This book will challenge both
clergy and layman to trace their roots in the early church. Using the standard of unaltered Scriptures,
as the apostles wrote them, are you willing to test all that you know about the
Church, you belong to? It will also
inspire the devoted Christian and shake up the fence sitter. To the one who is searching for God, a clear
desirable image of His Church will appear.
Because history usually comes to
us in books by those that have gone before us, I have chosen to use Miller’s Church History, for many of the
references that point to important facts and information from an earlier
time. Andrew Miller compiled many short
papers on church history. Always with
an eye on the Lord’s purpose for His church, he has compiled them with his
brilliant insightful commentary.
The British are meticulous in their research and record keeping. It is no wonder God selected them to compile and translate into English the Bible we know as the King James Version. They were also very close to the emerging church and were woven many times into its history.
We will see how that when the traditions and teachings of the apostles were abandoned in the fourth century the mixing of the Old Covenant into the New Covenant started to take place. Christianity is now flowing into three directions that I qualify as good, better and best. The Traditional Church, the Cell Church and the pure Small Church respectively. These three streams will be explained in chapter 8.
The continued pursuit of that early church is the reason for this book.
It was a phenomenal, soul-winning church, blessed with many signs and
wonders. I believe we are entering a
time when Jesus can once again entrust us with all the power this pioneer church
enjoyed. We should have a common expectation
of the Lord’s coming, as did the early church.
But, unlike them, I believe we will be privileged to see expectation
become reality. We are looking forward to being the living Bride for His Second Coming. Now that is exciting! A fortunate groom is one who marries a
beautiful, desirable bride with many gifts and talents. The Father will have such a bride for His
Son, glorious, without blemish, because He deserves no less.
As the third millennium is upon us (the morning
of the third day) it is time we become honest with ourselves about what the
modern church has become and the likelihood of its being the Bride of Christ,
given its present condition. The
intention of this book is to dispel the mystery behind the church as the Lord
designed it. Many today call themselves
New Testament churches but in reality inspite of all the best intentions, they
do not come close. The distinction is
made between the church we read about in the New Testament and the one we have
been brought up in.
Within the church, there is a remnant that is
searching to fill a longing that cannot be satisfied by a beautiful cathedral
or a well-delivered sermon. Their
passion is following Jesus with the same closeness the early church
enjoyed. That signifies not only a lifestyle,
but also the way in which a church gathers, and what they do when
together. Paul's encouragement to the
Philippians and Colossians says it best:
Join with others in following my example, brothers,
and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you
(Philippians 3:17). Let the word of
Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all
wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in
your hearts to God (Colossians 3:16).
Luther’s reformation was inevitable! The Roman Church had run amuck. It went beyond the tolerable mercies of
God. Are we now observing the possibility
that Protestantism with its estimated 28 thousand denominations has also run
its course? What is next for the mature
Christian regardless of his religious upbringing, who wants to be in the center
of what the Lord is doing? If that
isn’t yet clear to you, this book will challenge you to consider that we have
no other options but to go back and take a look at the simple original church,
designed by Jesus. Through the
centuries, like any secular corporation, Christians with all good intentions
have engineered the design of the church to a place of stagnation, ridicule and
decline.
All of us born into various religious
denominations are innocent as to how we got there. We should be grateful for the nurturing and teaching we received
about Christ. Most of us were told
that to stray into some other setting would be disastrous. Thank God for the ever-increasing light we
have on our spiritual journey. The verse comes to mind found in Luke 2:32 where
Simion prophesied “a light for
revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to Your people Israel.” The Lord Jesus is still deeply involved in
building His church. But when the Lord
sends us light to show us the way out of the mess we were born into, what is
our responsibility?
The Early Church is most every pastor’s favorite
subject, to encourage us to become better Christians. If Jesus designed the early church, and He did by saying, “I will build My Church,” why not
become the early churches? It is
ludicrous to think that Jesus designed the Church for only three hundred
victorious years and then said, Okay
boys (bishops, rabbis, deacons, pastors or what ever) you can have a go at it
for the next 1700 years.
If we choose to resist the strong traditional
church ties we all have and turn around to travel down the highway of church
invention, why stop at Luther in the 15th century? Why stop at the Orthodox Church in the 6th
century? Why stop at the 4th
century when the new buildings and the clergy popped up? Why stop at Ignaious (John’s disciple) and
his disastrous letters to the church, that he wrote on the eve of his martyrdom
in Rome?
When we read the New Testament, we should
consider to whom the gospels and the letters were written. The church at that time consisted of small
groups that met in homes. Our problem
has been that we view the Word of God as written to a high priest or pastor, to
be delivered through his divine insight, to the common people who sit in a
massive cathedral or church building.
Church history tells us this never happened for the first three hundred
years.
This view of a large congregation makes many
Biblical passages difficult to understand and isolates many passages to
blindness. If we subject the
interpretation of the New Testament to a “Holy
Tradition” let us make sure the tradition is of the Apostles and not the
tampering of the “Fathers” of later
times. Saint John, Peter and Paul in
their letters strongly warn of different doctrines that had already come into
the churches.
I am reminded of a good friend of mine, Lee
Burger. He is a retired master
cabinetmaker who came from Florida to build the bookcases in our library. I can still see Lee rubbing his chin when a
serious carpentry problem occurred. He
would say, "John, I have to cogitate a little about this." In a while the understanding would come; the
problem would be solved. Perhaps this
book will serve to teach you the art of cogitation! Or, like a film, that takes two viewings to truly understand the
intricacies of the overall plot, perhaps this book will not be fully absorbed
the first time around. Whatever the
case may be, I pray that any cogitation this book may provoke will bring you
into a fuller understanding of Jesus
Christ and the Church that He designed.
It is a dear privilege to write to the church of
Jesus Christ. For as much time as we
have to live upon this earth, may we all be consciously preparing the way for the Lord’s
coming.