Monday, May 4, 2009

Church Government – A Poor Substitute


Yesterday I was talking to my mom about the hierarchical system in churches; Pastors, elders, deacons, and so on. People who think they have authority over the body of Christ. There are many scriptures that talk about the structure of the Church, but, there seems to be something so out of place in the church structures of today then in comparison to when Jesus was on earth…

Here is a great article that fully explains in depth on the biblical bases about what the Church looks like in comparison to what Father intended.


http://www.masters-table.org/studies/church%20gov.htm



This topic is a huge reason why I hate religious organizations. Someone who thinks they have the authority ‘by God’, has fully forgotten the importunate of servant hood and therefore, in my own opinion, does not have the right to conform people to bow down to man’s image. We were not meant to praise the one who preaches, but, the one who is being preached about. It seems to me that the way any typical church is structured to have men rule over other men, and have authority over those who attend are putting men before God. This hierarchical system that has taken over God’s church and has become something that I don’t believe was ever meant to become. In this article I love how he states, that we were all chosen by God:

“Notice that Jesus states in the above scripture concerning the structure like a vine that He wants us ALL to bear much fruit, so we ALL can grow, not just the minister. We also find in Matt 20:25-28 that Jesus instructed His disciples not to lord over their brethren. Let's read it…"But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave--just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."”

There is another scripture that says (and I can’t remember the exact verse), we were all called, but only few are chosen… I think that scripture is talking about ‘Christians’ in general and not about pastors or ministers or people who go by a certain label to think that they are something. It is referring to all of us… I personally can’t stand labels but I know that I fit into the category of chosen because I have made the decision to be chosen even if I am known as a no body. Those who decide and make the decision to follow Christ are the ones who are chosen. Not the ones who have the labels to think they have to prove that they are something. I remember hearing someone say that when you think you are somebody, you will soon find out that you are a no body. Talk about humbling and it is so true.

What has been more humbling is hearing about former pastors and elders from certain Christian churches stepping down and even apologizing that they were wrong in trying to be God to people in their organizations. This is a revelation that God can only get across to men, but, it has even humbled me to hear about their journey’s and how Father has led them to step down and give up the throne to its rightful owner. Not to say that all leaders are supposed to do this unless they are personally called by God to step down, but if I was in that kind of situation that would be so hard because it would seem that I would have to give up so much power. It seems to me like these hierarchical structures in churches are but power struggles between man and God, especially when the initial thought of man is that they have to defend their position in the church.

5 comments:

Rich said...

Religion no matter what flavor it comes in is designed to become a custom made straight jacket making captives of us, on the other hand He has come to set the captives free!

Anonymous said...

¿Por qué pasa usted tanto tiempo indicando las faltas de otros? ¿Qué hace usted para extender el Evangelio y ayudar a otra gente? Esto no toma mucho esfuerzo para blasfemar continuamente la oscuridad. Pero, esto toma realmente el verdadero esfuerzo para hacer las cosas que cambiarán la oscuridad y traerán a otros a la fe que ahorra de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. La Palabra de Dios dice que usted los sabrá por sus frutas. ¿Qué frutas tiene que usted mostrar? Hablar de uno y como uno siente es fácil para hacer. Activamente saliendo y realmente trayendo a otros a la fe que ahorra en Jesucristo y dar de tiempo de alguien, talento, y recursos de encontrar las necesidades de aquellos que son perdidos y la lastimadura es algo más. ¿Qué fruta a usted tienen que mostrar a aquellos usted "predica" a, "predicando" sobre, "y predicando" contra confirmar sus palabras? Jesús dijo que usted los sabrá por sus frutas y no sólo simplemente por sus palabras. La fe sin trabajos está muerta. Usted dice que usted tiene la fe. Le mostraré mi fe por mis trabajos. Realmente me gustaría para usted fijar más sobre la fruta de sus vidas y como usted ayuda activamente y usa sus recursos de bendecir aquellos alrededor de usted. No hablo sólo de su escritura sobre como usted siente, pero lo que usted hace realmente en ministering a otros. Conozco a muchas personas en muchas iglesias que tienen una relación muy profunda y satisfactoria con el Señor Jesucristo y nuestro Padre Divino. Ellos le dirán sin la reservación en cuanto a como libre ellos están en y con su Señor. Ellos pueden mostrarle también como aquella su relación con su Padre Divino causa a sus otros que sirven y la gente principal a la fe que ahorra en Jesús. Ellos pueden decirle como que su relación de cariño con su Padre Divino los ha tomado de la oscuridad para encenderse y ha fluido por ellos en dar de ellos y el que que ellos tienen que bendecir a otros y mostrarles la bondad del Señor. Esto es una bondad que nuestro Señor Él mismo solía ganar los corazones de otros. Aquellos testimonios tan elevan y ellos animan ne y otros en nuestro paseo con el Señor. Realmente pido de usted compartir con nosotros sus testimonios de como nuestro Padre Divino le usa en otros principales a la fe que ahorra y vida que cambia el amor de nuestro Señor Jesucristo. Sólo unas palabras de mi corazón al suyo.

Un creyente del mismo tipo en el Señor Jesucristo.

Unknown said...

Anonymous said:

English Translation.

Why do you pass so much time indicating the lacks of other? What do you do to extend the Gospel and to help another people? This does not it take a lot of effort to blaspheme continuously the darkness. But, this takes really the true effort to do the things that will change the darkness and they will bring to other to the faith that saves of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God says that you will know them for its fruits. What fruits has that you to show? Speaking of one and as one feels is easy to do. Actively leaving and really bringing to other to the faith that saves in Jesus and to give of time of someone, talent, and resources of finding the needs of those that are lost and the scrape is something more. What fruit to have to show you to those you "preaches" to, "preaching" on, "and preaching" against confirming its words? Jesus said that you will know them for its fruits and not only simply by its words. The faith without works is dead. You say that you have the faith. I will show him my faith by my works. Really i would like for you to set more on the fruit of its lives and as you help actively and uses its resources to bless those around you. I do not speak only of its writing on as you feel, but what you do really in ministering to other. I know many people in many churches that have a satisfactory and very deep relation with the Mister Jesus and our Divine Father. They will tell him without the reservation as for as free they are in and with their Mister. They can show him also as that their relation with their Divine Father causes to their other that serve and the nobility to the faith that saves in Jesus. They can tell him since their relation of affection with their Divine Father has taken them of the darkness to be lit and has flowed by them in giving of them and the one that that have to bless to other and to show them the kindness of the Mister. This is a kindness that our Mister He himself was used to winning the hearts of other. Those testimonies so elevate and they encourage ne and other in our walk with the Mister. Really I ask of you to share with us his testimonies of as our Divine Father uses in other main to the faith that saves and life that changes the love of our Lord Jesus Christ. Only some words of my heart to his.

A believer of the same type in the Mister Jesus

Aida said...

Hey, Nicki. I agree with Anonymous that we shouldn't spend a lot of time focusing on the faults of others but I don't believe you have ever done that. I don't remember you ever finding fault with a person.

It's the oppressive religious system that so many live under that you've spoken against and I believe we do need to speak against that. There are many within the system that are living as free children of God but many are not. Many are in bondage under a heavy burden that takes and takes and takes and never delivers what has been promised.

People need to be told the truth even if others are offended. It was only as I saw that the system I had given so much of my life to wasn't ordained by God and was keeping me bound that my journey to freedom started.

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