Christian Churches To Go Underground in America?
At the risk of being accused of being a wild-eyed, bible-thumping, Holy Roller, I need to explain what I mean when I say “the REAL Christian Church” in America.
In the past three decades, or so, many of the mainline Christian churches have slipped away from their foundation on the Holy Scriptures and adopted more and more secular tenents and leftist, politically correct, philosophy until they have become only a shadow of the true followers of Christ. In my opinion, those denominations can no longer claim to be “Christian” churches simply because — they are not.
A few years ago, I left my own denomination, one of the mainline denominations in America, because it had chosen to forsake the tenents of the Bible and the “Good News,” the Gospel, as enunciated by the very person from whom the church had received its mission.
Allow me, please to state, flat out, that I do not hold myself to be a better Christian than any other follower of Christ. Nosiree! I am nothing more than a sinner saved by the grace of God – no more, and no less. It was a gift from a loving God. There was nothing I could have done and nothing I can ever do, which would have either bought that grace – or — made me worthy of receiving it. In the eyes of God, I believe I am just as bad as the worst murderer on death row and just as good as the Pope. Our shared commonality is that we are all sinners.
Unfortunately, many of our mainline denominations have become nothing more than social clubs with many franchises nationwide. Their pastors “preach” feel good “sermonettes” about the environment, and things like “social justice.” In my opinion, that is not the mission of a church that purports to follow Christ. In fact, Christ, Himself, spelled out the mission of the church in what we refer to as The Great Commission.
After His resurrection and shortly before he ascended to heaven, he gave his followers this mission: 18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18-20
That commission from Christ is the reason the church exists … period. To fulfill that mission the church MUST stand firmly upon the foundation of the Holy Scripture and the teachings of Christ. That means insisting that the standard(s) set by Christ are, and remain, the guiding force behind everything the church does. Of course, that means pastors are compelled to preach that those things the Scripture marks as sin are duly, and publicly, noted from their pulpits as SIN. If a church is reluctant to do this, or refuses to do this, then, in my opinion, that church is not a Christian church.
Today, in America, pastors are fearful of preaching the scriptures. They are fearful of pointing out man’s failings, man’s falling short of the mark. They are concerned that they will be dragged into court, and accused of slander or some form of libel because some sinner, as defined by the scriptures, has been offended or even embarrassed. It is a very real threat, especially to the evangelical church in America.
As a result those churches, which hold true to the gospel, now feel that they must consider meeting in secret for Bible classes, for worship services, or other bible centric gatherings.
The fact is, dear reader, America has deteriorated into such an ugly mess, that she has become the kind of country to which early America used to dispatch missionaries of The Gospel.
There is a clear attempt by the government (local, state, and federal) to criminalize biblical preaching and prevent thousands of churches and clergymen from practicing their faith without threat of penalty from our government.
So, yes, the Christian Church, I believe, WILL be driven underground in America, as it has been in other nations around the globe. Otherwise, it will cease to exist in this land many firmly believe was founded by Christians.
As much as it pains me to say this — America is no longer a Christian nation. At least, America’s government no longer governs by men and women who base their convictions on the Judeo-Christian code of laws and beliefs.
And very soon now, I believe, the Supreme Court of the land will be in the hands of socialists, as well, and THAT will be the end of the experiment called “America” — a nation which was to have been governed only by the voice of it’s people and their God.
The wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah could not hold a candle to the wickedness in America today.
If the true Christian church is to survive in America, it MUST go underground.
Related articles
- Wake Up Church! (standupforthetruth.com)
- Study: Why Young People Leave the Church (charismanews.com)
- California Church Preaches Gospel at the Bar (Christian Worldview/Issues) (prophecynewswatch.com)
I have believed the same for sometime now. The fact that churches have lined themselves up with tax-exempt 3-C status; makes them totally vulnerable to the government. The government can shut down any church that preaches homosexuality is a sin, so on a so-forth. Our lights will continue to shine until Jesus returns! I always remember that God is in control!! Under ground or not, we will prevail to the end!
I have been saying this will happen for years now. I would rather hunt and find the undergrond church than continue to try and fellowship with the apostate church. I also stated some years ago that tax emempt status was a bad thing. Nowhere in the Word are we as believers promised any special priviledge from the world, rather we were promised persecution by the world. Tax exemption has long ben the means in waiting for the state to dictate what the church can preach. Of course, ear tickling pastors want the tithe and offerings to keep coming in as well. A. W. Tozer wrote long ago, woe to the church which was run by its treasurer. [I paraphrased this as I've not the direct quote handy]
To this ministry, keep up the good work of defending and contending for the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints. I have seen you take heat before but have only comented elsewhere, in a forum where I interact with Amy Spreeman. Time to defend her and this ministry here as well.
The problem as I see it is that much of the conservative church has reduced the Gospel to ‘the plan of salvation’ and ‘sin maintenance’ through coercion (i.e. “your going to burn in Hell if you don’t repent!), at the expense of the rest of the Gospel which is about the Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ and through him the Father is reconciling the entire creation to Himself. The Gospel is a Big Tent, Holistic, all encompassing message that when heard, believed and implemented brings about reconciliation and healing between not only Man and God, but Man and Man, and Man and Creation. As long as churches spend all their time and energy on beating people over the head with their sin, the world will marginalize the Church because all it sees is judgment and hatred and doesn’t see the forgiving, loving communion of believers in fellowship with the Trinity that should be the model that the Church is supposed to be for the Kingdom of Heaven.
In the ‘conservative’ church my family and I attended in the NE for over 10 years, we were never preached on, nor were we ever ‘coerced’ into believing anything of the ‘burning in hell if you don’t repent’ (which, sorry to say, has a fair measure of truth to it. I’m pretty sure the Old,and New Testament speak of it). But sadly, the Truth has somehow become politically incorrect. We could really hurt someones feelings and they may not come back. Sadly, the Gospel message today on the contrary is too much on the touchy-feel good side, but it keeps’em coming back and it keeps the building open. The Bible Story is not all feel good. Coming to terms with the fact of eternal damnation without an honest repentance of sin is part of the deal- And it can be a painful. Many a time I heard from the pulpit a you-can-have-one-foot-on-the-platform, one-foot-on-the-train, and-that’s-OK, it’s-all-good, god loves you no matter what type of message. It’s a carnal christianity message really- from Mars and other planets around the country. All of creation will not be reconciled to the Father, sorry to say. He will show mercy to whomever He pleases (Ex.33 spoken directly to Moses, and Ro.9 through Paul). How true, the Gospel IS a big tent, Glory to God- albeit through a narrow entryway. No concepts of holism(it’s way too broad a word in definition). The Gospel definition/message is simple- There can be no reconciliation without first admitting our sin and repentance.
Thanks for your thoughts, Marcus. In response I would say that most of the Church does not truly believe Scripture when it declares that “…all people will see God’s salvation.” (Luke 3:6) “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations.” (Psalm 22:27,28)
You said ‘All of creation will not be reconciled to the Father, sorry to say.’ You deny what Paul wrote to the Colossians 1:20 “…and through him to reconcile to himself ALL things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” Paul says in Titus 2:11: “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to ALL people.” Jesus atonement was for all people. His sacrificial act 2000 years ago broke down the wall that stood between God and all of humankind. It wasn’t a selective act, it was comprehensive. All are reconciled to God, all are made righteous before the Father, whether they know it or not. But I’m not preaching Universalism; please hear me out.
Where most of the Church has missed the mark is in its understanding of eternal life and salvation.
Eternal life isn’t blissfulness in Heaven forever, it is communion with the Father, through the Son, by the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself defined eternal life in John 17:3: “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Notice he says nothing about living in Heaven after we die. Certainly other scripture tells us that Heaven is a part of the big picture, but Jesus’ emphasis is on communing with him and the Father. When Christ returns and all is fulfilled, Heaven and Earth will be fully merged. Heaven will not be some far away place in some other dimension. Revelation 21 describes the New Jerusalem descending to the New Earth and God coming to dwell with His people – not the people going to dwell with Him. Heaven will be here on the reconciled, rejuvenated, recreated New Earth.
Salvation isn’t just dwelling with God after you die; that is a very truncated view. It is very much about being ‘saved’ in this life from the consequences of sin. We create a Hell of our own because of our sin. However, when we repent and align our minds with Christ (Metanoia) we give the Holy Spirit freedom to work his healing and reconciliation, to refine us and to bring us into communion with the Father, through Jesus and to be reconciled to others in our lives. For some, the Elect, that happens in this life, for many more it will be at the resurrection. Those who either reject Christ or never hear about him are denied this ‘salvation’ and ‘eternal life’ in this life, but at the resurrection and judgment, all will be given the opportunity to ‘know God’. Many will have to be refined (Malachi 3:3, Matthew 3:12) and even then, some may yet reject Him and sadly those people will be denied salvation and eternal life. “For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” (Romans 9:15)
I think America bears witness by it’s fruit. When the gospel of hell fire and damnation was preached America was morally good. When only love and grace without the whole counsel of God are preached…well we reap what we sow.
Morally good as in 246 years of slavery? Morally good as in centuries of oppression of women and people from non-European countries?
Cindy, you have (as is so often the case with the Christian Right) reduced the Gospel to ‘morality’ and ‘sin maintenance’. What a narrow view of God’s “salvation” that is.
Oddly the so called Christian Church will likely flourish in it’s apostate practices with its C3 status and likely other worldly benifits soon to be revealed. Satan is finding this far to useful of a tool to come against it yet especially since it is already merging beautifully with Eastern Mysticism, the occult and now Islam bringing all the world together under one head which is not Christ.
But the Body of Christ, They they will be driven out of the Church with the public eye and continue to be marginalized for standing on the truth that is the Word of God. Matthew 24
Matthew 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying , I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled : for all these things must come to pass , but the end is not yet. 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then shall many be offended , and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise , and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound , the love of many shall wax cold . 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved . 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come .
No matter for the truth will one day be made evident.
Matthew 25:31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come , ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 For I was an hungred , and ye gave me meat : I was thirsty , and ye gave me drink : I was a stranger, and ye took me in : 36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick , and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying , Lord, when saw we thee an hungred , and fed thee? or thirsty , and gave thee drink ? 38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed , into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 For I was an hungred , and ye gave me no meat : I was thirsty , and ye gave me no drink : 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in : naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer him, saying , Lord, when saw we thee an hungred , or athirst , or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying , Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.