Most of us know why the Secret Service was formed. It was made to investigate counterfeit money in the U.S.
The way they did this was remarkable and so simple, we as the church should use the same formula the secret service was built on. Instead of looking at all the wrong things in the fake bills, trying to pick them out each time, they studied the original bills. If the one they were looking at did not match the original, it was fake. Why can’t we do this with our church? We get comfortable with where we go so much, we miss the parts that do not match up with the original church.
The status quo: Most people go to a church and look to see if it fits their needs. Does it have childcare? Does it have a youth group? What kind of music is played? Is the preacher too loud and too long? These and a million other things go through our minds as we pick a church to attend. Some even have simplified it to the point of saying “this is where my family went, so this is where I will go”.
Problem with the status quo: None of this is biblical. When you look at the beginning of the church in Acts chapter 2 we see the foundation of what a church should be.
Proposed plan: I believe the plan for the universal church to get back to the original is simple. It is a multi-stage process.
1) Wait! When Jesus told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the comforter, he did not tell them how long they would be waiting. I am almost sure the ones waiting were expecting the “gift” that day or the next. It was 10 days later before the Holy Spirit came. Can you put yourself in their shoes? Each day the anticipation of what God was to send just kept building, but they kept waiting. Notice what they did not do. They did not get busy just to be busy to pass the time. They waited!
2) They were in unity. Wow, what a concept! We cannot agree on anything now days. If we look at the original church, they had one outcome. It’s the last verse in Acts chapter two. People were added to the church daily! What a goal to have. The only way we can achieve this goal is to be in unity. Not being in unity causes confusion, and the Bible says God is not the author of confusion. So, it is simple to say, if the church you go to is not willing to walk in love and unity, it is counterfeit.
3) I love the part where the people in Acts thought those speaking in different languages were drunk. I don’t think it’s the fact that they instantly learned another language that made the crowd think this. A lot of “drunk” people you see are happy. So, I believe, not only were they speaking in another language that 14 different tongues can understand, but they did it with joy. If your church is not filled with joy, it may be counterfeit.
What happens if we follow this simple plan: We (the bride of Christ) will see people added to the church daily, just like the original. In Temple there are so many different churches, you can divide it into multiple categories. Denomination, size, and to be honest, for the most part we see it broken down according to race or background. In some cases it is broken down in political beliefs. Again, none of this is biblical. Where is the unity? Joy? Love?
Call to action: The Bible is very clear. We are to worship God in spirit and in truth. We are also told to worship Him in word and deed. Not once does it say to worship Him according to my opinion. If I crucify myself daily, I give up the right for my opinion. Paul says, “I no longer live, but Christ lives through me.” How many of us can say that? We have more people who care more about what their emotions, daily church activities and what friends say than the Bible.
Conclusion: We need to realize there are a lot more steps, but the ones listed are a good starting spot. We also need to look at ourselves, then our church then see if both match the church of the book of Acts. I believe the Bible from front to back. I believe we must do what God says. I also believe one day, if we profess Christ, we will be compared to the original. We are to be “Christlike.” So, are you? Or are you denomination-like?
Look in the mirror and ask yourself these things. If you go to church, I pray it is an original church. If you do not go to church, I pray you find one. There are many good ones in Temple, but please read the first few chapters of Acts as you visit and see if it matches up with what you read. Remember, our eternity will be based on if we are a part of “THE” church, not “A” church.
