Current Christianity

(by Bill Stevenson)

Before sharing my concerns about what current Christians are doing, I have some questions for
you to think about and respond in writing to:
1. What kinds of teaching did Jesus Christ do? What was the main purposes or
reasons for them? Same questions in relation to the writings of the Apostle Paul.
2. What did Jesus Christ say His Father’s House was for? What does Ephesians
4:11-16 say local church should be for? And what do Philippians 2:1-5 and Jude 20-23
should be the most important usages of time for each Christian?
3. What do Romans 8 and 12 mean to you? Do you experience a lot Philippians 4:4-
8, Romans 8:28, and Proverbs 3:5-6?
4. How many of God’s promises do you know? How many Bible stories about faith
in God do you know? What exhortations and commandments in the New Testament do
you know?
5. How much personal Bible study do you do per week? How much time per day do
you commune with God for instruction and guidance?
6. Where else do you get spiritual information from?
7. Where do you seek to minister for others?
8. What do you think is pleasing to God?

I hope that you took enough time to respond to the above questions. Did you feel that in some
ways you in your usage of time that are not to the glory of God? We cannot change others, but
we can change ourselves. Good Christian relatives and friends and Bible teaching in our local
churches and Scripture emphasizing books can help us grow spiritually, make proper changes in
our life, and be able to do the Great Commission more. Or are you relying on the following to
satisfy your spiritual appetites?
1. Famous preachers on TV or/and seminars?
2. “Christian” testimonies and self-help books?
3. Weekly church service attendance.
4. Sabbath or Sunday school Bible discussions or lectures.
5. “Christian” seminars whenever you can.
6. “Christian” websites.
7. Worship music.
8. Recordings of sermons from friends or ministries.

How can you discern if what you hear and read is Biblical or not? Did you know that the word
“opinion” is only used 3 times in the KJV Bible (in Job 32)? And that only God’s Word is
guaranteed not to return void and to last forever? Fancy statements do not have such a
guarantee, but most sermons emphasize such instead of carefully teaching God’s Word.

What do you think of the modern day prophets and mega church pastors in the USA? Could they
be sincerely wrong (and even worse than the famous USA politicians) with the promises they are
making?

Why do so many Christian church goers and most Christian churches not focus on Jesus Christ?
Why are most churches and TV ministries emphasizing performing and the Old Testament
stories instead of teaching the New Testament and having discipleship for all of their followers?

1
A friend of mine and I came up with the following:
R -- ritual
E -- earnestness for superficiality
L -- legalistic
I -- ignorant of a lot of what is God-pleasing
G -- going on with un-Biblical tradition
I -- “I” problem especially in pride and selfishness
O -- obnoxious
N -- nasty, hypocritical, and condemnatory like the Pharisees of old

I have not seen any church that is near a Philippians 2:1-5, Ephesians 4:11-16, and Titus 2 one in
the USA or Germany. Or one that has wonderful Bible preaching/teaching, Bible discussion
groups, Holy Spirit led worship and praying, one to one discipling, community service
ministries, and missionary opportunities. I have been in some churches which have two of the
just indicated. I have heard about churches which have had 3 or four of such characteristics.
How can Christians become ready for the glorious Second Coming of Jesus Christ? He is
coming back for a purified bride. Considering the current news, do you think the Age of Grace
could end soon?

I have spent a lot of time doing intercessory prayer about all of the above. I also have done a lot
of appropriate warning and advising true Christians who have communicated with me. We are
“either part of the solution or part of the problem”. We are either living for Jesus Christ or living
for ourselves.

Following are compilations of thought-provoking quotes:

1-- Concerns About Churches
http://www.humyo.de/9538789/Other%20events%20and%20concerns/2010--%203rd
%20Quarter%20downloads/1--%20Concerns%20About%20Churches.doc?a=N_itBNmu3k4
1-- Concerns About Preaching
http://www.humyo.de/9538789/Other%20events%20and%20concerns/2010--%203rd
%20Quarter%20downloads/1--%20Concerns%20About%20Preaching.doc?a=THsp61G1zoc

I have a large collection of good Bible studies and spiritual articles available for free
downloading from my Humyo.com site-- Christian basics and controversies--
http://www.humyo.com/9538789-696203133