Why Are Mega Churches Crumbling? Because They Don’t Trust God!

     Mega churches were the rage during the mid 1980’s up until recently; their decline is one of organized religions biggest concerns. They reached an unparallelled peak during the Ronald Reagan era, but a slow and steady decline was visible to many outside of the church, especially journalists and pundits who saw the thread of its moral flag unraveling with scandal amongst many church leaders, and their conservative brethren in the hallowed halls of Washington. No need to name names, there are too many, even though most people have forgotten. They may not remember the names, but they do remember the shame they brought to the church and to America’s government.

     Barack Obama was going to change all that by bringing the country together, taking care of the poor, and moving the country toward a new direction, one that would appeal to the entire world. Well, political messiahs come and go and for the most part, things remain the same.

     However, the church of God, whose main role was to broadcast the Gospel of Jesus Christ and treat thy neighbor with kindness and charity, has changed its face on so many occasions throughout history; it has no idea what it’s supposed to look like anymore. Most recently, it worked hard to paint a different image of the European church they escaped over 200 years ago. While it began with humble edifices in the beginning, in most recent times it boosted its perceived success by building giant cathedrals, more modern looking than those in Europe but definitely just as large. One of the biggest differences is the inbuilt electronic accoutrement infrastructure that can handle any event from airing a first run movie, holding a political convention and even a major rock concert. It has become a major business and sophisticated like no other time in history, and mostly known for its income generating power. Yup, political parties wish they had the sophisticated fund raising abilities of the megalithic churches of today. But, it’s still called a church! A church that is beginning to crumble faster than it took to build it. Their supporters are leaving in droves. Why?

     Much of its appeal was entertainment. Americans need to be entertained and the church was very good at this. Not only did it incorporate the same style of entertainment Hollywood is famous for, the church would claim its entertainment was different than Hollywood because they did it for the love of Jesus, supposedly so! And it has made lots of money providing that kind of entertainment, along with a little bit of bible teaching, too! Sort of!

     Today’s recessionary times have had some impact on the dwindling church; not many people supporting it due to their own familial and financial concerns at home. But, also, many church attendees also claim that the church has run out of entertainers (and even preachers) who inspire. They say the church no longer has the dynamic attraction of getting them to the next level of that “high” they experienced during their first few revival meetings (or concerts). They went home (supposedly ‘saved’) but yet have no clue as to what to do with that experience, anymore.

     Well, two of the issues that we can deal with concerning the crumbling of the church, is its failure to support itself (and its giant, costly staff and edifices) through God's formula. Basically, they trusted in their own devices to generate funds to build giant buildings they call ‘church’ rather than trusting and depending on God. Oh! They used God’s name during their appeals for funds, offering donors salvation, a Pre-Tribulation escape to heaven and some good old fashion entertainment. Hollywood had no show time extravaganza that compared to the church's (for a while); but now, with its technological advances, the Internet, Ipods, YouTube, Itunes and movies like “Avatar,” Hollywood has taken back those minds and souls that used to sit quietly in church pews throughout America. The church has failed!

     Not that the message of the church is not the greatest message in the history of mankind; that God Himself stepped down to earth in the flesh form of Jesus Christ, allowed Himself to be scourged, beaten and crucified to pay for all of our sins. But it failed because it didn’t tell its adherents that church is not about big buildings and big entertainment, it’s all about picking up your cross and following Jesus. And following Jesus is not about your opportunity to create your own little religious kingdom either. That’s what Hollywood does! It creates idols and icons through its seductive screen, images of beauty and power, and fame and fortune. Young church folk believe this is their goal as well. Create a ministry that will shine brightly, grow branches and fruit for themselves, but not for Christ. Tody's church leaders all want to be a Christian version of American Idol!

     The church has failed and it’s crumbling because it didn’t know what it was supposed to do in the first place. It didn’t recognize that the church is an ecclesia (a people called out) to serve Christ. Not to serve Him by building monuments and extravagant cultures, ceremonies and traditions, but a people who (as Christ has said so often about religionists) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world, (James 1:27)

     The church has failed because it has been sending messages that God is here merely taking orders from His people and His sole purpose is to serve them and meet all of their desires. Much of this message was intermingled with the Americanism doctrine of a chicken for every pot. And I seriously believe that God can do this! He can meet your needs without any problems. But so often, our perceived needs and desires go much farther than necessary, especially if you want to be a servant in His kingdom in the next life!

     The Apostle Paul told us over 2000 years ago what a walk with Christ was all about. He told us that we would experience much tribulation to enter the Kingdom of God. He taught us that reality is not about devoting our entire lives to getting all the creature comforts we desire, but to be content with what He provides:
     Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need, (Philippians 4:11-12)
     An even more profound messages about what the Christian walk should really entail, is so convincingly stated by my good friend A. W. Tozer in his book, Men Who Have Met Good:

     "We can learn important lessons by considering God's disciplines in dealing with Elijah. As Elijah fled to the wilderness following his first confrontation with King Ahab, God said to him, "Elijah, go to the brook Cherith, and I will feed you there." God sent big, black buzzards--ravens, scavenger birds--each morning and evening with Elijah's meals. What humiliation! All his life Elijah had been self-sufficient. Now he waited on scavenger birds to deliver him his daily bread....
     Elijah was like so many faithful preachers of the Word who are too true and too uncompromising for their congregations.
     "We don't have to take that," the people protest. And they stop contributing to the church. More than one pastor knows the meaning of economic strangulation. Preach the truth, and the brook dries up! But the Lord knows how to deal with each of us in our humiliations. He takes us from truth to truth." Men Who Met God, pg 96, A.W. Tozer.

     Take it from one who knows, authors and preachers who speak with boldness and truth, words that will challenge conventional wisdom and esoteric philosophies, sharing pearls of wisdom that can pierce the heart with painful conviction, will never inure you to those who quickly should be willing to open their purse to support your efforts, without being asked.
     God does brings wise men and woman to these ministries and moves their hearts to support them with their finances, recognizing that while their bold statements from the Bible may sting even them, they know they are from God. Others, who provide funds to ministries that merely titillate them with soothing words and comfort, shower them with exciting entertainment and charismatic preachers and teachers, will in the end realize that while the truth may hurt, it definitely was sent to free them.

     Therefore, those churches that will strive and survive and be effective are individual disciples (ecclesia=a people called out) who serve and service the children of God, right there in their own neighborhoods. They will be those who arrive first during hard times, who quickly respond to disasters, who will do and give what it takes to eliminate the suffering in their very own communities. That's where true churches exist!

These servants (this church) will never crumble, it will never turn to rocks, gravel, pebble and then sand and dust, but will be the rich clay the great potter will mold into a cistern filled with His love to the benefit of our fellow friends, family and neighbors. The only big building this church will need is the greater building up of devoted hearts to neighbor. They (the true church) will endure because it depends on God, rather than men and manmade solutions, to gain eternal life.
      It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (Psalms 118:8)
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For more information about Joe Ortiz and his books, blogs and web sites, please click Joe Ortiz

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Is Your Time Running Out?

     A real estate lady friend of mine shared some sad news with me, that a dear friend of hers died the other night. She said her friend’s death was totally unexpected. One day she was alive, and the next day she was dead. She was a healthy lady who was a mere 47 years old. I myself had met her when both realtors visited me to discuss some property my wife and I own. She was an extremely friendly person who lived in my neighborhood; we struck a special bond and promised to have her over for dinner one night soon. Now she’s gone, just like that!

     Not a day goes by where we don't hear or read about similar stories all across the country. I hear and see ambulances racing by daily in my neighborhood and wonder if someone else close by has passed away. I personally have lost many friends and relatives these past couple of years; a few high school mates, a few colleagues and longtime best friends. My mother passed away two years ago, my sister and brother a few years before that; but none of these deaths were unexpected. Some had acquired cancer, some of old age, we knew they had little time left; but none were taken unexpectedly!

     What a shock it must be to those who lose a friend or family member overnight! Emergency rooms throughout the country are filled nightly with victims of unexpected death! It gets one to thinking. Did they know Jesus? Had they made Him the Lord of their life? Were they devoted and committed and were working in His service? Who truly knows what their relationship was with their creator. It is not for me to guess or assume; it actually is all about them and how they feel (or believe) in Jesus Christ and His Gospel, that those who believe He died on the cross to pay for their sins and gain ever-lasting life, and have chosen to follow and serve Him to the very end!
     Many folks find this subject very complex and actually don’t want to hear of such nonsense. And that is their choice! God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus (the only persona that mankind can comprehend God and His personality through) are one and the same. The Holy Spirit is already here ministering to believers.

     When Jesus Christ returns (which is sooner than lots of folks believe or think) many people will see God (in the form of the flesh man Jesus) and they will groan and moan as they realize who it was they actually pierced. Who was it that actually gave Himself up as a sacrifice for us, who paid the penalty for all of our sins and those of all mankind?      
     Way too many people fail to understand what actually happened on the cross. They don't understand the concept. I have always recognized this aspect and I very graphically wrote about this in my book, Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation. Hopefully I was able to drive that point home more clearly than they have ever been taught in the past.
     In that book’s Chapter Six, entitled The Purpose for Tribulation, page 104, I reached deeply and personally into my heart to describe not only the painful passion experienced by Jesus Christ at the cross, but envisioned what He actually feared and experienced in the last few seconds of His life:
     "As the author concludes this important chapter, please indulge him to share a very personal message. On many occasions, one of the sermons that the author preached in various churches during his brief ministry as an evangelist, he used an extremely graphic example of how he saw himself drowning in a pool of filth before coming to Christ. He described a gory scenario that included them picturing a giant vat filled with decaying dead animals, mixed amongst rotten meat, mingled with live venomous spiders, scorpions and snakes, all floating atop a pool of bodily waste material, generating the most odoriferous stench imaginable.

     He used this graphic example in order for the audience to get a more profound picture of how decrepit the author felt about himself before turning to the Lord. He told his audiences how he once was down in the bottom of that vat, bound by alcohol, drugs, illicit sexual liaisons, failed marriages and other human frailties, almost to the point of suicide because he could not see any way out of the devil’s trap.

     But, after it was explained to him that Jesus Himself became sin in order for all of us to have eternal life, when he finally turned his life over to Christ, he told his audiences that he could actually see Jesus Christ diving head first into the vat, becoming all of its content, just so he could be set free. This was the only way he could make his audience not only see how he felt, but to have them also visualize and graphically experience what the author imagined Jesus went through at that precise moment of His death!

     Make a mental picture of this scenario. Picture Jesus diving head first into the vat of that abysmal stench. Not only becoming all of the individual sins of filth you and I have personally committed throughout our entire lives, but He also became the putridity of all of mankind’s combined sins throughout history! This thought simply boggles the mind. But, yet, that’s exactly what Christ did. He willingly leaped head first into humanity’s vat of sin, not only drowning in it, but also becoming the despicability of humanity’s waste.

     The author has often wondered why Jesus Christ cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, (Matthew 27:46)? Was it because the physical pain was too much for him to endure? Maybe that was a part of it. Death by crucifixion is known to be one of the most painful and heinous ways to kill a person. However, the author believes in his heart that the agony and despair Jesus Christ felt at that moment was due primarily because our sinless Lord was not only experiencing the sting of sin for the very first and only time, feeling the horror and the anguish of the sins of all mankind consuming his entire human persona, He was also experiencing a separation from God for the very first time!

     Can you believe this? God, Himself, comes to earth in the form of the flesh man Jesus, leaving behind His total power, persona and rulership over all that He has created, surrendering His complete authority solely to provide you with eternal life and unprecedented joy with Him? Do you not know what the word LOVE really means now? And yet you choose to sit there and tell others and yourself, “Well, that’s all nice and good, Joe; but I have more important things to dwell on.”

     OK! Fine! But, dear friend, it’s not too late to connect with Him. There is still time. Or, who knows, you could be one of those folks who all of a sudden dies unexpectedly! Who really knows?
     But you must act soon because after He returns, it will be too late. If you die in the next few seconds, it will also be too late!
     Get off the computer for a few minutes, close your door, close your eyes and simply begin praying for the power of the Holy Spirit to come upon you, to help you understand all things of God, to help you turn your life around, and to help you commit to becoming His disciple, and to make your life count for something besides your own ego, wants and personal desires. Go ahead! Do it now! As God's word states:
     And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Romans 13:11)
     For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

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Joe Ortiz is the author of The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation (Author House). For more information on Joe, his blogs, web sites and how to order his books, click here Joe Ortiz

The Deeper Wounds of the Lying Tongue

     As a former newsman (and now a blogger), I take much comfort and feel a great amount of peace in knowing that the stories I write are as accurate in facts as best as I can know. I even go farther than expected to ensure that the facts of the articles are correct; this is why I now write mostly about theological issues because I know that the word of God is perfect in all sense.
     Many people disagree with the word of God (even many self-avowed Christians), which has much more to do with their interpretation of scripture, a problem that has existed since the canonization of the Bible and to this day. This is why I always have close by my side both my Greek and Hebrew dictionaries (which are also open to question by some folks) to be (once again) as accurate as possible as to what God intended for us to know (and clearly understand) the message He is conveying to His creation. I can honestly say I don’t intentionally lie or skew the truth (especially) when making statements about another person, and I’m willing and ready to provide the evidence to back up the statements I make.
     This proclamation isn’t always true with mainstream media, which (for the most part) have allowed (biased and opinionated) ‘comments’ to be the rule of thumb in this mostly politically-oriented society we live in. This is one of the most important reasons (if not the main one) I avoid political discussions.

     Having worked in the political arena for over 30 years (with both Democrats and Republicans, Liberals and Conservatives), my last ten years have been devoted solely to theological issues because the word of God is infinite and politics is not, pure and simple. The underlying motivation behind my choice to avoid politics is because of the deeper wounds that can be caused by the lying tongue. Many a political career (and even an individual’s personal life) has been destroyed both in public and at home by another person’s rumor or innuendo.

     However, as we have witnessed in media these last few decades, the majority of those political careers have self-destructed by virtue of their own (and revealed) folly!

     But many whose reputations have been destroyed solely by rumor or innuendo seldom recover to their initial status and position in their respective realm.
     And guess what? Rumor and innuendo are blatant lies; not just opinions and perceptions, but down right lying at its zenith. Believe it or not, lying about other people is just as deadly as shooting or raping another person; and God truly hates lies!

     As far as God is concerned, if you break one commandment you have broken them all. God views any indiscretion against any of His laws a sin, and the person, whether he or she has chosen to follow Christ, is just as culpable of transgression and will pay the price for that particular offense. No matter whether a person is a believer or not, God requires temporal consequences for the sins committed. Paul confirms this immutable fact about God’s ways as he tells us in Galatians 6:7: Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

     But what I find extremely interesting, even if God abhors the transgression of any sin, regardless of how minute it may appear to us, there are certain actions we indulge in that appears to really tick Him off:
     There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that hurry to run to evil, a lying witness who testifies falsely, and one who sows discord in a family. (Proverbs 6:16-19)
     I remember being taught while growing up in the Catholic Church (which I left when I was about thirteen years old due to corrupt priests) that there was a distinction between certain sins calling some a venial sin, one said to be not causing spiritual death nor serious in itself, or, if serious, not adequately recognized as such or not committed with full consent of one’s will. This as opposed to committing a mortal sin, one that is extremely intense, grievous, extreme, very great, so serious in itself, adequately recognized as such and committed with full consent of one’s will, such as murder, which requires the death penalty. But, yet, in the scripture above, God mentions the sin of lying, by tongue directly and baring false witness, twice! Twice above shedding innocent blood! Why is lying, above shedding blood, mentioned twice as things that God hates? What is it that God knows and understands about the destructive power of lying that we humans fail to grasp?

     There are many sins we humans commit on a daily basis that do not necessarily break human and government laws. Obviously, based on varying laws in different countries throughout the world, major crimes (such as rape, murder, robbery, etc.) have to be enforced. But, with the exception of public slander and libel, perjury or lying under oath to a civil court, lying about someone is not really considered a punishable crime. Yet, to God, one of the worst of all sins that He hates (according to the scripture cited above) is lying about and baring false witness against thy neighbors. Yes, robbery and murder (and all that murder entails, such as acts of terrorism) are more heinous than baring false witness, but most of those crimes can be proven, prosecuted and punished. But the sins of bearing personal false witness against your neighbor, friends and family members can wound some of them even deeper than they being robbed or even murdered, even if later on those lies can be proven wrong, if at all possible!

     There are millions of people who have been thusly injured for life not because they went to court and evidence was presented against them and proven accurate, but severely damaged merely by rumor or innuendo. It is one thing to be accused of committing certain crimes and afforded the opportunity to defend oneself in an open court, but it is another matter when a person’s character has been attacked solely by innuendo, rumor and or by personal perceptions conveyed to others.

    For example, being labeled or accused of being perverted (such the abomination of a child molester, a date rapist, an adulterer or adulteress), solely by rumor or inference without facts or evidence, can cause deeper wounds to a person’s character, than actually filing charges. There are many individuals in jail today who are serving time for committing such heinous crimes (because factual evidence was presented in a court of law) but there are also many who are imprisoned amid their own communities, homes and families solely by such rumors, innuendos and inferences. And, isn’t it interesting that amongst the twice mentioned sin of lying that God hates, He also includes the sin committed by a person who sows discord in their own family!

     There are many folks out in this world who self-righteously claim they have not committed any major sins, such as murder, rape, terrorism, adultery, robbery, but guilty solely of victimless crimes and thoughts (lust, envy, coveteousness) which they believe do not affect other people. But, many of these same people go about so casually speaking of other folks and their personal lives without any proof or hard cold facts or evidence, solely by rumor, innuendo and inference; and much of this amongst close friends and family members. These are the same folks who begin their rumors by saying, “Shhhhhh! Please don’t mention this to anyone else!”
     We do not speak here about those gossip rags we see inside our grocery store counters about this celebrity or that one; it’s expected in the entertainment industry, and many of these stories are actually concocted by the celebrities' own publicist to get them greater exposure!

     No! We speak about the gossiping and rumors that are being spread about (and by) brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, all of their relatives and in-laws and friends amongst their closest inner-circles. Unfounded or unproven rumors about their love lives, dating and marital affairs, unexpected pregnancies, financial woes, their religious practices, hygiene, physical appearances, fashion matters, employment status and other social and domestic issues that are basically no one else’s business.
     So no one will think I have an axe to grind with the Catholic Church and its leadership (solely because one portion of that church negatively impacted my life during a vulnerable stage as a teenager), I want to quote a Catholic leader who nails the issue of lying quite succinctly.
     Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, in the august 6, 2006 edition of the Catholic Sun Online stated that lies come in a variety of forms, some of them quite subtle and others quite bold.

     He stated the following as offenses against truth: false witness and perjury, calumny, flattery, boasting or bragging, and rash judgment. But more profoundly, Bishop Omsted stated that “While these various lies differ significantly, their impact is quite similar. Lies of any shape or form harm other people and sow seeds of distrust in society. They also corrupt the person who lies. Should lying become an ingrained habit, a spiritual vice, the person who lies can reach the point where he no longer is able to distinguish good from bad, right from wrong. His own lies warp his very perception of reality itself. A habitual liar cuts himself off from the truth, and therefore from the source of truth that is from God; then, he becomes a slave of Satan, the father of lies.” Bishop Olmsted continues and states, “Of course, not all lies are equally serious. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches (#2484), “The gravity of a lie is measured against the nature of the truth it deforms, the circumstances, the intentions of the one who lies, and the harm suffered by its victims.”

     A common excuse offered in defense of falsehood is the saying, “it was just a little white lie.” But, whatever the seriousness may be, every lie is a misuse of the gift of speech. Every lie is a failure in charity and a breach of justice.” And more importantly, Bishop Olmsted said that for those who believe they have not caused any harm by sharing information about others, because they believe and know for a fact that what they are repeating is factual, truth alone is not enough!

     “The gift of speech can be misused, even when we say what is true. While we can speak the truth in love, we can also speak the truth in anger or in jealousy. We can tell the hidden faults of others to persons who have no right to know. When doing so, we injure their reputation and harm their good name, even though we have not lied.

     It is good to remember the words of Pope John Paul II about the necessary connection between truth and love. Speaking on the occasion of the canonization of St. Edith Stein, the late Holy Father said that this courageous Jewish convert who was killed by the Nazis at Auschwitz bears witness to something we all need to remember: “Do not accept anything as the truth if it lacks love. And do not accept anything as love which lacks truth!” (Catholic Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted, in the August 6, 2006 edition of the Catholic Sun Online)

     Therefore, and last, but not least, I ask you, my dearly beloved friends, colleagues, associates, neighbors and yes, even my relatives, to remember: there are consequences we will all suffer for what we say about others. As was said by one of my favorite theologians, Matthew Henry stated thusly about lying and baring false witness against our neighbors:
     "A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will not go free, for we have need to be again and again warned of the danger of the sin of lying and false-witness-bearing, since nothing is of more fatal consequence. An addition to it in one word; there it was said, He that speaks lies shall not escape, and intimated that he shall be punished. Here it is said, His punishment shall be such as will be his destruction: he shall perish; the lies he forged against others will be his own ruin. It is a damning destroying sin!" (Matthew Henry Commentary on Proverbs 19:5)!"
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Joe Ortiz is the author of two books that biblically refute the Pre-Tribulation Rapture to Heaven mythology. They are The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation (Author House). For more information and access to his web sites, please click here: Joe Ortiz web sites