IS TODAY’S Christian church truly the body of Christ, which was established by the original apostles in the New Testament, or is merely a man-made establishment that has been founded on man-made rules seeking self- aggrandisement?

Are we truly making disciples of all nations and leading people to Christ and salvation, or are people being misled from one evil world into another?

Are churches obeying everything Christ commanded (Matthew 28:18-20), or have they become collection points for money, instead of predominantly teaching the gospel?

Deuteronomy 14: 22-29 says tithing is simply the presentation of a tenth of one’s income at a place of worship, which will then be used for a thanks giving feast.Tithing is, therefore, not giving a tenth of one’s income to the church, as is done in today’s churches, for use by that church, but should be used by the tither to enjoy a feast of thanksgiving at his or her place of worship. For the church to accept, and even coerce believers to tithe to it is nothing short of robbery, which God deplores (Jeremiah 7:11).

Granted, the church may request collections from the congregation for varied purposes, such as for church sustenance (Exodus 35), or assisting the needy (1 Corinthians 16: 1-3), or other purposes agreed upon, but tithing and offerings are totally different.

Additionally, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15 makes it clear that these offerings are not only according to what one can afford, but also is voluntary and should never leave the giver in need.  But in today’s churches people are manipulated to give – even their last dollar – with promises of blessings. Some pastors even ask to be paid to officiate at weddings!

This culture of stealing by the churches has left them stagnant, as pastors and believers stay in one place where they feel comfortable, instead of emulating the first apostles who would never be in one place, but going to all nations and making disciples – without even the basic comforts.

That is why in Luke 10:1-16, Jesus sent out some of His followers without the basic needs, and instructed them to eat and drink whatever they were offered in homes where they would be welcome. This should teach us to focus on spreading the love of Christ to all people, without focusing on money.

This stagnation has not only slowed down the spreading of the gospel, but has even left  believers detached from the Holy Spirit, as they have become dependent on pastors for things that they should otherwise be getting from the Holy Spirit. Pastors have now been made idols. After the believer receives the Holy Spirit, He (the Holy Spirit) alone should be the Helper, Comforter and Counsellor in all matters.

Instead, it is so sad to see believers turning  to pastors for healings, constant teachings, blessings, etc, when in fact by receiving  the Holy Spirit any believer is able to receive these straight from Jesus Christ (John 14:12).

This dependency on pastors has been deliberately created so as to keep believers attending these churches, and so provide a ready source of income for the pastors. In other words, the church as an institutionalised organisation is unscriptural. That is why today we have so many competing and even hostile churches. The church should simply be the body of Christ. Anyone who receives Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour automatically becomes part of that Church.

The church is not an organisation. It is spiritual. Therefore, joining an organisation is not part of God’s plan. These organisations calling themselves churches are man-made and that is why their doctrines differ so much, and yet claim to hear from one Jesus Christ, and one Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4: 14-16).

God is not an author of confusion. That is why pagan beliefs are still part of these churches, such as Christmas, so-called white weddings, Easter, etc. We will explain why these are pagan in future instalments.

We are not against the gathering of believers, as God encourages these (Hebrews 10:25), but these would be in the form of informal gatherings, not institutionalised organisations we have today.

Believers should now stop listening to fables and focus on spreading the love of Christ, and forsake today’s churches which are man made money-making evil schemes which lead to destruction (Timothy 6: 3-10). Choose Life. Amen.