Chapter 2
WHERE WE ARE NOW ON GOD’S ESCHATOLOGICAL TIMELINE?
If you want to know where we stand on God’s timeline to the Second Coming of Jesus and the Great Tribulation, look first at the Church. I will focus on the Church, its condition and preparedness first. What I will present first is the ‘long view’, the global universal drifting of the church since its creation. (Then a more current view).
The History of The Church Drift
IN A.D 35 THE CHURCH WAS A MOVEMENT
During the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, in AD 35, The Church of Jesus Christ, The Body of Christ, had no buildings, little money and no wealth, but, the Church was a Movement.
Jesus said to make disciples; collect no money except to make your journey.
The penalty for becoming a Christian was often death, still, the Church grew exponentially.
THEN THE CHURCH BECAME A PHILOSOPHY
A.D 49, The Church expanded into Greece. The Church became a philosophy to many. The Church grew and size and influence.
THEN THE CHURCH BECAME AN INSTITUTION
A.D 313, The Church expanded into Rome, and it gained recognition. It grew in power and popularity. It obtained wealth, buildings, property and influence. It became an institution.
THEN THE CHURCH BECAME A CULTURE
A.D 380, The Church expanded into Europe. It was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. It grew in wealth, stature, power and influence. It had become a culture.
THE CHURCH BECAME A BUSINESS
A.D 1607, The Church reaches America.
A.D 1681, The Church became corporate. It had become a business and incorporated. It became regulated by the government.
The Corporate Church grew. It needed money to support growth and expansion, which meant the Corporate Church needed more people.
A.D 1777, The state of Virginia granted tax exemption to houses of worship.
A.D 1894, The corporate church was granted tax exemptions by the Federal Government.
A.D 1954, The Federal Government regulated what a church could and could not say in order to retain tax-exempt status.
The church continued to grow, and in order to attract more people, the Corporate Church lowered its membership and doctrinal standards. More people became ‘members’ and gave more money to support more growth.
The Church corporation is complete with leaders, boards and membership and a business model.
Local churches compete against one another for members (customers). The church is selling itself in “three -line slogans”.
The Church members now have choices and have become religious consumers. Church people can shop around for the religious brand and standards that best suits them. (See 2nd Timothy chapter 3).
The Leadership (pastors and preachers) have become CEOs, disciples have become church leaders, growing their 501(c)(3) business models.
And just like in business, record numbers of pastors quitting the ministry because of stress, burnout or are being fired by their congregations (some stats say 1500 – 1700 leave “the ministry” each month).
Contrary to what the Bible say about debt, the Church debt in America soars; church foreclosures soar.
THE CHURCH ABANDONS THE TRUTH
A.D 1968, Despite what the Bible teaches about homosexuality, the church begins to ordain homosexuals as clergy.
A.D 1972, The United church of Christ ordains homosexual clergy
A.D 2010, The Lutheran church ordains homosexual clergy
A.D 2012, The Presbyterian church USA, ordains homosexual clergy
The Episcopal Church in the United States and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) have also allowed ordination of openly gay and lesbian candidates for ministry for some years.
Internationally, churches that have ordained openly lesbian or gay clergy include the Church of Scotland, the Church of England, the Church in Wales, the Church of Sweden, the Church of Norway, the Church of Denmark, the Church of Iceland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, the Evangelical Church in Germany, the Methodist Church in Britain, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the United Protestant Church in Belgium, the Swiss Reformed Church, the United Protestant Church of France, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, Anglican Church in Canada, the Old Catholic Church, the Czechoslovak Hussite Church and the United Church of Christ in Japan.
A.D 2019, The formation and establishment of the One World Church, THE ABRAHAMIC FAMILY HOUSE.
Now, approximately 1,900 years later:
A.D 2020, The church is losing and has lost influence. The church in 2020 is losing members.
A.D 2020, The church is teaching and living a different Gospel than that of the Apostles.
A.D 2026, By God’s gracious choice, there has come to be, at the present time, a “Faithful Remnant” – those who endure to the end.
This is not the End, but we are, by all metrics, at the precipice. For now, THE AGE OF APOSTASY IS WELL UNDER WAY.
Your Brother and Friend,
Mike Young
NEXT: REALITY CHECK – Chapter 3, The Condition of the Church in the Twenty-First Century
PREVIOUS: REALITY CHECK – Chapter 1, How Can We Know?
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