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I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

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Why is the World Going to the Dogs?

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Salt is good; but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? Luke 14:34

Many preachers make an occupation of lamenting the downward spiral of the world in general and this nation in particular. Only a few Sunday mornings with Dr. D. James Kennedy, for example, is enough for us to learn that we are far removed from the Christian based principles of our founding fathers. Correctly, he points out that "In God we trust," "one nation under God," along with prayer in the public schools once the hallmarks of American public life have faded into oblivion. The very presence such slogans on buildings and currency raise contentious controversy. Religious observations and celebrations are now barred from our schools and public arenas, nativity scenes from public grounds. Why?

It seems indisputable that American society has become extraordinarily carnal. Our obsession with riches is beyond reason. We are so consumed with the opulent life represented by suburban mansions, luxury automobiles exotic entertainment and recreation, that our lives cycle between earning and sleeping. Most hours of the day our mansions stand empty our cars in the park-and-ride and our children under the paid professional supervision of surrogate parents. This is the good life for which there are no limits and no restrictions on what a person may do to get there.

News programs deluge us with the daily tragedies of little Samantha Runyans and Danielle van Dams. Sex, alcohol, drugs, molestation and abuse, gang violence have stolen our children’s youth. Rape, murder and mayhem are not only media lamentations, they are a real part of our everyday. Like a plague, pornography pervades virtually every aspect of our social and cultural life. Movies, television programs, song lyrics and publications announce the once immoral as common place. Armed police must patrol our grade schools. Schools, unable to maintain the security of lockers, have banned them leaving our children stooped under the burden of heavy packs full of books and lunches for the day. Cameras and magnetometers are everywhere. We can no longer sing "God Bless America" or say the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag in school assemblies. While every generation says the younger is going to the dogs, we are finding the dogs rejecting our company. Why is that?

Those same clerics lamenting our declining civilization bolster their arguments for Christian religious practices in our public and private lives with statistics showing 44% of the American public attending church on a regular basis and 83% holding Christianity as their religious preference. 92% reporting they want to go to heaven. We are left with the obvious question of who are the brokers of the smut and filth smothering our land. Who are the customers? Who is feeding on the drugs, watching lewd "soap operas, engaged in sexual promiscuity? Who are the con artists and the cheats? Who is aborting living fetuses? Is it fair to suggest that 44% of those Americans engaged in immoral and unethical behavior attend Christian churches on a regular basis and 83% are professed Christians?

If America was once more virtuous, more ethical, more Christ-like than now how do we account for our slide into perdition? Where were churches, were they banned? Have immigrants swamped the country with divergent religions? 83% of the population that is Christian suggest that is not the case. Without facing excommunication, could one possibly conclude that the "church" has been grossly ineffective in selling the Christian message? Unless it has been bound, gagged, rendered barren by the forces of evil secular humanism, governmental bureaucracy in league with atheistic mobs, what other conclusion is there? We must look inward into the organizational bastions of the established, main stream Christian church and recognize its sterile influence in the lives of its parishioners. As an institution, it is not an effective force in American life. It represents over 250 years of lost opportunity. It is as morally bankrupt as those it condemns. Where else should we look except to those who claim moral leadership for the rampant depravity of this Christian country?

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Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. James 4:11

If we were to reduce Christianity to its most basic, fundamental, essential elements, what would they be? Before answering, remember the numerous divisions and incalculable factions within Christianity. If anything characterizes the Christian religion it is that we don’t seem able to agree on anything. Therefore, if it were so easy to list those fundamental elements, wouldn’t it have been done, would there be such divisiveness within Christianity?

Yet with great wantonness, we have unabashedly labeled this practice a heresy and that group a cult. On what grounds? The question can’t be answered by simply referring our inquisitor to Scripture. If it was that uncomplicated, if just one interpretation of the Bible was possible, would there be so many divergent views?

The passage of Scripture above, quoted from James does leave some question about what constitutes "speaking evil" means and just exactly who one’s "brother" is. However, many commentaries suggest "speaking evil," from the Greek, katalalia implies anything that might hurt or injure someone else even if we judge them to be true. Brother (adelphos) could be anyone, but especially one’s brothers (and sisters) in Christ. On those grounds alone, should we be calling one another names?

Roman Catholicism, that encompasses three quarters of the history of Christianity, achieved unity. Actually, if one were to pick up a book on "church history," most of its content would be about Roman Catholicism. The Bible, much of the liturgy, rituals, sacraments, the priesthood and their garb are predominantly from the Roman Catholic Church. This is what the New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia writes about unity,

By rejecting the authority of the Church we are automatically "Protestant Individualists". All we need to do with this statement is look at its consequences and ask ourselves if Christianity was traveling the road of Truth before the great schism of the Reformation initiated by Luther, Calvin and others. Southern Baptists seem to make a point of being individualists in their doctrinal statement, yet their position on baptism seems rather provincial accepting immersion as the only approved form. United Methodists talks about "open hearts, minds and doors," yet on the matter of transubstantiation, they seem rather intransigent. The Christian Reformed Church is dead set against membership in the "Lodge," and absolutely convinced that "Pentecostalism" disqualifies one from office holding. The Seventh-Day Adventists position on the Sabbath is well known; the Assemblies of God ardently believe in speaking in tongues and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost; The International Pentecostal Holiness Church strongly emphasizes divine healing while the Presbyterian Church USA stresses the importance of infant baptism.

In this maze of differing beliefs, who is right? We are taught that God is not the author of confusion, although that might be challenged in light of the Tower of Babel. Yet, we are left with few conclusions regarding Christianity other than on the whole it appears very confused. But, then, could this be God’s plan? What should we desire, the unified errors of Roman Catholicism or, together with them the collective voice of Christendom?

When certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the LORD Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth --- When this became known to all residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks, everyone was awestruck; and the name of the Lord Jesus was praised. Also many of those who became believers confessed and disclosed their practices. A number of those who practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly; when the value of these books was calculated, it was found to come to fifty thousand silver coins. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. Acts 19 13-20

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Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor script for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. Matthew 10:9-10

Have you noticed the proliferation of "ministries" within Christianity? The mighty schisms among the Roman, Greek and Orthodox churches, the chasm between Protestants and Catholics, the literal brawling among Protestant denominations have all been eclipsed by this endless breeding of so-called ministries. They no longer represent themselves as "churches." Frequently they portray themselves as "non-denominational." There are a number of distinctive characteristics of this new breed. Invariably, they feature a person whose presence in the ministry is over powering and more often than not for whom the "ministry" is named – it’s no longer the First Baptist Church the RCA denomination, it’s The Rusty River Ministries. They have a multiplicity of marketing strategies, products and services – something for everyone. They are "multi-media" as well as "multi-faceted," with at least part of their "message" broadcast over radio and television – "into every corner of the world." And when they aren’t a ministry, they are a mission – missions to everywhere except, generally, at home. Finally, in case you haven’t noticed every one of them has their hand out.

You may turn to these ministries for all sorts of help: send in your name and some one will pray for you; lay hands on you and heal your maladies. Their financial experts will do everything from getting you tens of thousands of dollars back from the IRS to counseling you on reducing your credit card debt. Experts in marriage and family will counsel you; other will help you finding "soul mate" for single or divorced "persons" – never "people." In the midst of endless seminars, workshops, retreats, cruises-with-a-purpose one will find wide ranging home-study programs on virtually every subject, Bible colleges and universities. Truly "one-stop-shopping," a Christian equivalent of the old fashioned country store.

But let’s just stop. Who made these "persons" such experts? Let’s ignore the plethora of services and concentrate on those activities associated with more traditional Christian practices and beliefs. Who or what makes them so highly qualified that we should seek them out? Perhaps in carnal matters their qualifications come from their secular academic and work experience – they may even be professionals in their fields. But on matters of the Spirit, what accounts for their superior credentials that you or I should have to pay for their services? That’s a double-edged sword. First we should probably consider the presumed superiority of their Spirituality then we might address remuneration for their ministrations.

With one exception, Spiritual gifts are only spoken of in the writings of Paul presumably making him the expert. What about those troublesome quotations from his letters such as in Romans 12:3 where he tells us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought that each of us is endowed with gifts. Or again on the numerous occasions he reminds us that we are one body with diverse gifts essential for the whole, how does that fit in with "pray-for-pay?"

What about this business of "ministry?" Isn’t ministry the "gift," "duty," "obligation," "right" of every Christian? Then why do we have to pay for the "services" of some? Is Benny Hinn the only one with the gift of healing? If not, why in the world would I support his "healing ministry" or go through the antics of a television happening? Do Spiritual gifts belong to us, or are they the property of the Lord? Are they to be used as tools for gainful employment or expended for His work and His glory? 1 Peter 4:10 seems to suggest they are the Lord’s and they are for the work of glorifying Him. Everywhere we are told they are for the enhancement of the Body of Christ. No where are they said to be for the financial gain of the practitioner.

Jesus statement that the workman is worthy of his meat must be taken in the context of His instructions, not to take any sort of provisions at all with them and within the larger framework of His ministry rather than carte-blanche permission to charge for services rendered. What about Matthew 6:30, if God so clothe the grass of the field -- shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith. Has the affirmation of 1 Peter 2:5, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, been rescinded? Are not all believers priests with the concession and capability of offering spiritual sacrifices to God? Should we all, then, open up shop and hock our wares to the highest bidder? Where is the exercise of faith if we launch our boat of ministry and then we ask others to row and bail? Is it possible that such an enterprise could become so full of rowers and bailers there would be no room for faith, trust or the Spirit?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen Hebrews 11:1

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Most of us are sufficiently acquainted with the idea of tithing to know that it is a tenth of our wealth, that Abraham gave one-tenth of his spoils of war to Melchizedek, (Gen 14:18-20) and that Jacob promised to give a tenth to God for his safe return home (Genesis 28:22). We may be aware that tithes were given to the Levites for their priestly service because they would not receive land in Canaan (Num 18:19-21). In addition to supporting the priestly Levi tribe, instructions were given that they were to be used to care for aliens, orphans and widows who, by definition, would be destitute. (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). In fact, some commentators suggest this meant, "Every Jew was required by the Levitical law to pay three tithes of his property (1) for the Levites; (2) for the use of the temple and the great feasts; (3) for the poor of the land."

Where does that leave us? During the harvest season of agrarian societies the tradition of "bringing in the sheaves" as a time for providing support to the church was established. Today, in our industrial society, it has become an institution. Every fall, Christian pulpits across the land will spell out the congregaton’s sacred Biblical tithing obligations. Invariably, the references found here will provide that Scriptural base.

It has been noted that "tithe" appears twice in the King James New Testament, once in Matthew and once in Luke. Neither is a commandment for Christians to tithe. In fact, Easton’s Bible Dictionary states, "It cannot be affirmed that the Old Testament law of tithes is binding on the Christian Church." Yet we find Paul writing , Do you not know that those who perform sacred services eat the food of the temple, and those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar? So also the Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:13-14). Undoubtedly written once he tired of being a part-time tent maker. Isn’t this ample justification for tithing?

To begin a satisfactory answer, there are two key phrases from the Corinthian’s letter that must be considered. First the phrase those who perform sacred services. These are the ones entitled to benefit from the tithe. Please notice Paul’s words, eat the food of the temple. Those who attend regularly to the altar have their share from the altar. That was literally the case, the priests who attended the altar ate what remained of the sacrifices. Scripturally, who performs such sacred services today? Who are they, where is the altar, where is the temple. Please don’t even be tempted to suggest a church facility in any way qualifies as a "temple." The altar spoken of was, literally a sacrificial altar. For example, Leviticus 1:11 And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the LORD: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar clearly demonstrates its use. Animals were sacrificed, plants were burned. Where is that done today, where are the sacrifices? Tithes were authorized for the Temple. But, isn’t each of us a holy temple? What about a holy priesthood, aren’t we all included? Who is to proclaim the gospel today, a "sacred" priesthood or every Christian?

In order to preserve the myth of contemporary tithing, we are going to have to be very selective with the Scriptures we choose for support. Unless we take a cafeteria approach to applying Scriptures, tithing is justified only if we have a sacrificial altar in the consecrated Temple and an indigent priesthood with specifically dedicated Temple duties. Does any of this seem compatible with Christ’s teachings in the New Testament or consistent with contemporary "church" practices? Indeed, one would be hard pressed to find Scriptural justification for a brick-and-mortar institutionalized "church" let alone any such excuse for supporting it with tithes.

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Luke 18:9-14

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The Church and a Decaying Nation
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Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Romans 3:19

Every generation says the next is going to the dogs. True or not, one would expect devolution as the world draws near to the His Second Coming. And, who could disagree that the current moral condition of the Nation, the entire planet, is insufferable. One would also expect that such gloomy prophecies would be pronounced from the pulpit. Yes, there is a theological school that equates our Nation’s long-time moral decline with the End Times.

No one more typifies this school than the Reverend Doctor D. James Kennedy the senior minister of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale. "Our nation’s moral free-fall," he says, "can be traced to the doorsteps of the Church. Christians have neglected their duty to be salt and light in society. The results are in the morning papers." He continues by pointing out that the majority of Americans claim to be Christian – and independent research sources confirm his assertion. Therefore, he concludes, "the apathy of many Christians for many, many, many decades, has allowed a post-Christian secular culture to take over this country." Amen. Who could disagree? While Christians around the world are dying for their faith, American Christians have become complacent, smug and overbearing.

Whether we place the responsibility for this decay at the altar of the "church" meaning the institutions and organizations of Christendom or at the feet of the "church" meaning the Body of Christ, it rests with the church. No one can legitimately deny it lies there rather than with the political process, the "liberal media," Hollywood or any of the other frequently used scapegoats. It isn’t liberal judges as some claim. If anything, it is "liberal" Christians. Consequently, we don’t need to "mobilize and train Christians for effective political action" as some claim, we need to mobilize and train Christians to be "effective." While campaigns and rallies against abortion, homosexuality and pornography have their place, they must not usurp the fundamental role of the church to teach and spread the Word - otherwise they are dangerous distractions. While defending the "In God We Trust" motto on our currency is admirable, it is not nearly as important as Christians whose lives show they trust God. As inspirational as monuments to the Ten Commandments may be, they are not one tenth as inspirational as living testimonies. Slogans and creeds that remain on paper, however inspired are pointless until they are incorporated into our living.

A democratic state does not rest upon the strictures of laws, it rests upon the character of its people. Laws and restrictive government are the tools of totalitarian nations that fundamentally do not trust its people. In a similar way, icons are the manifestations of dead institutions just as surely as were the hollow prayers of the Sadducees during Jesus’ earthly ministry. The answer to our decaying Nation does not rest with legislative bodies any more than with phrases on coins or monuments in public places, it rests with the church. Requiring or permitting prayer in our public schools will not reverse the decline. When they take place without notice, as a matter of course, will be an indication that it has been turned around.

Peter told the saints that they were a royal priesthood, a holy priesthood, living stones, a spiritual house offering up spiritual sacrifices, a chosen generation. The clear implication of these passages is on Christians being involved in their Christianity. Therefore, the "church" as an organization/institution bears the burden of this decaying Nation by teaching us to be dullards – passive, bench-warming parishioners expecting to be entertained. The "church" as the Body of Christ bears the responsibility for accepting such a paralyzed, dormant, slothful role. We have not been listening to that "still small voice."

The Jews were distracted by waiting for a mighty Savior charging up on a great white horse to improve their miserable condition. How much different are we? Let the "church leaders" take care of that, it is the government’s, the media’s, Hollywood’s fault, not ours. "If the government would pass some tough laws." "If the media wouldn’t put ideas into our heads, we wouldn’t think them." "If Hollywood would stop making those pornographic violent films, we wouldn’t watch them." The law we are under is not that of men, but God. If we would render our lives accordingly, there would be no need for public demonstrations or a hue-and-cry for someone else to do something to remove temptation from our path.

And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things. Luke 4:28

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TOO BIG OR NOT TOO BIG?
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But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. Matthew 12:6

Is there such a thing as a church that is too big? Church is used to refer to many things in our modern lexicon. Most frequently people use the term alluding to a building (or "church campus" indicating a complex of buildings) or to the "congregation" of worshippers. This question of size applies to both although the number of parishioners usually dictates the size of a church structure. It is interesting that Rick Warren, founder/pastor of one of the largest church campuses in California, if not the Nation, believes that "extremely large church buildings" are dinosaurs. Evidently, he doesn’t think that a large congregation (his is reported attendance is over 10,000) is much of a problem. Using the First Century church in Jerusalem as an example he says, "Large congregations are nothing new to Christianity. The first church, in Jerusalem, began with 3,000 members and quickly grew to ‘tens of thousands,’" perhaps as many as 60,000. He continues by pointing out that "in Nigeria, there is a congregation with 80,000 members and in, Colombia, you can visit a church that holds services in a soccer stadium to accommodate 160,000 members. Please notice the switch from building size to congregation size in Rev. Warren’s comments. However, anyone visiting Saddleback for the first time cannot help but be overwhelmed with its size; number of buildings; the number of people on the grounds and in the main sanctuary, as well as the overall size of the campus.

If Reverend Warren is correct that large church buildings become dinosaurs is he prophesying the fate of his own ministry? "History has proven." He states, "over and over that future generations never fill the cavernous temples of previous generations." He also notes that, "Only pastors like really huge church services." Is he speaking for himself or does he consider the thousands upon thousands who gather for services at Saddleback to be small? The question is how big is too big? The answer is to be found in our understanding of the nature and purpose of the "church" and it must be founded upon Scriptural principles.

Scripturally, "church" is people. When Jesus told Peter that he was the foundation upon which He would build His church (Matthew 16:18) is there any serious student of the Bible who believes Peter was going to build a building? Of course not, Protestant and Catholic alike agree that it was his confession of faith rather than his masonry skills to which Jesus was referring. The "church" was the "lively stones" – those who have similar confessions. It is recorded that before his conversion Saul was "making havoc of the church" (Acts 8:3). Who believes that he was setting fire and bombing buildings? No it was the men and women he was "hailing" and sending to prison. Indeed, throughout the Book of Acts, if not the entire New Testament, couldn’t the word "congregation" be substituted for "church" in most of its 76 uses?

What is "church," what are its purposes if not people? The New Testament talks about Christians assembling to: (1) have communion in the broad and narrow sense of the word, (1 John 1:7), John 17:21) with one another, (2) to assemble in worship of God (Ephesians 3:23), (3) to assemble to praise God (Acts 2:47), (Hebrews 2:12), (4) to assemble to "study and show ourselves approved" (Acts 11:26), (5) Assembly for prayer and for discipline. There are real limits to the number of people we can have "face-to-face" fellowship with on a single day, less, in a single hour? Aren’t we likely to get lost in the crowd; to become little more than a number? Perhaps there are less obvious limits to how many may assemble in worship and praise, but there is on how many can engage in meaningful study of the Word. Teachers tell us that students retain no more than 10% of what they hear in a lecture and almost 70% when they are able to participate. How soon does "praise and worship" turn into mass hysteria in a mob of 160,000? Is God impressed with the number of prayers and songs of praise sent His way or with their sincerity – quantity or quality?

It may be true that the First Century Church, grew to more than 60,000 members. What we aren’t told is that it did not meet in a soccer stadium or even on the sprawling grounds of his church. Instead, they met in one another’s homes. How big is too big? When "church" becomes impersonal; when its focuses on a person on a stage (or, ugh, jumbotron); when our attention is on a "superstar pastor" instead of the Lord Jesus the Christ. When it is upon the forms of worship instead of on the persons of every brother and sister assembled. A church is too big when its focus is upon operating costs and budgets: too big when each congregant is unable to fully participate in the worship experience.

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. John 13:35
 

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We are a nation of organizers. Someone noted that we organize everything from our rest to our exercise and all else in between. As soon as no more than three Americans sit down together in informal conversation, they have written a set of by-laws and elected a president, secretary and treasurer. At their second meeting, they submit papers of incorporation. You decide how exaggerated this description is. One thing is undeniable, however, we are fond of organizations, large or small, we love them. It is also noteworthy, that much of our time is spent within or governed by the ultimate expression of organization, corporations, the church and the state. They aren’t opposites they are twins.

While the ghettos of oppression might be responsible for the survival of Judaism, the corporations of Christendom have preserved our beliefs over the centuries. The bureaucracy of the Roman Catholic Church was 1,500 years old when Luther and others set upon their "reforms." Without that splendid organization, there would have had little to improve upon – "improve" not remove. Christianity remained corporate.

Not only do organizations preserve, some would say stultify, they also depersonalize. We don’t deal with people, as anyone will attest who has ever tried to reach a "corporate person," we deal with "offices" and "officers." The whole intention of those three sitting down together and organizing is to remove personal shortcomings, whims and biases in their relationship. People, particularly people if not ideas, become interchangeable. The person is only the means to accomplish the ends of the office and ultimately the collective enterprise. Bureaucratic impersonality is not a flaw, it is its intended strength.

Unfortunately, as we all have experienced, people can hide within the web of bureaucracy. They can lose themselves in its autonomy; within its labyrinth, they can also evade responsibility for their actions personal. During the Nuremberg trials of Nazi officials, over and over again they denied personal responsibility for the atrocities they committed. Some even declared that they had no personal animosity toward Jews, some of their best friends were Jews. "My Country, right or wrong, but my country" is a seeming innocent lose of not just personal identity to and for the larger good, but of personal responsibility for our actions. Then, if we are not careful, we view this impersonal organization as having a life of itself, capable of making rational, inerrant, decisions and carrying them out efficiently and effectively. It becomes a moral authority unto itself. It becomes autonomous immune from human frailties. We look at government and religion as the font of knowledge and blessings without having to bother ourselves with such matter.

Christianity may have become institutionalized. It may be one of the most highly organized segments of our impersonal society, but it should not be. Jesus didn’t reinvigorate the corporate (national) worship of Judaism, He transformed it. He didn’t install a king to rule over Israel or reinstate the priesthood, He made us all His royal priesthood. Jesus taught at the Temple, He didn’t teach in it. He used the outer (public) courts, not the holy place (hekhal) or the oracle (debhir) reserved for the Temple priests. So it is that James said, And one of you say (intimate personal pronoun) instead of saying, "And the church say."

The "church," however big, however well organized or small and in disarray, is not responsible for us. It is a place we congregate together for worship, praise and study, not as a place to escape to evade our duties or use as a scapegoat for our inaction. No where in the Bible does it say the "church" will be held accountable; it does clearly, emphatically states we will be. Salvation is not corporate; spiritual growth is not corporate any more than charity is. Our responsibilities are not to the church. Jesus commands us to love our neighbors, not the church. We would do well to remember that Popes, Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Pastors, Ministers are no more our Father than "Sam" is our uncle. We bear the individual responsibility for carrying out the Great Commission. He said go ye into all the world Mark (16:15), not "send them." Let your light so shine, "not let our light." The examples are legion, Christianity is a "me" not "we" religion when it comes to action and responsibility. Just for the record, than also makes each individual responsible for the places each one chooses to gather with others in worship and praise.

These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. Matthew 15:8
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Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites,
and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? 2 Chronicles 13:9

Perhaps P. T. Barnum had the disenfranchised in mind when he said, "You can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all of the time." They know they have been deluded into thinking they belong when they know they don’t. They have been cheated of the kind and quality of participation they are entitled. Their participation is minimal because they see it as pointless. Their participation is self-centered, getting what they want out of the situation. In every organization that treats them this way, the response is the same – apathy. So, they stay home on Election Day because they know their votes don’t really count. Since they don’t have a sense of ownership, they are easy to spot; they are the public who litters our streets, parking lots and communal places. The classic expression of the uninvolved is the mess moviegoers leave. They have no sense of ownership, of belonging. Uninvolved, they are that seemingly indifferent crowd reminding us so much of sheep, goats and cattle – often as easily led.

Have you ever stayed behind after "church is over" and noticed the litter in the pews, outside on the sidewalks and in the parking lot? These churchgoers seem to have as little regard for "their" church as moviegoers for their theater. Outside, on the church grounds as little regard as in the lobby and the parking lots; both places are indistinguishable from one another. Litter, litter everywhere; right next to a wastebasket, there is litter on the ground. Why is that, why do they suffer the same disease as those who leave theaters in shambles after a show is over? They seem unwilling to participate on any level even when offered. Parishioners have to be cajoled and duped into paying for the upkeep and maintenance of the very grounds and sanctuaries in which they worship. It is reported that there are 8 billion Bibles in the United States alone, that 84% of the population consider themselves Christians and regard religion as important in their lives, yet only 43% attend church on a regular basis (Barna research). Why such apathy? Point #1 in Luther’s disputation states, "Our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, when He said Poenitentiam agite, willed that the whole life of believers should be repentance." That seems to require more than occasional church attendance or does the "modern church" reject such an idea?

Modern Christians suffer from the same lack of ownership of the church as the public. The "church" doesn’t belong to them but to the "pastor" and his professional staff. Denominational qualifications for "ordination into the ministry," relegates "parishioners" into the category of unqualified "lay people" denying them full participation in the process of glorifying God by obedience to His word. Isn’t that strange? If anything distinguishes Christianity from Judaism and other major world religions, it is the priesthood of all believers. It is congregations run by those selected from among themselves rather than by hired seminary graduates. And, it is the absence of the need for earthly intercessors. We may, like no other religious body come unattended before the throne of grace with confidence (Hebrews 4:16) that we will be recognized and heard.

We find ourselves like the main character in a book titled (A Stranger in a Strange Land). In that which should seem familiar there is a foreign element. We are unwanted citizens. How is it that we are as orphans? Paul writes, for ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (Romans 8:15), that we are the children of God (v. 16) and that we are joint-heirs with Christ (v.17). How can any of this be construed as second class citizenship except for those ordained in the works of men into a nonexistent priestly class? How did we lose our rights or privileges as His sons and daughters? In much the same way as recorded in the passage from 2 Chronicles, the legitimate priesthood has been cast out of the church - the congregants themselves. Who else are the priests of the LORD? Graven images have been made, golden calves, for the people to worship and Priest made by man have set themselves in place to receive our sacrifices and intercede on our behalf.

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners,
but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; Ephesians 2:19
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