ministers, even though said facts are sound & biblical. Why? I’ve asked several of them & I’ve received no replies.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (John3:14-17).

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life (Romans5:6-10).

To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation (2^ndCorinthians5:19).

These & several other verses are constantly put forward in the modern preaching of The Gospel, as shining examples of God’s lovingkindness towards mankind. I agree that our God is loving. I agree that He is kind. His mercy & amazing grace are as eternal as He is. However, let’s not engage in the worst type of dishonesty when we share The Gospel. Remember what we read in John3:14-17? Keep reading. The next verses are printed in red letters too.

He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved (John3:18-20).

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 (John3:36).

How many men & women have accessorised their lives with Jesus Christ, by repeating a simple prayer at the end of a service where they’d enjoyed branded coffee, sumptuous cake, free Wi-Fi, concert style worship, cinema seating & a non-offensive motivational speech? Have those things if you want them, but don’t exclude the whole truth of The Gospel, because if you do, you’ll end up with nothing more than a glorified, exclusive club. Jesus lambasted the club members of His time & He will do it again (Matthew23:1-36).

Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words? (John5:39-47).

Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (John8:21-24).

The truth may hurt, but it also heals. Ultimately, we have to be brought to a place of conviction, being pricked in our hearts (Acts2:37). We are not good people who have come to serve a good God. If that were the case, Christ would not have had to come & die for our sins, be buried & raised from the dead for our justification. We are a sinful, evil, wretched & worthless people to whom God has extended His immeasurable mercy & grace. It is a great disservice to The Gospel & those that hear it if we proclaim the good news to people, hoping that we can avoid giving them the bad news.

To be told that God loves us, wants the best for us, has a plan for us & wants to heal & prosper us, is wonderful to hear. However, men & women must be told that without Jesus Christ they have no hope of eternal life. They will be damned to hell. They will be judged by a just God. They will be rejected by The Lord, just as they have rejected Him. However…

…God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved ;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians2:4-9).

If we’re already good people & Christ is simply an enhancement of our lifestyle, salvation is an optional extra. But when we are shown that without Him, we will suffer punishment in an eternal hell, salvation becomes an optional essential. Mankind still has the option of accepting or rejecting Christ, but with a clear & honest presentation of The Gospel as laid down by Christ & the Apostles in Scripture, every man & woman makes an informed choice. To remove the bits we don’t like simply because they’re unattractive & replace them with things that were never there in the first place is an evil act. This is The New Word Order.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach The Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark16:15-16).

The New Word Order is avoiding a vital part of The Gospel by not informing men & women of their supreme need for repentance. They want to remove everything that offends the sensibilities & replace them with everything that entices the senses. Unregenerate mankind will always be drawn by & to all that appeals to their desires & so when sinful man only hears that he can be loved, accepted & blessed by a God Who loves, accepts & blesses unconditionally, I contend that he’s not hearing the whole Gospel.

That uncomfortable & offended disposition a man feels when he is told of his need for repentance from sin, is the conviction of The Holy Spirit & the partial Gospel being preached today will not produce the conviction of sin that the hearing of the whole Gospel will. How many people accept Christ because they ‘felt like it’ after a sales pitch & an invitation to join a club that just happened to be called ‘a church’?

If a person hasn’t heard the whole Gospel, what have they believed? What will they believe? What do they believe? Most importantly, if The New Word Order will do this with The Gospel, what other biblical Doctrine will tamper with? This is a rhetorical question. They systematically cave in on issues time & again, ignoring the plain teaching of Scripture, which is the very foundation we are built with & upon (Ephesians2:20, Acts20:32). If you have some time to waste, knowing that you will never get it back, turn your television on & surf any of the common Christian channels available. See for yourself. This, is The New Word Order.

Despite the naughtiness of it all, the real Gospel is still being preached & taught. It has not disappeared. It’s still plainly revealed in Scripture & there are those who are faithfully declaring the truth of The Gospel, ‘..warning every man and teaching every man..’ (Colossians1:28). The Gospel has not changed.

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also (2^ndTimothy2:1-2).

Timothy wasn’t instructed by Paul to teach his version of The Gospel. He was told explicitly to commit these same things ‘..to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.’. Faithful men who shall be able are fast being overshadowed by able men who are not faithful to the same Gospel that Jesus & the Apostles preached & taught.

The New Word Order & its unbiblical attempt at modernising The Gospel, The Church & Apostolic Doctrine comes at a cost. This group of men & women may all say the same thing. They may all be as one. They may build nepotistic ministries that bear their names, stretching to the heavens. However, to build without God is foolish. To build without His Word is careless. To build without His will is vanity (Psalms127:1).

The fellowship that I attend & many like it, are committed to God’s Word & to The Gospel. Not our version of it, but The Gospel as declared by Jesus Christ Himself & His Apostles. As such, we may be a rare entity. The Lord spoke specifically concerning ‘..this gospel of the kingdom..’ being preached as a witness before the end comes (Matthew24:14).

However, there are others who have willingly embraced The New Word Order & the disposition of the name-making-Word-defying-world-accommodating. They don’t preach The Gospel. They compromise on anything & everything that will make them unpopular, skirting around issues that need to be addressed & exposed, leaving important questions unanswered. The Elephant in the room can only be ignored until it goes forth & eases itself abroad, as the KJV so delicately puts it.

Am I bothered? Yes I am. Should I be? No. Whenever there’s a muddy puddle in the street, you never see people gathered around discussing or debating it. They simply exercise enough good sense to step over it & avoid it. However, if one or more of those people walked through that puddle & then attempted to enter my house, that’s a different kettle of fish. The feet that ought to be shod with the preparation of The Gospel must not be soiled & we must not allow anyone to tramp an impure version of the truth through God’s House, The Church. The New Word Order are embarrassed by the truth of God’s Word & their idea of ‘apologetics’ is saying sorry to the world. However..

..I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith (Romans1:16-17).

copyright © by David Samuel Parkins mmxvi all rights reserved.

no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is presented & without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

Virtual Realities - The Role of the Electronic Church

Virtual Realities:

the role of the electronic church

based on conversations I have had with professing christians

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised; and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews10:23-25).

What a day we live in & what a point in history we’ve come to. In many respects it’s a Dickensian best-of-times-&-worst-of-times. This is true, not only of the world, but unfortunately it’s also true of The Church.

When I was born in 1968, there was no such thing as the internet. There were no mobile devices or smartphones. There was no social media. There were no DVDs. There were no flat screen televisions, no laptop computers & no tablets. There were fewer cars on the roads & not as many aeroplanes in the air. The Pound went much further than it does now & yet there was much less that people were tempted to buy. Technologically we seem to have come a long way. Certain other things haven’t changed though; they’ve become worse. There are still the problems of poverty, famine, war & debt. Hatred & greed have increased. The love of many has been exchanged for the love of money & even love itself has waxed cold. Racism & prejudice are feral social traits & it seems as if it’s more advantageous to do someone over in this day & age, rather than to do someone good.

By the time I was saved in 1981, national & international communications were booming, thanks largely to the development of satellite technology. This was great news. Radio & television programming from around the world became more accessible to everyone. We soon had [what is now commonly called] SkyTV & all of its peculiarities.

SkyTV’s global reach introduced something to the British & European airwaves that had hitherto been reserved for Sundays. There we were, in the mid 1990s, used to programmes like Credo & Songs of Praise, when there were news reports of an application for a religious broadcasting license by an unknown entity calling itself The Christian Chanel Europe. This was later dubbed The God Channel, then its name was changed to God Digital & now it’s known as GODTV. I know what you’re thinking. Your guess, is as good as mine.

There was a sharp rise in blasphemy throughout the nation as The Lord’s Name was systematically taken in vain at this news & yet more reasoned debate concluded that with the correct legislation in the right places, the moral & financial abuses that had led to the demise of Jim & Tammy Bakker’s PTL club, could be avoided. We were British [it was said] & we didn’t go in for that type of thing. Well, we were soon to discover that although we were indeed British, it didn’t stop us going in for that & a whole multitude of other things.

Certain parts of The Church breathed a collective, heavy & heartfelt sigh, while others discreetly performed cartwheels & briskly rubbed their hands together under the table. There was money to be made, which sounded vaguely like there were souls to be saved, but who was checking? Either way, everyone involved on either side of the issue went to prayer.

For those of us who had been [figuratively] baptised in the fires of Pentecostalism & then wrapped up in the cotton candyfloss of the Charismatic Movement, this was good news. Previously, we had become accustomed to congregating in someone’s lounge & hijacking their VHS recorder for the evening. We would watch videos by the leading lights within the movement & for an hour or two we could imagine that we were right there in their services. GODTV would eventually broadcast 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year.

Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice. For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death (Philippians1:15-20).

For someone who suffered as much as the Apostle Paul, his outlook was rather chipper. A real faith in Christ will do that to you. As I read through his teaching in the New testament, I see his sold out service record for The Lord, his love for the Gospel & his burden for The Church, I cannot help but wonder what he would make of our current situation. Paul isn’t alone in his Apostolic admonitions. The Apostle Peter, who had been given specific, first hand instructions by Jesus Christ Himself (John21:15-17), poured his heart out concerning the sheep he had been commanded to feed. I wonder what Peter would make of the modern Church. Beyond these Apostles however, ultimately, there is the determinate question of the will of Christ.

The deluge of Christian programming, proliferated via the world-wide-web is not a bad thing. However, in order to exploit the freedom of access to the resources that we enjoy, we have to accept that there are elements opposed to us who will exercise their right to do the very same thing. All of our action & interaction takes place on this amoral, level playing field & it is up to us to choose who & what we view & listen to.

For the believer in Christ & indeed for anyone who uses the internet, it goes without saying that there are definite things to avoid online. Yet the assumption is made [more often than not] that these warnings are concerned with pornography, gratuitous violence or coarseness & profanity. As unsavoury as these things are [& I know this to be the case because I once partook of all of them], I see an equally dangerous & corrosive trait being promoted & even defended in the Christian community; virtual fellowship. This is a serious issue.

I don’t have a problem with The Church or Churches having an online presence. I don’t even have a problem with the use of online Christian resources as supplemental to teaching or as an aid to study or research. I do that all the time. I do however have a HUGE problem with The Church or Churches who are promoting an online presence as a replacement or substitute for actual fellowship. I have an even BIGGER problem with those ‘ministries’ who aren’t even Churches, but put themselves forward as such, offering anything from personal prophecies to dream interpretation & all at a cash price that the sometimes desperate & deceived are all too willing to pay. This is a serious issue. This is a very serious issue.

There are believers who [through no fault of their own] are unable to physically attend Church services. They may be disabled. They may be seriously ill. They may live in isolated areas or countries where there aren’t the same liberties that many of us take for granted here in the West. They cannot skip out of their front door, hop into their car & roll into the Church of their choice. These are not the Christians I’m addressing here. However, while we’re on the subject, I have to tell you that I believe The Lord can & will provide fellowship for those who cannot get to an assembly.

Unfortunately, the internet is a natural go-to-ground for believers who may be in the aforementioned circumstances, desiring fellowship, teaching or the company of other Christians & unless they’re part of a Church with servant-leadership that provides Pastoral visitation & a membership that demonstrates ‘the same care one for another’ (1^stCorinthians12:25), even though they may not have forsaken the assembly, the assembly may very well have forsaken them. I have known very dear brothers & sisters in Christ who have become systematically discouraged because no one could be bothered to make an effort &   …..anyway, you know what I’m saying. This is a very serious issue. This is a very serious issue indeed.

*Part of my discourse here is covered in a string of blog articles called ‘Will ALL of the REAL Pastors PLEASE Stand Up!’, so I won’t repeat myself. However, I have to add something here that I didn’t say there. The Church has had an unchecked record of failure with certain types of people, while it has heartily embraced other types. This has to change. We must become deeply burdened for those who don’t have fellowship & I believe that burden [in some very small way] reflects Christ’s burden for them. We will be judged. If you know someone who has no Church family & cannot physically attend services, seek them out, visit them, pray with them, share in the Scriptures and break bread with them. I believe this will please The Lord. Iron cannot sharpen itself (Proverbs27:17).

Do you remember Jesus’ preparedness to go to the house of the Centurion after He had healed a leper? (Matthew8:5-7). Do you remember His readiness to go to Jairus’ house [after the healing of the woman with the issue of blood] even though news arrived that the girl had died? (Luke8:50-56). Do you remember The Lord’s willingness to go to heal Lazarus? (John11:11). As we read through the Gospels we see Jesus going to people who cannot get to Him & we see the friends or family of the incapacitated bringing them to Jesus. He deliberately goes out of His way for people, we must go out of ours. As well as those who cannot physically make it to Church, there are also those who will not go. Specifically, there are some who have stopped attending for reasons which fall anywhere between significant doctrinal deviation & the abuses that we are all too familiar with. Negative experiences, false brethren, Pastoral abuses of authority & bad Church traditions are among serious arguments put forth to me for non-assembly. However, some of us make blanket statements about the Churches we’ve left, statements which [upon investigation] hold less water than an old, broken sieve.

Personally, I believe that there are very few valid reasons for leaving a Church fellowship. Beyond these whys & wherefores, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to remain out of fellowship. Yet on an all too regular basis, I speak to person after person after person who will justify their lack of assembly, whist doing an impression of Han Solo; the hyper-drive is broken & it’s not their fault. Again, the internet becomes their go-to-ground.

This issue has become so utterly entrenched in the thinking of so many believers that I’m convinced it’s an epidemic within The Church.

Disliking a minister’s style or delivery & disagreeing with his sermons, is not tantamount to him being in doctrinal error. Falling out with members of a congregation does not make them false brethren. Being admonished from Scripture concerning personal sin & discipleship is not legalism & SO WHAT if you don’t like the music, no one is worshipping YOU! These are not valid reasons, these are excuses.

These & other sad pretexts are often exaggerated beyond all recognition. Why go to Church when we can simply log on & tune in from the comfort of our beds? With electronic fellowship, we can choose what we want to hear, when we want to hear it & if we don’t like it, we can simply find someone else. Furthermore, non-attendees slowly but surely become armchair critics of The Church, its laity, its leaders & ultimately its Lord. Party spirit begins to take route. One is of Osteen, another of Copeland & another of Hinn.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2^ndTimothy4:1-4).

This demographic is deceived into thinking that the actual Church can be adequately replaced by a virtual one. This is impossible & again I repeat what I said earlier. I don’t have a problem with The Church or Churches having an online presence. I don’t even have a problem with the use of online Christian resources as supplemental to teaching or as an aid to study or research. I do however, have a huge problem with The Church or Churches who are promoting an online presence as a replacement or substitute for actual fellowship.

If we cannot endure sound doctrine, if we won’t get along with our brethren & if we find it impossible to receive instruction or correction, it is we ourselves who not only have a problem, but eventually become a problem. Leaving fellowship doesn’t solve issues, it creates them. Without other members of the flock around us & a faithful Shepherd over us, we’re open prey. However, pride propels those who believe that they can survive on nothing but YouTube clips & Facebook friendships. It is entirely unbiblical. They have made an enormous error & have failed to recognise the role of The Church in Christian life.

For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves (1^stThessalonians5:9-13).

Fellowship brings comfort & edification. It also generates trust in Pastoral oversight. When we’re out there on our own, there is no fellowship, there is no comfort, there is no edification; we’re nothing but fodder. You don’t know those you are following online & they do not know you. No Apostolic writing is ever addressed to individuals who have voluntarily forsaken assembly & removed themselves from Pastoral authority. Viewing a service online is not the same as being in an actual service, much in the same way that watching a film is not the same as being in an actual film. It isn’t even the ‘next best thing’ as some have put it. Christ has prescribed that we fellowship together under the leadership of a Pastor & elders.

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation (Hebrews13:7). These are not your Facebook friends. These are your Church elders.

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you (Hebrews13:17). These are not your managers at work. These are your Church leaders.

Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you (Hebrews13:24). These are not your business partners. These are your Pastors.

I used to detest these verses but now I have come to love them & the Pastor that I have. An online ‘ministry’ cannot oversee you, care for you or give an account for you. It can take your money though & if you’re fortunate you’ll get a reply to your emails, but it is not a Church. It is a faceless entity. You can’t submit to the authority of a televangelist. You can’t call on them as elders of The Church (James5:14) & you can’t refer to any of them as your Pastor. A sheep on its own is prey (Ezekiel34:5) & many are being preyed upon on a daily basis because they’re scattered. They are sheep with no Shepherd.

At this stage in conversations, I usually receive a handful of counter arguments such as ‘the fact that I don’t go to church doesn’t mean I’m not a Christian’ or ‘the church is the people, not a building’ & my personal favourite, ‘show me scripture that says I have to go to church’. These arguments are all put forward without any biblical mandate & are therefore pretexts without precedent. If you have left a Church because of serious doctrinal deviancy, that is what you’ll state. If you left because there was unchecked sin or immorality, that is what you’ll state. If you left because the leadership was lycanthropic, that is what you’ll state. You will have a reason, not an excuse. However, if the circumstances under which you left are spurious, you will raise arguments similar to the non-substantive ones I shared at the beginning of this paragraph. The assembling of ourselves together is not about US, it’s about HIM.

There are some who have been genuinely crushed, abused & failed miserably by their former Churches. They need to be restored & healed. The Lord wants to do that for them. It’s unfortunate, but these things do happen. The solution isn’t complete withdrawal because as a wounded member you will become prey. In some respects, your willingness & desire to continue receiving God’s Word via YouTube or some other electronic platform is commendable, but it is not advisable. My heart goes out to you.

Perhaps there are individuals with whom you can fellowship, even if you cannot bring yourself to darken the doors of a Church at the moment.

A pride that is fuelled by arrogance & haughtiness will blind a person to the plain fact of their need for fellowship, especially in these days. However, television ‘ministry’ will rarely tell you this, especially when you’re a donor. You’re welcomed to the broadcast as if you’re a part of their extended family & a member of their Church. What’s the real attraction? Do ‘ministries’ that attract an online audience offer non-attendees something that a local Church doesn’t?

There’s no accountability online. There’s no restriction. There’s no oversight. There’s no reproof, no rebuke & no exhortation. No one is looking over your shoulder. No one is leading or guiding you. There’s little or no discernment. Yet multiplied thousands will sit in front of their computers & watch their favourite teacher instead of making their way to an actual assembly. There’s no challenge. There’s no serving.

We seem to have bought into the lie that the only thing we attend Church services for, is the teaching of The Word of God & because we can now access that 24-7, we don’t think that we actually have to go to Church at all. Even a cursory reading of Scripture will dispel that myth. Our Church attendance is about Him, not us. We may benefit from His Word & His presence; we may benefit from receiving communion & we may benefit from praying one for another, but ultimately we gather together because of Jesus. Anyone who separates themselves from assembly, thinks that assembly is ultimately about them. They are wrong.

As we read through the New Testament & see the internal & external ministry of The Church, any argument for separation is soon put to bed. Those who resist the admonition of Scripture simply do not want to assemble. Whatever they’re learning online makes them more spiritual & knowledgeable than others. They don’t need to go to Church. If they understood The Church in biblical terms & not in the simplistic manner they’ve adopted, they’d see that what they’re actually saying is ‘I don’t have to act as if I’m a part of the body of Christ’. It’s an act of unfaithfulness.

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: (1^stPeter5:1-6).

Scripture is abundantly clear about the specific circumstances under which believers are to be outside of fellowship.

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican (Matthew18:15-17).

But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one, no, not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1^stCorinthians5:11-13).

A man that is a heretic, after the first and second admonition, reject; knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself (Titus3:10-11).

If you are in the habit of forsaking assembly, please return to full fellowship with a body of believers. There are good Churches led by good Pastors. Find one. The world wide web is aptly named & although there are many, many ‘ministries’ available, from which we may cherry pick teaching, they are not Christ’s model. He has set Pastors in The Church to oversee & feed His flock. If you cannot physically make it to an assembly, I pray you’re a part of a fellowship that has visitation & proper Pastoral care. If you’ve been hurt by a Church, I pray that you’re soon healed. If you’re in rebellion because you don’t believe that you have to assemble with other believers, I pray that your internet goes down & someone from a local Church knocks on your door. God bless.

Copyright by David Samuel Parkins mmxvi