Mega Church Exposed! #2

The hip and happenin' Mega Churches rely on the idea that they are being led by God.  If this was not the case the seats would not be as full and the tithes would not keep the machine going. I want to show you from Paul in his dealing with the church at Corinth how believers are simply not doing what Jesus said when they meet together.  Forget the $1.7m house Mr Furtick, the tax free record sales Mr Houston or buying yourself onto the NY bestsellers list Mr Driscoll, this is about ACTUALLY not doing what Jesus said! Let's refresh ourselves about an important aspect that comes before marketing church:

John 14:23 Jesus replied, "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them."

I am not saying that people involved in some churches don't love Jesus. I can't know that.  But it will become clear that some have been carried along having been enticed by the prospect of 'making it' in the church scene.  The church practice that has been passed onto us through history allows people who love Jesus to practice church disobediently.  Allow me to unpack this so you know this is coming from Scripture:

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Here we have a situation where Paul, the Apostle sent to the Gentiles is correcting a church for its errors.  In verse 1 we find Paul 'In the following directives' that he has no praise for them.  We need to ask what gave Paul the right to direct this church. The answer is that he was sent by the Lord as an Apostle and that is why he can direct the church.'  The word for 'directives' here is 'paraggello' which is to order / charge / command / direct / precept.  Fair enough.  Apostles can give some shape to churches.  

But what shape?

In this passage Paul goes on to tell them where these directives came from.  In v23 he states that he was instructed (paralebon) by the Lord and passed the instructions on!  He then goes on to anchor the directives into the Last Supper.  In Paul's rebuke to the church over the Last Supper he states that people are getting drunk and gorging on the food before others are ready to eat.  This occasion that Jesus instructed Paul to pass on to churches was a full meal with lots of wine present that all the believers took part in.  In verse 34 Paul cannot be clearer:  'If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home.'  Paul reinforces his 'passing on of more directives' here also.  

Paul has been instructed by Jesus to tell the Corinthians to eat a feast that includes bread and wine when they meet together for 'ekklesia.'  Was this instruction just for the church at that time and other Apostles would receive fresh instructions from the Lord over time?  We could explore that if the text wasn't clear-  In Verse 26 the Corinthians were to 'proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.'  This indicates that having a feast to remember Christ was to occur until he comes.   As far as I can see the Lord has not come yet.... so 'meet together and have a feast with the Lord central.'  There are no further instructions coming on this... 

This is 'church.'  (ekklesia)  This is what believers do.  

Just before Jesus is killed he has Passover with the disciples.  Jesus said he 'eagerly desired to eat this passover with you' (Luke 22:15).  He was eager because THIS WAS IT! This was when he was going to institute the New Covenant.  He told them with unleavened bread that this was his sinless body, broken.  He used the cup of Redemption, the third cup of four, to symbolize his blood shed for the forgiveness of sins.  He then stopped his partaking in the Passover declaring that he would drink the fourth cup in the coming Kingdom.  He then told the Apostles to 'do this....' an instruction to meet in family environments around food and drink, as equals, with the Lord as central to their entireties.  Now a question:

Why would the Apostles do precisely that... meet in homes around food and drink etc?  Because they were commanded to do so by Jesus and later he appeared to Paul (1 Cor 15:8)  to get him up to speed with what to instruct for believers meeting together!  These are basic instructions on how to do church.  Now here is the problem for many leaders and especially the ones who feel big is beautiful:

To meet around a meal with bread and wine as component parts where all are equal and invited to share (1 Cor 14:26), there is no place for ambition, ego, grandstanding, status, profile or position.  It's just Jesus and your brothers and sisters.  Self promotion stands out like a sore thumb in this ekklesia and many who want to obey and practice church as Jesus commanded, can't do it.  To meet in a format where they are not central or it is not pertaining to them is uncomfortable, somewhat appalling.   This is why time and time again believers who feel they have something to offer do the same type of thing, often with upgrades or shinier gimmicks. 

There are those who are happy to eat the cracker and sip the juice and see this as the same thing as Jesus commanded.  But we have an example of Jesus endorsing doing 'what was commanded exactly.'  The Passover and Feast of Unleavened bread was commanded by the Lord to the captives in Egypt over a thousand years before the Last Supper.  Commanded to have Passover et al yearly, it remained a full meal with the elements present until the Last Supper.  

This is how the issue with Mega church and other well intentioned churches is not primarily the excess.  It is basic obedience to what the Scripture records as Jesus present command to us.  To the Laodicean church...

Rev 3:20 Behold I stand at the door and knock (on the door of your church!)  If any man hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and ...er... dine with him and he with me.  (textual gymnastics mine) 

Feel free to contact me to know more about transitioning to a Biblical church that obeys Jesus in practice.  

Gary Ward

gary.ward.c1@gmail.com  or comment on here