There is a proverb that reads, "golden priests once served with wooden chalices, now wooden priests serve with gold chalices." (Protestants: The Faith That Made The Modern World, Chapter One, Alec Ryrie). It seems to me that we have reverted back to the former, with the Communion served in plastic cups while the priests or pastors clade in suites and wearing golden watches. The consequences of the Prosperity Gospel and Seeker Friendly Movement on churches are so far and wide that I am rather inclined to say the church is almost dead (James 2:17). The first disciples were not predominately comprised of men of prosperity, they were fishermen like Peter (Simon, Cephas), Andrew, John, James, we would use the word blue collar. Yes there was Matthew The Tax Collector, who would fit the Prosperity model, but he left that post to follow Jesus and the result was that he joined Jesus in poverty, "foxes have dens, birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (Matthew 8:20). While yes Jesus had wealthy friends supporting them (Luke 8:3), the point is that the pastoral leaders were to rely on alms and good will of other Christians. Interesting, because nowadays good luck trying to get help from Christian brothers and sisters, even when they have a Mega Church, James Chapter Two is one of most neglected aspects of Scripture, "What good is it my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead," (James 2:14-17). The same apostle said, "This is true religion, to take care of the widow and orphan." (James 1:27). Oh there is charity organizations, but most of them, even Red Cross have been found to be doing fraud and lining pockets of their staff.
The Consequences of the Prosperity model has turned the Church into Mammoloyn (Mammon, god of money). We came out of the Papacy which was rich and decadent in the Middle Ages, and then created another, with the prosperity teaching, which fleeces sheep and lines the pockets of false shepherds. It has gotten so bad, that I no longer feel I can enter a church unless I dress a certain way, act a certain way, have good teeth, well groomed hair, and fit in with a golden sheen. That was not how Church was in Scripture, it had all manner of people from rich Lydia to the struggling Women at the Well (John Chapter 4) who had been cast off by five husbands. The Church economically was diverse, wealthy, middle class, and poverty stricken people all came together in blessed hope of Jesus Christ. In fact Jesus even lectured about treating wealthy better than poor, "My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? " (James 2:1-26), and he had some words that would unnerve wealthy people like, "it is easier for the camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than a rich man to enter heaven." (Matthew 19:24). And now the rich man rules His church, and the poor in spirit fear to go inside the church for judgement. The rich are not the enemy, the issue is that the Church has become a country club for wealthy to hob nob, and those destitute feel the door shut to them. People wonder why those struggling will not ask for help from churches? Because the church has become a bastion of wealth, to the point that its unapproachable. And in truth, those there are not inclined to part with their gold to help those going through horrible times.
We are in trouble. The Church is losing relevancy. Ironic because its more prosperous monetary than ever, and politically involved, and yet we have strayed away from our charge to "make disciples of all nations," (Matthew 28:19) and to help one another, for when we aid others we do so to Christ, "Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” (Matthew 25:37-46). The Lord and his Apostles had stark warnings about letting our love grow cold for one another, "But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first! Look
how far you have fallen! Turn back to me and do the works you did at
first. If you don’t repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from
its place among the churches." (Revelation 2:4-5). Indeed the Church is becoming a clanging cymbal, "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t
love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." (1 Corinthians 13;1). It's dying.. and cannot see it because of prosperity and political power. Remember that The Reformation came when the church was at its peak in wealth and power politically, but it was morally bankrupt, and strayed from doctrines in Scripture. I believe we are at the same place now, another reformation is necessary to shake us once more from our decline and decadence. I believe persecution will be the tool, for it makes better Christians. We have grown fat, and complacent, and we will pay the price for it. We allowed the world to enter our churches, when it is written, "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind and then you will decide God's perfect will" (Romans 12:2), that came because of the Seeker Friendly Movement that took tactics of business and secular experts to make Church popular again. Church is not suppose to be popular, it is suppose to be the Ecclesia, the Elect of God who suffer and preach the Good News, who keep the Testimony of Christ.
Efforts to revive and reform the church have failed. The Jesus Movement merely created three more denominations, while its potency was noted, it fizzled. The revivals at Colleges happening again will come and go. We need more than some bonfires of revival, we need an Awakening, we need A Reformation, to save the church from its Golden Cafe, before its too late. Jesus is Coming Back, and not all who say Lord will he take, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!" (Matthew 7:21-23). We need to get real, we have polluted our churches with prosperity teaching, and the consequences are so far reaching, that the business world and the church are interchangeable. We have given into the unholy triad, "For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world: Alt Trans, For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for
everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These
are not from the Father, but are from this world." (1 John 2:16).
We have became proud and arrogant, thinking we are untouchable like Israel when Babelyon was coming. We ignore the prophets, and forget the apostle's warning, "But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." (Romans 11:17-22). We are not secure in that if we decide to court Mammon (god of money) and follow Jesus, we won't be spewed out, "So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth." (Revelation 3:16). So the time has come, we either go back to the Sources (Ad Fontes) and start over, using the New Testament as our model, or we will fall as Israel did to the pagans, and be destroyed from within. Make no mistake, this is life and death. We can no longer wait and be patient, we have to reform now or fall forever. Amen.
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