Saints, my ministry is two-fold. One, I believe the Lord has called me to show believers that we are in the End times and how close we are to the Rapture and Tribulation. This is meant only to wake people up and spur them on to live more holy lives with purpose.
The second mission connects with the first. It is to warn believers against false doctrine, theology, teachers and deceptions that will, at best, make you unfruitful in your walk with the Lord, and at worse, lead you to hell. Yes, a "believer" can end up in hell. Demons are in hell and they believe.
Jesus answered them, Be careful that no one misleads you [deceiving you and leading you into error].For many will come in (on the strength of) My name appropriating the name which belongs to Me], saying, I am the Christ (the Messiah), and they will lead many astray. Matthew 24:4-5
I left the Amplified additions in the above verse to show you that Jesus is not just talking about people claiming to be the Messiah. He's talking about people claiming to come in His Name. These are pastors, bible Teachers, church leaders, prophets.. anyone claiming to be speaking for Him. Think about that.
But the Holy Spirit distinctly and expressly declares that in latter times some will turn away from the faith, giving attention to deluding and seducing spirits and doctrines that demons teach, Through the hypocrisy and pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared cauterized, 1 Timothy 4:1-2
Beware of the following churches! Let me preface it by saying that not everyone who attends these churches or is a part of the ministry is not saved. I believe there are truly born again Christians even in the Catholic church, though not many. This is only meant as a warning and a way for you to examine your own congregation.
Entertainment Driven Church - This is the church with the huge stage up front, the flashing lights, the concerts, the special effects, etc. The building is set up more like a movie theater where the pastor, choir and others are the entertainers and the people are the audience. The leaders of the church focus mostly on drawing in the crowd and keeping them entertained than disciplining believers.
Affirmation only Church - This church's sole purpose is to make its congregants feel good about themselves. There's little talk about sin, punishment, consequences or self-denial. Instead there's much talk about God's love and acceptance.
Progressive Church - This church is hip and modern. They accept everyone, including transgenders, homosexuals, fornicators. They preach that God loves everyone and the Grace He offers doesn't require any repentance. To be holy or try to live a life pleasing to God is legalism and will send you to hell. This is the compromised church. The church that offers a no-cost Gospel
Legalistic Church - this church follows a set of rules. These rules can include church attendance, tithing, ministry, volunteering, etc. If you don't follow the rules, then you aren't saved. There's little grace in this church. Normally, this is a church that requires membership, that keeps track of when you attend and what you give. They emphasize doing things for Jesus rather than getting to know Him
Prosperity - God wants you to be healthy, wealthy and wise. He wants you to live your best life now. It's all about you! Sermons are centered around You and your happiness and not around Jesus.
Silent - This is a church that never preaches anything controversial. There is no mention of hell or sin or even heaven. It's more a social club than a church that focuses on self-improvement, finances, and marriage and family issues.
NAR - political church. New Apostolic Reformation. This church is all about getting involved in politics and taking back the country and world for Jesus. Their sermons are about winning elections, pushing Satan back from various elements of society and charging forward for the Lord to win the world, expand the church, and make converts. At face value, it may seem good and Godly, but their focus is not on Jesus and on getting to know Him. If they did, they would realize that He never commissioned us to conquer the world, but rather to make disciples one by one. Jesus has zero interest in politics or political solutions.
Hyper-charismatic - This church focuses on emotions. It emphasizes miracles and signs and wonders over the mundane and difficult parts of discipleship. The people attending this church seek the next supernatural experience instead of being willing to do the hard work in the trenches with Jesus. Jesus chastised the people in his time of only looking for a sign. Yes, God still preforms miracles, but not for our entertainment... miracles happen for the salvation of the Lost and to increase our own faith so we can evangelize more effectively!
Calvinism - Calvinism is a false doctrine that says that before God created the Earth or mankind, He chose certain people to go to heaven and others to go to hell. There's nothing these people can do about His choice. It's set in stone. They do not believe in the sinner's prayer or even evangelizing because if someone is going to be saved, they will be saved. This is not the Jesus of the Bible. This is a different Jesus and a different Gospel. Unfortunately this teaching has become very popular in these last days.
There are probably more I could list. Leave a comment if another type comes to mind.
So, what makes a good church?
To me, a good church's sole focus is on Jesus. I don't care if there is any band or worship team. I'd much rather sit around with a group of people and just sing praise songs to Jesus from my heart. A good church allows everyone to use their God-given gifts and calling to edify the entire body. There should be no distinction between the pastor/leader and the people attending. As Paul aptly describes in his letters, some are called to teach, others to prophesy, others to tongues, others to interpretations, others to administration, others to mercy...etc.. We ALL have a gift to use in the church. The modern congregational church only allows the pastor and worship team to control the service. Everyone else just watches. This is not how our Lord wants His Body to operate.
A good church calls out sin for what it is. They do not tolerate someone in the church living in willful sin who is not willing to repent. Sin and repentance are part of the sermons, along with God's love, grace, and mercy. A good church focuses on disciplining people to grow in their walk with the Lord. The focus is always on Jesus and getting to know Him more intimately and personally. A good church allows the Holy Spirit to guide and direct the service, not the bulletin or timing of events. A good church warns its people about deception, talks about end times, and preaches about the Lord's soon return.
Can you think of other things that should characterize a good church?
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