I have thought the last article through after initially agreeing with it and feel that it's more an ideology than would ever happen in real life. I don't believe it will ever happen because I believe the Institutional Church is exactly where God wants it to be. She being the great whore of Revelation. If we believe God to be sovereign and all-powerful then the state of the Church is not a surprise to Him, and in fact if He has created calamity then He has allowed the creation of the Church to be what it is, for a reason.
I don't believe we are to go back to a New Testament Church model, we are to 'come out of her My people', leave the whore, return to pure doctrine, a true relationship with the Father, and look forward to the manifestation of the Sons of God, even if that means being the only person in town who believes this way. House churches may be fine, however the few I've heard of don't measure up to the picture painted in the article. The NT model was ordained for that time, I don't believe it is for now, there is a new day coming, a new age soon to dawn, let's see God do a new thing!
Yes, Chez! I read your post (15 theses) and thought, AMEN, but then I felt a hesitation. I DO think we are to gather as we are led, but it may not in ANY way be organized or institutionalized. Maybe it will just be for breaking bread together, and having a good time. Perhaps one will be led to pray, another to prophesy. But as you mentioned, if we try to recapture the NT church model, we may feel compelled, in our human-ness to set up some rules, some leaders/followers, etc. and will certainly then be on a path to just another messy denomination or organization. I have been led to invite a few folks of like mind to "meat" (I like that) at our house, but we are proceeding VERY cautiously, for the reasons you mentioned. I think, like you, that the new thing that God is about to show us/is showing us IS that manifestiation of the Sons...and what more will be needed? Lovely Post. Look forward to reading more
ReplyDeleteDi (found you on Wisefire)