Elitism, Slavery, and the Institutional Pastor
“Tell me, what part of the idea that formal church membership is synonymous with being in-Christ do you not understand?”
One of the greatest threats to American liberty in our day is the institutional church and its empowerment of the clergy. The Western institutional church founded in the 4th century is, and always has been, a political entity. Christ’s called out assembly was never an institution, but a living body driven by truth, gifts, and fellowship—not orthodoxy and authority. The true body of Christ is guided by the fellowship of agreement in His one mind and truth for the sole purpose of the Great Commission.
What the institutional church, or simply “church”, strives for is influence and control of people. What we are witnessing right now with the Neo-Calvinist movement is a big tent conglomeration of people. This gives the institutional clergy something to bring to the table at the right time in history when power-brokering is in play.
Governments typically have one primary concern when the chips are down—the populous outnumbers the leadership. You can only kill so many people, and if you kill all of them there is no reason to have a government in the first place. This makes influence over people, and hence control, of paramount value. Already, the who’s who of the New Calvinist network can go to the government and say,
We can establish through these networks that this many people will listen to us and do what we say. Not only that, if we tell them to, they will take positive action to support the government in their endeavors as well. We have convinced them that governments are ordained of God and do His bidding no matter how wrong it may seem at the time. Now, with that said, where is our place at the table? What do we get for controlling this many people for your purposes?
John Piper et al don’t care where the New Calvinist Kool-Aid drinkers find themselves after it’s too late; they will be part of the elitist crowd that has always enjoyed a lifestyle separate from the great unwashed masses in the socialist caste systems that have always dominated human history. The ability to control a group gives you a place at the table.
And of course, the New Calvinists use the trusty mainstay of the ages to control: threat of eternal damnation. The New Calvinists are selling salvation, and business is booming. Tell me, what part of the idea that formal church membership is synonymous with being in-Christ do you not understand? What seems to be unclear about excommunication and what that means for you? Catholics have always been out of the closet on this. At least they have always known what they believe; if the local priest says you’re in—you’re in.
But American Protestants have always functioned that way while denying it until now—now they pretty much accept the idea openly after 40 years of indoctrination by the New Calvinist movement which has brought the American church back home to Calvin’s Geneva. As a young pastor years ago, I couldn’t see the obvious when Baptists who hadn’t shown up for church in years would become completely unglued upon the mere suggestion of removing them from the membership list. New Calvinists have put a stop to that nonsense. Now you better damn-well show up every time the doors are open in order to keep your salvation.
The present-day New Calvinist network that controls Christian publishing, seminaries, local churches, etc, is primarily a political animal that is an imminent threat to American liberty. But the greater concern is the wasted lives of those called by God, individually, to run a kingdom race specifically designed for them alone.
This is the tragedy: Christians seek permission from the institutional church to fulfill our calling given to us by Christ alone, and that is who we will answer to and no one else. They have conned us into selling our calling to them for a falsely established habeas corpus.
I seriously doubt the political endeavors of the institutional church can be stopped, but individual Christians can take back their true calling to the Chief Shepherd as opposed to institutional slavery.
paul
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Paul's Passing Thoughts 
The battle today is elitism/collectivism vs. freedom. We are witnessing this all over. Many are seeing the light, which is why many are leaving the corporate institution of the church. Thank the Lord that this is occurring!
I know because the heavy conviction of the Holy Spirit weighs on the hearts to LEAVE IT! IT (the institutional church) is not worth the souls that are blinded each and everyday by a doctrine of men controlling us with his own interpretations. Yes, I know there are a few churches that on the outside claim to many good works, but just look between the lines (10% tithing, pastors salaries, using monies to keep building, promoting social justice,
OT Jewish law intertwined with the Pauline Epistles, etc.) Just the mixture of OT law intertwined with Pauls Epistles is enough to cause confusion. The law was fulfilled by Christ and we are now free to obey because of love and the Holy Spirit filling us. We are on the road of sanctification. The fruit of the Spirit is the outcome of obeying Him and that is what provides witness to what Christ did for us. This is the light. I am not afraid of the law for it does not define me- love does.
Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His love.
1 John 4:18
It was not until I left the “church” that I started realizing I was afraid of God and not fully loving Him. Loving HIm drives and motivates us to want to serve Him. In this, then we truly realize how much He truly loves us.
It was not until I left the “church” that I became continually grateful and thankful for each and everyday and trust Him to bring His best into my life.
It was not until I left “church” did I start to think and reason even more then I did.
It was not until I left “church” did I want MORE to love others like He did.
Leaving “church” was the best thing that ever happened to me spiritually, physically, mentally, or emotionally.
What does Scripture say “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and body”
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“…Leaving ‘church’ was the best thing that ever happened to me spiritually, physically, mentally, or emotionally.”
“…And in addition to those currently invested in a ‘church’, there are a lot of people out there who feel guilty for not being part of an organized body, as if they are sinning against the Holy Spirit by ‘not gathering with the saints’.”
T4H, Pearl,
It is unfortunate that we are separated by geography. How much I wish that we all could fellowship face to face on a regular basis. Not only with you, but all the countless others who have suffered abuse at the hands of the “hirelings”. I have never met either of you in person, but yet it feels like there is a closeness that can only be attributed to the love for the brethren that comes from the Holy Spirit and being a part of the Body of Christ. To anyone else reading this, please know that you are not alone.
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First-century gatherings of the saints were in homes, and the New Testament NEVER, I repeat, NEVER indicates that such a model was insufficient or temporary. Formal church membership is synonymous with being a part of the body of Christ? Really? How brainwashed were we to ever buy into that???!!! Stay the course because it will happen. I believe a massive home fellowship movement is on the horizon. TANC is about the biblical theology after the realization that the institutional church has no clothes. I see it for what it is…nothing but a colossal sham that robs Christians en masse of their calling and future reward. It is selling salvation and not love.
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Pondering. If you could send a copy of that bad boy to Pearl for our files that would be great. And ya, freedom. When people feel the freedom and fellowship of home assemblies they are in for a treat. When the remembrance (Lord’s Table) is a joyful anticipation of our Lord’s return rather than a solemn ceremony where we cut ourselves with broken glass while the thimbles and crumbs are being passed around by guys in undertaker monkey suits. It would be just like the Lord to come for us while we are lifting the cup–glory be to His name!
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Has the clergy in America so soon forgotten the role most churches played (or didn’t play) in WWII Germany?
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In that scenario, which is the historical norm, the first place the church goes is to the church. By the way, I think it was Immel’s last session last year where he addresses this specifically in regard to WW2 and it was pretty astounding.
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Often I will be posting on this stuff and think: “I can’t believe I was dumb enough to fall for this crap.”
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Am I the only one who got chills watching that video? A national catastrophe is all it would take and the gargantuan New Calvinist network of churches would step in–instant church-state.
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