It was Christians who made America! Opinion, by Chuck Baldwin.

Has The Church Become Irrelevant?
By Chuck Baldwin

America's Christian heritage is both rich and deep. What most historians and
educators refuse to acknowledge, our forebears understood clearly: it was
mostly Christians and churches that formed and shaped the new land that
became known as the United States of America.

For example, when discussing the brave exploits of the passengers on board
the Mayflower, people seem to have forgotten that the voyage was mostly the
endeavor of a single church congregation. And don't forget that it was
Pastor Jonas Clark's male congregants who withstood British troops at
Lexington and fired the very first of the shots heard 'round the world. The
famous French historian, Alexis De Tocqueville, credited the pulpits and
churches of Colonial America with inspiring America's successful War for
Independence and subsequent prosperity much more than its institutions of
learning, halls of Congress, or industries of invention. From the very
beginning, America's Christians and pastors were intricately involved in the
establishment and building of this republic.

It is no hyperbole to say that without the influence, sacrifice, dedication,
blood, sweat, and tears of America's early Christians, this country would
not exist.

But what do we see today? We see pastors and church congregations who are,
for the most part, totally ignorant of their own heritage and history. They
have little or no understanding of the principles of Natural Law--something
America's founders knew almost by second nature (no pun intended). They seem
to know next to nothing of the Biblical principles of liberty and
government. All they seem to be able to do is regurgitate some mindless
interpretation of Romans 13--an interpretation that could have been written
by King George III or even Adolf Hitler.

(Read my column regarding Romans 13 at
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2009/cbarchive_20090715.html )

Ignoring the great examples and exhortations of both Testaments, today's
Christians seem to have lazily latched onto a modern-day "divine right of
kings" philosophy, through which they have become the pathetic slaves of
arrogant and pompous political wolves dressed (barely) in the sheepskins of
legitimacy.

Where are America's watchmen on the wall? Where are the great stories of
courage and commitment demonstrated by America's founders that once emanated
from church pulpits? How is it that today's Christians know more about
sports celebrities than they do America's heroes? How is it that these
lying, conniving, con artists called politicians can sucker church members
as easily as they do the un-churched? How is it that Christians do not seem
to recognize the devilish doctrines of socialism, fascism, elitism, or
globalism for what they are? How can they be so easily manipulated? How is
it that these corrupt politicians--who vote to kill unborn babies, merge
America into internationalist and global entities, strip Americans of their
God-given natural right of self defense, promote homosexual marriage, or
allow America to lose its identity, culture, and heritage through unbridled
illegal immigration--remain in "good standing" with any number of supposed
"Christian" churches?

Even though there are more churches in America than anywhere else in the
world, the pastors and Christians of this country have, for the most part,
become completely irrelevant to preserving "the blessings of liberty"--or
even fundamental Biblical principles, for that matter.

Churches used to be respected as lighthouses in communities: places free
from the jaundiced juxtaposition of political correctness and avarice.
Today's churches are filled with both. Where once churches stood as
guardians of truth, they have now become progenitors of error. Where once
preachers stood in the similitude of Elijah and John the Baptist, they now
grovel in the image of Joel Osteen and Rick Warren. Sunday Schools were once
bastions of Bible teaching; today they are glorified coffee shops and
playgrounds. The modern Christian home cannot even disciple its own
children: how can it then be expected to "make disciples of all nations"?

I repeat: the modern American church has, for the most part, become
irrelevant.

It is little wonder that more and more people are losing interest in the
organized church. Instead of finding Christian love and kindness, they find
the same kind of gossip, slander, petty bickering, favoritism, and
selfishness that they might find at any office water cooler. Instead of
hearing a prophet of God declare the Word of God, they hear a milquetoast
minister meekly musing the latest self-help book.

The complete irrelevance of today's organized church in America to the
preservation of Christian liberty and constitutional government is
especially disconcerting to those of us who still have freedom's fire
burning in our souls. Where do we go for respite and instruction?

I tell you the truth: there are hundreds of thousands of patriotic,
freedom-minded Christians all over America who have had it "up to here" with
these spineless social clubs called churches! They are tired of petrified
pastors groveling before corrupt politicians and businessmen. They hunger
for truth, and they are not finding it in most organized churches.

As an example, go to my list of people who have written me to let me know
that they are desperately seeking a Black Regiment-type church that they can
attend. The list grows by the day. See the list at

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/blackregiment.php#Looking

These people are not looking to be entertained or pampered. They do not care
about social standing or making "business contacts." They don't care which
church has the "most exciting" youth program, or how many softball teams it
has. They want a church where the pastor isn't afraid to speak truth to
power and take a stand for liberty. And, unfortunately, such churches are
getting harder and harder to find.

In fact, I submit that the true church is not "emerging"; it is
"submerging." As in totalitarian regimes all over the world, where there are
basically two types of churches: the organized State-approved church, where
people who worship the State go to put on a religious show; and the
underground church, where real Christians go to worship God with honest,
likeminded believers.

The "underground" church in America is not totally underground--yet. But the
schism is taking place rapidly. Unlike the houses of State Worship, which
enjoy large congregations and ornate buildings, underground churches are,
for the most part, small and unassuming. Home churches are also mushrooming
and must be considered part of the underground church movement. And, of
course, Black Regiment churches are springing up all across the country. See
the list of Black Regiment churches at

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/blackregiment.php

I am convinced that it is through these independent, unaffiliated,
unorganized, or underground churches that relevancy will return. It is in
these churches where Christians can be taught the Biblical principles of
Natural Law, where children who are disciplined and know how to behave are
not considered oddities, where pastors aren't afraid to proclaim truth,
where people are still committed to constitutional government--and
understand the difference between a democracy and a republic--and where
self-serving neocons are not regarded as heroes.

So, if you are a Christian and you want to be relevant to the preservation
of liberty in this country, you need to get out of these establishment,
State-worshipping churches and find yourself an "underground," unaffiliated,
or Black Regiment church. And you need to do it quickly!

*If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these
editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by
credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

(c) Chuck Baldwin

26/08/2009

 
 
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