The Lost Church

The American Church has lost its way and it needs to repent and return to its original calling, which is not to build big edifices, big organizations, or big ministries. The church is not to be a 'big business'. Jesus said His house would be a 'house of prayer' - one that hears from God and talks to God and does God's will on the earth. In other words, the church is made up of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit and operate with His direction.

This creates a problem for most denominational and organizational leaders because, they will not be in control - the Holy Spirit will be the One controlling. After all, there may not be a pastoral message one Sunday or worst of all, they may not take an offering that Sunday. They may have communion instead. They may have a worship session that is not directed by the  the worship leader but by the Holy Spirit with His gifts displayed. After all, Scripture instructs "How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine (a teaching), hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." - 1 Cor. 14:26. This sure doesn't sound like the typical American church of performers and spectators. Most church services are more like attending a concert than like Paul's description.


The church is also to be light and salt to the world but it cannot be either without a firm commitment to the truth of God's Word - all of it. Not just those truths that we like or make us feel good but, all God's truth. Before the Hebrew Priests  could enter the Holy Place, they had to look into the Laver where the water acted like a mirror showing them every unclean spot. Then the same water was used to cleanse them making them fit to go into God's presence. This is a picture of the way God's Word is to us today, but if it isn't applied in totality, we are not going to be prepared to be cleansed in repentance so we can go into God's presence. No sinner (one who is actively sinning) should be comfortable in church until they have repented. Yet the churches are filled every Sunday with people living in adultery, divorce, lying and stealing, gossips, lacking in prayer, unfilled with the Holy Spirit, etc.. Evangelism was never meant for the Church but for the world but, today the American Church has invited to world into the church and they need an evangelist to reach them.

The American Church, every branch of it, seems to have lost its way. They need prophets instead of pastors. Men that will point out the sin in the church and call for turning back to God in repentance. They need to hear the truth that church is not a compartment in their life co-equal with compartments such as work, politics, entertainment, and family. They are the church and they are to be the church in every compartment of their lives! How you vote is as important as how you worship and how you live in your family as important as how you act in church.

Only the truth will set you free and God's Word is truth.