By Jason Charles on 5/3/2016 (8 years 234 days ago) Theology & Religion
There are a few things common to every church body. One of which is the calling of a dynamic, anointed man of God that has the God given ability to decipher scriptural truth and also can attract people with a similar call. People who are uniquely equipped to aid in that man's mission. The other thing common to any ministry is simply strife. Strife follows wherever people congregate and organize. Humans can be a sorry lot, if you have any doubts ask a divorce attorney. Strife within a body of believers can be as equally as ugly as a divorce.
If in fact you are truly led to a body of believers then leaving is very much akin to divorce. The call and drawing ourselves to a church or mission is very similar to a call to a love in a marriage sense, and is spoken of as good and blessed of God. But in that same spirit we must realize that separation is spoken of as being bad and not of God. If it is a true call then that call will be unmistakable, and never to be ignored. If it was a false call you will be plagued by doubt. The enemy will see he can sift you, and use you in your double-mindedness to distract and dissuade God's man. In God's providence he will draw those of ill and misplaced intentions out, in the meantime here are five things to watch for in every body of believers, least it soon come into tribulation and strife.
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10: 24-25
Here are Five areas that are relentlessly exploited by the churches spiritual enemy, the devil.
The Pride of Right Doctrine
Our churches are steeped in this sin. Men and woman in the church love to read the Bible and feign perfect doctrinal knowledge. People are eager to in-fight over every little thing in scripture. Salvation, heaven, sin, grace, histories, genealogies, prophecy, end-times, everybody has a theory and theirs is worth fighting for if challenged. The Pharisees suffered heavily from the pride of right doctrine. They literally missed their Messiah and crucified Him because they didn't see Jesus fitting into their interpretation of prophecy. It doesn't get any worse than that, yet Christians all over America are about their pet doctrines more so than preaching Christ.
Pro-Tip: If it is not a salvation issue then it isn't worth fighting over ever. Those that are antagonistic in their "truth" reveal them to be sufferers of the sin of Right Doctrine. You often encounter people like this that are obsessed with prophecy, and denominational fissures in scripture. Beware.
But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith , God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. James 4:6
Gossip and Back Biting
Attacking someone while their back is turned is thought of as cowardly, and un-gentlemanly. Meeting and conversing with people that are always finding fault and criticism of the Pastor, the church, the people is not healthy and should be chastised as such. Negativism is a blight on the church body, if you think you can correct a man of God and the direction of a God called ministry by whining and complaining you are fool. God established that ministry, God has purposed that ministry towards a mission and God will determine how to shape, guide and direct the men he called, equipped and led to be there. If correction is in order than God will correct in His own way and His own time. Always remember, these type of people that get caught up in gossip are the type of people that have given Christianity a bad name. The hypocrisy they find is nauseating, and it drives the lost away from the church by the droves.
Pro-tip: Nullify Gossip, and Back Biting at its inception and watch out for anyone who traffics in information and negativity. They do not have the best interest of the ministry in mind, nor do they have other believers best interest in mind seeing they obsessively drag people into conversations of little truth or import.
The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with. Proverbs 17:4
Prophecy/Israel Fever
It amazes me how people obsess over prophecy, end-times and current events. What people don't know is the endless speculation that goes on by people over these issues is generated for profit and nothing more. Everything about Israel and prophecy has a profit motive attached to it. If we are talking about prophecy, everybody has a book, a video, a DVD, telling you how the world is going to end. Then with Israel, by being friends of Israel you get to cozy up with the rich influential lobbies and Christian Zionists that populate the halls of power.
Pro-Tip: If there are wars, and rumors of wars then it is because Israel and the United States has stirred it up. There is nothing holy or worthy of support in either of these two countries. Jesus said only God will know the time or date of His return. I have not read a book or seen a DVD yet that says written and produced by God. Until then all of these would be charlatans will keep talking you out of your money and most often your sanity.
When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Acts 1:6-7
False Doctrines
Whether it is a false doctrine of obsessing over prophecy and seeking spiritual signs, or doctrines that rationalize sinful, entertainment driven activity in the church, it all is infinitely contrary to anything you find recommended in scripture. To be caught up in these things is to be caught up in untruths and error. Errors that often time become disrupting to a church body and mission because they steal the focus away from teaching applicable truth and the Gospel. No body of believers should be united in cause, because of the worship team, or united in cause over agreement on when the tribulation will be. These are all secondary often wholly speculative side issues, they are not binding and often time very divisive issues that put people at odds. The things that need to be preached are scriptures that emphasize, Christ, and the scriptures that pertain to right living within all of the spheres of life, like the family, church, society and government.
Pro-Tip: The best thing you can do is develop an aversion to all things speculative, worldly, and overly spiritualized.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. 1 Timothy 4:16
Disloyal Christians
The thing to note here is to remember that God calls people to church bodies. To leave a ministry or church body must be taken very seriously. To say you have been called to a church body, by God, and then decide later that it is not for you puts your faith, your calling, your ability to discern God's will, your spiritual maturity, and your spiritual steadfastness all into question. Your leaving, and any contention you bring upon your exit speaks more about you, and your lack of faith than it ever does of the church or the man of God presiding over the church. The Pastor can only trust that you came for the right reasons. And when he is not there to refute mistrust and disunity within the congregation he can only pray that the congregates are contending for the church, and the mission, and for the man of God. He puts it all out there every Sunday for the betterment of the congregation and furtherance of the Gospel, that alone demands the utmost respect.
Pro-Tip: So many people aren't truly called, they bounce around from church to church looking for something that fits them, or their families need. Very rarely will you find people that are convinced that they have been called to a ministry, and on top of that actively begin to serve and minister without expectation of gain. The best way to determine who is what is to watch peoples conversation and see how they serve.
Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; Philippians 1:27
Power Struggles
People who engage in these behaviors are often in the middle of some perceived power-struggles with in a church body. They see themselves as being superior to the Pastor, the church leadership, and even with God seeing they disagree with whom God called to start that ministry and how that person sees fit to run that ministry. People who are filled up with Doctrinal Pride, and pet theories are never good on a body of believers. As long as you are not addressing their pet issues, or preaching their exact teaching on any given subject you can mark it down everyone they know will hear about it. While the preacher is preaching they are busy mis-aligning and undergirding the authority and leadership of any given church body. These people that struggle for power will never be a submissive, servant-oriented congregate. They are only trouble.
Pro-Tip: If someone is bidding for more influence, power or control then they have questionable motives to say the least. There are appropriate ways to express your perspectives and opinions, and then there are highly inappropriate ways, mainly creating public spectacles and division inside the church. The people who do these kind of things are no different than a gay couple forcing a baker to make a cake they don't want to. Same goes for a Pastor being targeted and told they must do something different and to capitulate to people in the congregation. The Pastor has no such obligation, if they don't like the Pastor or ministry then they can take their money and support elsewhere, but they have no right to try to destroy His ministry. Really who are you to pass judgment on another man's work to the point of harm?
Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Romans 14: 10-13
Conclusion
People that engage in these activities are poison to a church body. When it becomes clear that their demands will not be met or their pet doctrines will not be entertained by the Pastor they start to invent all sorts of outrageous lies in a desperate bid to destroy that Pastor and that ministry. If they say the Pastor isn't a pastor, then you better have evidence he has failed to teach the word in truth and power every Sunday. If they say he is a cult leader and people worship him, then you better have evidence that he asked to sire your children, and require you to sell all your possessions for the ministry. That is the kind of stuff cult leaders do, and to say this without that kind of evidence then that makes you a liar. All and all these malcontented types only want to ruin that body of believers worship experience. They make it about everything other than the mission of that Pastor and that Church. Instead work to identify these people, point their murmuring out to the Pastor and make every effort to encourage them to leave. If they don't leave then it is time to ask them to leave and never come back. Their inability to control themselves, discipline their tongues and check their behavior marks them as an agent of the enemy in that body of believers. Rest assured those loyal to the fellowship body, know what is being said by who, the truth always gets out no matter how lies get spun. Just know to engage in these activities labels you as someone who will never be trusted again by the loyal few. Please Like us on Facebook and also sign up for the weekly Newsletter.
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;" Ephesians 4:1
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