I have been saying these types of things contained in your post for years and it is very heartening to me to know that I am not alone in this. Thank you for your post and I say a hearty AMEN!
Wyatt

We visited this about two years ago.

[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic_id=1784&forum=34&start=0&viewmode=flat&order=0]The NINE LIES of Today's church by Andrew Strom[/url]

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Aaron Ireland

Hi Paul,

In fairness and clarification I hope to shed a little light on this article with the backdrop of a couple years of ministry with Andrew. I wish to focus primarily on the ministry at Jurassic Park from 9/05 until he recently moved to Wisconsin.

[i]2. Church buildings do not exist in the Bible. They were invented around 200-300 AD, when the church was in serious decline. Only a backslidden church could fall so far away from the simplicity of the early church. Church buildings are anti-New Testament, and bring with them a host of problems and traditions. It was basically when the church fell into the hands of Rome that this concept of the "cathedral" really took over. And we are still spending millions on these monuments today. [/i]

This cannot be understood to mean that Andrew is preaching against [u]all[/u] 'buildings'. Two specific 'doors' closed to Andrew in Kansas City in a most literal way. Both had serious implications. The first was at the old Metro Christian Fellowship Church, where ministry took place on Sunday evenings (as I recall) in the large cafeteria area. Loosing this facility for gatherings was a tremendous blow as the meetings were quite successful.

Second, was the basement cafeteria we used at Set-Free church across from Jurassic park. In this 'building' we would feed the homeless at a sit-down lunch and minister to them with song and preaching. We found that ministry in the open air was much more challenging than indoors. It was another serious 'blow' when that door closed.

It is impossible for me to think of Andrew as 'anti-building'. He is anti- 'excessive buildings'. Functionality is the key. Experience has proven that in order to minister to large groups of people you have to have a facility to do it. Even the disciples ministered in the Temple and that has a building with a roof, etc. I hope Andrew will revisit this topic at some point to bring clarity to his current prespective of the subject.

[i]6. There were no Bible Colleges, Seminaries or degrees in the New Testament. The only people who seemed to have "Bible Schools" were the Scribes and Pharisees! The apostles were simple fishermen and tax collectors. It is likely that a number of them could not even read or write. What was their "qualification" for being in the ministry? Simply that they had SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH JESUS. The fact that people expect a "professional clergy" today with degrees from Bible College has helped to make the church sicker and more unscriptural than ever. Simple humble people with a calling from God often cannot get to minister because they do not have a "piece of paper" to make them 'qualified'. -Yet another disaster for the church. [/i]

This must [u]not[/u] be interpreted as 'anti Christian education.' It must not be interpreted as 'anti-credentials' either. Credentials are required for Andrew to be in the USA on a ministry Visa. You will also note the site, "revivalschool." Andrew is a former school teacher. It is my experience that he is referring to the deadness of bible colleges and their need to rightly teach fundamental Christian doctrines. To rightly train leaders to evangelize, etc. This is more of a bringing balance to the out-of-balance situations we often find in seminary. Some seminaries will actually serve to sift your faith. I believe Andrew would like to have a training facility to teach ministers things like are found on SI as well as an added emphasis on baptism and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, etc.


[i]4. "Tithing" is not a New Testament practice at all. And it is being shamefully abused by today's preachers. In the New Testament we are told to give cheerfully - whatever we purpose in our hearts to give. Telling people that they MUST give 10% to the church or they are "robbing God" is totally sick - and a money-grubbing way of twisting Scripture. There is no evidence that the apostles EVER preached 'tithing' to New Testament believers. It was clearly regarded as an Old Testament practice. [/i]

This must not be interpreted to mean that Andrew is anti-tithe or anti-offering. He would not tell a person NOT to tithe to his ministry IF it is what the person felt the Lord was telling them to do. He is against teaching 'mandatory tithing' as if a person was 'cursed' who did not give 10%. The New Testament saints had hearts to give and they gave as they 'purposed in their heart', etc. Some ministries require tithing of its staff, but the definition is often non-literal (less than10%).


[i]Much of the church is living a lie. Many inside her are told continuously that they are "OK" - that they are saved and headed for heaven. Nothing could be further from the truth. Multitudes of them are headed directly for hell. The systemized LYING that is going on has deceived the leaders and the people alike. It is the blind leading the blind. We need to contend for these people - desperately. Much of the church is "lost". They are mired in deception - an entire system of deception.[/i]

If the person is not a true child of God we have to ask 'WHY?' I think the main issue at hand is a refusal to probe into the cause as to why a person refuses to submit to God. I just met a man at the park last Sunday and he basically said he knew the LORD etc., but could not get free from a life of crime and drugs. I felt to start probing a bit. I told him that many people never were truly born again because they REFUSED to submit to God when they came to Him. He was putting His finger on 'something' and they did not obey. They thought they could just skate over that area where the Holy Spirit was SHOUTING in their heart to deal with. "I have no idea what that thing is", I said. "You know what it is and so does God." I continued. "What is it that every time you go to pray you have this thing POP UP in your heart that you feel God is telling you to deal with?" He answered, "I need to forgive!, but I can't!" I relayed the story of the man who owed hundreds of talents (billions of modern dollars) and yet was forgiven the debt. I then told how he went and took the man who owed him by the THROAT.

To make a long story short, he understood. He simply passed by my left shoulder and behind me and off into the park, "I have to go over here!" Now, we could have prayed the sinners prayer or went through the Roman Road or anything. But this man was unwilling to deal with the [u]controversy[/u] that the Holy Spirit had with him. THIS, in my estimation, is one of the great reasons why sinners and Christians get nowhere with God. They refuse to submit to Him as He is dealing with them. Such a rarely heard topic and it is front and center as a problem today, in my opinion.

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Robert Wurtz II