More and more we hear of out-of-church Christians who have left the IC (institutional church) because they believe it’s “the end of the Church Age”.

One of the biggest proponents behind this teaching is Harold Camping who claims the Church Age has ended.  Camping teaches that Christians should stop going to church and ”depart from churches.”   The teaching, however, has spread far and wide beyond Harold Camping and is rapidly gaining traction.  Many people have done exactly as Camping and others have told them to do and are now called “out-of-church Christians”.

As I’ve observed the phenomenon over the years I’ve noticed a striking lack of discernment among many who have “left church”.  The assumption is, of course, that GOD lead them out and told them to depart- that He is doing a “new thing” and that they are simply “getting in the flow” of what God is doing.  Maybe it’s time we started asking some hard questions:

1. What if God is NOT the one who told you to leave?
2. What if you’re being lead astray?
3. Could this be a counterfeit from the enemy of your soul to bring you into a place where you are away from God’s people?”

God’s Word tells us to “Test everything.  Hold on to the good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

The failure to follow this simple admonition is why so many have fallen to the seduction of bad teaching.  Over and over again scripture warns us:

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” (2 Timothy 4:3)

I have followed the trend of out-of-church Christians very closely because I believe God is bringing change to the church, but I am also aware that we have an enemy who is cunning and lays the snare of counterfeits.

I have no desire to find myself led astray, deceived, or walking in a counterfeit work of the enemy!  God tells me to “Test everything”, so that’s exactly what I’m going to do!

Something strange is going on here!

I’ve paid especially close attention to the out-of-church movement because I’ve written songs that address apostasy and lukewarmness in the church.  This is something I’ve thought about for a very long time- I wrote “Whatever Happened To Jesus” in 1987 .  I only recently recorded it and made it available to the public.  I couldn’t help but notice that the timing of the release of this song coincides with the ”Out-Of-Church movement”, the “Emergent Church movement” and the “End of the Church Age” trend that we are seeing… but with one vital difference- I have arrived at VERY different conclusions than all of these movements!

It is very obvious change is in the air, and as far as I can see, a fair amount of deception is accompanying whatever legitimate things God may be doing.

I believe God is bringing change to the church, (as He has often done throughout church history through periods of revival).  As history has shown, this change has most often occurred outside of the mainstream church, so it would not surprise me if that is again the case.  I have noticed one startling difference, however, between some of the current “movements” and past legitimate “moves of God” that is alarming to me- past moves of God have always revolved around His Word and restoring to the church the truth and person of Jesus Christ according to the bible.  Many of the present day “moves” that are supposedly from God actually downplay the Word of God, or twist it in imaginative ways to make it say things that it never says!

Is the Church Age over?  Did Jesus put an end to “church”?  Are we to stop gathering with Christians?

An excellent example of distorting and twisting God’s Word is found in the claim that the Church Age is over.  Many Christians have believed the lie, stopped gathering with other Christians, and think they’re actually better off sitting home alone than gathering with God’s people! 

The deception behind the claim that the Church Age is over should be as obvious as the noon day sun:  The church in the Word of God is referred to as the Ekklesia- the “called out ones”- in other words, the church is God’s people.  We are being told that the Church Age is over while the church is still here!  I keep hearing from Christians that the Church Age is over and recently I was online talking about the subject: 

“You keep saying it’s “the end of the church age”.  Please give me scripture to support your claims.  The church- the Ekklesia- is still here!  The church age has not ended.  We are still in a time of grace, people are still getting saved, the Body of Christ is still on planet earth.  Jesus is still standing at the door and knocking, He is still saying, “Be earnest and repent!”  He hasn’t left the scene or walked away from His people- “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Revelation 3:19-20)

You are still here, I am still here, the church is still here- the church age has not ended.

If you’re going to continue to make the claim that the church age has ended, please show us from the Word of God why you believe this to be true.”

You see, there is no reasonable explanation that can be found in God’s Word to give validity to the claim that the Church Age is over.  In fact, the bible tells us that the church will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air (The Rapture)- so consider the evidence that is before us- the church is still here, the rapture has not yet happened, the Church Age cannot be over while the church is still on planet earth!

Did God really tell you to stop gathering with other Christians?

Ekklesia means “called out ones” but it also has the meaning of an assembly or congregation.

1 Corinthians 14:26: “What shall we say, brothers?  WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation…” etc.

Notice what is said… “When you come together…”  The Apostle Paul assumes the church will come together- it’s a given.

1 Corinthians 14:26 makes no sense outside of the context of the church gathering together- We cannot do the things this verse is talking about if we’re sitting at home alone!

We are the “Body of Christ”, we are brothers and sisters in Christ- FAMILY!  What kind of healthy family doesn’t get together if they’re able?

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”  (1 John 1:3)

The early church was one big family, do you mean to tell me that God is now telling us not to gather and fellowship together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, our family in the Lord?

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”  (Acts 2: 42-47)

Again, if you stop to think about it, the truth should be so obvious and the deception so clear, that no one would fall for being told not to gather with other Christians!

Finally, the scripture has warned us in advance to be careful! 

There are many people, saying many things, going about telling us what to believe and do; the scriptures warned us this would happen:

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.” (1 Timothy 4:1)

I hope you will make your source of truth the Word of God, and that you will “test everything” as the scripture tells you to do, so that you will not be taken in by deception.  The Church Age is not over, and you will not be able to find anyone who can prove it is by using the bible- unless they go to great lengths to twist and manipulate scripture in their efforts to try and prove their point- and that should be the first sign that something’s not quite right with what they’re teaching!

I’ve been reluctant to get involved with Facebook, blogs, ect., because the internet is already taking so much of my time. I’d like to connect with the Body of Christ here, and also share the things He’s called me to share through my music… but I can really see how all this can rob me of my time with God. Here’s a post that I wrote recently on another persons blog about that…

“All I know is that being online is sucking huge amounts of time out of my life… time I used to spend with Jesus. Thank God there was no internet when I got saved! I would have been exposed to so many ideas I would probably have ended up a confused, faithless, mess. As it was, I just had my bible and plenty of time to think and read. I also had plenty of time to walk and talk to God. I seriously believe God is telling me to just “come away” from all this mess, as Keith Green sang about… and be with Him. All this connectivity may be robbing us of the greatest connection of all.”

I honestly believe that. We have the most awesome means to fellowship, and tell the world about Jesus through these sites, but I don’t think God’s gonna be too happy if social networking takes the place of time spent with Him.