Shifting sands

I tried to look up how many christian denominations there are. The best estimate that I could find puts it at about forty five thousand. It is a best estimate because more groups are coming into existence practically every day. A few groups die out every year so, the number is constantly in flux. 

I was listening to a person talk about popular independent nondenominational churches yesterday and it was quite enlightening. You know the kind. Mega churches and smaller “want to be” mega churches with “worship teams”, bands, light shows and pastors in shorts and a polo shirt. I learned that they aren’t so independent as they would lead you to believe. They borrow money from one of several “evangelical organizations” to get started. In turn they are to pay back those loans at ten percent of their income from tithes and offerings. After the loans are paid back they are required to pay the organization two percent of their income ongoing. In turn they are given a “program” it is an order of service with suggested music and themes. The sermons are downloaded from a database with suggestions on how to personalize them to the congregation, pastor or things that are going on in the church. There are artistically beautiful picture slides with scriptures or sayings suggested to go along with the sermons and music. There are detailed instructions on how to reach out to visitors and make them feel special and welcome. There are instructions on how to keep attendees coming. There are even instructions on how to deal with church scandals complete with prewritten apologies.

I was frankly a bit shocked to learn about this. Of course these organizations claim they are doing these things for the cause of spreading the gospel. But, what gospel are they spreading? They are very vague when it comes to doctrine. They are weak on outreach to the poor and the outcasts of society. I can’t find much by way of calling out the sins of society or giving to causes to help the unfortunate. It seems in fact to be a church cleverly designed to recruit younger upper middle class protestant Americans. It would appear to me that maximizing the tithes and offerings and keeping the church growing is the singular goal. I was told that these parent organizations even send “secret shoppers” into the services to be sure that things are being ran according to the “program” and if a church isn’t growing and sending enough money then there will be a change of leadership. These “evangelical organizations” are nothing more than tax exempt corporations promoting christian themed social clubs. Forty five thousand different Christian groups are in existence. Here, recorded in the book of John, is Yeshua praying for all believers.

John 17:20-21 “I am not praying only on their behalf, but also on behalf of those who believe in me through their testimony, 21 that they will all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. I pray that they will be in us, so that the world will believe that you sent me.

So, how did we get here?

Yeshua gave this parable.

Matthew 7:24 “Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on rock. 25 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, but it did not collapse because its foundation had been laid on rock. 26 Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain fell, the flood came, and the winds beat against that house, and it collapsed—it was utterly destroyed!”

We have failed to build our faith on the words and teachings of Yeshua. Contrary to popular opinion Yeshua did not found a new religion. Yeshua was a devout Jew. He followed the Torah. He taught his disciples to follow the Torah and they, in turn taught those that came after them to follow the Torah. He proclaimed that “not one jot or tittle would pass from the law until all things be fulfilled”. He also said that if you want eternal life then you must obey the commandments. The faith of YHWH is eternal.

We got here by listening to other voices. Yeshua is “The Prophet” prophesied about in Deuteronomy 18:15. He alone is the authority. His words overrule the words and teachings of all others. Let me ask you. Would you accept your neighbor’s words over Yeshua’s? How about your pastors words? Would you accept them over Yeshua’s words? How about Billy Graham’s words or the Popes”s words? What about the words of Mohammad or Joseph Smith? Finally I ask you would you accept the words of Paul of Tarsus over Yeshua’s words. If at any point you answered yes then you are an apostate from the faith of YHWH. Can you see that all other teachings, no matter the source, cannot override the teachings of Yeshua because His teachings come directly from YHWH.

John 7:16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me.

If Yeshua’s teachings came from the one that sent him then whose teachings are greater than His?

Forty five thousand denominations and counting. All built on shifting sands.