Why The Church in America Fails

The Church in America fails because it is not relational. It has become reactionary and revenue based. It reacts to problems in the world by creating projects. If poverty is an issue they create soup kitchens, food programs, and more; rather than instill in the impoverished a work ethic and teach them a trade so that "they may fish for themselves." The same happens with social problems, if you are lonely and socially deprived they create groups and clubs, Bible Studies and self help groups that are suppose to fix the problem, but instead most people feel lonelier in the group because they cannot be themselves because they have to become restricted by the guidelines of the groups, and thus have to act "churchy" and "fakey." If a group is real, it gets too nihilistic, like Celebrate Recovery where people end up in despondency calling themselves "sinner," "alcoholic" and believing their struggle is going to be perpetual, when they really are disciple and son of God with a struggle that can be conquered (Romans 8:31-39). The American Church is revenue or money based. The programs and supposed answers to problems I have listed actually serve to send more revenue into the Church organization. THe goal is not to get people well, that would deplete revenue because like the drug companies have discovered, well people don't need drugs or more importantly to pay for them.

God designed us with a craving for relationships. Not shallow and surface friendships, no deep and intimate relationships. In the two great commands Christ Jesus gives he points to relationship, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, body, and strength," and "love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:37, Luke 10:27). The love here incorporates relationship, we are to love and relate to God with our entire being and put primacy on that relationship (Matthew 22:38), and to love others and relate to them as we want ourselves to be related to and loved by a person. The problem is the Church in America does not facilitate either. It wants the hierarchy, the people on stage, the actors to get all the Golden Globes, accolades, attention, and friendships while those in audience and chairs feel as if they are cheering a band and motivational speaker at a concert and seminar. None of it is relating, all of it is reaction based, you have to react in awe, worship, and excitement over the Pastor's sermon and praise the worship team for their skills; which defeats the whole supposed purpose which was to worship God and hear from God. The whole set up is faulty and is not found in the Bible. The Early Church of Peter and Paul "met in homes, prayed, ate together, two or more prophesized, and they gave money out of what they had, not under compulsion, and asked Holy Spirit before the meeting what to give." (Acts 2:46, 1 Timothy 2:1, Ephesians 6:8, 1 Corinthians 14:29, 2 Corinthians 9:7, 2 Corinthians 8:12, Philemon 1:14). The American Church is the opposite, it is in huge building, it rarely prays, the members do not eat together on regular basis, prophecy is mostly none existent except in Charismatic and Pentecostal circles, and tithing is compulsory and compelled from the Malachi verse, even though the Apostle Paul speaks to Churches saying, "Give out of what you have, not what you don't have," (2 Corinthians 8:12, cross ref Philemon 1:14) and "Ask the Holy Spirit what you should give before the meeting." (2 Corinthians 9:7).

God is relationall. His very nature is Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As Dr. Cloud says, "Before creation, the Son of God (Jesus) and The Father were one as it says in John 15." God has relationship with Himself, and so because we are "made in the Image of God," (Genesis 1:27) we too desire naturally a relationship with God, and our fellow man and woman. The problem is the Constantinian American Church creates the opposite, it focuses on projects rather than people, on prestige rather than peers, and on performance rather than the power of God. As a result believers feel dry spiritually in the Church because they cannot relate and fellowship because there is barely anytime to relate with all the routines of raising revenue and reacting to some major social issue or cause like poverty, disease, and more. The Church has lost its identity in America, and so the rest of the Nations have had to fill the gap. In Asia, The Middle East, and even France people are discovering the real purpose of the Church, to be followers and relate to Christ, to relate to each other, to pray with one another, to move in gifts of Holy Spirit, and to be community and family of faith strengthening one another as they properly jointed together.

Relationship, not ritual and revenue raising is the center, soul, and purpose of our existence as the Church. We are to relate to God (prayer, and other ways), and to relate to each other. But as long as me love money more than God (Matthew 6:24) and think they can solve problems with projects, and plans rather than personal relationship with God and people, and the power of God manifest in the Holy Spirit, they will fail. The American Church is falling and collapsing, it just doesn't know it yet. Soon, the programs and projects will have no funding when there is another economical collapse, and because those involved in the programs and projects did not bother to know God and know their brothers and sisters in Christ, they will find themselves desolate. In the end only relationship with God our Father, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit and relationship with our brothers and sisters in intimacy, realness, and Truth will we stand and endure to the end (Matthew 24:13).

Filling the gap of the American Church in decline is the Churches of Asia, The Middle East, North Africa, and more. Missionaries are coming to United States, because the American Church with its business oriented approach, its seeker friendly stance, and its program running campaign has failed to reach the lost. Within The United States of America there is a remnant of millions and thousands of true Christians who have not bowed the knee to Baal, Belial, Mammon (god of money), and the pantheon of fallen angels. This remnant is like seven thousand faithful (Romans 11:4), but make no mistake, they are the minority. The majority in the American Church are Mammonists, and religionists who control rather than care for one another. The desolation is within the US churches now, and only those who have maintained a personal and close relationship with God the Trinity and true believers who want to relate to God and each other will remain unstained by the desolation.

Woe unto you Church of America. Your pride has blinded you, your love of self and money has ensnared you. Repent and return to your First Love (Revelation 2:4) before it is too late! Jesus Christ is Coming Back and if you do not know Him, He will say unto you who even claim to have done things in His name (Matthew 7:22), "I never knew you! Depart from me and Away with you workers of wickedness!" (Matthew 7:23).