20 Questions for Believers who Say Church Buildings are Unimportant.

There is big discussion today on the need for going to a physical building. As a result of this corona shutdown many are saying there is no need to go to a physical building called the church as we are the church. Here are some questions I am asking for those who are teaching that we don't not need to go to church

1. Since we are the church, and now hat you have stopped going to a physical building called a church are you now doing more praying at home than you you would be at church?

2. Are you listening to more sermons and dong more bible studies at home now that you no longer attend a physical building?

3. Do you edify more people now that you now longer connect to others outside your home. Since the gifts of the Holy Ghost are given to all for the benefit of all, do you find God using you in more gifts now you are at home?

4. Do you pray as much now as you used to, while you were at church?

5. Have you become more passionate about the kingdom and doing a work for the Lord now that you no longer go to a physical building and meet with others who have a godly passion and mission also?

6. When you went to church, it slowed you to escape the house and get into anther environment, this is healthy and necessary. Now that you are a home can you tell me why these essential social activities are now no longer important?

7. Do you pray for you pastor or has you views of leadership changed now that you no longer believe in church in a building?

8. What would you say to those who in China who would love the opportunity to worship in a building freely and openly?

9. Are there any heart issues that you may have that brought you to the decision that chruch buildings are unnecessary?

10. What about the climate? are not buildings a necessity for us where rain is a regular occurance?

11. Can buildings be a witness?

12. What did Jesus say about fellowship and going to the temple? Did he go to the temple.

13. As one who desires to be a minister of the Lord, do you think that a ministry building is important or are you able to use your home as office, media centre, payer centre, products or shop base, counselling room, healing centre etc? if a ministry centre is needed then why not a church building?

14. Do you find that your home is better place for the corporate gathering of prayer? The church was place where you had no distractions, could make a bigger noise, had all the musical instruments and could invite many people. have these.  "liberties" now been lifted now that you have prayed in the home.

15.Are building a witness to the glory of God or not?

16. Why Did God instruct his people to build a sanctuary?

17.How Did God tell them to regard his dwelling place? (Lev 19;30)

18.How did Christ manifest his regard for the sanctuary of God's house (Mark 11;15-17).

19. If God is against buildings then why did God allow Solomon to build a temple? Surely he could have bypassed the tabernacle and temple.

20. What about mass gatherings for revivals, crusades gospel concerts, do you enjoy these events or should they be avoided. What alternatives have young that you do not thing buildings are important.

Brother Paul
www.imagebreakers.com
www.pentecostal.tv

HOLDING A PRAYER MEETING

I was brought up in a trinitarian pentecostal church, prayer time was indeed when the spirit moved too, at times! The general procedure however was to pay one after another as one felt led. I remember as a child praying for my first time out loud and standing up, its was heart thumping, nerve racking time, but I felt God as I pushed through.
Later as a missionary in US I spend my first few years in Trinitarian churches, The charismatic, prayed in tongues for an hour, everyone together. Every charismatic took this format, I felt it more a shouting contest rather an education and an edification.
After I got baptised in the name, I visited many pentecostal churches, now this was an experience and a new one at that. Everyone prayed at once and prayed in English. This I enjoyed and found more uplifting and real. someone who felt the Holy Ghost would stand up and pray above the rest while the others continued to pray also. The whole format was liberating and engaging.
Today I value the pentecostal way more than anything and yes they do pray in the tongues also but at the corporate gathering of the church in their native language first. I guess this is the nearest one an be to acts style prayer and 1 Cor 1;14.
One of the Questions I was asked over the years was, Why do you pray in tongues in church? My answer was, when you feel the spirit move on you, you should pray in tongues. One sister told me "I don't agree!". I went home bothered with her response. I came to see later what Paul meant in 1 Cor 14:18-40 when he talked about praying at home and also that he meant when he said, "he who prays in tongues edifies himself." I came to see that "praying in the spirit" (1 Cor 14;15) does not mean he prays in tongues alone. For one can be in the Spirit when one prayer in English too or whatever his native tongues may be. My English can be anointed as much as my foreign language (speaking in tongues). Think of this, I don't have to preach in Chinese to be preaching in the Holy Ghost and neither do I have to Pray in another or unknown language in order to be in the Spirit.
Tongues has its place and role, when it becomes the only way people pray collectively, I wonder, what has Paul's teachings and insight in all of this. 

Your thoughts and comments welcome
this post was first posted on facebook group The Preacher Network:

The Good Shepherd

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).

2. A good shepherd will allow you to follow God first then serve the church
Paul a bondservant of of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle (Romans 11:1) First he is God's apostle, that is he belongs to God first and serves God first. Then as an apostle he serves the church. His call is to serve God first then to serve the church. The man that cannot serve God first will have no God given licence or wisdom to serve the church if he cannot totally serve God first. A true man of God can only serve the church correctly if his loyalty is to God first, For God owns the church and the man that leads it. God must own him too. Your are a bondservant of God, not bondservant of the church. 

3. A good shepherd has a covering and will allow a prophet to impart God's corrective if necessary.
Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say to them, Thus said the Lord GOD to the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? A good shepherd will work with an authentic prophet. This key is important as it shows that we act as check and balances for each other. No man is the owner fo a ministry we share it. We are co labourers in that which is his. Interdependancy is required, humility is honoured, when there is team work of the five fold ministry.

4. A good shpeherd is gentle not overbearing and demanding
Making demands is not authority. Authority is to preach the word. The authority is in the word. Those in authority are those in the word. A pastor can be in the right position yet have wrong doctrine. In this case he has no authority. A layman can correct him and if he's humble he will accept the correction. Authority is always in the scripture. Love does not shout rant and rave while condemning others who themselves make much noise.  If "I"speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Love does not make all noise and has no compassionate actions. Love bears up with unbearable people for we are often unbearable preachers. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV.  a good shepherd is a liven shepherd. 


5. Good shepherds love as well as preach.
You are my disciples indeed if ye love one another.  (John 13;35). Love is the proof of a changed mind and a pure heart. Any man can preach, any man can teach, a fool can prophesy but only those with a changed heart can love. A good shepherd has love for the brethren. He is his brothers keeper. This does not mean that he gives him everything, but he does give him everything that Jesus would give him, for God is love AND LOVE IS EVERYTHING. He imparts strength when he is weary. joy when he is burdened. Care when he is weak, hope when he is lost. This is the ministry of a good shepherd.

Why do Pentecostals use Catholic titles?

History and Etymology for "archbishop."

Middle English, from Old English arcebiscop, from Late Latin archiepiscopus, from Late Greek archiepiskopos, from archi- + episkopos bishop (Miriam Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/archbishop).

"chief" (see archon) + episkopos"bishop," literally "overseer" 

1 Timothy 3:2 - A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 

An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,- (New American Standard Version (1995).

A minister then must be a man of irreproachable character, true to his one wife, temperate, sober-minded, well-behaved, hospitable to strangers, and with a gift for teaching; (Weymouth Bible).

Did the word "bishop" and "archbishop" come from Catholic Church? It is both Latin and Catholic in origin. remember it's not included in the five fold ministry of (Ephesians 4;11), the ministries which God gave to the church and is it a catholic definition for "elder" or "overseer?' I think so. Here's my thought. Why do we use catholic terms to describe ministers when at the same time we deny the catholic doctrine of the trinity, which is also catholic. Isn't mixture an abomination? Just a though!

Think too of the development of the words "laity" and "ministry". the laity were considered the unlearned and ignorant those who were not educated enough to make a "profession" out fo the ministry. so we have a division between the professions of one believer and the profession of another However in the New Testament all who were disciples were "ministers". The word "minister" was a reference to those who had a ministry, which we allhace a ministry of rciciliation, a spiritual gift, the ability to edify exhort and encourage. Its only when the church catholicised itself did it begin to designate the upper calls ( those who were professionals) and those who were laity.

Peter and John (Acts 4;13) labelled "ignorant" and "unlearned," were apostles of the church that actually taught the world, the gospel, yet they were called "laity. again from the word "lake" meaning amusement and implying those who do such a thing "on the side" (as in layaway or the easy life or leisure. Not so they were more than amused with the God man and his truth intact they gave their life for the faith once delivered.

It was the Catholic church that token the title "priest" to refer to those who exercised authority over others. where in scriptures declare we are all priests unto God. Makes me thing why do we run to have others lay hands on us in every service and pout blessings over us? Serious, do we not know out position in Christ! Let those who love the pre-emInance get off their high horse and serve without titles. TITLES DONT GIVE YOU PRIVILEDGE titles magnify the flesh and lifts a mans ego. Isn't it time we renounce mixture and Exalated Jesus!

Your servant
Paul.

The Art of Preaching (2)

Write it read it and then preach it.
Good preaching comes form clear thinking and sound reading.
The best readers are the best preachers. All preachers would be good readers. By this Mean having an ability not only to read but to read as if one speaks. the practice of audible reading helps us to articulate our speech and bring clarity to our speech. Good reading helps us to understand words and express them intelligently thoughtfully and constructively. Words paint a picture, yes, that's true. Preaching is an art, how we say it is as important as what we say. That's the art of preaching.
When you read read thoughtfully, read to understand not merely to get through a book. The same principle will help you speak so that you are understood. may can preach good but are not always understood or followed as some would say and this is because they have mastered the art of talking but never mastered that of communication. So emphasise words, emphasise key words, underline them then read these sentences or your message a few times over until the truth is conveyed from your writing. This will reveal the value of a written message. Again if you can write it you can bring clarity to the subject and objectivity to the object.  Write it read it and then preach it.

The Art of Preaching (1)

Pacing your Preaching.
Preaching is an art and a skill. It is inspirational as wells educational. eventful as well as poetic.
Timing is important. It may not matter news you're on radio or TV. The allocated time allows you to say the essential things and leave the rest for the next show. It allows you to say what is necessary which in turn makes a message more memorable and specific. Too much content can confuse the listener as can too many points for too many stories. Know what your points are, enforce them and stop. Timing is important.
Set your pace, speak naturally, speak easily, imagine yourself having a conversation with a friend, Memorise your points, this will help train you memory. If folks are listening to learn the you may need to slow down. if folks are listening out of general interest then you can use a quicker pace.
To make a good presentation, practice reading aloud. yes when you read don't read it with your mind read it aloud. this allows you to pronounce every syllable distinctly and develop a natural conversational pace and volume. this then helps us to hear outlives as we would hear others.
If your pitch is high start off low. a naturally high pitched voice tends to get higher as one progresses in the sentence. practice the pitch and pace and you will be more interesting to the hearer and have more confidence as a public speaker.

The Spirit of Baalam

Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more (Numbers 22;16-19).

Baalam was a religious man, a remarkable man and a man in favor with God. He was sincere and transparent. When Balak sent for him to curse Israel he did the right thing and sought God. God forbade him to go and Baalam submitted to God. Balak sent again for Baalam and Baalam replied "if Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord, to do less or more." (Numbers 22;18)

Shortly after God allowed him to Go. Baalam obeyed God and went to Balak as God instructed and told Baalam, "Lo I come unto thee, have I any power at all to say anything? The Word that God putteth into my mouth that shall I speak.. Whatsoever he showeth me I Will tell thee." Balak responded in anger to Baalam, the Lord has kept thee back from honour, get thee back to thy country.  Baalam responded, "Spake I not unto thy messengers which thou sentest unto me saying if Baalak would giev me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the Lord. To do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the Lord saith, that will I speak."

This shows us that Baalam was a man of obedience, honourable and sincere before God. Listen to the statement written by Micah of Baalam. "I have received commandment to bless and I cannot reverse it he hath shown thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee, to to justly, to love mercy and to walk with thy God." ( Micah 6:8).

But, God had told him to go and he went, he went because God changed his mind and God was mad with him,  angry with him,  Now the reason why God was angry with this man, this good respectable man was that, he would obey God out of a sense of loyalty to God yet his heart was not in doing what God wanted him to do. Baalam wanted to curse Israel, O yes, his outward response and actions were right but his heart was in a different place. He would not be dishonorable, he would serve God. He would do what he was told to do but his heart was not in doing what God wanted him to do. He kept an unblemished character before the brethren, but before God it was a different matter.

Is this not a picture of mamy today, who are like Baalam. They are good folks who respect the ministry and the denomination they are affiliated with, they will obey the pastor and do anything he tells them, yet they do it  out of restraint, not willingly but out of demand. It's expected of us to obey, to give and be supportive, after all if we don't conform we are seen as unsubmissive to authority, outside the organisation and denominations many of todays preaches shave no ministry. their system keeps them bound when in their hearts they know there are other rods they wish to explore.

Are we by default raising up Baalam's in God's house? "yes men" who conform because they don't want to be seen as rebellious? Are we raising brethren like Baalam who want to become pastors yet in their heart conform out of duty and loyalty yet their heart is in disagreement with many of the ways and sometimes the doctrines we enforce.

Are we raising up Baalam's by imposing on them standards they cannot keep, by meetings they must attend, clothes they must wear, haircuts they have, hairstyles the ladies must wear. How ridiculous this all seems, I would say dangerous. For you are making a Baalam out of a man!

Pastor, this ought not to be. A man must "want to" do the right thing. If he wants too because he loves too then you will make true disciples of a man, for it is the spirit of love that draws a man into holiness, it's the spirit of a man that empowers him to obedience.  Folks are leaving church because of legalism. Legalism cannot replace personal "want to" and "must do" before God. I worship because I love too not because I have too. I don't the because I am forced too, I the because I love too. I don't bow in worship because I'm asked too, I bow in worship because I love too. love is more powerful than law love is grater than riles, love comfort my reaction ship with God, I want too because I have too!

Baalam looked good before man yet his heart looked bad before God. God slew him. He was lost.
I don't want to be a Baalam do you? The rules could have killed me and made me a fake, The rules could have made me look good on the outside, but inwardly I wanted to go another way. The choice of pleasing man or pleasing God first always lies before us especially when God leads us into fresh pastures that others have yet to discover. God give us the wisdom to connect with grace yet be true on the inside as much as we are true with out actions. Help our hearts align with our lips, out motives align with God's purpose.

HOW DO WE GET TO THIS PLACE. Open dialogue, more conversation on controversial topics. more understanding and open discussion on issues our father's hid behind. The conversation between God and man is best encouraged between brother and brother. open talk with man, really does show open hearts with God. transparency with god, honesty with the brethren. Can I talk to you plainly without being rejected for my insight, after all that's how I communicate to my LORD!

God help me not become a Baalam.