The Secularization Of The Church

By Bishop Eric K Clark

The gates of hell are not the only thing opposing the church and its effectiveness. There are believers, programs, and forums that are becoming more secular and less spiritual that is opposition and adversary to the church’s purpose and mission. Unless we as the church get back to our original purpose, we will be obsolete in a world that desperately needs God. This world doesn’t need a god that only wants to give you material gain. People need to know the true and living God that’s holy, righteous, powerful, and gracious to all.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 17, 2021
• ISBN: 9781304602831

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cover-image, The Secularization Of The Church

Copyright © 2016 by Eric K. Clark. All rights reserved

Unless otherwise indicated all scripture quotations are taken from King James Version of the Bible.

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ISBN 978-1-304-60283-1

Dedication

I want to dedicate this book to all the essential workers, entrepreneurs, community leaders and all who did their part in slowing the virus in the 2019 and 2020 global pandemic. I want to give a very special thanks to those who served in the medical field during those unprecedented times.

Special Thanks

A special thanks goes out to the people who listen as I express my deepest thoughts and feelings about life, family, ministry, business, and the world at large. I would even go as far as saying this group helps me craft my thinking: my wife, Pastor Lynora Marie, Minister Erica Nicole Williams, Pastor Jevah Richardson, Bishop Luther James Blackwell, Pastor Cedric Miller, and Pastor David E. Phillips. Thank you for your critique, encouragement but most of all, your listening ear.

Introduction

The Christian church in America is viewed in many different ways depending on who you're talking to. Some see it as a religious institution representing a biblical-based faith, while others see it as a meeting place for the believers. Those outside of the church will undoubtedly have a different view from those inside and who have been affected by its services. I'm writing this book to give a view as a Christian Leader. I want to offer a critique of the church's more recent evolution. I want to compare the church's present identity, function, and purpose to what we see in the scriptures as the Lord's original intent. After the comparison, I want to offer instructions for course correction and restoration.

Certainly, no one has perfect insight or perspective of the Lord's complete purpose for the church. Still, when the Lord creates something for a specific purpose, and what he's created seems to be doing the opposite, to quote a famous line from a movie, Houston, we have a problem. If the church was designed to draw people to God, but the thought of the church turns many away, we must step back and examine ourselves. If the church was intended to continue the work of Christ to humanity, but we see less service to people and more service to the institution or programs whose agenda is self-serving, we must revisit the message of the Gospel of Christ and the mission of His Kingdom.

In this book, I will attempt to show the three aspects of the church: the building, the service, and the people. First, look into the scriptures to find out what was the Lord's original intent for them. Then see how we may have strayed away from that intent, and of course, we want to consider what it will take to return to that purpose. Finally, address what steps can be taken to have checks and balances to stay on course and fulfill our original purpose and mission.

Chapter 1

The Origin And Similarities Of The Church

Matthew 16 records a time when Jesus Christ was with His disciples in a dialogue about His reputation and identity. Verses 13-19 tell of the disciples sharing with Jesus what people were saying about Him. These verses also tell of Peter's revelation from God of who Jesus was. To this revelation, Christ responded to Peter by saying, upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Some would think that this was the beginning of the church. However, that would not be completely accurate. The word church in this text means called out ones. When you study the scriptures, it is very clear that since the fall of man in the garden, the Lord has always desired to have a people who were different from others. God wanted a people who would serve Him and be His image in the earth. This is why God created all of humanity; to be His image in the earth, but man failed in his purpose as we are all aware.

Well, a few generations later, there is a man named Noah who seemed to be different from the rest of his contemporaries. The scriptures tell us in Genesis 6:5 that man had grown exceedingly wicked, and their thoughts were continually evil. Noah was just, perfect in his generation, and he walked with God. Noah was just, which implies that he was morally pure, fair in judgment, and he was clear in his perception. The term perfect in his generation might not suggest that Noah had no flaws, but he proved to find favor with God compared to those around him. Finally, he walked with God, which implies a closeness and fellowship. While others were moving away from the Lord, Noah was delighted to be in His presence. As a result, God saved Noah and his family from the flood by instructing him to build an ark and get his family inside. If Adam and Eve were the Lord's original intent for man, to be His likeness in the earth and to have dominion over all the created things on the planet; Noah was the first picture of the church or God's plan to have a people called out of a society and culture that had fallen into an immoral state that was against the nature of God. We must take note that what made Noah different was his behavior and posture towards God. It seems that Noah wanted to please the Lord by eschewing evil and cleaving to good. Amid an entire generation who had forsaken God to the point that their minds were filled with wicked and evil thoughts, Noah was preserved and uncontaminated by his environment or the disposition of his peers. 

Here is my first definition of what the church is called to be. The church is made up of people who are uncontaminated by their environment or the evil and wickedness that dominates the lives of others. As a result, they find favor with God, and He saves them from the coming judgment of those who are corrupt and defiled. They are saved by obeying the instructions they are given, and like the flood that came in Noah's day, the very thing that brought death also brings salvation and deliverance. Using Noah as a model, the church or the people who are called out are those who live a life that's the opposite of those who are wicked and ungodly. To be a part of the church means that you are different. You find grace with God because of your separation from the deadly effects of a reckless and sinful life.

Today there are a lot of preachers preaching about the grace of God. What a wonderful study and concept presented in the scriptures of God's love for all people. But, I'm hearing the message of grace preached in error. Many ministers are teaching that the grace of God allows for a sinful lifestyle. They teach that because of the death of Christ, all sin has been forgiven. The grace of God presented in this manner is false and deceiving. Sin was dealt with by the crucifixion and death of Christ, but an individual must repent of their sin to receive salvation. There must be a behavior change, a forsaking of wickedness, and a change of heart that manifests in lifestyle changes. The message of grace is distorted when it's presented to people that Christ did it all and there is nothing that you have to do to receive the work of salvation. 

When the question is asked in Acts 16:30, what must I do to be saved? The answer was, believe. James 2:20 tells us that having faith without works is dead, or faith without corresponding actions is vain. 

In Acts 2:38 and Acts 3:19, Peter's response to the same question was: repent and be baptized. Repent and be converted so your sins can be blotted out. The point being, Noah found grace because he was just and perfect in his generation. He was saved because he was different. If the church preaches a message that doesn't call for repentance or a behavior change but extends the grace of God to everyone without a call to be different, how then is the church, the called-out ones? 

What are we called out of? According to I Peter 2:9, we are called out of darkness into the marvelous light. This passage says that believers are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation. It says that we should show forth the Lord's praises. II Corinthians 6:17 says that we are called to be separated from sinful and unclean things. Ephesians 5:11 instructs us to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. As the scriptures tell us in Leviticus 10:10, we are to make a difference between the holy and the unholy, the clean and the unclean. 

Remember, Noah found grace in the sight of God. My experience has taught me that you don't usually find what you're not looking for. Noah finding the grace of God was not done accidentally. He purposely secures the Lord's favor by his behavior and obedience. This is how he became the church or the one called out. The church today must be identified as Noah was in his generation. Noah was righteous and morally different from the corruption of his day. He stood out as a light in darkness and was separated to God. 

If you were to see a picture of me from my high school years, it would not look exactly how I look today, but I'm sure that there would be some similarities because it's me. Likewise, the picture of the church or called out ones from the days of Noah would not look identical to a picture of the church today. Still, there should be some similarities. In the case of Noah, you may not see an ark or animals, but you should see individuals who are not contaminated by the wickedness and evil of the present day. Hopefully, like Noah, the church of today will be a people who found grace in the sight of God because they are just, perfect in their generation, and they walk with God.

Abraham will be our next example of the church. His story begins in Genesis 12, where the Lord instructs him to separate himself from his family and country. The Lord sends Abraham on a faith journey to find a spiritual place where he would become a great nation even though his wife Sarah was barren. Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6 tell us that Abraham believed God and his faith was counted as righteousness. Look at Abraham, who leaves his family and country to obey God. This act of blind obedience or faith was what brought him into relationship with God. The same is true for the church today. It's our faith that brings salvation. According to Ephesians 2:8, we are saved by grace through faith. Not by works of the law but by our belief in the work of the cross. According to Hebrews 11:6, to come into relationship with God, one must first believe because it's impossible to please the Lord without faith. Romans 10:10 tells us that man believes unto righteousness with the heart, and then the confession of his mouth brings salvation. The passage goes on to teach, in verses 14 and 15, that faith is created by hearing the word from preachers who God sends; and as we have previously stated: faith without works is dead, or faith that doesn't have corresponding actions is not faith at all.

So there you have it. In this second picture of the church, we see Abraham's faith expressed by his obedience in leaving his family and country to follow the Lord's instructions. Now, if you read Abraham's complete story from Genesis 12-25, you will find that he had many faults and difficulties in his life, but he was a man who was separated to the Lord. He had real fellowship with God, and we see the common trait of the church in his life. He was separated from a polytheistic people and walked in obedience to God. He was called out of a secular world into a personal and spiritual relationship with God. 

In Genesis 18, Abraham interacts with the Lord. He intercedes for his nephew Lot, who is living in the wicked city of Sodom. Abraham is questioning God about destroying the righteous with the wicked and eventually pleads with the Lord to spare Lot and his family before the city is destroyed. There is much to unpack here, but I'll focus on the fact that Abraham was very clear that there was a difference between the righteous and the wicked. Even though his righteousness came