In context, the first faith communities that followed Jesus more or less did it His style. Where ever He was in life’s journey, there He shared life with those around Him. Accused of being the “friend of sinners” by the religious elite of the day, the Pharisees, He never stayed out of the “den of thieves” which were the taverns and pubs of the day. He mingled with tax collectors and prostitutes and so his public reputation would suffer, but He touched people’s hearts, for life and created stories that would last through the generations. His life stories would be the glue that helped this grassroots movement impact the Roman Empire for its good, and they never saw it coming.
In those days there were not special buildings, a special class of teachers or gurus, or anything physical that held the faith community together except their hearts. These people would be so touched indirectly with these stories and yet at the same time touched directly in a spiritual way so that their lives would change, and their neighbors would notice. These people would be the first to a neighbors door in their time of griving a death of a loved one, which happened a lot since the average age of life in that empire was under 40 years old. What was the topic of the discussions that were held in people’s homes during the week or in the marketplace? My guess was anything and everything. These people were seeing their hope and faith in God change the way they looked at life, they were not alone as they faced the day-to-day struggles in small cities, rural communities and even in very large pagan-centric metropolitan areas. Those that tended to lead in anyway in these communities led by example and were asked to share their wisdom without a title. Some would call them elders, but the ones with His character would just asked to be called by their own name. Their times together usually centered around a meal if they were not in direct persecution, otherwise they met in the early hours of the morning, or late at night in secret.
This gathering was as informal as any pool party or picnic one might have today. Again the point of these gatherings was sharing, in every aspect of life, what God was impressing on their hearts.
Today, while there are those that meet this way, any time and any place, there are many others who do gather in a special building and listen to mainly one teacher or leader. There is nothing at all inherently wrong with this as long as it all is about helping others to know God and His desire to see with different eyes the circumstances we are in.
The tough part, as many communities of faith have faced over time, is when the state demands compliance and obedience to their agenda. Most communities of faith in the United States have to register and incorporate with the government (501C3) in order to claim the tax free/deductible status that many benefit from. But like anything else with the state, there are unintended consequences of these good intentions.
As someone who had led such churches over the years, Chuck Baldwin has seen over time how the state has muted churches, especially in areas of embarrassment for the United States government that should be obvious for Jesus-followers to spot. His church fellowship chose NOT to file 501C3 status due to the limitations it would have forced on their group.
At what point does a faith community talk openly about these things and as necessary, speak to the state about their immoral decisions and actions. Below you will find excerpts from his latest article about the time for people in the church to talk about the wolves and determine the appropriate non-violent actions to consider:
I have said for years that it’s not what you hear in most churches that is the problem; it is what you don’t hear. The same goes for most conservative politicos. On the issues that are the most parlous to our liberties, the vast majority of Christians and conservatives are silent. I mean totally silent.
Here is about all most Christians and conservatives have to say about things:
*Donald Trump is very good.
*Democrats are very bad.
*Israel is very good.
*Muslims are very bad (except the Muslims in Saudi Arabia are good).
I don’t think I left anything out.
So in the years I have been in and around faith communities, there was this unwritten rules about not talking about “politics”. It was similar to the common saying to steer clear of BOTH politics and religion in marketplace discussions. I think I know why:
In religion and politics people’s beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination, from authorities who have not themselves examined the questions at issue but have taken them at second-hand from other non-examiners, whose opinions about them were not worth a brass farthing.
Mark Twain
This then begs the question. Why could the first century communities talk about these things but we can’t today? I would dare say that the first century communities, like those of the Revolutionary War, were in a time when there was much more at stake. Living in the shadow of an Empire that is evil abroad, is bound to be despotic at home. With the atrocities our government has been responsible for in the Middle East, but also in Central and South America, Southeast Asia, Africa, you name it and add to that the more recent erosion of our liberties, the spying on the people, the squandered tax revenue, well I will just let Chuck share his laundry list of offenses this State, this Empire is guilty of:
.. what about America’s War Empire killing innocent people all over the world? Silence. What about America’s War Empire building military bases on Russia’s borders and pushing China’s territorial waters almost to dry land? Silence. What about America’s War Empire selling billions of dollars of weapons and munitions to the terrorists in Saudi Arabia and Israel who can then slaughter tens of thousands of Yemenis and Palestinians with impunity? Silence. What about America’s War Empire dropping thousands of bombs on innocent men, women and children all over the Middle East and Northern Africa? Silence.
I would say that the US Empire’s support of ISIS and the atrocities accomplished in Syria since 2011 is the icing on the cake, yet CRICKETS!
What about 45 years of electing “pro-life” Republicans to Congress and the White House, and the federal government is still fully funding America’s largest abortion provider: Planned Parenthood? Silence. What about 45 years of appointing Republican “pro-life” justices to a majority on the U.S. Supreme Court, and Roe v Wade is still the law of the land? Silence. What about the fact that “pro-life” Republicans have controlled the U.S. House of Representatives for 20 of the last 24 years, and no Sanctity of Life bill that provides personhood to the unborn baby has ever been brought to the floor for a vote? Silence. What about the fact that even though a “pro-life” Republican Party has controlled both the executive and legislative branches of the federal government (House, Senate, White House) for no less than 6.6 years during the Bush II and Trump administrations, nothing has been done to overturn Roe v Wade via Article. III. Section. 2. of the U.S. Constitution? Silence.
Yes, the Republican party has a horrible track record when it comes to sanctity of life, the War Against Southern Independence and Sherman’s March is their trademark.
What about the militarization of America’s local and State police agencies? Silence. What about the growing number of unarmed American citizens (especially black citizens) being shot and killed by trigger-happy policemen? Silence. What about Donald Trump calling for the confiscation of firearms without due process? Silence. What about the numerous “red flag” laws being passed by both Republicans and Democrats that authorize police agencies to confiscate the firearms of innocent American citizens who have not harmed a single person, have not committed a single crime nor have even been accused of a crime? Silence.
Nothing says “The Redcoats are coming” like the militarization of those who will be charged with protecting the political class in the near-term with ever more paranoia now with the Yellow-Vest movement in France.
Here are more things you won’t hear most Christians and conservatives talk about:
*The Rights of the Colonists, a List of Violations of Rights, and a Letter of Correspondence, by Samuel Adams
*Declaration and Resolves of the First Continental Congress
*Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms
*The American Crisis (No. 1), by Thomas Paine
*George Washington’s Farewell Address
*Ron Paul’s Farewell Address to Congress
*The U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights
It is true that in a majority of faith communities, they have been neutered by our government, and this is by design. However, the time has come when we could address this threat, because there is a lot more at stake.
Personally I see the majority of these entities effectively marginalized in being anything that could help the people of this land once yet again deal with an Empire in their face.
Maybe we will see a continuation of an underground faith movement in the United States that can help the people survive and thrive in the middle of a very broken world in the months and years to come. The first century church did this, as well as the underground church in Communist China! I know that this remains my own prayer.
We need to talk about this at the same time the PC/Marxist movement wants NOTHING talked about. It is time to be radical, in love 🙂
-SF1