ESCAPE FROM CHURCH, INC

Escape From Church, INC, is the title of a book published in 2001, written by Glenn Wagner.  It is a “call for pastors to return to their biblical calling as shepherds.” It calls “pastor-leaders away from the business CEO executive model and back to the model of a caring shepherd who tends his sheep.”  The premise is that we have CEO's rather than pastors.   I read the book when it was first published and it struck a cord with me then and even more so today as I see what is happening to the church in the USA.

Statistics regarding the church in the USA tell us that:

-1400 pastors leave the ministry monthly

-only 15% of churches in the US are growing

-3500-4000 churches close each year

-only 21% of Americans attend church weekly

-2,765,000 people leave the church each year

Why is this happening?  Why are churches struggling to pay their bills?  Why is it that many churches spend hours teaching “tithing” when it is never mentioned in the New Testament church except in the epistle to the Hebrews, the Jewish Christians?  Jesus mentioned it twice, both in rebuking the Pharisees, that they paid the tithe but omitted the more important matters. Both times he was talking to Jewish brethren, under the old covenant.  Paul had many opportunities to teach tithing to the Gentiles but never did.  Tithing, as a law, was part of the law. It was always given to the priests.  It was separate from offerings that were part of the sacrifices.  It was used for the support of the tribe of Levi, who were the tribe of Israel in charge of the tabernacle and the offering of sacrifices, thousands of animals.  It predated the giving of the law, as a principle; but not as a law.  Abram gave a tithe to Melchizedek, king and priest of Salem, from the spoils of war, voluntarily.   It is this incident that Hebrews mentions, but immediately states that the old priesthood was inadequate and that there was a new and better priesthood, Jesus Christ.  Giving and sharing was definitely part of the New Testament church in Acts 4 and in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, the Philippians and to Philemon, but Paul says “not of necessity”.  It is always mentioned in context of meeting the needs of fellow Christians

Why is that many churches and pastors feel the need to stress tithing when it is clearly not supported in the New Testament church?  (I don’t expect the pastors reading this will agree; but, so be it.)  The church in the New Testament is never associated with a building; but, a group of people.  Today, the church is associated with a building, meeting place, or organization, coincidentally having a tax exempt status.  When someone considers starting a church, one of the first things done is to file the paperwork to become a tax-exempt entity. Am I the only one who sees a problem here?  There is nothing wrong with tax-exempt status; but, why does that often play a major role in where we give?  Some pastors teach that the "tithe belongs to the local church".  What verse does that come from?

Many churches are so deep in debt that meeting their budget hangs in the air constantly.  Meeting the needs of the body is secondary to paying the bills.  Equipping the saints, preaching the Gospel of Christ and winning souls is superseded by adding numbers.  Dollars spent meeting the needs of the body is small compared to keeping the lights on, A/C or heat running or just keeping the bank satisfied.  While encouraging individuals to avoid getting buried in debt, the “church” is buried under debt. Many decisions in today’s churches are made to ensure their non-profit status rather than on the Word, limiting our ministry.  Pastors are afraid to make political statements or endorse candidates for this same reason

Little time is spent praying for the needs of the Body.  There are many things that we fail to do which were clearly taught by Jesus and practiced in the New Testament church, i.e., laying on of hands, anointing with oil, speaking in tongues, and casting out demons, to mention just a few.  There is not time for it or it is not believed in anymore.  That was "for Bible times" or "for the apostles".  IF that is so, why did the seventy do it in Luke 10 and the deacon Stephen, Acts 6 ?

 When is the last time you heard of a hospital ministry, a prison ministry, a widows’ ministry, a ministry to the people who have lost jobs, or a ministry to those who are terminally ill?

Why are people leaving the church or “church hopping”?  Could it be that the “business" of the “church” has made the “church”  irrelevant ?  Could it be a lack of being fed?  Could it be the legalism?  Could it be the constant cry to build bigger buildings, better sound systems, update the building?  How much of the WORD is taught in the typical 20-30 minute Sunday sermon.  Last Sunday we were out of town and visited a very large church.  Only one verse, Rev. 2:19, was read and it was taken out of context to support increased giving and volunteerism, ignoring the greater works that Jesus talked about in John 14.  Most of the “sermon” dealt with getting on board with the new remodel project.  The “pastor” went so far as comparing those who did not get on board to Judas Iscariot.  Now that’s a guilt trip!

I just read on the news that a “pastor” from Atlanta was suspending his campaign to raise 65 million dollars for a new private jet because of media coverage.   In yesterday’s paper, there was a letter to the editor entitled “Tithing not good enough” decrying the “guilt” trip so prevalent in today’s churches.

We volunteer at our church’s food pantry, where I serve as an interviewer.  The vast majority of the people coming in know Jesus as their Savior; but, the vast majority of these, no longer attend church.  WHY?

We have very few pastor-shepherds, today.  If you look in both the New and Old Testaments, the word for shepherd and pastor, is the same in both the Hebrew and the Greek. The Greek word for shepherd in John 10:11 is translated pastors in Ephesians 4: 11.  In the Old Testament the Lord our Shepherd in Psalm 23 is Jehovah Raah.  This the same word translated in Jeremiah as Pastors when Jeremiah prophecies the doom of the shepherds of God’s people Israel.  Pastors are to be shepherds that tend to flock.

Jesus said He was the Good Shepherd, not the good fisherman; even though he said His disciple would be fishers of men.  Jesus did not say He was the Good High Priest; but He was THE Great High Priest who became the sacrifice for sin, sacrificing Himself on the cross and is now interceding for us.  He did not say He was the good or great King; but He is the KING OF KINGS.  He did not say that He was the good or great prophet speaking the Word of God, revealing God to us; but he is the THE WORD, made flesh, showing us the Father.

When the shepherd neglects the sheep, the sheep wander.  When they are not feed, they go looking for food.  Read Psalm 23 if you want to see what the Good Shepherd does?  Is this the norm in today’s churches or is this the exception?  How much meat of the Word are you being fed, or are you getting finger food and warm milk?  In the middle of the night, when you need someone to pray with, who do you call?  When a loved dies, does the pastor know your name?  If you are sick, who will lay hands on you, anoint you with oil and pray with you?

Half of Jesus Parables were based in agronomy.  The parables of the sower, the prodigal son, the vineyard are just a few examples. Jesus said He is the Vine and we are the branches.  Jesus said the fields were white ready for harvest.  The only way that the seed can grow to bear fruit, it must be watered and feed.  The branches depend on the vine for nourishment.  The sheep need the shepherd.  The farmer can not make the seed do anything. The shepherd can not force the sheep to grow. The vine dresser can not force the branch to grow.  Growth occurs naturally when the sheep are fed.  The branches produce fruit when they are cared for.

 

Today’s churches are seeker friendly, purpose driven, revival oriented, cell based led by CEO’s with pastry shops and pretentious cafes where one can sip lattes and cappuccinos while watching a 20-30 minute sermon on a large screen TV.  The WORD is relegated to a few verses and the majority of the time is filled with man’s fables falling on itchy ears.  Today’s gospel does not resemble the gospel of Christ.  Prayer is AT MAXIMUM 60 seconds.  The sick, the needy, the widows and orphans are not attended to in most churches today.  The poor are fed by the government programs and the sick are on Medicaid.

There are 3 epistles that are considered “pastoral epistles”, 1 - 2 Timothy and Titus.  Timothy was the pastor at the church at Ephesus. Titus was the pastor of the church on the island of Crete.  In these epistles, Paul instructs these pastors emphasizing sound doctrine and continuing in “the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them”.  He warned them that the time would come when men would not “endure sound doctrine”; have itchy ears.  When Jesus and the apostles preached, they preached the Word, including the prophets; and let the chips fall.  If they did not receive it, the disciples were told to shake the dust from their feet.  They did not beg or change the message.

Paul, in Ephesians, tells us that God appointed apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers “for the equipping the saints for the work of the body, the church, so we should no longer be children.

Is it any wonder that the church in America is in trouble!  Does the ministry of today’s church ressemble the New Testament church in any way?  I don’t think so!  Each year there is a new program, a new slogan, a new ministry, a new journey, a new venue, or a new church mission statement.  How about doing what the apostles did?

SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED TO YOU.  Matt. 6: 33