Many years ago I returned to a Brother's House. The wife of one of the main leaders of the Church group with which the house was associated made a disparaging remark about my coming back. I overheard it in the background while on the telephone with someone else at her house. "Oh no, not that guy again!" It really hurt me. In the night I dreamed that as she huffily slammed a jail's door of bars shut against me, she had inadvertently locked herself in.
If such exclusions is what certain men with titles of honor from other men have stated concerning those outside their sectarian religious government in this world; then, according to their own words, they have eliminated Jesus and the apostles from their group since not only were they being the Church centuries before any possibility of Roman hierarchy's existence, but it's Jesus Himself Who says, "My kingdom is not of this world." Even if they contest this, it matters little since none alive today (unless they be immortals) bear any connection to what was in ancient times except through their imaginations; no substance, just words that can be used to say anything.
Even right now there is no such thing that anyone can anywhere find called "the Baptist Church" or "the Roman Catholic Church," a "Lutheran" Church, or some independent "Fellowship of Believers," "Rock Church," and on and on, whatever labels men use. These exist only in men's minds. Men have intimate relations with these "things" in their minds in ways that they are only to have intimacy with the Spirit of the living God! This is the whoredoms spoken of concerning Mystical Babylon. The Church, which is the body of Christ, as such has only Christ Himself as its Head. He is alive and present for those who gather together unto Him and in His name, not the name of some religious organization. God says His glory He will not share with another. Wherever we are, as living men and women who have the Holy Spirit, we are not another, but "bone of His bone." But, a religious system is another: not living men, nor living God, only a "soulish" construct without physical or spiritual substance.
One of the great deceptions today is that someone is anointed to lead the people of God. Rather, it is the anointing Himself Who is the Leader of God's people. True leadership in The Church is actually servants connecting us to the leading of the Holy Spirit Who is our Head, securing and enlarging that connection. Those who profess to have some Patriarch, Pope, or, as in the group I was raised in, I think they called it a General Superintendent --- these persons and groups proclaim another head so are by their own declaration of another kingdom than the kingdom of God which is so called because God is that kingdom and it's king; that is, God is both the realm and it's ruler. However much in their practical life these persons of other kingdoms relate to the real God they are blessed. However much those in Babylonian captivity lived out their identity as the people of God they were blessed. Remember, Daniel was there, which is why the Jews did not put his book with the prophets. They were nevertheless still in captivity until the afore determined time of the Father made it possible to return and rebuild Zion. Only 1 out of 7 (17%) of the priesthood returned.
It is our hope to live to see the day that when men think of how we do Church they will not only think of Catholic or Protestant, but will until the second coming consider "House," or, "Home Church" as the third option. Not that the home as a place to meet is anything; but, as a shorthand way to express something we hope may be finally happening: the return of the ministry to the people of God in the House Church movement. If 17% of today's Christians would meet (probably in their homes) without human headship as a body for Christ with every member participating to come into all that Jesus is and does, both individually and corporately, the millennium will probably begin to be being ushered in.
---James Rohde
