Why We don't take Authority?

[Pastor R.J. Stepherson]

My question to Black Preaching Network affiliates is: Why is it so hard for the Church of God to take authority and a stand on what God has told us in his word. If we look in our society no matter what city, state, country you are from, if you will be honest with yourself, the church seems to be nowhere in the picture. I mean yes we have our mega churches and don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the mega church ministry, but you have to ask yourself seriously, mega church, storefront or whatever the size of the building, what impact is the church really making in today's society besides church fights on the local news or pastors being shot in service or churches splitting and eventually closing their doors. Jesus said in Matthew 16:18 "Upon this rock, I will build my church, and the Gates of Hell SHALL NOT prevail against it. That is what Jesus said that the Gates of Hell Shall NOT prevail against, but it seems as though Hell is in most of these church houses. If the deacon cannot be in control and call all the shots, he's mad at the Pastor and won't do the duties of what the deacon should do. if this choir member can't sing all the songs then she won't sing. And if this associate minister can't lead ALL the services and preach when they think they should, then they sit in the pulpit with their mouths shut. All of these mediocre situations happen in the local body, and take away from what really should be going on in the church, Saving souls, destroying bondages and yokes, bringing hope and happiness to someones sad situations, and ultimately making disciples out of people.
Most of these church houses are running people away from the church instead of bringing in the fold. Preacher/Pastors; Remember what God told the Watchman to do in Ezekiel 33 1Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman: 3If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. 7So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. 8When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. 9Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. People of God All I am saying is when will Church get to Where it is suppose to be and doing what is is suppose to be doing? Sure enough some people are getting saved and some people are getting delivered and some people are changing their lives, but when will it make a significant impact in the world, Or will it. And please, I'm not focusing this topic just on preacher per se but if we are going to make an impact and take a stand in this world, it is going to take not only the preacher/pastor but the church as a whole. I ask for your thoughts on the matter, feel free to respond. R.J.

[A.W. Bowman]

Brother Stepherson -

You have listed a number of symptoms of the ailing church. Perhaps it can be summed up in a single word? Unbelief. This was one of the key problems Jesus commented on - even among the disciples.

[newview]

I think that ship may have sailed here in America.
Of course God has a remnant here but I think for the most part:
-------->Put a fork in the American Church because she is done<---------

[Pastor R.J. Stepherson]

newview, I hear your argument but I don't agree with it, simply because the church is one body, and God is the head. Whether or not it is the "American Church" or the African church or the Russian Church, If they are preaching the Gospel, They are the church of God. And the truth of is, Jesus is coming Back for His Church, and I believe that the problem with the "American Church" is that we are not Concerned about God's agenda, but what we are concerned about our own agenda's. Big cathedrals, fancy suits, and who has the most members!! I don't think God is concerned with Big cathedrals, fancy suits, and who has the most members, but what he is concerned about is if those souls in the big cathedrals and those souls in the fancy suits and the souls in those thousands member churches are right, souled out for Christ and standing on the word. I don't think we should "Put a fork in the American Church because she is done," but we should get back to the word of God and do Church God's way and take a stand on the Word of God Always and not just when we get in trouble. If the people of God really would take a stand, the world would be a better place and a lot of things going on in the world wouldn't be going on because the Church would lift the standard against them to the point that the world will have to succumb to the ways of the Church and souls will get saved. But instead the Church is Acclimating to the ways of the World...R.J.

[newview]

Well Elder Stephenson, I did say that the Lord had a remnant here. He will not have it that there is no witness in the land. But as far as there being a large contingency of true followers of holiness here - thats over. We have been over taken by our wealth and pride.
For the most part - most Americans that claim they are followers of Christ are far from it. Thats from the top to the bottom - from the pulpit to the door.
But the good news is when the American Christians suffer the tribulation that will over take this country like a flood - sorta like Noah's flood - it will show who is really the Lord's and She will come out shining like a beautiful bride.
The pride will be gone, the selfishness will be gone, the obsession with all things sexual will be gone, men relegating their roles to women will be gone, the entertainment factor will be gone, the fear factor will be gone, trying Her darndest to be like the world will be gone..........Halleluyah - the Church thats left here - will be virtuous and wise and kind and totally committed to her Groom and more than ready for Him to return. ;-)

[BruthaPharoah]

most Americans that claim they are followers of Christ are far from it. Thats from the top to the bottom - from the pulpit to the door

very well put sista newview ;-( ;-/ :-)

[Archbishop Trevor 'Elihu' Greene]

The authority is slacking and lacking within the Church simply because:

1) Ignorance- The Church is not a religious entity, nor is it a big business. It is the Embassy of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. We have TOTALLY lost sight of the fact/truth that this is a governmental/ambassadorial thing, and not a religious thing. We act like citizens of a third world country and not the Kingdom of GOD.

2) Unbelief- Most that actually hear about #1 doubt the extent of the dominion granted to us by GOD Almighty Himself. They think of the dominion granted to the Apostles of old as only being old news, or worse, legendary and mythical.

[Hezekiah Ben Israel]

Agreed.

[Teresa henley]

Wow this is crazy! Aint no hurt like church hurt. These Leaders are non-repentative prideful High-minded false accusers! Pharissee Spirit is in the church today I complety left the church! There is a new movement on the rise the true saints of God are coming out of these churches. I have never seen any mean hearted so called church folks in my life Exit church anity for good! God Bless....

[Teresa henley]

Wow this is crazy! Aint no hurt like church hurt. These Leaders are non-repentative prideful High-minded false accusers! Pharissee Spirit is in the church today I complety left the church! There is a new movement on the rise the true saints of God are coming out of these churches. I have never seen any mean hearted so called church folks in my life Exit church anity for good! God Bless....

[Pastor Melvin King]

Why we don't take authority?
You have authority that you know not of. But because the authority of the man created after God is not understood, the enemy takes the advantage. It is written, "My people are being destroyed for the lack of knowledge". But because we are body ruled and are blinded by the things which we see in this dark world, our perfect vision is obscured and the light is hidden from us. But "let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who thought it not robbery to be equal with God...made of himself of no reputation...
We confess that we are not equal with God and make names and reputation for ourselves as though we have greatness of ourselves. If there be any good thing in any of us, it comes from God in who's image and likeness we are made. We should rather confess that we are equal with God, not in dominion, nor power, or majesty, neither in wisdom or knowledge or authority, but in spirit because we share in and partake of his divine nature by his mercy and grace. We are spiritually made of the same material that exists in God. Our DNA is of a divine nature. e.g. My son need not think it robbery to be equal to me, because he is in my image, but he is not equal in authority, wisdom, office, and power. But if he entreat me properly he have access to all that is possessed in me, through me. Is not God our Father? Our authority is in Him. When our eyes are opened, and when we have awakened from our slumber, to learn the nature of light, when we have forgotten the darkness, and learned to breathe the air of spirit, when we have learned to recognize the darkness and to long for the Light, as children of the Light, when we shall begin to reflect the image and glory of God and to bring principalities and power, spiritual wickedness in high places, the rulers of this dark world into captivity and to subject them under the power of God and under our own feet, Then will we have begun to operate at the very least, in a fraction of the authority that is ours by right through Him who was sent, even our Lord Jesus by the Father of Lights. Remember, Ye are the light of the world. You are a city that sits on a hill. If you are indeed the light you cannot be hid. It behooves us to open the eyes of our understanding to know the truth. The Truth...The Truth! Be free to walk in the authority which you have already gotten from the Giver of authority, even Christ.

[Pastor R.J. Stepherson]

very well put, Pastor. I agree with you whole heartily, to be honest to you, I thought this was a site for christians of all races, nationalities, but to hear the comments made by some christians is disturbing to me. God has done so much for all of us and to hear comments that would make me wonder if they are christians, not that I am judging, makes me feel that all the preaching of the Gospel of Christ around the world seemingly is in vain. Not that it is in vain, but Pastor you would think that with all the technology that we have in the world today, it makes no sense how someone can say that the church is done or the church has no power, I believe, like you said we already posess the power but we are so consumed with our "Agendas" and not God's agenda for the world that the church get misguided to some point and off the mark. But I believe that it is time to go back to basics. teaching the people of God the basics of christianity like love, compassion, sympathy for other and so on. We have gotten so indulged in receiving a powerful word and exegeting the text that we forget the simplicity of the preaching of the Gospel. I mean I have no problem with exegete, and breaking down the text and hermeneutics and homiletics, but Jesus preached so that a baby could understand and be saved if so. how do you feel about the preaching that is going on today Pastor? R.J.

[Pastor Melvin King]

I see Pastor R.J. It seems we have forgotten our commission and have drifted away from our prime directive; that is to announce God's sovereignty in this world. We have forgotten that we are to edify one another and equip each other with the tools necessary to reflect the purposes of God and to mirror His image to the world that they might also see and know him through us as we abide in Christ. But God has said your ways are not my ways. Yet we continue to think that what we do is right. We should study to find the mind of God and to operate in it. Life is very short. Very short...Very Short! A day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is as a day with the Lord. Sense the fall in the Garden of Eden no man has ever lived a thousand years (1 Day). For it was decreed that the day that he should partake of the Tree in the midst of the garden which is called the Tree of knowledge of good and evil, is the day that he would surely die. Adam lived many years by our timing, but he didn't live one full day entering into another with the Lord. Today man's life span is approximately three score and ten years (70 years).If this is so, and it is, Compared to the Father's clock of a thousand years being a day, our 70 years give or take a few, amounts to about 23 minutes. In short; going by God's clock, a man has less than 1/2 hour from the womb to the tomb, One half hour to set his house in order, then comes the Judgment. When we like Moses, begin to contemplate the number of our days, to know how frail we really are, then will we cease the foolishness and get about our Father's business. There is very little time...very little time...very little time. I too am concerned with the quality of preaching that is going on today. I believe that the preachers are watchers in this world. We are responsible for the nutritional well being of the world. Not that food for the body, but that spiritual Manna which came down from heaven. Even the Word of God. We have known the truth, yet we have held it back for gain, that we might profit monetarily, or socially, or for whatever reason. But we should as keepers of God's sheep, access the needs of the people, and after having learned what the needs are, pray the Father for relief on their behalf peradventure God should hear and send His word and satisfy them with truth...It is written, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
...God is yet looking for men who are looking for God_ Pastor King