This thought-provoking article was in yesterday’s The Berean Call e-mail, “TBC Today”:
WILL TRUE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES BE FORCED UNDERGROUND IN AMERICA? [Excerpts]
Will the real Christian churches please stand up? Or, rather, should they go underground?
Will the real Christian churches please stand up? Or, rather, should they go underground?
In order to stay true to their belief and to God, one conservative Christian commentator is convinced that the "real" Christian church in America is going to be forced to do as the early Christians did -- go underground.
[J. D. Longstreet's commentary argues that] many of the mainline Christian churches have slipped away from the foundation of Scripture to adopt secular tenants and leftist, politically correct philosophies [and] have become only a shadow of the true followers of Christ.
Strong words, but words that Longstreet -- who left his own denomination a few years ago because he said it was forsaking the tenets of the Bible and the gospel -- is standing on.
"Unfortunately, many of our mainline denominations have become nothing more than social clubs with many franchises nationwide," Longstreet writes. "Their pastors 'preach' feel good 'sermonettes' about the environment, and things like 'social justice.' In my opinion, that is not the mission of a church that purports to follow Christ. In fact, Christ Himself spelled out the mission of the church in what we refer to as the Great Commission."
As Longstreet sees it, pastors in America are fearful of preaching scriptures and of pointing out man's failings. They are concerned that they will be accused of slander or sued for libel. Longstreet admits that's a real threat in America -- and that's why he is suggesting churches that hold true to the gospel will be forced underground.
(Leclaire, "Will True Christian Churches Be Forced Underground in America?", Charisma Online, 12/8/2011).
5 comments:
Definitely not outside the realm of possibility -
GET READY and BE PREPARED.!!.
I have recently thought this very thing! And I don't think the church would be forced underground just because of persecution from those outside the church, but also from those who claim to be the church! I've been reading up much on current "prophets" and such in the signs and wonders movement, and they become very militant against believers who stand on the Word of God alone, basically calling us enemies of this "new thing" God is doing. Wouldn't be suprised at all if these same people had a hand in driving the true church underground!
Wow! What do you think the percentage of apostate churches actually is Glenn?
Hi Anonymous,
Well, that is a question I would have no idea of an answer. I CAN say that many of the mainline denominations are apostate (Roman Catholicism, PCUSA, Episcopal, UCC, ELCA, et al), and huge numbers of independent assemblies are also apostate. But it would virtually impossible to come up with a percentage unless one visited all the non-denominational assemblies (assuming the vast majority of the assemblies in apostate denominations are apostate or else they wouldn't remain with the denomination) to determine individual theology.
On top of those which are apostate, there are many cultic or aberrational assemblies who probably will not hold fast to the Word if put under persecution, but one never knows.
We are doing a FREE conference on this theme this year:
THE CHURCH AND COMING PERSECUTION - OCT 5-6, 2012 (ATLANTA, GA, USA)
http://sermonindex2012.eventbrite.ca/
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