So the "Protestants' came away from Roman Catholic Theology but the associated practices remained. I have summarized the practices of Roman Catholicism as 'Special people doing special things in special places.' It is my observation that the enemy gets hold of this threefold summary and diverts people from having a vibrant relationship with the Risen, Glorified Lord. Anyone who leads must be about this: facilitating others to connect with the Risen, Glorified Lord.
The Simple Church Pattern
I believe the church was given form by Jesus' words at the Last Supper. The biggest indication that 'this do...' was a blueprint for believers meeting together is that the Apostles reproduced small groups in homes around a full meal. The New Testament tells us believers prayed and did other things but when it came to 'This do in remembrance of me' it was always around a full meal that had bread and wine. In correcting misuse of the Lords supper in Corinth we find enough food to gorge oneself and enough wine to get drunk! Paul goes on to write many things about meeting together including gifts, worship etc. Many accept this as 'church' but miss the fact that it was around a meal, so clear from chapter 11.
We find from Paul that no-one was special above others. We find the meeting was in an ordinary home and what they did was what any family would do. This was a design on purpose because if Biblical history tells us anything about humanity, it confirms that when we are given a small amount of rule over another person it is cataclysmic to the ego. King David went back and forth with his pride and on one occasion took off all his Kingly clothes and danced around in his pants! This was because he wanted to demonstrate the Kingly garb is not helpful to his own sense of importance. He doesn't need to be King to love God.
If I was the devil...
About 1998 I did a talk for a youth group called "If I was the devil..." The idea was that I looked at young people's lives and construct a plan to get them off course in following Jesus. In the same way, if I was the devil I would have made it that the simple, ordinary pattern for church would become the opposite. It would then be easy to manipulate the hearts of believers who have bought into a church practice that leaves them wide open to ego, pride, false teaching. If I was the devil:
- First I would create a hierarchy among the christian family.
- Secondly I would make things they do rituals so they become a focus
- Thirdly I would designate a place where 'God is.'
This began with the Early Church Fathers around 110AD. In the fourth century those who followed Emperor Constantine made Christianity the state religion with ranked leadership, central meeting places specially prepared for ritualistic practices. Professional speakers were enlisted and the simple ekklesia gathering was replaced by special people doing special things in special places.
If I was a church leader
With the Roman Catholic Church still banging its drum very strongly, the average non RC Christian would feel good that they have 'departed' from that unbiblical practice. However as I have demonstrated, many non RC church leaders still practice having special people. They meet in buildings called 'God's house' and make ordinary events like baptism into rituals. Obviously there are scales of this depending on the particular stream you belong to. However, only by returning to the simple way Jesus instructed the Apostles to meet can we reduce the risk of people running away with their own pride and ego.
How much do you party to special people doing special things in special places when the New Testament knows nothing of these things? If you find yourself in something like this error then the answer is not to rush to the nearest house group! The answer is to haul your heart before the Lord and ask him to make you someone who can cope with being an ordinary brother / sister in a simple home eating a meal in remembrance of Christ.
How Roman Catholic are you?
Gary Ward
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