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In the documentation of ''Steven Americo'' (aka James, Mark James) personal view entitled ''An Approach to Church Governance'' he admitted when he met with a few of our people that “No one could draw a flowchart for me". | In the documentation of ''Steven Americo'' (aka James, Mark James) personal view entitled ''An Approach to Church Governance'' he admitted when he met with a few of our people that “No one could draw a flowchart for me". | ||
We have generated several images that represents the type of [[network]] that God offers his people but we would not refer to the [[tens]] as a “flowchart”.Other images drawn concerning the tabernacle and tents of the congregations in the ancient Israel camp is also allegorically defining a flow Chart of sorts. | We have generated several images that represents the type of [[network]] that God offers his people but we would not refer to the [[tens]] as a “flowchart”. Other images drawn concerning the tabernacle and tents of the congregations in the ancient Israel camp is also allegorically defining a flow Chart of sorts. | ||
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That flow is also not based on mathematical or geometric flowcharts, but is the result of real relationships. | That flow is also not based on mathematical or geometric flowcharts, but is the result of real relationships. | ||
We also have numerous flowcharts of sorts in “The Structure of the Church” video. | We also have numerous flowcharts of sorts in “The Structure of the Church” video. However in the final analyses we know that the flow within the [[Kingdom of God]] is the flow of [[love]] or [[charity]] through the hearts and minds of the people. | ||
However in the final analyses we know that the flow within the [[Kingdom of God]] is the flow of [[love]] or [[charity]] through the hearts and minds of the people. | |||
The connections within the kingdom may manifest certain patterns but ultimately the body of the [[community]] and the Church is generated by the Holy Spirit and not superimposed by study nor diagrams. | The connections within the kingdom may manifest certain patterns but ultimately the body of the [[community]] and the Church is generated by the Holy Spirit and not superimposed by study nor diagrams. |
Revision as of 09:26, 27 January 2017
Denominate in truth
A Christian denomination is identified by the common denominator of Christ and His Doctrines. Claiming to be Christian or followers of Christ is not enough to make a group Christian. They cannot be doing things that Christ condemned or forbid.[1] And they should be doing what Christ said to do.[2]
Wrong Ways
There can be more than one way to do things right but there are always more wrong ways than right.
- "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
- "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" Matthew 7:13-16
Back in 2015 someone started to present an alternative to the plan of Christ as presented by a network of ministers here at Preparingyou.com.
We examined the work and found the author's approach very short sighted and incorrect in their application of the scripture especially in the context of history.
It is missing some of the most practical aspects of the networking systems of Abraham, Moses and Jesus who was the Christ that made their followers so effective and eventually got the government of Judea and the citizens who did not accept Christ in so much trouble.
We covered just some of the basic problems with this document titled "An Approach to Church Government" in several ways at the time.
We presented notes in a Google doc much of which we repeat below. We also spoke of these points in numerous audio shows.
- http://www.hisholychurch.net/audio/150704Organize01lr.mp3
- http://www.hisholychurch.net/audio/150704Organize02lr.mp3
- http://www.hisholychurch.net/audio/150704Organize03frp4.mp3
- http://keysofthekingdom.info/KOK-150711.mp3
- http://www.hisholychurch.net/audio/150711Organize06frp6-9.mp3
- http://www.hisholychurch.net/audio/150718Organize07FA9-10.mp3
We also updated more detailed information in dozens of webpages concerning some of these very issues, many of which we will link to here, so that people can do their own study.
Mysteries
Through all this we should bear in mind that Jesus did not reveal all the details of how and why the kingdom operates in certain ways. He kept many mysteries secret[3] but only referred to them in parables, allegories and metaphors.
In the documentation of Steven Americo (aka James, Mark James) personal view entitled An Approach to Church Governance he admitted when he met with a few of our people that “No one could draw a flowchart for me".
We have generated several images that represents the type of network that God offers his people but we would not refer to the tens as a “flowchart”. Other images drawn concerning the tabernacle and tents of the congregations in the ancient Israel camp is also allegorically defining a flow Chart of sorts.
The Kingdom of God is from "generation to generation" and not just from congregation to congregation through Levites and ministers. The Feasts made this possible as families united by marriage and friendship and meeting the challenges of a peculiar people who live by faith, hope and charity through a perfect law of liberty. The flow of charity which is the flow of the blood of Christ moves from family to family and not just through the arteries and veins provided by a network of ministers like the Church in the wilderness and the early Church.
That flow is also not based on mathematical or geometric flowcharts, but is the result of real relationships.
We also have numerous flowcharts of sorts in “The Structure of the Church” video. However in the final analyses we know that the flow within the Kingdom of God is the flow of love or charity through the hearts and minds of the people.
The connections within the kingdom may manifest certain patterns but ultimately the body of the community and the Church is generated by the Holy Spirit and not superimposed by study nor diagrams.
Paperwork
He admits that he left without "grasping the validity of our paperwork".
In a later 9 page document he address a Declaration document which helps establish a Sacred Purpose Trust. Poor Steven and others he has conspired with have created explanations o the process which are clearly void of understanding and then argue against that which does not exist nor do they understand. They have not even grasped the basics and fundamentals of what the early Church did and why. In fact he perceives almost everything in reverse and upside down.
We have not come across anyone who has a poorer understanding of the Church or what he calls an "ecclesia" but claims to actually grasp how it works. They certainly have not grasped the basics and so are unable to grasp much less connected the dots.
We have made dozens and dozens of articles and hours and hours of audio recordings available which explain all aspects, purposes and how they relate to the early Church, natural and international law today. Including over 20 hours on the Sacred Purpose Trust alone.
We will again review not only the foolishness and misrepresentations contained in his "Why I have not" document but the total fallacies of its felonious conclusions in relation to the Bible and the early ekklesia of Christ and even the levites.
Our paperwork is not a contract but just a written witness of what takes place in a process. We have many articles and free books that lay all this out. If he really wanted to understand then he should have joined with us and worked with us like the early Church did.
There are many very detailed reasons why we have organized in the way we have that are directly from the result of understanding the trials and tribulations of the early Christian conflict with Rome. While a great deal of information is shared in written material we do not always connect the dots for the same reason Jesus kept some things a mystery.
"And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:" Galatians 2:4
Freeing gold and land
Steven writes about “gold coin in the hand of a thief” and a year of Jubilee and how he thinks land “thru a church’s coverture can become tax free or immune, then you and the property may be freed from the burdens of such tax and the potential loss of the land for failure to pay it".
Of course Jesus talks about people repenting and seeking righteousness, forgiving and giving and generally coming together in love in charity. Steven seems to want to blame others but the Bible makes it clear that we are snared by our covetousness and sloth.
Jesus took the government out of the hands of the Pharisees with their new moons[4], Sabbaths, and Corban which was not bearing fruit and gave it to apostles who had a peculiar view of the ancient scriptures. The early Church was taking care of all the social welfare of the Christians in the world through an international network of charity and hope. What Christian denominations or messianic group seeks to do that by the perfect law of liberty alone?
So until one forgives and gives while diligently seeking righteousness there is no and should be no Jubilee because there is no real repentance.
If people tell me they repented I often look for the fruit of repentance and ask them...
Where is your religion
- Where do you find the Daily ministration of the early Church, the Pure Religion of James and the Corban of Jesus?
- Are you following The Blessed Strategy of Christ like the Early Christians?
- Are you following The Way through Love of one another or the way of the world and the Fathers of the earth?
- Do you seek the benefits of bankrupt nations, or do you forgive and seek the benefits of Christ's appointed Kingdom?
- Do you only gather for the comfort it gives you, or do you gather to benefit others?
- Christ came to serve, not be served. Do you desire to be served, or are you coming in His name and according to His character to serve others?
If we desire His Grace but we only love those who love us, then there is no Grace because it is clear we do not really believe in Him.
If we do not Repent of our Covetous Practices and are not diligently gathering together in Free Assemblies of Love for all to provide for one another in Charity according to the Perfect law of liberty then we have nothing according to Paul. According to Luke 6:32 if we only love those who love us there is no "Grace". Christ also said if you do not Forgive neither will the Father forgive you.[6]
It is not enough to hate the deeds of the workers of iniquity, but we must return to Thy first love and thy first work. To break the yoke, we need to return to the ways of righteousness spoken of in Isaiah 58 which are the ways of Christ and the early Church. And His yoke is light for it is carried by our love of one another.
Abraham, Moses, John the Baptist and Christ all created Networks of charity to care for the true needy of society without force which is how they were able to help set people free. Do you gather with His Church to attend to the Weightier matters as Christ said?
- Are you gathering in a Network of righteousness?
- Do you come to love others or just be loved?
- Are your Congregations' gatherings fruitful enough so that no one has to pray to Benefactors who exercise authority one over the other?
- Does anyone in your Free Assemblies have to apply to the Fathers of the earth, or seek their many benefits?
Early Christians found themselves in conflict with these systems of social welfare because they made the word of God to none effect. Christians had repented of their covetous nature when they received the Baptism of Christ. They heard and became Doers of the word not hearers only.
Remember Proverbs 12:24, "The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the Slothful shall be under Tribute."
We know that liberty under God is not for the covetous who are Biting one another but it is also not for the slothful. If we are not congregating together in free assemblies bound together in a broad network by faith, hope, and charity alone according to the perfect law of liberty then we are not truly seeking the Kingdom of God nor His righteousness..
Lines of authority
He does eventually talk about sacrifice and service as well as "lines of authority”, submission to courts, rules and fines. To what avail?
Jesus talked about not exercising authority one over the other.
The line of authority is simple. Christ appointed apostles who appointed others. The only thing you have authority over is yourself, your choices and what is freely given you.
A free society is a self disciplined society.
What part of Freewill offerings, Free assemblies, and the perfect law of liberty does he not get?
When someone says “fixed succession of office-bearers”... I am puzzled by what they mean.
An order is a voluntary brotherhood with God as the father. It is also an altar of stones just like each congregation is an Altar of earth. Together they are altars of Clay and Stone.
The stones are not hewn but they hold all things in common as joint heirs. They do not exercise authority one over the other which means no hewn stones by regulation. So how does one enforce these principles without exercising authority one over the other?
Is it by mutual recognition, regular flow of charity through a network of tens, where everyone and every level of congregations cause a loving flow of support?
Shem was Melchizedek. He was the righteous king of peace and the high priest of the descendants of Noah. He passed nine generations by to bless Abraham with his office. Abraham became the High priest of the national priesthood of the kingdom.
http://www.preparingyou.com/wiki/Melchizedek.
Aaron knew the arts of the priesthood too. Understanding the role of priests and the difference between those of a free nation and those of the people in bondage. Most priests and ministers today, or at least those who take that title, are just there to make you feel okay about the real priests you are in bondage to.
Was Israel in Egypt free to choose to leave Egypt?
If you are in debt are you free to cancel the debt?
Why did Moses say pay the tale of bricks and Jesus say pay Caesar what is Caesar’s and be friends with the unrighteous mammon?
Have we taken benefits?
Are they a snare?
Are you merchandise?
There is a leap in that because someone says they are children of God that they can nullify debt, oaths, surety etc. Besides, that is not the spirit of Christ.
Matthew 5:41 "And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain."
“Society means a number of people united by mutual consent”.
Mutual consent to what?
Can you undo that consent?
If you consent to be a surety for debt and then change your mind after the government borrowed funds by your consent, can you save yourself by just opting out?
How does one come out without doing what the Early Church did?
There is a remedy.
It is not rituals and forms of self righteous justification, but The Way of Christ.
Repent and seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Start gathering to give and forgive not just get and get out.
Other Issues
A congregation is not an Unincorporated association but a free assembly practicing pure religion and worshiping at separate or sacred altars of charity and love.
The Church is not really a Corporation Sole nor Unincorporated association.
The Church has been legally defined by men and Christ.
The Church in a specific sense were those appointed by Christ to be a government of servants rather than rulers. While the congregations of the people supported that government charity as they saw the ministers doing what Christ said to do which we see in the early Church with an international system of charity.
When I read Steven's documents on Church organization I must ask, what “ecclesiastical government and its courts”?
The Elders of each family comes together in voluntary courts. The ministers in a network only have the power of acquittal. They do not have he power of ruling judges or lawmakers, but are titular.
The word disciple means student. After a student learns he may be appointed not by the people but by Christ, it is up to the people to determine if that appointment is true through their recognition and support. At that point of recognition and support they may individually bear witness as to their belief that the individual is appointed or anointed of God. This recognition gives a covering of authority over that which is given.
The ordained ministers are separate from the people and are not a creation or the result of an appointment of or by the people, but are established by two or more witnesses which is as scriptural as it gets.
Again, there is no stolen coin. There is covetous and slothful practices by ourselves and our parents which has made a us merchandise . This author deflects from the truth and draws people away from what they really must do.
If “we deliberate, determine and act to create a local body” then the Church is a creation of the people and if the people are entangled in the “world” then the church in the “world” is entangled by the nature of the people and their limited capacity.
This is why the Church is created by Christ and the people with two or more witness merely testify to their belief that it is so. There is no appointment by the people or the church is not separate.
They can elect but not appoint.
There seems to be a dangling seductive thread that the people can become free by association with this imagined free "ecclesia". They become free by repentance, diligent pursuit, application of righteousness and the subsequent grace - not by joining the Church. The members of the Church body become free by becoming bond servants of Christ.
So how is this “local body” incorporated into His “pre-existing body”?
These last two paragraphs are not only unclear but fundamentally reversed and was one of the places that seem convoluted. The apostles were an order so the order is the ecclesia when it meets the criteria and qualifications of Christ. The body of Christ is the order which is a foreign corporation to the “world”, "other governments” under the directive of Christ.
A “legal existence” is a bound existence and the legal existence of an order is bound to Christ. It belongs to Christ who is its master and it cannot serve another master. Therefore its members, bond servants, must waive their rights to any benefits of any other master, hence the need for a vow of poverty to break the bands which have connected them to another.
Steven's “Statements of Jurisdiction” sure sound like something more than yes for yes and no for no and must certainly, come of evil.
Is someone attempting to elect the Church as king and ruling judge?
This jurisdictional power and authority of the Church and its courts are supposedly nullifying all the links to the jurisdiction of the world, trumping all those jurisdictions by its own exercising authority. This is all done by a church body created by the people even though Jesus clearly states when he created His Church that we, his ministers, are not to be like the governments of the other nations that exercises authority one over the other.
Do I need to go on...
We already have the Free Church Report.
The Free Church Report gives a detailed formula based on what Christ said and reviewed in light of modern law.
What is this “Approach to Church Government” offering that is an improvement?
What does “Approach to Church Government” offer that is different or seemingly more correct or accurate?
Does it offer any explanation of what or why it is bringing value to the Church format?
Rather than giving me long documents to go through which are often vague in critical areas or convoluted in others, why not show where this other work makes an actual valid critique or improvement?
The only suggestion is a critique of the tens, hundred and thousands as related to a Levitical Priesthood.
- ↑ Luke 9:50 And Jesus said unto him, Forbid [him] not: for he that is not against us is for us.
- ↑ Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
- Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
- Luke 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
- John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
- Mark 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
- John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
- John 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil(prone to slander, slanderous, accusing falsely), and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
- ↑ Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
- ↑ Amos 8:5 "Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel <08255> great, and falsifying the balances by deceit?"
- ↑ 5622 ὠφέλεια opheleia [o-fel’-i-ah] from a derivative of the base of 5624 profitable; n f; AV-profit 1, advantage 1; 2
- 1) usefulness, advantage, profit
- ↑ Matthew 6:15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.