What’s going on in the Church House Today? By Minister Speed

A recent study by The Barna Group, a California-based Christian research organization, found that about 13 million Americans whom the researchers identified as being born again were "unchurched ... not having attended a Christian church service, other than for a holiday ... at any time in the past six months."

In Gospel of Matthew was Jesus first use of “church” in Scripture. Jesus stated “on this rock I will build my church?” "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it (Matthew 16:15-18).

When Jesus says He will build His church on this rock, He is referring to Himself, the rock.  Jesus Christ is the rock referenced throughout Scripture. When He makes this statement He is merely addressing Peter, Christ is not saying that He will build His church on Peter.  The “church” is spiritual; it cannot be built on a man.

The first problem is the church houses of today have been built upon the ideas and organizational skill of man.  If you look at most churches there is even a man’s name on the outside building.  The majority of church house are 501 C 3 Non-profit which means also that they are under the auspices of the Federal Government and not Jesus Christ. 

Click link below to See 501 C 3 church.....

 501 C 3 Controls the church

In looking at Holy Scripture the “Church” as presented in Scripture is, 

·  The body of Christ

·  All believers

·  All believers, Gentile and Jewish

·  All believers, of a town or city

·  All believers, of a fellowship

·  All believers, Old and New Testaments

·  All believers, male and female

·  The household of God

·  The Bride of Christ

2.    The church as presented in our culture is,

· That church building on the corner.

There are over tens upon tens of thousands of church houses in my town which has a population of 1,445,806.

· That Christian denomination.

Barna, cited a figure of 20,780 denominations in 1980 and projected that there would be as many as 22,190 by 1985.

Compare these two meanings for the church.

1.   The first is spiritual: made up exclusively of true believers in Jesus Christ, members and leaders. 

2. The second is secular: local, national and international organizations with unbelievers and believers, members and leaders.

 In an effort to make clear distinctions between the secular church and God's spiritual Church, I will differentiate my references to them by capitalizing Church, for the spiritual Body of Christ.

For example: There is still a remnant of the Church in the local Baptist church on Broadway.

The problem within the church house today

In my new book A Declaration To The Spiritual Soldier I identified several problems with the church house especially in America today. 

(Beginning of A Declaration to the Spiritual Soldier quote)

In the last 1900 years we have seen the church degrade into apathy and apostasy. Even through the reformation of old, there remain vestiges of carnal appendages which have stretched their tentacles into the modern day church causing a passive, placating, and politically correct spirit.  Many are deceived into thinking that being IN Christ is an automatic result of believing in Christ. 

There are two different principles on the path to Maturity in Jesus Christ. For example, in western society most will tell you they believe in Christ. They can tell you which church house they go to, quote certain scriptures, and even pay their tithes on time, but ask them God’s purpose for their lives, or what are they doing for God’s Kingdom, and they draw a blank. Ask them what it means to be IN Christ, and they will tell of believing on Christ.

To look for indicators in this lack of maturity, one could simply look at the dramatic decline of the church population in the past 30 years, or the staggering statistics regarding divorce amongst church going Christians in this day and age. There is also the active and practiced engagement of homosexual and sexual misconduct, including pornography, adultery, and fornication. These are but mere precursors to a host of debacles which the church suffers to persist in its Holy Sanctuary today. 

These ailments show a maladaptive behavior in the church of Jesus the Christ, not conducive to what Christ had in mind when He first built His Church.

At first glance, the church today appears to be at a zenith in purpose. In any city in America, on any street corner whether urban, rural, or a suburban location, you can usually see a building with a cross or some Christian insignia indicating a place of worship. But upon careful observation, this is where all continuity ends. The worship of Jesus Christ has taken on a circus like atmosphere. 

The main purpose is designed to not help bring about true conversion, but to say the right words to get the pews filled on a week to week basis. This equates to a consumer mentality.

The reason for this is clear. The world has changed and most pastors struggle to keep up with it. If they have a loyal following, they feel it necessary to teach according to the dictates of that crowd and not offend. If they don’t have a loyal following, then they understand the dynamics of trying to reach people who were raised without a God consciousness, people under 30 who don’t know God or the church at all. These pastors understand that we live in a pagan society meaning people don’t believe in Jesus, Jehovah, or the Holy Spirit. 

Ask any member of a church organization today why they go to church, and what they believe is the function of the church. You will receive just as many answers as the people you asked. There are those who look faithful, but only use the church as a social function. Many times these men and women are placed in leadership position because they are often times more than twice a week attendees.

Then there are the serious men and women who may not attend Church but once a week. They may be teaching Bible lessons at home or volunteering their time in services to the LORD in some other way as directed by the Holy Spirit. There are those who may not even attend traditional church service as you know it at all. I personally know hundreds of people who operate in this manner, and they are just as, if not more, successful in reaching out to the lost.

There is also the problem with scandals which have rocked the church leaders in the last 20 years. Because of the shifts and changes in the world, pastors, men and women, are not entering the ministry as before, and those who do, face a host of problems and issues that would make any CEO executive balk. Even so, it appears that the power of God is not as evident as a string of high profile divorces, and moral failing have weakened the public’s view of the church. 

There are many other factors of course which show the necessity for NewVival in the church today. There is of course the catastrophic decline of church members in the past from ministries which once flourished to now average traditional denominations being in crisis.

(End of A Declaration to the Spiritual Soldier Quote)

The first step in reversing this crisis is to listen to the call of Christ. His Word of grace calls us to obedience, to follow Him unconditionally with a faith-formed trust in His leadership. We trust the word spoken to His disciples before He ascended into heaven when He promised “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

It’s time to repent, get honest and take a look at the spiritual character that is lacking within us all and take a stand to allow God to move within us.

I have listed 3 principles which should propel us into a dynamic new area for Christ Church.

Growth

Hebrews 5:11-14 (NLT) "There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don't seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. 

Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn't know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong".

As believers, we are expected to grow like a child does. When you are young in your faith, God only expects for you to get the "milk"; there's more room to make mistakes because you're growing, learning, just like a child does. Verse 14 tells us that as we grow in life and in Christ, we have developed the "skills to recognize the difference between right and wrong" as a result of "maturing". 

If you can say that you've been a believer for x-amount of years and you're still making the same mistakes, you haven't grown as you should. Just imagine if my 13-year-old Son was still wearing diapers and eating jars of Gerber: wouldn't that seem strange? How much more, then, should we grow year to year in our walk with Christ? (1 Peter 2:2, 1 Corinthians 3:2-3 supports this)

Responsibility

In recent months, many Christian leaders have found themselves in hot water when the lives they lead behind closed doors suddenly were exposed to the public. From Eddie Long to Pastor Zachery Timms and many other leaders in the Body of Christ, this year has been a year of exposing -- that age old adage "what's done in the dark will always come to light" has reigned true for many in recent months. Some would argue that we are all imperfect, just fleshly beings that can't be regarded so highly that those who follow these leaders should fall and stumble because of their imperfections.   

I beg to differ!!!

The bible tells us that leaders in the church are held to a higher standard – 1st and 2nd Timothy both explore the expectations of church leaders (I Timothy 3:11) noting that their failure to be in right standing with God can have a greater impact beyond their own personal lives.

We have a responsibility to people. Yes, we are imperfect, but the charge to live upright even when you think no one is watching is clearly stated in the Word.

Ephesians 5:10-14 (NLT) says: Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, for the light makes everything visible."

We have a responsibility not only to God, but to the people we lead. If for any reason we are found to be living a life of perpetual sin behind closed doors, we have the responsibility to shine light for the sake of repentance, not ridicule and judgment. 

In Revelation 3:19 (NLT), it reads, “I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference”.

The great and most important part about reproof and reprimand is that it should evoke a spirit of love and repentance to God and a sense of responsibility to the people to make things "right" with them. We (the body) are charged in James 5:19-20 to love people back into the fold (which would require us to acknowledge the wrong publicly, right?) and guide them back to their original standing in God.

We are even told to "confess ours sins to one another" so we may be able to address our issues and be made whole. How else do we do that lest we publicly confess them?

Obedience

At the same time, leaders (and yes, even us regular folk) are supposed to set themselves apart -- be different from the world -- in order to be used by God. No amount of talent, gifting, or anointing can replace the power of obedience and holiness.

In a wealthy home some utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:20-21)

What sin does is make it harder for us to be used by God. Had I never had a child out of wedlock, it would have been easier for me to navigate my purpose; certain hurdles I wouldn't have had to overcome had I been obedient to what I knew to be true. Thank God for grace, mercy, and second chances.

What does God want?

God is very concerned about winning souls -- and will win them at any cost. He will use the broken, beat up, and damaged to reach people to bring them into the kingdom. He will use singers, ministers, bishops, pastors, clerks; stay at home moms, firemen, bankers, anyone who is willing to use their life as a testimony to win souls.

 He is also excessively concerned about our personal lives and wants to see us do and be better. He expects for us to grow and change in Christ every day. He will always deal with our personal lives privately before allowing our sins to consume us and embarrass us publicly. 

Even then, He will use people to draw us back unto Him in order to get ourselves right and be more effective than we were before -- but we must be willing to grow, take responsibility, and be obedient to his direction. 

Selah

The Government Controls The 501 C 3 Church House By Minister Speed

The Non 501 C 3 Church

A 501(c) organization, also known colloquially as either a 501(c) or a "nonprofit", is an American tax-exempt nonprofit organization. Section 501(c) of the United States Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)) provides that 28 types of nonprofit organizations are exempt from some federal income taxes. Sections 503 through 505 set out the requirements for attaining such exemptions. Many states refer to Section 501(c) for definitions of organizations exempt from state taxation as well.

It is my honest belief that part of the reason why our country has "gone down the tubes" is because our churches have been afraid to speak out against the evils of society which our government endorses. Many politicians would not have been elected if the churches stood up and said, "Don’t vote for this candidate because he endorses abortion" and also address other such issues. If a 501(c) 3 speaks out or gets politically active they endanger their 501 C 3 Statuses.

I've been an Ordain Minister for 3 years now and been an evangelist for the past 13. God may be calling me back to a church House and I want to talk to more pastors of  non 501(c) 3's because in my experience a 501 C 3 is not under the authority of God but the Federal Government. (See 5 Videos Below)

People don't realize how insidious the arrangement is.  If you really consider how much control they can exert on a given church can be enormous. A church cannot just say I want out of this Status. If they try that they can be forced to repay all monies that have been tax exempted in the past. All offerings, taxes not paid on land, taxes not paid on salaries and materials bought with their tax exempt status will be recouped. So if they built a building they would have to pay all the back taxes on material and write offs they were given for that building, also.  This is not the end of it because they will be responsible for the “interest” also.  This could lead up to the seizure of church building, property, and assets.

I personally do not want to be equally yoked with the government. With a 501(c) church you are under the state and federal government's authority first instead of God's authority. The bible states 2 Corinthians 6:14 (KJV), 14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness”?

 I talked to a lawyer with multiple years of counseling experience and he states “the fear of losing the 501 C 3 tax exemption by getting into 'politics' is so great, that it has gagged our ministers into silence about the important issues of our day. Since tax law says you can lose that tax exempt status if you engage in politics, most preachers avoid anything that might be perceived as 'too political.' That's why you won't hear most preachers endorse a candidate anymore.”

In this manner, the fascist/socialist left has paralyzed what would otherwise be a great political force in American life. Whether it was intentional or not, that has been the result of federal income tax policy. The very idea that one can divorce actions from beliefs is stupid. Our beliefs inform and direct our actions in life; we all act on our beliefs. For ministers to preach a belief but avoid preaching its implications in our daily lives--that is, what actions we should or should not take, is an abdication of their job as preachers, in my view. I just read a great article on this topic;

I hope you will too:

http://www.infowars.com/romans-13-setting-it-straight/.

He says it well, so I don't need to here.

According to that article: Our second President, John Adams, stated: “It is the duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times, to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and recommend such virtues as are most wanted." 

Martin Luther put it this way: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved."

All that said, recall the last election and Obama's minister, Rev. Wright. That guy was extremely political in his sermons. Yet his church was never attacked by IRS to revoke its tax exempt status. Why do you think that is? Because his church was black and leftist. Clearly, the tax law is being selectively enforced. 

Conservative churches are singled out for scrutiny while leftist ones are not. This is yet another form of government tyranny of our times.  And it must be put to an end if liberty is ever to be had in this country again.

I believe many churches go the "tax exempt" route because they don't really understand the tax law. They're afraid they won't be able to receipt tithes to the church, but that is simply not true. I have seen new churches planted before and have studied the regulations concerning 501(c)3 status, and as long as a church is actively involved in carrying out the functions of a church, such as services, weddings, funerals, etc. then they are considered a valid church in the eyes of the IRS, even without a 501(c)3.

IRS Publication 557

Churches: “Although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax deductible contributions, the organization may find it advantageous to obtain recognition of exemption. In this event, you should submit information showing that your organization is a church, synagogue, association or convention of churches, religious order, or religious organization that is an integral part of a church, and that it is engaged in carrying out the function of a church."

Historically speaking in America after 1953 there are very few churches that are not under government supervision and censorship.  Applying for 501 C 3 disestablishes the organization as a church and makes it a tax haven for the congregation. Most ministers, not trusting in God to provide for their ministry, entice donations by creating personal tax advantages for their constituents.

That means 501 C 3 churches are commercial and political in nature and not religious.

That sort of political/commercial activity is allowed by the IRS, while attempts to influence with donations and sermons those politicians who would uphold religious morality is forbidden, if the church wants to maintain its commercial status.

This means that such churches cannot speak God's truth about his law to human-created governments. And that appears to be just fine with most Christians.

Some people form bible study groups in their homes and those are like the original churches.  However, some local governments are fining those who host such meetings on the grounds that they violate Local Street parking ordinances.  Of course, that policy violates the freedom of assembly clause of the First Amendment. But, unfortunately, most Americans don't know that, having never read our short and to-the-point Constitution, and so cannot defend themselves, or their right to practice their religion.

Hosea said: “My people perish for want of knowledge" Hosea 4:6.

The reality is that you may have to bond with others of like thinking and form your own church.  If the congregation does not know their God-given rights, and offer prayers of thanksgiving for them, then they should arrange to meet someplace that has sufficient off-street parking.

You see the early Christians in the Bible met in each other's homes (Philemon 1:2), they were not State-licensed organizations. The Church is not a business!

Profane Mixes with the Holy Church

The L.A. Times has just reported that local ministers are being asked to spread the word about the upcoming digital TV switch. Standing in the pulpit of Mount Moriah Baptist Church in South Los Angeles FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein asked the Baptist Ministries Conference of Los Angeles (nearly 50 African American preachers) to include information on the June 12 digital TV switch in their sermons. Woodie Ramsey, a deacon at Southern Missionary Baptist Church of South East Los Angeles, said the ministers were prepared to spread the word: "It's incumbent upon each church to take care of the needs of its ministry, and this is just one more need for our people," he said. "We'll do our part."

In a shocking twist, "The Worldwide Church of God" has refused to divulge how many of its pastors are now on the FEMA payroll, after a member expressed concerns about religious leaders being used to condition their congregation to accept the declaration of martial law. 

In a May 2006 a story first broke (& has since been confirmed) the shocking news that FEMA was training pastors and other religious representatives to become secret police enforcers who teach their congregations to obey the government in preparation for a declaration of martial law, property and firearm seizures, and forced relocation. A KSLA news report confirmed that 'Clergy Response Teams' are being trained by the federal government to quell dissent and pacify citizens to obey the government in the event of a declaration of martial law. We will also be covering many more topics that relate to this subject.  

Please take the time out to view the videos below:

              Part 1

           Part 2 

Part 3 

Part 4 

Part 5

In closing it was Lyndon B. Johnson that begin the Tax Exemption status known as the 501 C 3 for churches . Johnson was no ally of the church. As part of his political agenda, Johnson had it in mind to silence the church and eliminate the significant influence the church had always had on shaping "public policy."

Although Johnson proffered this as a "favor" to churches, the favor also came with strings attached (more like shackles). One need not look far to see the devastating effects 501 C 3 acceptance has had to the church, and the consequent restrictions placed upon any 501 C 3 churches. 501 C 3 churches are prohibited from addressing, in any tangible way, the vital issues of the day.

For a 501 C 3 church to openly speak out, or organize in opposition to, anything that the government declares "legal," even if it is immoral (e.g. abortion, homosexuality, etc.), that church will jeopardize its tax exempt status. The 501 C 3 has had a "chilling effect" upon the free speech rights of the church. LBJ was a shrewd and cunning politician who seemed to well-appreciate how easily many of the clergy would sell out.

Did the church ever need to seek permission from the government to be exempt from taxes? Were churches prior to 1954 taxable? No, churches have never been taxable. To be taxable a church would first need to be under the jurisdiction, and therefore under the taxing authority, of the government. The First Amendment clearly places the church outside the jurisdiction of the civil government: "Congress shall make NO LAW respecting an establishment of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

Churches Have a Mandatory Exception To Filing Tax Returns

Not only is it completely unnecessary for any church to seek 501C 3 status, to do so becomes a grant of jurisdiction to the IRS by any church that obtains that State favor.

In the words of Steve Nestor, IRS Sr. Revenue Officer (ret.):

"I am not the only IRS employee who’s wondered why churches go to the government and seek permission to be exempted from a tax they didn't owe to begin with, and to seek a tax deductible status that they've always had anyway. Many of us have marveled at how church leaders want to be regulated and controlled by an agency of government that most Americans have prayed would just get out of their lives. Churches are in an amazingly unique position, but they don’t seem to know or appreciate the implications of what it would mean to be free of government control."

From the Forward of the book “In Caesar's Grip”, by Peter Kershaw

The bible states in 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you"

The church is the most powerful organization on Planet Earth.  It's time to return the church back to the power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and operate under His power and influence.

Selah