The Body of Christ is Not a Church With Walls

God keeps answering my prayers.

I keep asking God to give me correction and to help me to love it and crave it, and he really comes through. This is a lot better than praying for money and big cars, because God actually wants to give me correction. Obviously, he is more likely to answer a prayer that in some way comports with his goals.

I have given up on trying to build organizations such as churches. I just don’t care. I’m not saying no one should do it. I’m just saying it’s not for me. I have a much nicer job, and I will be more successful than the organization-builders and community-builders.

The other day after prayer, I thought, “I can’t get anywhere with organizations, but I’ve had good luck with individuals.” Then it struck me that this is exactly what Jesus would say.

The church is a failure. For centuries, it was the biggest terrorist organization on earth; that ought to tell us something. People lived in fear because they knew that if they said the wrong thing, they could be tortured or burned alive.

We have cut back on the torture and murder, but things are still going badly. Many churches worship Mammon. Some of the old churches reject the Bible and slavishly follow traditions of men. Other churches promote homosexuality and even let homosexuals preach.

Generally, we are not guided by the Holy Spirit, and we are God’s enemies. It happened to the Jews before us, and it has happened to us. And like the Jews, we are convinced we’re right and our critics are wrong.

Satan loves organizations, because he almost always ends up controlling them. Rush Limbaugh has noted that organizations tend to become more leftist over time, and that’s a manifestation of the principle I’m writing about. Satan works through voting, committees, peer pressure, and groupthink, and through these tools, he generally ends up in charge.

That’s good for Satan, because he is small and weak. He does not have the personnel to enable him to work inside every human being effectively. He is not omnipresent. He has to allocate resources. He picks leaders who can influence others, and he gives them help. He gave us people like Hitler, Obama, Oprah, and many Popes. He gave us Castro. He gave us a good number of televangelists.

God does not need an organization. The Holy Spirit can inhabit and guide an infinite number of people in separate locations, even if they never communicate directly. God works through individuals.

We think we’re supposed to save our church, our communities, and our country. Idiocy! Jesus failed at those tasks. Are we smarter than he was? Most Jews rejected him. Most Gentiles have rejected him. The Temple was destroyed, with his consent. Israel was scattered for 1900 years. We’re not going to save large churches, cities, or nations.

At the churches where I have served, I was hindered, not helped. I was treated with remarkable disrespect. My time was wasted, and so was my money. I thought about things like bigger church buildings. Temples built with hands! What was I thinking?

Now that I have no title and no obligations, I don’t have to fool with any of that. Leave that mess to the carnal. That’s their purpose, I am sorry to say. I know that sounds mean and proud, but it’s true. If you can do spiritual things for God, he won’t want to waste you in a ministry where all you do is park cars or clean toilets. He will put you in touch with people who will listen, and you will connect with them on an intimate level and help them change.

Every church has a lot of people who are never going to get close to God. That’s the choice they make. They think carnal tools are the answer. So God lets them do the grunt work. Psalm 4 says God sets the godly apart for himself. If your interests are heavenly, you will not always be required to slave away at earthly jobs. Your time will be too precious for that.

I do not care if my church gets a new building. Let them worry about that. I will not cook for their functions. I will not try to manipulate people into supporting them financially. Not my job. From now on, I will have liberty to do things that are more useful.

This morning I was close to tears because I realized what a great gift this was.

Think about this. There are no churches in heaven. People work and suffer to build gaudy monuments to preachers’ egos. Then we die and, it is to be hoped, go to heaven. The churches stay here. The money stays here. The denominations perish forever.

No one in heaven will have to carry a pastor’s briefcase or do his laundry! No one will stand up and clap when Benny Hinn walks into a room. That nonsense will be behind us. God will honor us according to what we did for him, not our own pride or greed, and that will be that.

None of this garbage will survive the trip, thank God. But think about this: every person you reached for God will be there with you, forever, in an atmosphere of pure love.

That is what Jesus meant when he referred to “treasure in heaven.”

Many of us seem to think he was referring to big houses and other forms of wealth just like the trinkets we chase here on earth. Why would he give us those things? Why would we need them in heaven, where there is no economy and no lack? Duh.

The story of the Good Samaritan teaches this idea. The two men who passed by on their other side were on their way to Jerusalem, where the temple was located. They wanted to serve the organization, so they ignored a human being in need. This should be obvious to us.

When I think of the tasks I’ve done as a deacon and armorbearer, I feel like I have nothing at all to show for my effort. People were promoted past me. Other people got to do things I wanted to do. They taught and prayed for people. I guarded the offering and helped keep the parking lot orderly. A hired hand could have done those things.

On the other hand, what about the individuals I’ve been able to help?

I counted the people who came to the church through me or through people I had brought. The church is very small, but I can think of over 30 people right now! I can’t remember all of them. And among them, a number have actually made spiritual progress. I have been able to help them, and I have gotten close to them as individuals. Their children and grandchildren will be better off because of what God used me to do.

I’ll take that!

As part of the organization, I am a complete failure, but as a person who deals with individuals, I bore considerable fruit, and my fruit will bear fruit. And I did not do the work. I pointed things out. I steered people onto the track. That’s about it.

The building will disintegrate. The name of the church will be lost forever. The people are eternal!

This is what it’s all about. This is what God has been trying to teach me. Stop thinking about the business. Think about the person in front of you. And know whom to invest in. Don’t be swayed by guilt trips or mirages. Stay away from the tar babies and traps.

I’m going to know these people forever. A thousand years from now, I’ll be able to look at them and realize I am one of the reasons they’re with me in paradise. That’s fantastic.

If you really serve God, you will be unpopular at just about any church. My advice is to avoid serving in the ministries unless you are positive God commands you to join. Stay loose so you will be available to serve God.

If you understand how wonderful this revelation is, you will be blessed powerfully. And you don’t have to send me a “SEED GIFT.” I will not mail you an “ANOINTED HOLY LAND PRAYER CLOTH.” You will not get a “HUNDREDFOLD RETURN” on your money; in fact, I guarantee it.

Think about this when you serve God. Remember that it’s about people, and that does not mean GROUPS of people. It’s about this one and that one, as they are put in your path. Stop trying to load people into a corral like steers. Forget the ones you’re not supposed to mess with. You’re going to lose most people. That’s bad. But God is in the same boat. You’re not going to do better than he does.

I know this will change your life if you can make it part of your heart. Think about it and digest it. I hope it works out for you.