The Simplicity of Fellowship that Exalts and Glorifies Christ
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ” Acts 2:42
MANY today peddle the importance of fellowship because they hear it from their pastors on a regular basis. Yet, much more important than man to man fellowship is God to man, and man to God fellowship. This is little spoken of. And, what passes and is pawned off as “fellowship” today doesn’t fit the biblical description, the prescription for fellowship (Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 3:16, etc.). It’s not even a faint resemblance.
Jesus sums up the divine order of priority for and in the lives of all who will know Him and the Father.
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
WHAT’s more important 1. Fellowship with God, or 2. Fellowship with man? God! (Read Matthew 22:37-40.) In fact, your fellowship with man will only be according to your fellowship with our Maker.
The goal here is not to diminish the importance of fellowship with other members of Christ’s body but to ascertain the priorities of God and set them in their biblical order.
“Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.” Jeremiah 12:10
Pastors today (many of whom went to long-time apostate seminaries), are building a business instead of building the kingdom of Christ in the heart of those for whom He came and died. When Jesus said “I will build my church” He was speaking about building His kingdom in the hearts of His beloved people (Matthew 16:18).
Sister Nelline writes:
“I’ve recently left the organized church, couldn’t take it anymore. The pastor there used those tactics about coming to church and how you shouldn’t miss. Even threatened to stop the live stream because he felt people would rather stay home to watch instead of attend. But the one that really got me is, after I had been out sick a few weeks when I returned his first words to me were.. ‘How far back have you backslid?’ I told him I hadn’t backslid at all and added that I listen to preaching all the time. He said, it isn’t the same. Had to bite my lip from saying YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!”
Their prayer and goal and work does not center around Christ Jesus and seeing His people grow to know Him yet more and more and be established ever more deeply in His grace (Colossians 2:6-10). No, they seek to use any manipulating method they can to vest their prey in their ministry busine$$. They’ve turned the house of God, the place that is supposed to be for the worship of the LORD alone, into a den of thieves, and they are the thieves (Matthew 21:15-17).
“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Philippians 3:1-3
“We Would See Jesus.” John 12:21
We are looking for, seeking Christ, not a church or a Christian “hero” or type of evangelical “pope.”
“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22
Fellowship Priority
Yes, we fellowship with one another as Christ’s saints and yet by order of divine priority, “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3
Many in ministry, building their own church business empire, put more emphasis on your fellowship with THEM rather than God. Beware.
The sobering reality is that the vast majority of church gatherings once a week are simply businesses with a paid conductor and volunteer staff.
In today’s church world we do not witness people who live a life of prayer fueling a life filled with Gospel action as we see of the earliest believers beginning in the book of Acts. “There is no new thing under the sun,” and this is how it’s always been among those who profess, who pretend to know God. Zephaniah the prophet exposed the circus conductor leaders of his day and ours.
“Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.” Zephaniah 3:4
Rather we see that “Christianity” today consists of merely attending church, being part of a club that meets weekly to mull over felt needs instead of knowing Jesus, true repentance, personal holiness, a denial of self, the crucified life, and getting into the Word. Christianity has been reduced to attending a one hour circus on Sunday morning, hearing a few stories and a few verses from a cotton candy fake “bible” and a psychology laced sermonette. The fruit of the lives of of its adherents tells the story.
Sad Sunday Saps
“‘Church’ fellowship is kind of a joke these days. I’ve observed nothing more than a networking event in some cases where realtors and other entrepreneurs are just looking for business leads while hanging out at the church coffee bar.” Jennifer
May the truth of God blast us out of the sink holes, the quick sand that has absorbed us downward.
Is that what our lives, your life has come to? Is this all there is…. a stale, mundane country club membership in a mutual admiration society where overcoming sin is mocked at, the cross of Christ and crucified life are never heard from the Word and by the power of the Holy Ghost? Where’s the life of Christ truly in our daily lives? What kind of Gospel action is transpiring in your personal daily life?
“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” Acts 8:4
In the New Testament canon we don’t see any such “Christianity” as we witness today and hence the use of the word “churchianity” where the extent of “Christianity” is reduced to church membership and attendance.
Deep is calling unto deep beloved…. God is speaking to the hearts of His people to cry out to Him, to come unto Him with tears of repentance, asking Him to do something deeper, to rescue them from the pit, the muck-laden miry clay of religiosity, a mere “form of godliness,” and to establish them in a genuine walk and life of His authentic disciple. The Holy Ghost via Paul prophesied of this very day which is upon us (2 Timothy 3:1-7-13). Instead of being about Christ and His people, it’s all about the self-absorbed, self-idolatrous, entertainment of the prey.
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
Scripture reveals that true fellowship is essential, not faithfulness to a certain group that meets in a certain building once or more weekly.
When told about good preaching at a certain local church, one disciple responded this way (sobering and true):
“So did my pastor preach the whole truth but nothing ever stuck, no revival meeting or guest ‘evangelist’ ever taught me anything that made any significant change in me. It was only when I invested my time and money into knowing what’s between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21 that I really began to know my Bible. It all started with Proverbs 8:17 where I took God at His word and held Him accountable for keeping his end of the bargain as I kept my end.”
Saints, many have been sold the bill of goods concerning “church” attendance and membership. Like trained monkeys they’ve been indoctrinated to be faithful to the local church, not Christ. The whole scam is set up to benefit the frauds who designed and who perpetrate it. They push people to be loyal to the system, not the Savior. Run.
THERE are so many who will be shocked to be separated from Christ in the end and it’s because they were told all their lives and believed that being faithful to their local church and pastor meant they were being loyal to God. In most cases, faithful church members are wasting their energy, heart affections, and money as they have pushed Christ aside to serve their wolf pastor and that local church and its agenda.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:18
One follower of the KING writes:
“So many in the ‘church’ world have no idea what it means to truly follow Jesus. I know that I fall short all the time too and yet am blessed to repent daily and do my best to be obedient to His Word as well as share His truth with others. I long to know Jesus and His Word even more daily.”
The biblical definition of “Official” would grossly differ from the commercialization of the den of thieves many call “church” today. Jesus is calling His remnant to “come out of her” or be consumed with her (2 Cor 6:17; Rev 18:4-5). I don’t know even one regular “church” attender of the modern church who is on fire for Jesus, who is winning souls, who is in the Word daily, fervently, who is prayed and fasted up, who is feeding Christ’s sheep. And those false churches don’t even use the real Bible, the King James Bible, they use fake “bibles,” lame.
Monetizing the Ministry
False leaders have long ago used their position over the people for their own self-serving benefit. They gather the people to garner their funds. They push for the people to gather, getting them to become a member, and yet are not fulfilling the ordained role of an overseer – to feed the flock and watch for their souls – yet received pay for such (Hebrews 13:7, 17). See Isaiah 56:8-12; Jeremiah 12:10; 23; Ezekiel 34; Zephaniah 3:4; Matthew 24:4-5; 2 Peter 2:1-3. Misuse of funds. Misappropriation.
Jesus exposed them…. by showing how they put on a big show to rob the people:
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Matthew 23:4-5
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?….. 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.” Ezekiel 34:1, 20
TRUE NEW TESTAMENT FELLOWSHIP DOES NOT EQUAL GOING TO A “CHURCH BUILDING” ON SUNDAY MORNING – SPECIFICALLY IF THAT GATHERING IS NOT CHRIST-CENTERED, FIERCELY BIBLICAL, AND FULL OF GOD’S LOVE AND STRICT ADHERENCE TO HIS HOLY, WRITTEN WORD.
When you are seeking Christ daily, you don’t need a Sunday morning pep rally.
Looking for the church means simply looking for other true members of Christ’s body! WE are HIS church – called out ones. Amen Jesus. Fellowship, Gatherings
Do the 4 simple elements seen in Acts 2:42 exist in the fellowship you attend? Also, what’s been added?
The WORD will always be front and center and not salaried frauds pretending to be true elders of the remnant body of Christ (Colossians 3:16).
As He did twice when He walked the earth, if Jesus were here today in the flesh, He would be flipping 99% of “churches” who’ve made the place of worship a den of thieves – to rob the people of their pure worship of God, of their time, of their money, of their place with God, etc. (Matthew 21; John 2). He’s still doing it through His servants who fearlessly preach His Word (Romans 16:17-18; Galatians 2; Jude 3-4; etc.).
Connie Hatten
“Our church went Purpose Driven too! I remember noticing THAT’S when it all changed for the worst. Rick Warren used MULTIPLE modern Bible perversions, and his online ‘network’ of resources can be accessed by pastors to download Sermons, etc! What happened to studying God’s Word and going to the HOLY SPIRIT?!”
Barbara H Kuks
“I noticed a change in the Bible study classes. I heard the church Pastor and staff actually went to visit Warren’s church back then. It was kept quiet but the changes were obvious. No more time or room for the Holy Spirit or words of knowledge in the services. They started television the Sunday morning service and limiting time etc. Became very theatrical and not spontaneous at all.”
“Since leaving church 9 months ago, I have grown by leaps and bounds in my faith. And in the knowledge of his word. Bless you brother!” C.
“Okay, sharing one of my biggest mistakes. We had family devotions when the kids were young. My sister and her husband and kids lived with us and we all took part in family worship. Then . . . my husband always liked this Pentecostal church near us and decided we would go there. They had something almost every night and that was the mantra, ‘Be in church whenever the doors were open.’ Our family devotions were so GOOD, but we dropped it for being in church, not realizing at the time that it was a bad decision.” Arlean
“I been out of “organized religion“ for many years now and I am closer to God than ever before.“ Tracy Parker
Not all fellowships and yet….. organized religion can many times seduce us AWAY from Christ and not endear us to Him. See Colossians 2:18-19.
Sharon Matthews writes:
“The modern church keeps their flock dependent on them. They also keep them busy doing different things instead of giving them the Word of God regarding becoming a disciple of Jesus. Following Jesus will cost them their way of life. Obedience is a byword, not a reality for most. It’s easier to go somewhere to listen to men instead of searching the Scriptures for real life in Christ. Many fill their mind with Scripture but don’t care to act on it—give up their own life in exchange for the life of Christ in them. Sloppy grace is everywhere! Churches (not all) don’t want to lose people, or teach children God’s Word, they might get offended and leave. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He said, come follow Me.”
The Bible truth is assembling to fellowship (Acts 2:42; Heb 10:25). As was the case when Jesus got here, the organized church was completely apostate. We have virtually (at least) the same today. There were no church buildings in the early church. Not a penny was collected to build a physical building either – especially not to build the real estate property for a man or men to use as their headquarters to make merchandise of the people, turning the house of prayer into a den of thieves (2 Peter 2:1-3; Matthew 21:12-17, etc.).
Jon Crane writes:
“I think the day the church sold itself to the state was when it became a 501c3. That very act of treason yoked them to mammon and divorced them from Christ. Just something I have been thinking about when I look at how God had to chasten Israel many times in the Old Testament. It always happened when they would forget God and chase after the things of this world. If I behaved this way in my marriage…well, I’m pretty sure I would get served. Yet, so many believe that God is okay with them cheating, as if they can force Jesus to bring the filthiness of their sin into His holy presence!
To the godly, seeing Jesus face to face in heaven will be the greatest joy, but I dare say; to never have to see my sin again will be a close second!”
All organized religion is false. Jesus and His apostles did not start any organization nor did they collect a penny to build a so-called “church” building – such is usually the work of wolves who exist to make “merchandise of you” (2 Peter 2:1-3). The Son of God and His holy apostles and the early church operated autonomously and were led and empowered by the Word and Holy Spirit of God. 501(C)(3) “churches” are stated owned, totally compromised, apostate. Run. Denounce. The Savior never sent anyone to sign up with the state to get permission to do His work.
“My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“I got out of the apostate “church” about 3 or 4 years ago now. Can’t fellowship with any of those people now.” D.
REPLY:
This is the direction of Christ for His remnant. 2 Cor 6:17; Rev 18:4-5
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“The church comprises born again believers not a building. There are some great churches. DL Moody was used by God in a church in Chicago and in many churches in America and the UK. I have never been to a church that is controlled by the state. You can not say all churches are comprised many ARE but been to many that preach the Word without comprise and state control. I have heard many who preach repentance and hell. Attended a church, before his message the preacher got on his knees and prayed and ended every prayer to preach in the power of the Holy Spirit, that Sinners would not go to a place called hell. The Methodist recently had a split and came out from the United Methodist that are very comprised. Now they are independent Methodist.” Paul
REPLY:
You err here: I didn’t say all churches are controlled by the state but rather all 501C3 churches ARE. And that’s 100% truth. They signed a contract, they signed allegiance to the gov’t of mere men. Did Jesus, the prophets, or the apostle do such? No. You bear false witness as you state: “I have never been to a church that is controlled by the state.” EVERY church you’ve been to that is under a 501 C3 is state controlled without exception. For example, name even one of the churches you’ve been to that didn’t conform to the demonic, God-despising mask and 6 foot rule…. waiting. Yeah, I thought so – zero.
Whatever Wesley and Moody were, is all long gone. Moody institute was long ago taken over by the Vatican and I’ve got lots of personal experience with that. The UMC is also ecumenical, totally false, apostate.
——————–
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“This is called catastrophising. There’s a fair amount of truth in what you say, but you are making absolute statements that can’t be be absolutely true.
The biblical standard for absolute truth is that it must be absolutely true and your post just isn’t. Sorry.
I’ve been in churches for most of my six decades of walking with the Lord and I agree with much of what you say, but I draw the line at making this kind of sweeping generalisation and then implicitly condemning anyone and everyone who is part of a church. That is not biblical.
Go read what God said to Elijah on Mt Horeb, about how many people in Israel God had reserved for a remnant.
You mustn’t condemn people en masse this way. And you must not make absolute statements that don’t match the biblical standard of absolute truth. That is a sin.” Alan Heron
REPLY:
Apparently, there are no absolutes in your faulty thinking. There’s a spiritual undercurrent to your influences…. and such is not going unnoticed. Again, you err. Notice, contrary to your false statement alleging that I condemned people en masse, notice that the original post stated that all ORGANIZED RELIGION, not people, is false. Did this post say all groups who assemble are false OR that all who minister are false? That is a yes or a no. Waiting. Let me help you: No, it said all organized religion, all that is religiously organized 501c3 etc… is false and I stand on that as the truth. Your years of serving God as you allege, have nothing to do with the truth, so you may wish to leave such out next time.
Jezebel’s Table – ORGANIZED RELIGION – compromised, took the bribe to be paid, receive a salary, are under contract to tickled ears, to dodge, to purposely evade the hard truths of Scripture…. ALL false.
The 7,000 God speaks of were all like JTB and Christ and His apostles and prophets… independent of the entanglements, the corporatized conspiracies (Ezek. 22:25-27) of mere men and “there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Remember how early in this chapter (1 Kings 18), the beloved Obadiah fed the non-corporatized 100 true prophets who refused to come under the fraud banner of state religion? They refused to organize with the fraud religious leaders who tucked their feet under jezebel’s table which means they were bought and paid for by the state, the religion of the 501 C3 type contract of their day. The 100 true prophets were independent, autonomous, more safe from the heard mentality and conformity – just like Jesus, the prophets, and apostles.
“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal (ALL the organized religionists did bow!), and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18
“Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at JEZEBEL’S TABLE.” 1Ki_18:19
Arlean Benedict Kelley
“Yes. I’ve been to many state conventions and it’s like going to a business conference. Which church has added the most members, etc. But they are trying to do good with the best they know, I think.”
Elton Mishoe writes:
“I pastored 12 years in a “church” of 200. Tried to teach that every service. Higher ups couldn’t stand me. Lol. Finally gave a 10 year lease on that brick and mortar to another ministry and let them have it. Brick and mortar will perish and is only a meeting place. Church is where 2 or 3 are gathered in his name. Want to know the truth? go to the pastors, the higher ups in a denomination and ask to see salaries and benefits lol. Almost impossible to get the truth. Get involved with pastor meetings and watch them talk about nothing but ways to get more money into the church. I’ve Been there done it.
Most organized religion is 100% business and if a pastor bucks the system he is blackballed until he finally leaves or they get something to try to charge him with.
YES there are some pastors that give their life for the calling because they don’t consider it a job. But to most it’s a job. They use churches as stepping stones to get to the next bigger paying church. But it’s also the people’s fault they want all the bells and whistles and programs and the prestige of a huge church.
Worthy Pastors with no other income should be taken care of that’s biblical. Church of God is crooked as crooked gets, this one I know for a fact (1 Corinthians 9:1-14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18, etc.). Others are the same I’m sure. Want a good church? Good luck.”
One disciple of Jesus writes:
“At the last church I attended the pastor frequently said something like, “if you were a real Christian you would want to be in church every time the doors were open.” Goodness! that laid a huge guilt trip on me and others!
Being “in church” all the time took me away from learning about my God and Savior.
When I measured the time spent getting dressed and ready for church, driving to church, being in church, driving home from church, stopping at the store on my way from church and changing clothes after being in church I found that “church” consumed more of my time than Bible study.
I’m so thankful the Lord put an end to that for me and my husband. We now spend a LOT more time studying and getting to know our heavenly Father better than ever before. We have a home Bible study where we reach folks who would never “go” to a church but still love God, or one sister who thought she was being a good Christian and doing what God expected of her only to realize how far off base she’s been all these years. Hallelujah!”
Clare R. Watts writes:
“Standing in the garage doesn’t make you a car. Hiding in the pantry doesn’t make you a jar of pickles, either. Going to church doesn’t save you, let alone make you a Believer! Surrendering to the Lord, obeying, trusting and following Jesus does.”
Jenny Douglas writes:
“Sadly with the rise of apostasy, false teaching, losing freedoms, etc., more and more of the remnant may have ‘church’ as the early followers did, from house to house. I see it coming.”
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The Biblical Case for Home Fellowship Groups
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Church Membership, Manipulation, and Money [podcast]
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Spiritual Formation—A Dangerous Substitute for the Life of Christ [podcast]
Sometimes we think of spiritual formation as formation by the Holy Spirit. Once again. That’s essential. . . . But now I have to say something that may be challenging for you to think about: Spiritual formation is not all by the Holy Spirit. . . . We have to recognize that spiritual formation in us is something that is also done to us by those around us, by ourselves, and by activities which we voluntarily undertake . . .There has to be method.1—Dallas Willard
Aside from the fact that Spiritual Formation incorporates mystical practices into its infrastructure (remove the contemplative aspect and you don’t have “Spiritual Formation” anymore), Spiritual Formation is a works-based substitute for biblical Christianity. Let us explain.
When one becomes born again (“that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9-10), having given his or her life and heart over to Christ as Savior, Jesus Christ says He will come in and live in that surrendered heart:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)
If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11; emphasis added)
When God, through Jesus Christ, is living in us, He begins to do a transforming work in our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:18). Not only does He change us, He also communes with us. In other words, we have fellowship with Him, and He promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
This life of God in the believer’s heart is not something we need to conjure up through meditative practices. But if a person does not have this relationship with the Lord, he may seek out ways to feel close to God. This is where Spiritual Formation comes into play. Rather than a surrendered life to Christ (through repentance and faith), the seeking person begins practicing the spiritual disciplines (e.g., prayer, fasting, good works, etc.) with the promise that if he practices these disciplines, he will become more Christ-like.
But merely doing these acts fails to make one feel close to God—something is still missing. And thus, he begins practicing the discipline of silence (or solitude), and now in these altered states of silence, he finally feels connected to God. He now feels complete. What he does not understand is that he has substituted the indwelling of Christ in his heart for a works-based methodology that endangers his spiritual life. Dangerous because these mystical experiences he now engages in appear to be good because they make him feel close to God, but in reality he is being drawn into demonic realms no different than what happens to someone who is practicing transcendental meditation or eastern meditation. Even mystics themselves acknowledge that the contemplative realm is no different than the realm reached by occultists. To understand this more fully, please read Ray Yungen’s book A Time of Departing.
Bottom line, it is not possible to be truly Christ-like without having Christ inside of us because it is His righteousness that is able to change our hearts—we cannot do it without Him. It is His righteousness we need:
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. (Romans 3:22)
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9)
It is interesting to note that virtually every contemplative teacher has a common theme—they feel dry and empty and want to go “deeper” with God or “become more intimate” with God. But if we have Christ living in us, how can we go any deeper than that? How can we become more intimate than that? And if going deeper and becoming intimate were so important, why is it that none of the disciples or Jesus Himself ever told us to do this? As Larry DeBruyn states:
Why are Christians seeking a divine presence that Jesus promised would abundantly flow in them? . . . Why do they need another voice, another visitation, or another vision? Why are some people unthankfully desirous of “something more” than what God has already given to us? Why is it that some Christians, in the depth of their souls, are not seemingly at rest?2
Is There a “Good” Spiritual Formation?
One of the most common arguments we hear defending Spiritual Formation is that there is a “good” Spiritual Formation done without contemplative prayer. To that we say, we have never yet seen a Spiritual Formation program in a school or a church that doesn’t in some way point people to the contemplative mystics. It might be indirectly, but in every case, if you follow the trail, it will lead you right into the arms of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and other contemplative teachers.
Think about this common scenario: A Christian college decides to begin a Spiritual Formation course. The instructor has heard some negative things about Richard Foster, Henri Nouwen, and Brennan Manning, and he figures he will teach the class “good Spiritual Formation” and leave those teachers completely out. But he’s going to need a textbook. He turns to a respected institution, Dallas Theological Seminary, and finds a book written by Paul Pettit, Professor in Pastoral and Education Ministries. The book is titled Foundations of Spiritual Formation. The instructor who has found this book to use in his own class may never mention Richard Foster or Dallas Willard, but the textbook he is using does. Within the pages of Pettit’s book is Richard Foster, Philip Yancey, N.T. Wright, Dallas Willard, Thomas Aquinas, Lectio Divina, Ayn Rand, Parker Palmer, Eugene Peterson, J.P. Moreland, Klaus Issler, Bruce Demarerst, Jim Burns, Kenneth Boa and Brother Lawrence’s “practicing God’s presence.” You may not have heard of all these names, but they are all associated with the mystical contemplative prayer movement and the emerging church.
Another example of this is Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Whitney is former Associate Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While his book does not promote contemplative mysticism, he says that Richard Foster has “done much good”3 in the area of Christian spirituality (which we believe is blatantly untrue).
Our point is that even if there is a sincere attempt to teach Spiritual Formation and stay away from the mystical side, we contend that it cannot be successfully accomplished because it will always lead back to the ones who have brought it to the church in the first place.
Spiritual formation is sweeping throughout Christianity today. It’s no wonder when the majority of Christian leaders have either endorsed the movement or given it a silent pass. For instance, in Chuck Swindoll’s book So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There, Swindoll favorably quotes Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. Swindoll calls Celebration of Discipline a “meaningful work”4 and Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines “excellent work.”5 In chapter three, ”Silence and Solitude,” Swindoll talks about “digging for secrets . . . that will deepen our intimacy with God.”6 Quoting the contemplative poster-verse Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Swindoll says the verse is a call to the “discipline of silence.”7 As other contemplative proponents have done, he has taken this verse very much out of context.
Roger Oakland sums it up:
The Spiritual Formation movement . . . teaches people that this is how they can become more intimate with God and truly hear His voice. Even Christian leaders with longstanding reputations of teaching God’s word seem to be succumbing. . . .
We are reconciled to God only through his “death” (the atonement for sin), and we are presented “holy and unblameable and unreproveable” when we belong to Him through rebirth. It has nothing to do with works, rituals, or mystical experiences. It is Christ’s life in the converted believer that transforms him.8
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10
What Christians need is not a method or program or ritual or practice that will supposedly connect them to God. What we need is to be “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30) and Christ in us. And He has promised His Spirit “will guide [us] into all truth” (John 16:13).
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30
In Colossians 1:9, the apostle Paul tells the saints that he was praying for them that they “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” He was praying that they would have discernment (“spiritual understanding”). He said that God, the Father, has made us “partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (vs 12) and had “delivered us from the power of darkness [i.e., power of deception]” (vs. 13). But what was the key to having this wisdom and spiritual understanding and being delivered from the power of darkness? Paul tells us in that same chapter. He calls it “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints” (vs. 26). What is that mystery? Verse 27 says: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (emphasis added).
For those wanting to get involved with the Spiritual Formation movement (i.e., contemplative, spiritual direction), consider the “direction” you will actually be going.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. (Colossians 1:21-23)
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2: 8-10)
This article is an extract from the Lighthouse Trails booklet, Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why They Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.
Endnotes:
1. Dallas Willard, “Spiritual Formation: What it is, and How it is Done” (https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/spiritual-formation-what-it-is-and-how-it-is-done).
2. Larry DeBruyn, “God’s Present of His Presence” (https://www.guardinghisflock.org/gods-present-of-his-presence/ ).
3. Donald Whitney, “Doctrine and Devotion: A Reunion Devoutly to be Desired” (http://web.archive.org/web/20080828052145/http://biblicalspirituality.org/devotion.html).
4. Chuck Swindoll, So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There (Nashville, TN:W Publishing Group, a div. of Thomas Nelson, 2005), p. 15.
5. Ibid., p. 13.
6. Ibid., p. 55.
7. Ibid.
8. Roger Oakland, Faith Undone (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2007), pp. 91-92.
This has been an extract from our booklet Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why It Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.
The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines
The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines A Critique of Dallas Willard and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Bob DeWaayPractices called “spiritual disciplines” that are deemed necessary for “spiritual formation” have entered evangelicalism. Recent encounters with this teaching narrated to me by friends caused me to investigate these practices. The first experience involved my friend and co-worker Ryan Habbena who went back to seminary to finish his masters degree. Here is his experience in his own words: I recently took a seminary course on the book of Luke. It was a summer intensive and was one of only […]
SHOCKING List of Spiritual Formation Ministries
More Catholic Witchcraft Infiltrating the Apostate Seminaries, Ministries, and Churches “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2 WHAT is spiritual formation / contemplative prayer or centering prayer? Spiritual formation/contemplative prayer/spirituality is just another self-centered, Christ-denying, self-righteous, works-based, occultic, pagan lie from hell! Seminaries teach it and now many churches today are practicing new age witchcraft called contemplative prayer, or centering Prayer which is part of spiritual formation. […]
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” Ephesians 1:4
Holiness comes by the Savior in self denial (death and burial – the cross), not by self will or effort. Surrender is the cross – “NOT my will but thine be done” (Lk. 22:42) and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). We surrender to Christ by saying “Not my will but thine be done” dear Lord, by Your grace and the deliberate act of my own will I submit to the cross, the crucified life – where You alone reign supreme in this vessel (Luke 22:42; Galatians 2:20, etc.). I love You LORD Jesus! You must increase but I must decrease! (John 3:30)
Holiness, not happiness, is the divine command, the chief purpose and end of Christ’s salvation.
Of holiness, one disciple writes:
“Holiness speaks more to nature than it does conduct. Good conduct is the spontaneous byproduct of the new nature of the new creation man thru the cross and death to the old nature. We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-18). To preach holiness as conduct without the new nature thru the cross understanding is legalism. Holiness is actually derived from ‘wholeness’ meaning the thorough transformation of the whole tripartite man (1 Thess 5:23). So many of these ‘holiness’ preachers are preaching nothing but conduct under law. Law arouses sinful passions and causes sin to increase and was given in order to provoke transgressions (Rom 7:5; 5:20; Gal 3:21). They are enemies of the cross!”
Holiness comes by way of the cross, not by way of the flesh. Just as sin was conquered by the cross of Christ, so sin in the life of the saint is conquered by the daily cross – the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.). It’s time to stop trying harder and to simply die deeper.
NOTICE: When a believer or group of believers backslides, they no longer separate from the transgressors who are unrepentant:
Fornication Defiles
“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have (Gr. possessed and wouldn’t repent) his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2
The Glorious Church Jesus is Returning for [video]
WHAT church/people is Jesus returning for? “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27 “a glorious church” “not having spot (no sin)“ No “wrinkle” “or any such thing” “but that it should be holy and without blemish” WHAT’s the use of talking about end times […]
Can a True Believer Overcome All Sin? [podcast]
Yes. In the church world, there’s an abundance of talk about sin and it comes with the notion, the inflection, the false assumption that somehow, born again believers are relegated to sinning, as if there’s no other choice. Is that true? Is this the biblical perspective? What I want us to do is make sure we are looking at the whole of Scripture and be blessed to gain a godly confidence that our Savior provided a perfect salvation that includes more than just the initial washing away of our sins. This “great grace” that He provided in His “so […]
The Truth about Holiness [podcast]
“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11 As we just read, divine “holiness” is “glorious.” Holiness is not what most of us think it is. Holiness in the divine economy is something of great “beauty” and utterly refreshing (Psalms 96:9). It seems that holiness is not merely a divine attribute but rather the divine nature of the Almighty. Are we ready to allow our LORD, who alone is “Holy, holy, holy,” to define what holiness truly is and how He brings it […]
WHEN Jesus declared “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (John 15:16), …. was Jesus speaking here of men who “earned” and paid big money for a degree, a piece of paper from a “higher learning” institution of mere men? No. Read John 15:1-16 and you will see that Jesus alone can choose, call, prepare, and ordain a man to be fruitful in His work. The LORD’s work is to choose, to call, prepare, ordain, purge, and to send for the divine purpose of “fruit …. more fruit… and much fruit” to be born in the lives of those men He is using.
Biblical Case against Seminary: Save Your Money and time – Go to the Savior, Not Seminary!
It should be noted that in God’s Word, where the specific qualifications for elders are given, not one of those descriptions includes having a degree from a higher learning institution. See 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
Seminaries originated with the catholic church—which is where the protestants got it. Sad but true. The curse of seminaries continues today. Beware saints. Seminaries are wolf factories. Think about it, the business model, it’s the denominations who have the seminaries. This is to train their prey to uniformly spread heresies and to build church businesses to collect money whereby those denominations are paid fees and a percentage of every dollar collected. Dallas Theological Seminaries forces enrollees from the beginning to sign a contract that avows them to not teach the biblical doctrine of enduring to the end. The eternal security heresy they peddle ensures much busine$$ success.
“Seminaries originated in the 16th century, primarily as a Roman Catholic response to the Reformation to better train priests, with the first established by St. Charles Borromeo in 1563. The term derives from the Latin seminarium (“seed plot” or “plant nursery”), symbolizing the cultivation of spiritual growth and faith.”
Any man who submits his life to a seminary has openly declared that he wants mere sinful men to train him to do God’s work instead of submitting his life to the LORD Himself—as did all the patriarchs, prophets and apostles—not one of them who was seminary trained (as we know such today). Yes the apostle Paul was formally trained BEFORE he was saved and then denounced all of it—all of his formal training after being saved and in preparation to serve the LORD. Read Philippians 3.
Let me get this straight…. You saved me LORD BUT I’m going to trust sinful men to train me at the seminary (Jeremiah 17:5).
God doesn’t send anyone to seminary. He never once sent any of the patriarchs, prophets, or apostles to seminary. “I am the LORD, I change not” (Malachi 3:6).
Many are led to believe the following lie: “I need to go to seminary if I want to be a preacher, pastor, or in the ministry.” Yes if you want to be just another false prophet, go to seminary. They are wolf factories.
The moment the LORD saves us, we are in His school of the Holy Spirit and Word.
Satan’s centralization of learning, indoctrination: when the source is poisoned, all that flows from that cursed source is poisoned—from the seminaries to the local churches.
YOU HAVE GOD’S WORD, A BIBLE, READ IT FOR YOURSELF.
The question of whether or not we should trust professional clergymen, seminarians and their supposed superior knowledge and understanding.
In Matthew 11:25 , God says that He reveals His truth, truths to even the babes in Christ.
Notice how that “from a child” Timothy knew the “holy scriptures” and the wisdom they give us. Timothy studied and knew and could understand God’s Word as a little “child.” No degreed seminarian needed.
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:15-17
“Seminaries and Bible colleges absolutely do make men boastful and proud over a fake degree. Jesus calls His people to be servants and nothing more. I also think of Paul when he separated the true disciples from the synagogue because the Jews were in contradiction of the gospel. So he separated them and taught them in the Apostles doctrine (Acts 2:42). He trained them in the whole of the scriptures. And this resulted in the widespread dispersing of the gospel (Acts 19:9-10).” Karen Cochran
Upon saving you, Jesus put His Holy Spirit in you and inducted you into His school of the Holy Ghost and Word (Psalms 119:105). No one needs “Bible college” or “seminary” to read and obey God’s Word (King James Bible). Jesus told no man to “go to Bible college/seminary.” Seminarian and Bible college graduates pridefully boast of their degrees and positions, lording it over others….as if they are superior. Isn’t this where the clergy/laity rankings were furthered? Does this not go diametrically against the teaching of our LORD? Yes it does. See Matthew 20:24-28 and 23:8-12.
Think about it: Seminary trains men to lord it over others, while the preparation for ministry the LORD enacts teaches His elders to go forth as He did —to serve and not to be served (Matthew 20:24-28 and 23:8-12). The whole premise of seminaries is based on a lie—the lie of usurping authority that God never ordained you to have. This further underscores that the author of seminaries is Satan himself. See Isaiah 14:12-15.
“Excellent teaching. Thank you. I think of 2 Timothy 2:21 which tells us how we are made vessels fit for the Master’s use. In that passage nor any other, we don’t see the word seminary. Vessels of honor are purged in the fire of affliction. And sanctified internally by the blood of Christ to bring forth fruit for His glory. This is how we are prepared by the Spirit of God to be used by the Master! No seminary school can do that. It is entirely the work of the Spirit through our ‘obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ’ (1 Peter: 1:2).” Karen Cochran
Seminaries, seminarians are Satan’s way of controlling the people via their clergy. No group is more famous for this than the Roman religion.
“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:19
Of the seminarian devils who litter the landscape of the American pulpits, Karen Cochran writes:
“And these apostate churches will only hire these wolves in sheep’s clothing Jesus warned us to beware of (Matthew 7:15). Therefore they don’t get men like the Apostles who gave their whole lives to preaching, warning, and teaching Jesus Christ! See Colossians 1:28. Then they died for the sake of Christ. The seminarian wolves of our day only preach about self, the self-life! They could care less about giving all for the sake of Christ!”
Only the cross, the crucified life, can keep us from sin (Romans 6:7; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 10:12). No amount of knowledge, even the truth, can keep us from sin. The truth of the cross Jesus commanded must be applied, obeyed—or you will not walk nor be with Him (Luke 9:23-24; John 8:31-32). The crucified life is something one will rarely if ever hear in seminaries or out of the mouth of seminarians.
Saints, we must follow Jesus. That’s why we have a Bible that He provided (Luke 4:4). We must cease with our idolatrous fascination with certain schools and men who seem to have a deep understanding of things. The idolatry of mere men will not keep us from living in sin.
Are you personally crucified with Christ?
If not, you ARE living in sin.
“He that is dead(crucified with Christ)is freed from sin.” Romans 6:7
Read Romans 6 each morning and obey God. | The Cross Life
One can have the whole Bible memorized and understand it all, and still die and go to hell. You must walk with Christ—live a crucified life of prayer—or you will perish irrevocably in the flames of eternal damnation. Judas walked with Jesus, he saw the miracles and heard His teachings first hand and died and busted hell wide open. The Truth about Judas
Professionalism is poison. There were no professional pastors in the early church. The seminary system is the factory that creates such business men, frauds (2 Peter 2:1-3).
The modern church world is driven by Satan’s seminarians: WHAT has it produced?
Are you a living, breathing epistle, a disciple of Jesus, or just another modern pharisee, a seminarian-deceived fraud who hides in a building while collecting a salary and misleading people to hell?
NO such thing as an “official” seminarian credentialed pastor or preacher in the early church! Beware. Satan’s seminary system exposed.
Notice how the unchanging LORD worked in Paul after He saved him:
“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia (the desert), and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” Galatians 1:15-18
Jesus is the Savior and Sanctifier—the only One who can prepare and ordain a man to ministry (John 15:16). Only three years later did Paul consult with men—AFTER God had spoken directly to him. The apostles were saved and taught of God, not mere sinful men.
“Despite God’s word commanding men not to boast in their wisdom, and despite being told that ‘not many wise according to the flesh’ are called, today’s evangelical landscape is replete with scribes and pharisees whose default question is, ‘By what authority do you do these things?’ They put their stock in how many credit hours they have obtained at such and such a seminary. Seminary credentials never qualified a man for God’s service, nor does a lack of “formal training” nullify what God approves. Indeed, God has chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). When God calls anyone to a particular task, it matters not if others approve.” Servus Christi
YOU going trust a sinful seminarian or the only Savior? Hell awaits.
Many today, upon sensing a calling, go to men to be prepared, to seminary. Consequently, they are deceived and then go forth to deceive others (2 Timothy 3:7).
The early church – Acts: On fire, full of the Holy Spirit had no trained seminarians.
Today’s apostate, lukewarm church world: Run into the ground by vatican corrupted, hireling seminarians.
The fruit of the modern churches are Clear proof that Satan is at the root of the seminarians who’ve driven them into apostasy!
“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.” Jeremiah 48:10
Joel Nelson writes:
“It’s time to get rid of the corrupted clutter of the money-changing seminarian clergy wolves and get back to true, undiluted, uncorrupted, pure worship and fellowship (Acts 2:42-47). Ask yourself: WHAT has the seminary-driven church building based system ever produced to glorify Christ? Do those who attend look like the on-fire-for-Jesus, Holy Ghost filled believers you read about in the books of Acts? Hardly.”
Protestant evangelical seminarians are a fraternal order of vatican-trained soul thieves. They control what is and what is not said to the people. They purposely withhold the truth.
Most modern pastors are in darkness and that’s witnessed by the simple fact that they use and promote Satan’s false “bibles.”
Seminarian “pastors” do not follow Christ but rather they follow what men and devils taught them in seminary.
God is Calling all Seminarian and Bible College Students, Graduates to Repent
Attention seminarian or Bible College student, graduate: Not only does seminary not prepare you to be used of God, it gives you many things to unlearn and costs you much more than just a lot of wasted money. The ONE who saved you (if you are in fact saved) is the only ONE who can sanctify and prepare you to serve HIM. Seminary is at its root, apostasy, a departing from God to mere sinful men. If you claim to be born again and yet run to men to prepare you, there should be great concern (Galatians 1:16-17). PLAIN PROOF: Today’s apostate modern so-called “churches” become as they are – ichabod – by way of the jesuit-trained seminarian hirelings who drove them headlong into that apostasy. Seminiarian Apostasy Busted and Exposed!
Seminarian led churches are designed to create counterfeits. This was Satan’s objective and it’s worked! Run for your life!
Going to seminary is a deliberate work of the flesh—to trust mere sinful men instead of the One you claim saved you. Going to seminary means you are saying “LORD, you saved me but I need mere man to prepare me to serve You because LORD You are not able to do such!” Repentance needed!
“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. 6 For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. 7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. 8 For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:5-10
“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22
“DON’T you dare share the truth about the cross! If you do, God’s people will wreak havoc on my kingdom! I’ve put my preachers in place for decades now so that this explosive message could be hidden! Now don’t you dare spoil my plan!” ~SATAN
SIMPLE QUESTION: Did Jesus ever once call anyone to a “higher learning institution”? No. So, to go the way of the flesh is to depart from God’s way and thereby give oneself over to the deception of Satan himself. Jeremiah 17:4-7 … anyone with an ounce of discernment can see that the visible modern church is apostate and it can only be due to the seminarian icebergs in those pulpits that there is lukewarmness at best in the pew. Such was never the divine intention for the truth church Jesus died to save and sanctify.
JESUS never once taught His disciples how to PREACH yet He did teach them to PRAY. Today, seminaries teach their students to PREACH but not to PRAY. Should we wonder why modern building-based churches are apostate?
Paul denounced his higher learning in order to know and serve Christ truly …. and his education makes today’s lame seminary training look like a kindergarten picnic…. Philippians 3.
“Jesus sent Paul into the seminary in the desert.” Stan Podlacha
ANY local church that requires a seminary degree to be a pastor there, is apostate. Ichabod! LOOK for yourself at the fruit of modern building-based “Christianity” commandeered by seminarians…. apostate, heretical, lukewarm, hell bound! … the fruit of seminaries! You can’t pay money to be prepared by God—you must “pay” by truly repenting, laying down your life, and following Christ in a daily cross walk! you have a Bible! Study it! Memorize Scripture! Obey God!
Genuinely born again truth-seeking disciples will repent today and denounce the sham of “higher learning”—trading it in for a real walk with Christ, full of His Word and Holy Ghost. That’s His only way of using men (John 15).
Professional clergy is a diabolical scheme. seminarians were Satan’s plan from the beginning to replace, to destroy God-ordained organic Bible study by Christians (Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16, etc.). The LORD is calling us to repent and return to Acts 2:42 and Colossians 3:16 New Testament living!
SEMINARY is a shortcut and a time waster. Jesus sends men to the cross and to Pentecost—otherwise they are not prepared or sent by Christ, the only Ordainer (John 15:16). They are self-sent.
ANY local church assembly or organization that requires a certificate or degree is carnal, worldly minded and absolutely apostate. The Word says to “know them which labour among you” (1 Thessalonians 5:12), and when you know a man, you know if he is capable to teach God’s pure Word!
NEVER allow some corruptED seminary dupe override the WORD itself and common sense God gave you!
Satan’s Seminaries are a Sham! YOU show me a church “pastored” by one of Satan’s seminarians and I will show you a cold, dead, apostate sham!
History reveals that seminaries and seminarians are a curse. Those churches which require a seminary degree from their pastors are Ichabod, backslidden, lukewarm, and kindling for the fires of hell. Example: It is a historical fact that the methodist church, which was previously on fire via John Wesley only backslid when it began requiring a seminary degree for their pastors. The seminary agenda is not God’s. The enemy has hi-jacked those institutions long ago. Among other errant things, seminarians learn:
“Den of thieves” Marketing—making merchandise of the people (Matthew 21:15-17; 2 Peter 2:1-3)
False doctrines such as “eternal security” and Calvinism (Jude 3-4, etc.).
Traditions of mere sinful men (Matthew 7:13; Colossians 2:8)
Entertainment: How to be “relevant”—Seminarian pastors have traded in the cross to be cool and by doing so are sending themselves and those they mislead to eternal damnation.
Ecumenism which is the amalgamating of true Christians with the antichrist cult of Rome/Catholic church.
Seminaries today manufacture and train cross-less counterfeits to “make merchandise of” that which calls itself the house of God. They are taught and sent out to make their franchise churches into a a “den of thieves.” (Matthew 21:12-17; 2 Peter 2:1-3)
Your education, gifting, seminary degree, title, and church building mean nothing in Christ’s kingdom until laid down and in true repentance you admit your own utter poverty and great, desperate need for the presence mercy, grace, and anointing of God. Repent and denounce it all as Paul did. Read Philippians 3 and obey the LORD by following the apostle Paul’s example. To prepare men, the un-changing Savior sent men to the cross and to Pentecost (baptism with the Holy Spirit). To obtain a seminary degree, a man must sell Christ out for the trinkets of this fleeting world and in doing so, such a counterfeit fraud has sold his eternal soul to the devil and will be used of Satan to mislead and damn the souls of many. Men only get degrees to get a church job and make money. Authentic disciples of Christ allow the Savior who found and saved them to sanctify, teach, and equip them by His Word and Holy Spirit (Acts 4:13, etc.). There is no such thing or example in the New Testament Scriptures of a man of God going to a higher learning institution to learn to serve God. Jesus never sent anyone to a seminary – but rather to the cross and Pentecost (baptism with the Holy Ghost). Seminary is clearly seen in Jeremiah 17:5-7. Grace and Truth Bible School Online
Salvador Cruz writes: “I don’t call anyone my pastor except Jesus Christ….. He’s my one and only Pastor, humans are my brothers and sisters.”
What Salvador Cruz states is Bible: That is exactly what Jesus taught beloved!
“But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:8-12
One disciples writes:
“I have found over the past number of years, as I have ‘answered a call’ from a church to be a pastor or teacher or whatever, I have mostly found that they are looking for the ‘whatever.’ Most of the churches that require a man-given degree are not looking for shepherds to feed the flock of God, but administrators to run the church after their likeness and their own carnal image. Their image by the way is usually the thing they care about most—numbers, programs, and ‘Do we look good?’ etc. No cross. Apostate. Ichabod. I have stayed at none of these churches because, other than running through the list in Timothy or Titus, most churches require no spiritual qualifications such as: Are you born again by the Spirit of God? Have you been baptized in obedience to God’s Word.? Have you made full proof of your ministry? Are you an ambassador for Christ? Do you see the need to equip the saints for ministry? If a church is not satisfied with the words of Jesus, Paul, John the Baptist, Amos, David, Isaiah and Nehemiah, they won’t want the likes of me.”
Read closely the words of Jesus recorded in John 15:16. HE ALONE can ordain you and so we do despite to the Son of God when we seek sinful man’s sham of an “ordination.”
A follower of Jesus writes:
“If God has called you to The Ministry, then God will provide the open door for that ministry. Ministry as it was first given to the Levites in the Old Testament was First a ministry UNTO THE LORD. Our modern age has forgotten that. Not all ministry toward man is pulpit in a church style. All believers have been called to ministry but most are not willing to obey that calling, instead desiring more, they seek the positional style of ministry.”
In the stated qualifications for an elder in the body of Christ, there is no mention of obtaining a degree from the world that claims to be of Christ via a “Christian” seminary (1 Timothy 3). I didn’t even hint that knowing the Word of God isn’t important YET WHO EVER SAID YOU NEED SEMINARY FOR SUCH? Only a lazy fraud feels the need to pay a seminary tens of thousands of dollars to be indoctrinated by devils. BIBLICAL CASE AGAINST SEMINARY: SAVE YOUR MONEY AND TIME—GO TO THE SAVIOR, NOT SEMINARY! Jesus learned the Word without the human and demonic pollution of seminary (John 7:14-16).
SO, you claim JESUS saved you but then denied the Son of God the place of sanctifying you? So, you signed up to pay big money to get mere sinful men in a seminary to teach, prepare, and equip you? Time to repent and return to Christ before it’s too late.
Seminarian sissies use sissy Bibles. The last thing they use is the real Bible —The King James Bible. Counterfeits use catholic corrupted and controlled counterfeit “bibles.”
Scott Boyd writes:
“It was the history surrounding the evil antichrist Catholic Church and how the majority of all the other churches follow many of their antichrist teachings (those of paganism and sun worship customs) instead of following what is clearly taught in the Bible, that sent me down the road of searching for truth. While doing so I completed hundreds of different Bible studies from every denomination I could find and with that said, I found that nearly all of them taught only bits and pieces of watered down Scripture and doctrine, and instead, there were many of the antichrist examples of the Catholic Church in their teachings. Very few actually taught the truth about Scripture. Unless someone does deep research, they will never know the truth because the teachers of false doctrine and deception mix the lies with truth, so it sounds pretty good at first, but they leave out the main substance of the Truth of God’s Word. I have seen this over and over through many studies. It Definitely takes a thorough study of the Bible in order to be able to detect all the false doctrine and deception that is involved in nearly all of the churches.”
Nancy Cote writes:
“Spoken like a true Shepherd being taught to love God’s Word and fear God and NOT man! God, my prayer is that you would bring TRUE repentance and salvation to these cemetery motivational speakers. God is shaking and exposing what is not of His Spirit. WOF, NAR, Seeker Sensitive/Emergent, Southern Baptist etc. I pray that we can get just one true repented heart out of each bunch to call out sin in the camp for what it is.”
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“Some seminaries who indoctrinate with their presupotionalist theology are really bad, but some folks just go to learn about everything that has been taught. Education rather then indoctrination. You don’t need seminary to be anointed but if your gonna teach dogmatic about what Scripture means you should learn a bit about how to get context and such.”
REPLY:
Hi Kevin. God bless you. Inevitably there is definitely going to be indoctrination. There’s actually no reason to waste so much time and money on going to seminary when all the books (NT/OT surveys, etc) can be bought anywhere Christian books are sold. Commentaries are readily available. Simply diligently studying the King James Bible daily is all one needs along with studying with brothers and sister in small groups. This is the stated, divined-revealed design for Christ’s New Testament church and so everything else is counterfeit (Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16).
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“It is important to have a degree in theology from a university or Bible college which is recognized that shows you are a man of study… so many fall away and don’t finish their studies including pastors and their wives… It’s the same as saying we hire apprentices only on a construction site until the building crashes.”
REPLY:
No, that is not according to the New Testament but rather mere human reasoning. Among believers we are to “know them which labour among you” (1 Thessalonians 5:12). We have no hint much less instruction to go to a higher learning institute of men. In fact God hates centralizing learning which is what we saw at the tower of Babel in Genesis, right? God scattered. Satan loves centralization because then he can control what is taught such as we see in the demonic public school system. Also, you assume a man can’t study Scripture individually and with the body of Christ in his immediate location. THAT’S exactly what New Testament believers are instructed to do and that the earliest believers did (Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:17).
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“Seminaries exist because of what Jesus Christ and his disciples did! They are for the training of leadership for the church!”
RESPONSE:
Seminaries today are not teaching the original Gospel and are in fact bringing in occult teachings such as contemplative prayer which is part of spiritual formation…. which is transcendental meditation … lighthousetrailsresearch.com … We have a Bible and the Holy Ghost….. no need for the training of mere sinful men to do God’s Word.
Satanic Seminarian System What could possibly sound more innocent than a man wanting to serve God going to seminary, right? BEWARE OF THE SEMINARIANS WHO ARE THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES OF OUR DAY! Satan loves to use that which sounds noble and spiritual and yet is not biblical. There are no seminaries in the New Testament! And it’s not biblical for a good reason. God’s Divine wisdom. To protect His body. Let’s stay with the Word saints! SOME of the most pitiful deceivers I’ve ever conversed with have had a so-called “higher education.” In reality, there’s no such thing as […]
Beware of the Vatican Trained Seminarians!
Repenting of the Rebellion of Seminary! HERE’S WHY you don’t hear modern “pastors” (wolves) expose the works-based false religion of catholicism. Don’t expect that seminarian fraud to preach repentance because he’s vatican/jesuit-trained and uses a vatican “bible” that has removed tens of thousands of words from God’s Word – including the essential divine command to REPENT! RUNNNNN!!!!! Some argue that the local churches today are to be patronized and attended. Is that true? What does religious Babylon that God calls us to come out of represent? (Revelation 17-18) What many don’t understand is that Rome, the jesuits specifically, infiltrated the protestant […]
