The Deathbed of The Church

Most "Christians" never consider why they believe what they believe or, why they do what they do. They follow along as they have been taught, assuming that what they hear, believe and do is right.

The Church is filled with popular customs and traditions. Few try to determine the real origin of things, or even seek proof of what they have been told or believe. For example, Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. and other ministers in the historically black Church of God in Christ (COGIC), who are endorsing Obama’s health care plan without having read or evaluated it for themselves. At least read it first.

The apostle John left us this message, "Search the scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life" (John 5:39). The apostle Paul told Timothy, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). Most people accept common, religious or denominational practices without question. They mistake man made protocols as scripture.

Church leaders, from the pulpit to the pews choose to do whatever someone else does or says because it is easy, natural and comfortable. The peer pressure that Church leaders get from other Church leaders, prevents the well meaning ones from doing what they know is right. This peer pressure causes many to avoid questions from well meaning lay persons, instead they prefer to practice what is acceptable and fashionable. You can find many examples of this in my new book, Clever Lies and Assumptions from the Pulpit to the Pews.

Here is just one example: Today, many people are fond of calling the building in which the Church meets, the “House of God” or “the Lord’s house.” In the New Testament, there is never any reference to the Lord’s house being a structure in which Christians worship, nor is there any indication that the church gave any special consideration to the building in which they met.

All Christians have one thing in common that distinguishes them from all others: Church Edifices. Each Christian persuasion constructs its own “holy icon” with which to be identified. Now watch what we do next. Once a “house of worship” has been constructed, the believers who created it cease being the ekklesia—“called out ones”—and become a church—“called in ones.” In other words, outreach takes place only between the 4 walls.

As W. Carl Ketcherside once said in regards to our fancy edifices, “Jesus said to get out and go, but we have come in to stay.” The same brother referred to the first church structure, built about A. D. 200, as the “deathbed of Christianity.”