How to Build a Modern Church

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.

Seeker47

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2018
1,128
962
113
#1
First, cleave God’s word in half with a sword. This is the absolutely necessary first step. Separate the bible into two nearly equal half-loafs. Label one loaf “old” and the other “new.” It is then a short and easy jump to “obsolete” and “modern;” or perhaps “worthless” and “essential.” Thoughtful words correctly applied can easily conceal truth. Numbers are not the only way to lie, words have their own trap doors.

You are making great start!

Next, when necessary, carefully select and expose only those verses from “obsolete” that stress God’s judgement and wrath. Twist his justice into implied acts of evil. Carefully selected passages out of context will accomplish this goal. Avoid all references to his love and grace even though they are clear and plentiful. Assure the readers that the “Obsolete” is too difficult; convince them that they do not have the ability to understand. Assure them that “Seminary” taught the truth and it is now being passed on to them. Repeat this often and it will be accepted without question; it makes their life easier. Don’t worry your deception will be discovered; only a few oddballs or scholars will look for themselves. They can be easily isolated and controlled.

Now the most challenging part, selectively focus attention on small sections of the “New” half-load. Carefully choose only one or two passages and focus there. For example, many have used John 3:16 to keep their flock focused on a single aspect of God’s Love, hereby avoiding all the others. Avoid biblical topics of judgement and wrath like the plague. Likewise, assure everyone that once a believer, all their troubles will be over. Never discuss obedience, responsibility or what it means to carry a cross. Remember, everyone wants to leave feeling good, otherwise they may go down the street.

Manufacture unbiblical concepts such as a co-equal triune nature of God. This lets you focus on redemption while ignoring its corresponding judgement. Make Yeshua and YHWH one and the same and your task is much easier. While this may lead to false worship, very few will bother to consider the implications.

Oh, and another important task. Assure your believers that all they need do is accept their redemption in Christ once, and they are safe forever. Many can then continue to enjoy their inequities with assured impunity. They get to keep their cake.

Never, ever, use God’s actual name, even though He gave it to us. There are many ways to say YHWH; “Yahweh” and “Jehovah” are but two. Avoid them all. Just because the original texts uses His name thousands of times, this does not mean it should be taught. Keep the matter cloudy with titles; Lord or Master or Savior or even God will do nicely. Using His actual name will make it difficult to advance the concepts of universalism and tolerance. Making YHWH and Allah both “gods” projects equality.

Be sure to keep the historic and cultural context of the bible out of the discussion. Carefully and select a bible translation suited to your needs. You should probably ignore the KJV and use a more modern interpretation. Never, ever reference the original texts. The Dead Sea Scrolls should also be avoided.

Keep the Jewishness of Paul hidden, especially his education under Gamaliel and his membership in the sect of the Pharisees. Insist that Paul was working for the sole purpose of creating a Christian Church exclusively for gentiles. Project the false and unchallenged image that the first followers of Christ were “Christians.” Keep everyone ignorant that the first followers were actually Jews who maintained their traditional faith, just like Christ. Don’t let on that the worship of Christ originally occurred in the synagogues. Hide the fact that the Christian Church did not exist for more than 300 years after Christ, and bury the truth about Constantine and his “Councils”.

You will also need to keep the writings of the earliest church fathers under wraps. At all costs avoid discussions of antisemitism; both in the early formation of the church and in the later period called “The Reformation.” If the topic does come up, be quick to blame the Catholics. Prove your point by denouncing their past errors. This should keep the discussion away from your own. Never, ever discuss the holocaust!

Finally, it will also help if you keep your flocks focus on the afterlife. Keep the heavenly rewards constantly in the forefront. Create the image that God is no longer active in earthly affairs. Try to keep science on earth and God in heaven and you will fit nicely into the world.
 

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
Aug 13, 2014
27,359
9,372
113
#2
I get the impression there are some churches you REALLY don't like. Just a hunch.
 

Eli1

Well-known member
Apr 5, 2022
4,758
2,054
113
46
#3
God bless you @Seeker47 and take things one day at a time brother.
 

Seeker47

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2018
1,128
962
113
#4
I get the impression there are some churches you REALLY don't like. Just a hunch.
I absolutely love the people sitting in the pews doing their best to do God's will. I frequently join them. But much of the western church has gone "off-the-rails". This needs to be discussed.
 

RodB651

Well-known member
Feb 11, 2021
734
453
63
59
#5
@Seeker47 ..

Have you always been on this particular path of belief / study or is it something you have embraced over time?

I ask because there are things in your opening post that I would agree with. These are things I've learned over time.

Just wondering what that's been like for you?
 

Seeker47

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2018
1,128
962
113
#6
@Seeker47 ..

Have you always been on this particular path of belief / study or is it something you have embraced over time?

I ask because there are things in your opening post that I would agree with. These are things I've learned over time.

Just wondering what that's been like for you?
It's been a long journey. I was raised in a traditional denominational church and raised by children there too. But there have always been questions just floating beneath the surface. A dozen years ago I was forced to retire to be a caregiver. I had lots of spare time and began a serious study of the Christian Church and the foundations of our faith. Many, many hours of study and books (and prayer) gradually opens my eyes. Once you begin to see the rest follows.
 

Seeker47

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2018
1,128
962
113
#8
Until the church is willing to take a long, hard look at itself, especially in light of scripture; much false doctrine will continue it infiltrate Christianity. The western church preaches repentance but rejects that concept for itself. In my experience the church will marginalize anyone who dares challenge it' dogma. Only when enough people ae willing to ask the hard questions will change ever occur. Without this change the decline will continue.

At least that is what I think. Contrary opinions welcomed.
 

FollowerofShiloh

Well-known member
Jan 24, 2024
4,321
714
113
#9
Make Yeshua and YHWH one and the same and your task is much easier.
We know Jesus is I AM from Exodus 3:
3
And he said, I am the Elohim of thy father, the Elohim of Abraham, the Elohim of Isaac, and the Elohim of Jacob; and Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look up to Elohim.
14 And Elohim said unto Moses, I will be that I will be [I AM]: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I will be hath sent me unto you.

That same God [Who is I AM or Jesus], whom in the Hebrew Moses called Elohim also said this in Exodus 6:
2
And Elohim spoke unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord:
3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God, the Almighty, but by my name The Eternal [YHVH] was I not made known to them.

Remember, No One has seen the Father so it was Jesus [the WORD] who made the appearances on earth.

So before tearing down churches learn the Torah from the real Hebrew.
 

hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
7,114
1,743
113
#10
Until the church is willing to take a long, hard look at itself, especially in light of scripture; much false doctrine will continue it infiltrate Christianity. The western church preaches repentance but rejects that concept for itself. In my experience the church will marginalize anyone who dares challenge it' dogma. Only when enough people ae willing to ask the hard questions will change ever occur. Without this change the decline will continue.

At least that is what I think. Contrary opinions welcomed.
I'm sure there are some churches that are that way.... but that's a pretty broad brush you are painting with there. The churches I've attended in the past 30-40 years have, for the most part, been Bible believing assemblies. Are they perfect? Of course not... I don't expect perfection in my church.
 

hornetguy

Senior Member
Jan 18, 2016
7,114
1,743
113
#11
Until the church is willing to take a long, hard look at itself
Of which church are you speaking? Usually when someone uses the term broadly "the church", they are speaking of the Roman Catholic church.... is that who you are referring to?
 

Seeker47

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2018
1,128
962
113
#12
Required Disclaimer: Jesus Christ is my personal Lord and Savior. To Him is due all glory and honor. Nothing I say or believe intentionally diminishes his Holiness or Worthiness.

That said:

I avoid using quotes or short passages to justify my beliefs. I can quote many passages from many bible versions that state God and His Son are two separate entities. This is repeated throughout the First and Second Testaments and acknowledged by my Lord himself. While separate, they are also fully integrated, there is no disunity in anything they do. That too is clearly stated.

The problem is this; there are those who ascribe wrath and vengeance to the First Testament and mercy and grace to the Second. They then go on to associate God The Father with the First Testament and Yeshua His Son with the Second. (I read this frequently on this site). Do you see where this leads?

I personally know some people and some churches who worship Jesus to the exclusion of the Almighty, the Creator God, the Father of all things. They embrace mercy and grace while rejecting God’s justice and wrath. This is false worship.

I am also not directing my thoughts to any one church or denomination. In my experience everyone believes their church is biblically correct. But how do they know if they are afraid to look or to hear different opinions. (Just try questioning a church doctrine and see what happens. I have the scars.)

Want another? Do you see any church issues with John 21:15-17 and Matthew 28:19-20? I sure do. I believe herein lays a major stumbling block for the western church and a main reason for its continued decline. This too should be discussed before the western church fades completely away.