For the Googling Mind...

Google and the internet has changed many things in this information age and allows for us to find others out there saying, believing and exhorting similar things. Not to mention you can find out something about just about anything by "Googling" it.

For instance I found this fellow Mark A Copeland saying something similar about my stance against "Denominational Divergence".

Below is his well thought out point by point presentation/sermon about denominational divergence and why it is wrong;

"FOLLOWING JESUS WITHOUT DENOMINATIONALISM"

Why Is Denominationalism Wrong?

INTRODUCTION

1. While many people are attracted to the good news of the grace of God
  offered through His Son Jesus Christ, certain questions often linger
  in their minds...
  a. Why are there so many different denominations?
  b. Can't the followers of Jesus Christ learn to get along?
  c. What can be done about the religious division that exists today?
  d. Is it possible for me to be simply a Christian, following Jesus
     without being a member of any denomination?

2. In reply to these questions, some make an effort to discount the
  significance of religious division, suggesting...
  a. That the differences are not all that great
  b. Or that religious division is good, for it enables people to find
     a church that suits them personally
  -- But there are several reasons why I believe these answers are
     wrong and do a disservice to the cause of Christ

3. In this series of lessons, I have several objectives in mind...
  a. To explain why denominationalism is wrong
  b. To illustrate how one can simply be a Christian, serving Jesus
     without being a member of any denomination
  c. To suggest how followers of Christ might be able "to maintain the
     unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" - cf. Ep 4:3

4. In this lesson, I wish to explain...
  a. Why denominationalism is wrong
  b. Why anyone who truly follows Christ will do all they can to avoid
     participating in it

[First, perhaps a definition of terms is in order...]

I. DEFINING "DENOMINATION" AND "DENOMINATIONALISM"

  A. WHAT IS A "DENOMINATION"?
     1. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
        Language:
     
        "A large group of religious congregations united under a
        common faith and name and organized under a single
        administrative and legal hierarchy."
    
     2. From Webster's:
    
        "A religious organization uniting in a single legal and
        administrative body a number of local congregations."
    
     3. In simple laymen terms, a denomination is a group of
        congregations that are joined together under some governing
        body...
        a. The number of congregations can be as few as two or more
        b. But by their tie to a governing body above the local
           congregation, by definition they are "denominated" from all
           congregations that do not submit to the same authority
     4. Some examples:
        a. The Roman Catholic Church is a denomination made up of
           those churches that submit to the pope in Rome
        b. The Eastern Orthodox Church is a denomination made up of
           those churches that submit to the patriarch of
           Constantinople
        c. The Anglican Church of England is a denomination made up of
           those churches that submit to the archbishop of Cantebury
        d. The Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) is made up of those
           churches that submit to the synod in Missouri
        e. The International Church of Christ is made up of those
           churches that submit to the Boston Church of Christ
        -- These are just a few of the thousands of different
           denominations that now exist!

  B. WHAT IS "DENOMINATIONALISM"?
     1. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
        Language, it is:
        a. "The tendency to separate into religious denominations"
        b. "Advocacy of separation into religious denominations"
        c. "Strict adherence to a denomination; sectarianism"
     2. Again, Webster's dictionary defines it as:
        a. "Devotion to denominational principles or interests"
        b. "Narrow emphasizing of denominational differences: 
           SECTARIANISM"
     3. For the purpose in this series, I will be applying the term to
        any approval of the denominational division which exists today
        a. I concede that many people in denominations today are not
           all that devoted to their denominational principles or
           interests
        b. But by membership in a denomination they are by implication
           advocating separation into religious denominations

[But is denominationalism really all that bad?  Am I suggesting that
one cannot serve Christ faithfully while participating in religious
division?  The answer to both questions is "Yes!"

To understand the reason for saying this, let's examine...]

II. WHY DENOMINATIONALISM IS WRONG

  A. FIRST, DENOMINATIONALISM IS UN-SCRIPTURAL...
     1. That is, it is without Scriptural support
        a. There is no basis in the Bible for local churches being
           divided up into various denominational bodies
        b. There is no denomination that can go to the Bible and say,
           "See that passage? There is our church (denomination)!"
     2. In the New Testament...
        a. Local congregations were independent, self-governing
        b. Church organization was limited to within the local
           congregation, with elders (also known as pastors, bishops,
           overseers, presbyters) appointed to oversee only the
           congregation of which they were members - cf. Ac 20:17,28;
           1Pe 5:1-2
     3. The only authority above the local church in the New Testament
        was Christ and His apostles...
        a. Once the church began, apostles were not replaced after
           they died
        b. But through the Word of God, the authority of Christ and
           His apostles continues
     4. Individuals, synods, conferences, etc., that presume to usurp
        authority over local congregations today do so without
        Scriptural authority

  B. SECOND, DENOMINATIONALISM IS ANTI-SCRIPTURAL...
     1. I.e., not only is it without scriptural support, it is
        contrary to what the Bible teaches
     2. It is contrary to the prayer of Jesus for unity among His
        believers - Jn 17:20-23
     3. It is condemned by Paul in his epistle to the church at
        Corinth
        a. There are to be no divisions among believers - 1Co 1:10-13
        b. Sectarianism is a sign of carnality - 1Co 3:3-4
     4. It opposes the efforts of Christ on the cross! - Ep 2:14-16
        a. Jesus died to break down the wall of division
        b. Jesus died to reconcile man to God in ONE body
        -- Just as sinning works against the efforts of Christ on the
           cross (for He also died to put away sin), so it is with
           denominational division!
       
  C. THIRD, DENOMINATIONALISM IS HARMFUL TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST...
     1. Jesus knew that unity among His disciples would be "the final
        apologetic"
        a. Cf. "that the world may believe" - Jn 17:21
        b. In view of Jesus' words, we should not be surprised when
           unbelievers are slow to accept the gospel coming from a
           divided church
     2. Many people point to the divided condition of those professing
        to follow Christ...
        a. Atheists and agnostics often use religious division as an
           excuse not to believe in God
        b. Adherents to non-Christian religions (such as Islam,
           Judaism, etc.) will often use denominationalism as a reason
           not to believe in Christ
     3. Denominationalism has also given support and encouragement to
        the cults
        a. Mormonism started in reaction to the denominationalism of
           Joseph Smith's day
        b. Those who call themselves "Jehovah's Witnesses" use
           religious division to encourage people to follow their
           strictly-controlled organization

  D. UNDERSTANDING THAT DENOMINATIONALISM IS WRONG HAS LED TO THESE
     INTERESTING STATEMENTS...
     1. From Martin Luther, the leader of the Reformation Movement:

        "I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call
        themselves not Lutherans, but Christians.  What is Luther?
        My doctrine, I am sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified
        for any one. St. Paul, in 1 Cor. 3, would not allow
        Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but
        Christian.  How then should I, poor, foul carcass that I am,
        come to have men give to the children of Christ a name
        derived from my worthless name?  No, no, my dear friends; let
        us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians
        after Him Whose doctrine we have." - Hugh Thomason Kerr, A
        Compend of Luther's Theology (Philadelphia: The Westminster
        Press, 1943, p. 135)

     2. From John Wesley, another great reformation leader, among
        whose followers are Methodists, Wesleyans, etc.:

        "Would to God that all party names, and unscriptural phrases
        and forms which have divided the Christian world, were forgot
        and that the very name [Methodist] might never be mentioned
        more, but be buried in eternal oblivion." - John Wesley,
        Universal Knowledge, A Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Arts,
        Science, History, Biography, Law, Literature, Religions,
        Nations, Races, Customs, and Institutions, Vol. 9, Edward A.
        Pace, Editor (New York: Universal Knowledge Foundation, 1927,
        p. 540)

     3. From Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest Baptist preachers
        who ever lived:

        "I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not
        be a Baptist living!  I hope that the Baptist name will soon
        perish, but let Christ's name last forever." - Spurgeon
        Memorial Library, Vol. I., p. 168

CONCLUSION

1. Well, that day has not yet come, and denominationalism with its
  religious division seems to be as strong as ever!

2. But all is not lost...
  a. For throughout the world, more and more people are throwing aside
     their denominational shackles
  b. They are following Jesus Christ in the freedom of gospel liberty
     that comes from being simply a Christian!
  c. And what may be a surprise to some, they are able to do so "being
     like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one
     mind" - cf. Php 2:2

3. How is this possible?
  a. That is what I hope to demonstrate starting with the next lesson
  b. But it begins with two things:
     1) A strong desire to follow Jesus Christ and His prayer for
        unity - cf. Jn 17:20-23
     2) An understanding of the carnal nature of division, and why
        denominationalism is wrong - cf. 1Co 3:3-4

Dear friend, don't you want to be simply a Christian, a follower of the
Lord Jesus Christ...?

A lesson from Mark A.Copeland visit his website Executable Outlines to read more...

May...

The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge

click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here

Subscribe in a reader

All posts by M.A.C. © Bruce W. Moar

Facts or Fiction...?

Facts are sometimes hard to take but these facts are far to penetrating to ignore I must share them here with all those who will listen and all those who will hear. One recent fact I heard in a sermon from a respected teacher named James A. McDonald of Walk in the Word was that 90% of Christians fail to share their faith with another through their whole lifetime. Man is this true, why do we fail to share the wonderful message of Jesus Christ to a dying world? Is it perhaps because those 90% of professing Christians are not really Christians at all?

Consider what Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92) who was England's best-known preacher said about it and I quote in paraphrase:” If you consider yourself a Christian but do not have a burning desire to see another saved you are no Christian at all” this from a man who preached to 10,000 at a time before the invention of the microphone and the super church. Spurgeon’s humble beginnings were from a small Baptist church of 232 to a super church of almost 6,000 every sermon he gave and there are literally hundreds if not thousands focused on Jesus Christ he said “I take my text and make a beeline to the cross”. The incredible thing about Spurgeon is that he wrote a cache of information about Jesus and most if not all is still available from Pilgrim Publications the motto of his church was “We Preach Christ and Him Crucified”.

According to Darian Kovacs who while still in high School sparked a movement named canadafire to see Christian students be leaders and people of influence in their schools says 96% of Christians in communities have prayed at the Pole in a popular activity that started in Texas called “See You At The Pole” SYATP and is spreading throughout the whole world where local Christians are called to demonstrate their faith and pick a pole and pray for students, leaders and the school system. Of the 96% that participate only a dismal 4% continue to pray at the Pole or almost any activity after an event. In other words we lack commitment and follow through because we can’t do it on our own, we need the Holy Spirit. Christian people everywhere the fake it until you make it method doesn’t work long-term because God sees what we as human can’t see, YOUR BIG BLACK HEART.

Let me ask you this “professing attending church every Sunday Christian” if the world ended in the next 60 seconds would you go to heaven with the rest of the saints that have given and dedicated their lives to God as an acceptable sacrifice and proclaimed Jesus Christ in faith to unbelievers everywhere, or would Jesus say I never knew you? Want to be sure that he doesn’t say I never knew you? Then I challenge you to step up in faith and get involved, don’t believe what I’m saying is true, well before you discount what I’m saying as hyperbole ask your pastor what percentage of people in your church are actually serving you will probably hear 10% but more than likely that number is lower.

What if I challenged you all, too step up in faith and ask God what his purpose is for you; better yet dedicate the rest of your life to serving God TODAY! Would you?

Remember David after he had committed adultery and murder he turned from his sin by penning this little ditty Psalm 51. Go ahead click on it read it and make it your own turn from your wicked ways before its to late remember 60 seconds is not a long time at all which reminds me of a story I heard about Satan planning to take us all with him it went something like this;

Satan is in hell, planning how he will get all of mankind to participate in his rebellion against God and burn with him in eternity. He ponders what lie he will use to make that happen and since he is the Father of lies and has had a lot of time to think about it he knows that the lie must contain some truth.

Now as he ponders that thought along comes a devil of his congregation if you will and says “Lord of Hades and all that is evil I have a sure fire method to get a 3^rd of the earths population to burn with us” Satan considers the devils proposal and finally says “alright what do you propose?” the devil then answers. “Well first of all, I will disguise myself as a mortal and go up to the earth. I will then tell them that there is no heaven and there is no hell. According to my data we will get a 3^rd of the population down here with us”.

Satan thinks on this for awhile and as he is thinking a 2^nd devil comes along who is much smarter and wickeder than the 1^st devil. And he says “I have that first devils plan beat by millions and millions of souls” So Satan says “and what would you do that is so much better?” The 2^nd devil replies “Well I also will disguise myself as a mortal and go to the earth and tell everyone there is a God and heaven and that there is a Satan and hell, according to my data we will get two thirds of the earths population to participate in our rebellion and burn with us”.

Satan likes these odds much better but ponders further wondering if there is yet another way to get them all...?

As Satan ponders the matter a 3^rd devil much smarter than the other two and much wickeder yet by far, full of arrogance and deceit and all works of the flesh (Galatians 5) comes along and makes this proposal “I have those two other bozos plan beat by a Hades mile and can guarantee you the whole shooting match, the big enchilada, every single soul 100% the only thing I ask is to be chief torturer of the Pharisee’s and Sadducee’s. So what do you say chiefaroonie tickle yer fancy huh wanna here the plan huh wanna hear the plan?”

Satan says “go ahead slimy underling give me all the details of your plan to get hated mankind to burn with us. Especially since they don’t know that Jesus already defeated us at Calvary by dying on the cross He took all of mankind’s sin upon himself”. So the devil responded with this “I too would disguise myself as a mortal and I would tell the world that there is a Satan and there is a hell and that there is a God and there is a heaven and that the only way to heaven is through God’s son Jesus Christ, the only difference is that I would give them as much time to think about it as they like.

Bada bing, bada boom we get the whole population of the third rock from the sun burning with us for an eternity”. “Genius” says Satan “make it so and while your at it lets teach them to blaspheme God by programming it into their movies and their everyday talk just to make sure we add insult to injury!” We also must get them arguing by introducing hearsay into their Christian lives lets call it "Denominational Divergence".

Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron from the Way of the Master in this promo video can teach you to use a simple and powerful way to share the gospel of Jesus Christ...CHECK IT OUT!

Click this link to discover more about The Way of the Master and how you can become effective at sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying world!

According to Don Pickle of Avant Ministries a well known church planting missionary group with locations in the U.S.A. and Canada the problem lies at the core of Christianity and the fact that we do not reach out in our neighbourhoods like we used to, we fail at the first level of mission work so we fail at the long-term. The facts are that almost every church despite the fact that it is more costly to send short-term missionaries are not supporting long-term missions of five or more years and are not recruiting from within or even adding new Christians daily as they did in the Acts church of the Bible.

Perhaps in the near future as has happened in Europe were it could be considered Christianity was brought to this continent we will need missionaries to visit us from Africa and beyond to re-establish Christ here as well. Or we could as professing Christians stand up and put the King of Kings back to His prominent position as God. Allow our schools to pray and to repeat the Lords prayer as we used to and allow for mission work in the school because we are true believers of Jesus Christ in this country, this continent and we must stand for something or fall for anything. What better way to stand, then on the Rock of Jesus Christ?

May...

The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge

click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here

Subscribe in a reader

All posts by M.A.C. © Bruce W. Moar

Repent for the Kingdom of heaven is near...

Howdy folks it's been many months since I had an entry on my blog September 01/07 actually but none the less here I am back to paying attention to what was started. God calls us all to patience because thats the way love is and since God is love we need to become patient in all we do. If you lack patience or anything then learn to fear the Lord.

Psalm 34:9
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

Fear is something that lives in this world and many times our fears are manipulated or activated to get us to act. For instance if you fear banging your head on your windshield you will use your seat belt. If you fear being bit by a dog you will avoid dogs. If you fear intimacy you will have many unsuccessful relationships because of that fear. But if you fear the LORD you will lack nothing.

I sense that God is awakening many folks in the body of Christ to revival and obedience to our faith in Jesus Christ and an new improved ability to understand God's statutes and His moral law (10 Commandments) as it relates to salvation and life in the body of Christ. Martin Luther the German priest who founded the Lutheran Church back in the 1500's said;

"The true function of the Law is to accuse and to kill;
but the function of the gospel is to make alive"

And Charles Spurgeon said;

"No man knows the brightness of the gospel
'till he understands the blackness of those
clouds which surround the Law of the Lord"

Fear of judgment can turn a sinner around and God knows this that is why we have the Law of the Ten Commandments to guide us as sinners to the cross and salvation. Without repentance there can be no salvation and that is what the Law is designed to do to convict us as sinners so that we may know we are sinners and fear the LORD. The gospel of Jesus Christ will then pardon us and forgive our sins if only we repent of them.

Next; The Blasphemy Challenge to all Christians!

May...

The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge

click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here

Subscribe in a reader

All posts by M.A.C. © Bruce W. Moar

Serving & Sharing – Got Jesus?

Facts are sometimes hard to take but these facts are far to penetrating to ignore I must share them here with all those who will listen and all those who will hear. One recent fact I heard in a sermon from a respected teacher named James A. McDonald of Walk in the Word was that 90% of Christians fail to share their faith with another through their whole lifetime. Man is this true, why do we fail to share the wonderful message of Jesus Christ to a dying world? Is it perhaps because those 90% of professing Christians are not really Christians at all? Consider what Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92) who was England's best-known preacher said about it and I quote in paraphrase:” If you consider yourself a Christian but do not have a burning desire to see another saved you are no Christian at all” this from a man who preached to 10,000 at a time before the invention of the microphone and the super church. Spurgeon’s humble beginnings were from a small Baptist church of 232 to a super church of almost 6,000 every sermon he gave and there are literally hundreds if not thousands focused on Jesus Christ he said “I take my text and make a beeline to the cross”. The incredible thing about Spurgeon is that he wrote a cache of information about Jesus and most if not all is still available from Pilgrim Publications the motto of his church was “We Preach Christ and Him Crucified”.

According to Darian Kovacs who while still in high School sparked a movement named canadafire to see Christian students be leaders and people of influence in their schools says 96% of Christians in communities have prayed at the Pole in a popular activity that started in Texas called “See You At The Pole” SYATP and is spreading throughout the whole world where local Christians are called to demonstrate their faith and pick a pole and pray for students, leaders and the school system. Of the 96% that participate only a dismal 4% continue to pray at the Pole or almost any activity after an event. In other words we lack commitment and follow through because we can’t do it on our own, we need the Holy Spirit. Christian people everywhere the fake it until you make it method doesn’t work long-term because God sees what we as human can’t see, YOUR BIG BLACK HEART.

Let me ask you this “professing attending church every Sunday Christian” if the world ended in the next 60 seconds would you go to heaven with the rest of the saints that have given and dedicated their lives to God as an acceptable sacrifice and proclaimed Jesus Christ in faith to unbelievers everywhere, or would Jesus say I never knew you? Want to be sure that he doesn’t say I never knew you? Then I challenge you to step up in faith and get involved, don’t believe what I’m saying is true, well before you discount what I’m saying as hyperbole ask your pastor what percentage of people in your church are actually serving you will probably hear 10% but more than likely that number is lower. Step up in faith and ask God what his purpose is for you better yet dedicate the rest of your life to serving God TODAY! Remember David after he had committed adultery and murder he turned from his sin by penning this little ditty Psalm 51. Go ahead click on it read it and make it your own turn from your wicked ways before its to late remember 60 seconds is not a long time at all which reminds me of a story I heard about Satan planning to take us all with him it went something like this;

Satan is in hell, planning how he will get all of mankind to participate in his rebellion against God and burn with him in eternity. He ponders what lie he will use to make that happen and since he is the Father of lies and has had a lot of time to think about it he knows that the lie must contain some truth. Now as he ponders that thought along comes a devil of his congregation if you will and says “Lord of Hades and all that is evil I have a sure fire method to get a 3^rd of the earths population to burn with us” Satan considers the devils proposal and finally says “alright what do you propose?” the devil then answers. “Well first of all, I will disguise myself as a mortal and go up to the earth. I will then tell them that there is no heaven and there is no hell. According to my data we will get a 3^rd of the population down here with us”. Satan thinks on this for awhile and as he is thinking a 2^nd devil comes along who is much smarter and wickeder than the 1^st devil. And he says “I have that first devils plan beat by millions and millions of souls” So Satan says “and what would you do that is so much better?” The 2^nd devil replies “Well I also will disguise myself as a mortal and go to the earth and tell everyone there is a God and heaven and that there is a Satan and hell, according to my data we will get two thirds of the earths population to participate in our rebellion and burn with us”. Satan likes these odds much better but ponders further wondering if there is yet another way to get them all.

As Satan ponders the matter a 3^rd devil much smarter than the other two and much wickeder yet by far, full of arrogance and deceit and all works of the flesh (Galatians 5) comes along and makes this proposal “I have those two other bozos plan beat by a Hades mile and can guarantee you the whole shooting match, the big enchilada, every single soul 100% the only thing I ask is to be chief torturer of the Pharisee’s and Sadducee’s. So what do you say chiefaroonie tickle yer fancy huh wanna here the plan huh wanna hear the plan?” Satan says “go ahead slimy underling give me all the details of your plan to get hated mankind to burn with us. Especially since they don’t know that Jesus already defeated us at Calvary by dying on the cross He took all of mankind’s sin upon himself”. So the devil responded with this “I too would disguise myself as a mortal and I would tell the world that there is a Satan and there is a hell and that there is a God and there is a heaven and that the only way to heaven is through God’s son Jesus Christ, the only difference is that I would give them as much time to think about it as they like. Bada bing, bada boom we get the whole population of the third rock from the sun burning with us for an eternity”. “Genius” says Satan “make it so and while your at it lets teach them to blaspheme God by programming it into their movies and their everyday talk just to make sure we add insult to injury!”

Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron from the Way of the Master in this promo video can teach you to use a simple and powerful way to share the gospel of Jesus Christ...CHECK IT OUT!

Click this link to discover more about The Way of the Master and how you can become effective at sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying world!

According to Don Pickle of Avant Ministries a well known church planting missionary group with locations in the U.S.A. and Canada the problem lies at the core of Christianity and the fact that we do not reach out in our neighbourhoods like we used to, we fail at the first level of mission work so we fail at the long-term. The facts are that almost every church despite the fact that it is more costly to send short-term missionaries are not supporting long-term missions of five or more years and are not recruiting from within or even adding new Christians daily as they did in the Acts church of the Bible. Perhaps in the near future as has happened in Europe were it could be considered Christianity was brought to this continent we will need missionaries to visit us from Africa and beyond to re-establish Christ here as well. Or we could as professing Christians stand up and put the King of Kings back to His prominent position as God. Allow our schools to pray and to repeat the Lords prayer as we used to and allow for mission work in the school because we are true believers of Jesus Christ in this country, this continent and we must stand for something or fall for anything. What better way to stand, then on the Rock of Jesus Christ?

Next; The Blasphemy Challenge to all Christians!

May...

The Lord bless and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

Try a Bible Quiz and test your knowledge

click here ---> BIBLE QUIZ <--- click here

Subscribe in a reader

All posts by M.A.C. © Bruce W. Moar