Continued from Early Church History-Now
3. How'd We Get To Where We Are Today? For 350 years, the Roman Empire tried to stop Christianity by punishment. What started as isolated incidents of imprisonment, turned quickly to a few executions, mass executions, wholesale slaughter, even public slaughter for entertainment. The more they punished the Church, the larger and stronger it became. Spectators, being "entertained" by executions, turned to Jesus because of the way in which the Christians died. Then, a new Roman emperor, Constantine, decided to profess Christianity. No one knew if he was serious or just a good politician, so, quickly, all of Rome "professed" Christianity.
They moved Christianity out of homes and hiding places and made ornate buildings for worship. They hired and trained professional speakers and took the Word of God from the common people. They took over weddings, funerals, communion, baptism and confession, and punished the Christians who dared defy them. Eventually, they used the sword of the "Holy Roman Empire" to force people all over the world to "profess" Christianity. They tried several times to "convert" the Middle East to Christianity by force of war, something we're all still paying for.
This "church" killed anyone who dared question them for almost a thousand years, known as the Dark Ages. Then, a German priest named Luther protested, starting the "Protestant" movement. But the movement didn't go far enough. The churches in the last 500 years have added innovations, like Sunday School, Youth programs, etc. But Constantine still rules most churches through central denominations who dictate doctrine and approve preachers to run the local churches, hire worship "leaders", oversee weddings, funerals, communions, baptisms, etc. The 'priesthood of all believers' proclaimed in the Bible and taught by Luther is still missing in most churches. God brought me, one of those preachers, out of the "modern" church so vastly different from the Biblical church. That's when God led me to found E-Home Fellowship (EHF) to use the internet to build tiny groups of Christians (churches) who meet in homes.
4. What about EHF and Web-Church? We know we're not perfect, but we've tried to apply God's Word to modern technology and build a "New Old Church". We meet in homes, in intimate groups, just a family and maybe a few friends who come together as often as possible to hear God, not some preacher's pretty speech. Not even mine.
We teach that Spiritual authority and accountability goes from God to you, with the Bible and the Holy Spirit as your guide.
If you want more, we'll be there, but you don't need more. If you're new to the Bible, we've got classes, questions, teaching, devotions and advice all designed so you won't need us any more. This is why I always say to read the Bible for yourselves. Web-Church participants can join our prayer team, to learn to minister to others. If someone needs your help to confess to God, be there. Jesus, who is in you, has given you His authority to forgive sin. We teach parents of their Biblical responsibility to teach their own children about God. Why would you leave that to someone else? We teach you to do communion and baptism yourself. Isn't it more meaningful for a friend or family member to do the funeral, rather than a stranger? And who wants a stranger involved in the intimacy of joining two people in marriage? We'll help your home church do it's own weddings, with pre-marital teaching and any required license.
Before Marsha and I got married, we each had very different ideals of what marriage would be like. We got them from what we thought we saw in our parents, from TV, books, etc. The differences caused us great trouble in our marriage. We had to let go of those "false" ideals we saw in others before we could live in the true joy of the two of us becoming one. Our very ideal of marriage is what kept us from experiencing marriage. The same can be true of church life. By copying the things we see others using, we could be blocking God's blessing and plan for us, as individuals.
Dear God, Help us to live in your plan. Save us from being always concerned with what others are doing. Give us a new thirst for what you are doing. Help us to put our faith in you and worship you, rather than buildings or organizations of humans. Let us live by your Word.
Christian Articles
6 Bible Study Questions
Christian Almsgiving
Christian Politics
Christians vs
Mormons
Christmas The
Inclusive...
Definition Of Tithe
Early Church History-Now
End Times Prophecy
Evangelism Now
Evidence Of God
Faith-vs-Religious Works
Faith
And Science
God Answers Prayer
In Fear And Faith
Islam vs Belief In Jesus
Jesus-God With Us
Jesus And Evangelism
Jesus Isn't A Brand
Name
Loving God-Eating Meat
Mega-Churches
Mercy Triumphs
Judgment
Need
To Go To Church?
Never Heard of Jesus?
Pitfalls Of Small Groups
Resurrection-Jesus Christ
Salvation
Requirements
Spiritual
Reality-Illusion
True Christian Fellowship
True Christian Leaders
Unity In Christ
Wheat And Weeds
Who Should We
Avoid?
Why Is God Punishing Me
Work In Fear And Faith