Do our Churches stand in Judgment of the World?

Do our Church buildings stand in judgment of the world? This question can be asked in this way, "Do our churches offer sanctuary to the elect?"

As I ponder the building of Noah's ark, I cannot help but wonder what were the people thinking as Noah built this huge ship. They walked by unaware of the coming judgment upon the world. Noah and his family were safe. They were invited by God along with His creation to take sanctuary inside the ship. Those left outside met their demise at the hands of our God. A God whose justice is perfect.

Image from Ancient Catcomb

"The ship was an ancient Christian symbol of the Church. It is the Church tossed on the sea of disbelief, worldliness, and persecution but finally reaching safe harbor with its cargo of human souls. Part of the imagery comes from the ark saving Noah's family during the Flood (1 Peter 3:20-21). Jesus protecting Peter's boat and the apostles on the stormy Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35-41). It was also a great symbol during times when Christians needed to disguise the cross, since the ship's mast forms a cross in many of its depictions. In the same vein, the main part of a church's interior, the place where the people worship, is called a "nave," from the Latin "navis" -- ship." Taken from Jesuswalk.com

We, who are in the Church, should be escaping the storms of the world. We are seeking sanctuary in Christ’s blood that washes away our sin. (Col. 1:20-23) We are not to bring the world into the church. (1 Cor. 5:9-13) Noah was elected by God to take sanctuary in the ark. There was no good work he performed to earn this distinction. God favored him by His sovereign grace. (Heb. 11:7) Noah and his family had to separate themselves out from the world. And so, too, should we! (2 Cor. 6:14-18)

But if we bring the world and our unrepentant nature into the church, we have defeated the work of Christ upon the Cross! (Heb. 10:26-28) Like Peter who took his eyes away from the Savior trusting in his own righteousness, we will sink into the mire of the world. (Mt. 14:28-33) This results in the Church looking no different than the world.

Our churches should stand as structures of God’s judgment upon a wicked world and as a sanctuary to those who look to the cross to save us from our sins! As we enter a church building, let us leave the world behind, and look ahead to the Cross of Christ!

What Does the Church Look Like?

The answer to the above question may elicit many different responses. One person may say that the Church is a building where people gather every week to worship God according to their traditions. Someone else may reply that the Church is not a building at all but just the people gathering and worshipping God. The point is that every individual may have their own opinion as to the definition of a church. Which one is correct? I suppose one could say that each opinion is an aspect of what the Church looks like and should look like. But there is one opinion that has to be considered above all other opinions. And that opinion is not even an opinion at all but rather God's will for how He has designed the Church. To go against God's will at any time is to go against God!

So let us ask ourselves, what is God's vision for the Church? The answer to this question can be found in Scripture. The Acts of the Apostles provides a picture, a vision, for the Church. One will notice that buildings are not mentioned as being necessary for being the Church. Unless, of course, you include the prisons where the apostles found themselves in. And even there they sang songs of praise, miracles occurred and people came to believe Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! St. Luke, the author of Acts describes in detail the early church. It is our manual for how our church should look today. Today we can make the mistake of looking to churches on television as examples of what the church should look like. Such popular churches are indeed successful. Successful in the eyes of the world that is! And that is a problem. God will never use worldly standards to judge the success of the Church. In fact, each individual is called to renounce all aspects of the world when becoming a Christian. St. John writes, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) St. Paul also states, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:2)

Is it wrong, then, not to desire a large Church? No, as long as the true Gospel is preached whereby we hear the Word of Faith, repenting of our sins and our worldly self and becoming a new creation in Jesus . A godly Church is a place where Jesus is the Good Shepherd calling the lost back to Himself, regenerating our hearts. The problem with many large American churches is that people attend for the celebrity status of the preacher, the feel of the sports stadium or it is like a rock concert. In other words, they are attending for their feelings. They are not really leaving the world. The success of the Church will always be judged not by the world, but by God our Father who is looking not at numbers but at our hearts! A successful church is a church where hearts are changed and souls are saved!

An Open Letter to the Laity for Clergy Appreciation Month

To my Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the Laity~

Grace and peace to you in the Name of our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

I write this as it is Clergy Appreciation Month and I am a presbyter in an historic faith, Anglicanism. I have served parishes for over twenty years. Prior to that I sat in the pew for thirty years just like you! So I know what it is like to be both a layperson and a priest. I also know what it is like to be a false convert and a true convert. So this epistle is to you who sit in the pew every Sunday.

As a pastor I ask that you remember a few things about your role in the church as well as the role of your clergyperson.

1. Your pastor is not the only minister. We are all ministers. Each and everyone of you has been given peculiar gifts to serve Christ. So do not expect your pastor to do all the work necessary for your parishes' mission. This is not a new concept. St. Paul addressed it in his First Letter to the Corinthians. By the way, nothing I say here is going to be new!

2. Your pastor is a human being. To put it in theological terms, He or she is a wretched sinner. It is the blood of Christ that washes our sins away, not the office we hold in church. And by the way, you are a wretched sinner as well. No matter how many coffee hours you have hosted, committees served, flowers bought, there is only on thing that can get you into heaven, and that is the cross of Christ.

3. The Cross of Christ is not made of gold, silver, brass or poly-resin. It is wood drenched in blood. Jesus bore the punishment we deserve. See #2 above.

4. Preachers are called to preach the cross of Christ. A good sermon is defined by the heart of the hearer being convicted of sin and receiving the gift of repentance from the Lord. A changed heart is a changed person. This is a lifelong process. So in the meantime, do not judge the sermon by the number of laughs the preacher gets. Nor judge the sermon by it's length. If you are looking at your watch because you have someplace to be, then ask yourself, "What priority do you give God in your life?" In the Church, and everywhere else in life, the most important person to bow down to is Jesus, Lord and Savior!

5. The words "pastor" and "pastoral" do not refer to being nice. Nor do they refer to social work or therapy. A pastor pastors a flock. The image is a shepherd leading his sheep to green pastures and still waters. In my tradition we have bishops. In a liturgical procession, they carry a crosier, a bishop's staff. This represents the staff shepherds carry to prod the sheep along or pull them in a direction necessary for their growth and safety. See Psalm 23. And if your asking what is the rod that is mentioned in the psalm, it is the club to keep wolves at bay. Pastoring involves pulling and prodding the flock towards the Word of God. This means that there will be times a very good sermon or bible study will make you feel uncomfortable. All because we are being coaxed to greener pastures for the sake of our salvation. And by the way, the true shepherd of the flock is Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

6. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Hence, He is shepherding us in our lives. He is not sitting on the couch oblivious to our needs. God has a will for each and everyone of us and He will move us in the direction we need to go in order that we may conform to His image he has for us. Very seldom do we complain when we are happy. But we tend to complain a lot when we are unhappy. Our unhappiness maybe related to our own willfulness, self-centeredness. If we are truly bound to Christ we will go where He takes us. If we lose a job, maybe that was part of God's plan. Not because He is mean, but it is a part of our growth process. In other words, "...in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30) We as pastors are called by the grace of God to help you see God working in your life, shepherding you to the Good Shepherd.

7. Being in church does not make you anymore a Christian than being in a garage makes you a car. When we die we will face the judgment of our life. The judge will not ask you what your pastor did. He will tell you what you did and His word will be final. So do not blame your pastor for things you should be taking responsibility for anyway. Blaming entered our world the moment Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. And look what happened to them. Take responsibility for your negative emotions. See #2 and #6 above. If someone leaves the congregation because of something they did not like, do not blame the pastor unless the pastor is a false teacher.

8. Read the Scriptures. Attend Bible Study. Listen faithfully to the Word preached. Take responsibility for your daily diet of the Word. In this way you will know the Word of Truth. And this makes it easier to understand when the leader of the congregation must exhort and rebuke the congregation in matters of the faith. (2 Tim. 3:16) The Word of God is our final authority. Also you will be able to recognize the wolf in sheep's' clothing. (Mt. 7:15)

9. Understand that when you read the Word of God, that God gives us commands not suggestions. He never said, "When you feel like it, love your neighbor." Nor did Jesus say from the cross, "Father forgive them but only after I get my way with them." Love is a command. Forgiveness means I have to accept the hurt I feel not seeking revenge. The biblical phrase from the Lord's Prayer, "Forgive us our sins for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us, and lead us not into temptation" (Luke 11:4ESV) means that we recognize our own forgiveness through that bloody cross and that we will not make people owe us anything when we are offended. We still hurt, but we will not hurt others "to get even". The temptation that we pray to be protected from comes immediately after this petition as Satan will tempt us to get even. If you fantasize about revenge, that is Satan tempting you. Take responsibility for your thoughts and rebuke Satan in the Name of Jesus! Remember, Jesus is our Lord, not our feelings. Going back to Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, people who live out their feelings were called carnal. Those who live in obedience to Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, were called spiritual. There are works of the flesh and there are fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-25) You will notice the works of the flesh involve a lot of feelings. The Spirit produces fruits of attitude. Remember, the Holy Spirit produces these in us, we cannot manufacture them. So when I am convicted of my sin and sins, I must throw myself upon the mercy of Jesus Christ, my redeemer. And this goes for everyone in the church.

10. And finally, do not ask your pastor to be something he or she is not. This is idolatry. They are not your parent, therapist, buddy. We cannot be like the last pastor who proceeded us. We are all unique. Remember all the people called by God in ages past who were used to fulfill God's plan of salvation. Noah was a drunk. Moses was a murderer and inarticulate. King David was a murderer and adulterer. Jonah was obstinate. Peter was a liar and a poor fisherman. In spite of his education, Paul was complicit in the murder of many a new Christian, and by his own admission wasn't his own choice to be an apostle. But the majority of the New Testament was written by his own pen. By no means do I believe we can excuse murder and adultery as the Ten Commandments are quite clear about that. And we have the gift of the Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and lead us to repentance. But we are not perfect and God does not call perfect people to the ministry. He calls whom He wills! And you are not perfect. But just the same, you are called to join with your pastor to fulfill the Great Commission, making disciple of all peoples. This can best be done by being a disciple, sitting at the feet of Jesus, and setting an example to be followed by others!

So this month, pray for your clergy that they be the person God needs them to be, not the person you want them to be. And remember, they have a holy charge to watch over your souls! (Hebrews 13:7-10, 17)

God bless you,

Your Brother in Christ, a sinner in need of a Redeemer!

Allen. T. Peyton, III+

Labor Day - Questions for the Church

What if 100% of all churches prayed for the unemployed this weekend?

What if 100% of all unemployed workers prayed to God for His mercy and guidance?

What if 100% of all believers repented of those things that contribute to our unemployment?

What if this weekend 100% of all Christians got on our knees asking God's guidance for our nation.

What if 100% of our citizenry prayed for all elected officials and business leaders that they all may do God's will.

What if 100% of all church goers read their bibles this Labor Day weekend seeking answers from God's Word?

What If..................................?

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Idolatry

Do we still worship idols? The answer is yes, based on the fruits of idolatry! When we worship something we reflect that something in our lives. By worshipping the true God, we will eventually grow reflecting His true glory in our lives! If we worship idols that are false, we become as false as they are! (2 Kings 17:15)



 ¹⁶ So I tell you: Live by following the Spirit. Then you will not do what your sinful selves want.¹⁷ Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please.¹⁸ But if the Spirit is leading you, you are not under the law.

 ¹⁹ The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: being sexually unfaithful, not being pure, taking part in sexual sins,²⁰ worshiping gods, doing witchcraft, hating, making trouble, being jealous, being angry, being selfish, making people angry with each other, causing divisions among people,²¹ feeling envy, being drunk, having wild and wasteful parties, and doing other things like these. I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things will not inherit God's kingdom.²² But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,²³ gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their own sinful selves. They have given up their old selfish feelings and the evil things they wanted to do.²⁵ We get our new life from the Spirit, so we should follow the Spirit.²⁶ We must not be proud or make trouble with each other or be jealous of each other. (Galatians 5:16-26, New Century Version)

Is Your Church Appetizing?

Q: How do we judge A church to be doing God's will?
A: Signs and Wonders will be present!

⁴² And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, (Acts 2:42-44, New King James Version)



¹² Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. (2 Corinthians 12:12, New King James Version)

Signs and Wonders are for today!

³ So surely we also will be punished if we ignore this great salvation. The Lord himself first told about this salvation, and those who heard him testified it was true. ⁴ God also testified to the truth of the message by using wonders, great signs, many kinds of miracles, and by giving people gifts through the Holy Spirit, just as he wanted.      (Hebrews 2:3-4, New Century Version)