The original structure of the Church was sacrosanct and complete, yet we changed it.  It is increasingly apparent that the church is limited in functionality with regard to its intended mission of growing up the body, living in community, healing the lame and the lost and disseminating the Good News of The Gospel of Jesus Christ the Messiah.  The reasons for this decreased empowerment originate in disobedience to God’s Word.  It is certain that I will receive resistance to this position ironically from hobbled church leaders themselves who of course are the progenitors of said structural fallibility.

All members of the church are on level ground.  None is higher, closer to God, better equipped or greater spiritually than the next believer.  We have, “as men do” assigned leaders, most sadly now salaried to give an “approved message” one to several times per week that is supposed to fulfill what was meant to be full time daily commitment on the part of EVERY believer.  This is not to diminish the great expository preaching that many pastors deliver.  However that functionality which has become the mainstay of church participation was only intended as one face of the multifaceted jewel, called the church.

We have fallen prey to what I refer to as gravitational uni-conformity.  That being the propensity to find the most charismatic preacher that we know and then wait upon his every word as the only food we shall weekly receive.  This structural practice causes several negative impacts immediately;

1. dividing the church into segments of the “elevated” and the common,
2. silencing the collective absorption of the voice of the Holy Spirit from within each saint’s heart,
3. placing the success of church tasking squarely upon the shoulders of the few appendages instead the entire body
4. fostering ambition of those worldly people seeking elevated stature within the hierarchical structure of the church as a business.
5. stressing concentration on business functionality to shore up the paid staff and mortgage considerations of a “structural” church vs the individual body of each believer being the temple.

It also creates an environment where as God’s word compels us we cannot be Bereans about all the word that we are receiving.  Never questioning, never deviating from and never adding to the pastors unquestionable forty minute message.   Choosing to orbit the planet with the greatest gravity instead of seeking the light itself we resolve to bask in its reflection.  We have maintained a “man styled” hierarchical structure destined to inadequate performance of the great commission and Holy Spirit filled works.

This creates a myriad of problems that are nonexistent with the God inspired church structure.  We know patently what that structure entails by the Words of Jesus Himself in Revelation 2 & 3, where He clearly outlines all His intentions for the Body of Christ, His Church.  We consistently pray for national revival as if it is something that God decides to send us, when in fact it is something the He promises in response to our actions, (please read what 2Chronicles 7:14 says that WE must do).  I might add where He clearly says that He HATES the hierarchical relationship of professional clergy and common laity.  To oppose my argument believers immediately fall into the unfortunate and dangerous position of being in conflict with Christ Himself.

These truths must be said especially during this hour in which the final act approaches.  Apostasy is not necessary a falling away from the church but rather an opposition to the Word of God or more precisely a falling away from the Truth.  When viewed through this definitional lens, it is painfully obvious where we reside on the time line of God’s evolving plan for the world.  Lord forgive me if I have offended You or Your Bride in any fashion.  I do not wish to be contentious, but intend to wake up and strengthen the Body of Christ for the coming race to victory.  Praise Jesus, Amen.