Disconnect—Reconnect

“Who is running this show?” That’s the question of the hour for churches to consider. Influences abound when it comes to how churches operate today. It seems every book written has a say on how a church is and what it should do. Then you have the case made for you by those who have been influenced by other influencer. Just the word “influencer” is a target of discussion. An influencer now means the same as a job title. A singular person has influence the minds of an entire generation from their youtube channel. Church members must be aware of the changing influences coming for their churches. 

Change in itself is not bad. God expects you to change and be more like Jesus. If you are addicted to drugs and alcohol, then set free from them, that’s a good change. If you were struggling in your marriage and God gave the grace to repair and restore it, that’s a good change. Not all change is bad, but just as the illustrations that are made here, we change according to God’s Word. He said to not be “mastered” by anything or anyone in this life, which would include drugs and alcohol. He said His design for marriage was as He planned it in the garden of Eden. In both cases He gave us ample passages in His Bible to see His designs and how-to’s in conquering and obeying each of these, and many more. 

In His Bible He also instructs, should say demands from us, what He expects in His churches He is Head of (Colossians 1.18-20 and Ephesians 5.23-23 ). To ensure that His church is well guided and protected, Christ wants to personally oversee each of His New Testament Assemblies. As “head” of the churches, He wants direct management without interference or competition (Ephesians 5.23). Do you think this is happening today? Are we appealing to Him for what He wants? Then as His body are we as an individual autonomous church obeying His commands? This must be asked and answered each and every day by each member of His local visible assembly. 

Jesus is to have direct supervision over every church. How many churches do you think there are in the world today that obey Him without dogma and religious rites? Those that do, must listen to His orders, from His word, signaled and explained by His Spirit of Truth. What can get in the way? Influencers. Influencers of a human sort. Today it’s manifesting itself more and more from man-made hierarchies and organized conventions, that are external to the church design Jesus mapped out for us in the New Testament. We are New Testament churches aren’t we? Man-made ‘buddy systems’ who have an influence into churches should be avoided. Every New Testament church should remain unaffiliated and independent of man-made organizations. While mission boards, conventions, and para-church organizations have noble intentions, they are in violation of biblical doctrine. Only the New Testament (visible—local) church is designated as God’s personal ministry commissioned to: Fulfill The Great Commission; Receive empowerment from the Holy Ghost; Have divine appointed overseers; Have authority to baptize; and be called His body. The Local Church is God’s idea, His creation, and His method of reaching the world. It is the only institution on earth with the promise that it will withstand the gates of hell (Matthew 16.18). All other para-church organizations in one way or another compete with the true church for the resources, talents, and membership of believers. Further, they contribute to confusing believers about the importance and role of Jesus’ local churches.

In Ephesians 3.21 the Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write— “to God be glory in the church.” Man cannot improve on what God has designed. He is the infinite organized authority, He alone sets it up and empowers it. Every church should desire Jesus’ personal supervision rather than the guidance of man-made institutions. It’s not just about mission boards and conventions, it’s also about the influence of the seemingly never ending jargon of the internet and its social media. “I heard this and that” has become the defining reason to do or not do just about everything in church today. What’s trending is in competition to the Lordship of Christ for His churches. So-called leadership are more concerned with fitting in and being cool, than following the Spirit. Jesus, and not a board of men, should be getting the glory! Jesus get’s glory in His church. If a church is more interested in the buddy system or their pet program than glorifying Christ—that church has a problem. Sadly if a church is not giving Jesus, and only Jesus, the glory—then that church should question their status with Jesus. 

The desire you have to be a member of an unaffiliated, New Testament Bible-practicing church—is the natural desire put in you by the Spirit of Truth. It is the only ministry biblically recognized as being organized by Christ personally. Interestingly, the tendency of mankind is to form their own organizations thinking to improve how things are done, or for vanity and prestige. And sadly many more today do so for personal control. The New Testament church is Christ’s idea, and whatever He does should be respected. In fact, every believer should desire to participate in the ministry personally organized and approved by Christ. The failing of some churches to meet the needs of people is not due to failure on Christ’s part in designing the church, but is the failure of believers to follow Christ. What should occur is the memberships should ‘dig-in’ and support themselves, loving one another and bearing each other’s burdens as instructed in the Bible. 

Every member of every true church ought to consider the need of revival in their church. It is time for the Lord Jesus’ churches to surrender afresh and actually be the churches He designed them to be. The design is not up to us—it’s in the New Testament. That in itself should be an eye-opener. Are we a church that resembles the New Testament? I’ve heard from some that this sounds radical. Maybe it’s time for some radical—before it’s too late for us to turn back to Him. The One who first loved us, and we ought to love, “…with all [our] heart, and with all [our] soul, and with all [our] mind.” (Matthew 22.37)

To that point Jesus said— “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” (Revelation 2.4-5. Written to the Church of Ephesus)

Disconnect from the man-made traditions in order to Reconnect to Jesus and His design for your church.