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In Faith

The Un-organizing Church

Author Jesse SteelePosted on Leave a comment

Barna published a recent study about Vacation Bible School (VBS). The research compares VBS numbers from 1997 and 2012. In general, VBS numbers are down from 81% to 68%.

About half of the reasons congregational ministries gave for not having a VBS was either lack of volunteers or lack of time. Anyone with insight of how congregations operate know that these are nearly one in the same reason.

It’s easy for a boss to feel busier when his company is going out of business. Once volunteers get low, the administration feels busier, even though it’s an indication that numbers are dropping. Congregations don’t have VBS because they don’t have time because they don’t have volunteers because their numbers are dwindling.

And the numbers are dropping across the board. That’s been the consistent message from Barna.org, as well as a whole lot of other sources, including those not related to research.  · · · →

In Faith

WARNING: The Clerical System Is Out

Author Jesse SteelePosted on Leave a comment

In 1984, Mike Bickle claims to have heard the audible voice of the Lord that he was to call Bob Jones. So, he did. At that moment, Bob just had a vision of the dungeon where Joseph was imprisoned. As you may recall the story from Genesis, someone had tried to poison Pharaoh. Both the bread maker and the cup bearer were in prison until the culprit would be found. It turned out to be the bread maker. The bread maker was executed and the cup bearer was set free—and he eventually introduced Joseph to Pharaoh.

There have been two main ministries in the Body of Christ, the “wine” ministry (the work of the cup bearer), which speaks of the Spirit; and the “bread” ministry, which speaks of the Word of God. The Word of God can refer to Scripture, but it can loosely extend to include the words of preachers that help us learn about God and His Word.  · · · →

In Faith

95 Theses of the Clerical System

Author Jesse SteelePosted on
95 Theses of the Clerical System

An eBook version of this article is available, free of charge and for your convenience.

95 ThesesIntroduction

If you are a professional pastor or clergy reading this, this is not about you. This is about the system which has worked contrary to all your good goals and dreams for the Body of Christ, which many other Christians hold in common with you. These theses are about the system which holds you and the rest of the Church hostage.

Once the Body of Christ realizes these few, ninety-five truths, along with many other truths much more profound and insightful along the same lines, many carnal elements in the Body of Christ will burn up. Whatever remains after that is the true, pure Church—the fellowship which is not to be, and, by definition, cannot be, abandoned.

I am qualified to make these statements because I have been through the same fire myself.

Preamble: Definition of the Clerical system

The clerical system, since the institution of “bishops” almost 2,000 years ago, is the system which has defined the “local church” as the primary Body of Christ, the fellowship which is considered “not to be forsaken”.  · · · →

In Faith

North Korean Lessons for the Body of Christ

Author Jesse SteelePosted on Leave a comment

North Korean Lessons for the Body of Christ (mp3)

Think of it how you like. But Christians in America cannot disdain North Korea without disdaining their own clerical system.

North Korea-Christian FlagI’ve written several articles, including two eBooks, addressing the clerical system. So, I won’t get into it here. Let’s just say that Churchianity—rather than pure Christianity—has the same indoctrinating, sheltering, and crippling effect as the brainwashing machine of the State-controlled North Korean media.

If you haven’t seen any documentaries about North Korea from the inside, now would be an excellent time. One is from vice on YouTube, Inside North Korea. Another was done by Lisa Ling for National Geographic, also called Inside North Korea.

These people are sheltered, ignorant, starved, lied to, lied about, indoctrinated, fear of others is cultivated among them, they are encouraged to be suspicious of each other… And, the same is also true of North Koreans.  · · · →