The Church in Transition

By Wisconsin J. Gore

The church is in transition and serious challenges dawn on the horizon that will rattle the faith of many and conversely strengthen the warriors of the faith. There can be no compromise on fundamental principles if the church is to survive the relentless attack from the forces determined to undermine and taint the long-held reputation of fairness, compassion, and love for all people of the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jun 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663222084

Wisconsin J. Gore

While attending college at the West Indies School of theology, Maracas Valley, Trinidad in 1971, I met my wife Marilyn. We enrolled in the institution the same year and were students of the graduating class of 1974. Wedding bell rang just after graduation and we took up our first pastoral appointment at Pares Village, Antigua from 1974 to1980. With a vision to promote righteousness and godly rule in the lives of all who will listen, it became an arduous task. With encouragement from members and brethren of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the West Indies on the island, we plough ahead and laid a spiritual foundation by tilling the fields with the undiluted word of God. During our tenure, we were able to erect the first church building in the village and won the hearts of members and villagers. We were blessed with three wonderful children Wilton, Marcia, and Alliston, who migrated with us to the United States in 1980. I became a credential minister with the Assemblies of God and served in the Upper Room Assembly in Miami for several years, under the direction of Pastor Bruce Klepp. This was a training ground and a blessed experience to be acclimated to a new dynamic culture. In 1995, I graduated with a BA degree in Human Resources Management, from Trinity International University. In 2000 we established “The Fountain of Life Outreach Ministries” in Miami. The sole purpose was to be a facilitator and accommodate those who lack spiritual guidance and a way to charter their lives. The journey is all uphill with no rest for the weary. Every conceivable scenario has shown up in our quest to point people towards God. It is a continuous fight in the trenches which require firm commitment and dedication to win the battles. Spiritual battle is hard, long, and consuming but not overwhelming.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 Wisconsin J. Gore.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.iuniverse.com

844-349-9409

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6632-2207-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-2209-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-2208-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023911030

iUniverse rev. date:  03/23/2023

CONTENTS

Dedication

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Biblical Authority

Precursor to Change

The Birth of the Church

Fundamentals of the Early Church

Measured Change

The Role of the Church in Society

The Abomination of the Century

What Would Jesus Do?

A Relevant Message

Profile of the Church

Upper Room Experiences

The Church at Work

Serving Tables

The Call to Order

Liberty Is Not a License

Biblical Authority

Some Were Sent, and Others Went

The Disciples’ Preparation

Paul’s Contribution to Christianity

The Church Is a Living Organism

Fulfilling the Commission

God’s Word Is the Final Authority

Relevant Activities

The Believer’s Diet

Preparedness

Resistance to Change

The Ecclesia

The Great Divide

The Persecuted Church

Public Ministry

The Mission of the Church

Spiritual Decline

Church Growth

World Outreach Nations Magazine

A Diluted Message

The Twenty-First-Century Church

Church Leadership

The First Cause

God’s Plan for Humanity

The Moral Dilemma

The Church in Transition

The Apostate Church

The Glorious Church

Self-Sustaining God

Man’s Finality

Random Thoughts

Notes

About the Author

Keywords Marketing Statement

DEDICATION

The Church in Transition is posthumously dedicated to an outstanding woman, Mrs. Olive Benjamin, who lived her life on a spiritual trajectory that had practical and committed goals in view. She was passionate about her purpose, fervent in spirit, firm with conviction, unshakable in faith, and loved and devoted to her family. Nothing could deter her from fulfilling her solemn pledge to God, my parents, and me. She was one of God’s great gifts, which was given to the world to shine as a light and to be an expressed blessing in the heart of others. My godmother, Mrs. Olive Benjamin (Goddie) from the village of Christian Hill in Antigua, was a second mother in my life. At a very tender age, I knew that she was special because of her love, care, and nurturing, which helped to cultivate my life. I was accepted in her family as a biological son and was genuinely treated as such. A bond was forged between all her children and me, and that relationship has survived the test of time, and it still lives on.

Godmothers who understand their solemn pledges before God and assist parents with the upbringing of their children will always complement biological parents. They give input and contributions in areas that are vital to holistic (moral, social, spiritual, and physical) development, discipline, and training. The formative years of a child’s life are of utmost importance for learning core values. Early instruction, precepts, counseling, and immaculate examples predicated her success and influence on me. They brought me into a place of honor and respect among my peers.

Life lessons that Goddie imparted to me still percolate in my life. The all-around enrichment I gained from her deep insight and wisdom on matters pertaining to living a productive life helped me set high standards and pursue them successfully. Her patience and deliberate way of explaining relevant issues served to solidify important core values and principles, which have contributed to my development as a well-rounded person. It is with fond memories that I share my deep appreciation and love for one who has invested so much in me. Being in her presence was punctuated with laughter and sublimity. There were times when it was necessary to scold, direct, and counsel me with love and compassion as she instilled guiding principles for my enrichment.

The qualities that defined her were rooted in her belief in God. She never compromised her conviction, and she was always ready to defend and express her position. She had an unshakable faith in God, from whom she drew her strength.

The principal building blocks and the primary ingredients that have formulated the moral and spiritual foundation in my life must be attributed to the invaluable role that my godmother played in my life. With distinction, she left indelible imprints of godly virtues in my life. No material value can equal the love, gifts, and blessings that she showered upon me. Her impact in my life is reflected in my work as a person, a pastor, an author, and all that I have become. This amazing woman has served as a good soldier, and she is being rewarded with all that God has prepared for her. She will always be remembered. Her legacy will affect many lives in this generation and beyond. Thank you, Goddie. Vicariously, your life is extended to many people, whom you have touched by godly virtues. The true beneficiary of the deposit that you made in my life extends to all those I serve as pastor, friends, and all who will read this book.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The task of writing, The Church in Transition was a challenge. It became larger as I began to gather material and share it with friends. It was a bird’s-eye view of the changing church’s landscape, which I thought was lurching onto an unfamiliar path, with unintended consequences.

My wife, Marilyn Gore, must be mentioned for her priceless contributions, nuggets, ideas, patience, and encouragement, which she gave when I needed a pillar to lean on.

Some people’s quotes did not make it into this book, but their suggestions were incorporated to produce the final document.

I want to say thanks to all of you.

INTRODUCTION

The ideal vision of the church is to see wholeness, peace, and tranquility. The epic message it offers is the essence of truth, faith, hope, and love for all mankind.

With such a dynamic message, the church should turn the world upside down, and people of all races, nationalities, and persuasions should gravitate to the church and discover God’s never-ending grace. However, a compelling argument is that the main thrust of the church has been overshadowed by doctrinal differences, infightings, and operational contradictions by the clergy, the laity, denominations, and religious affiliates. This unfortunate spectacle within the church has created much confusion among adherents and observers. As a result, severe damage has been done, and it has cast shadows on the integrity of its leaders, pastors, workers, and the universal church.

There is a quest for a united church, which functions with all the spiritual characteristics that reflect the image of the church as an organism. The church that Jesus promised to build is strong enough to go up against the gates of hell, and resolute enough to resist the influences of social pressure, and political interference.

There is a consensus that the church is losing ground and influence in the traditional areas of setting high moral standards and social guidelines. The surrounding wall of security that has barricaded the onslaught of every imaginable foe is being breached from within. The fault line is being established by egoistic, individualistic, and noncompliant ministers and laity, who are trending toward a new-age message, compromising standards, and questionable operational practices.

My research has suggested that other church leaders have made similar observations among their peers but have chosen to remain silent. Covering up the wrong that is within is not healthy for the body. Healing, growth, and strength can only begin when affected areas are not allowed to fester and contaminate the entire body. The church must be free from all appearances of evil so that it can maintain its reputation, position of strength, and influence in society.

Bad behavior within the hierarchy of the clergy has caused great harm to the church. The results have led to serious compromise of essential standards, and erosion of guidelines, which are the nuts and bolts of the body. That divide encourages soft presentation and watered-down messages, which attract those who are surface Christians, who do not have firm roots or foundation to withstand the perils of serving Christ. There is no room for weaklings and cowards in a walk with God, and certainly, there is no place for those who only settle for the status quo.

Jesus told Peter to launch out into the deep. Christ was emphatic about the requirements of following him. One must take up the cross and be willing to endure hardship along the way, ruffle feathers if you must, and propel oneself into the flurry so that one can preserve the purity of the message and the piloting principles of the church. When compromise of spiritual standards is obvious, ardent believers must speak out to debunk falsehood and enforce truth to bring about corrective measures.

Spiritual leaders identifying pitfalls is the first step and intervention that is necessary to prevent further injury to the body. I have a passion for the church of Jesus Christ, and I am convinced that the mission and the vision of the church can only remain stable, when believers stand firm for Jesus and incorporate his Word in their practical lives, which will make them able ambassadors for the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Church in Transition focuses on the serious challenges that are on the horizon, which will rattle the faith of many. Conversely, it will strengthen the warriors of the faith. There can be no compromise of fundamental principles if the church is to survive the relentless attack, from forces that are determined to undermine, and taint the long-held reputation of fairness, compassion, and love for all people of the world.

Like the early church, the twenty-first-century church must find its strength in its inseparable relationship with Jesus Christ. The Church in Transition offers a path to all who desire to bond with Christ and find refuge in his love, words, and work.

My undaunted faith in God, love for the church, and belief that good will ultimately prevail over evil, in the lives of all who are willing to defy the scourge of sin, have inspired the prayerful writing of this book, The Church in Transition. The church is the spiritual guardian of society, and it stands as the anchor of the expressed will and destiny of man, as God designed it. We must continue to embrace the long-held spiritual dogmas that have served all generations before us with great success. Social changes, erosions of moral standards, the impact of technology and social media, and ambiguous answers to many probing questions concerning doctrinal and traditional positions all demand transparency, which mirror the will and purpose of Christ.

Jesus challenged the religious establishment with straight talk and rebuke. Here are some pointed words that he employed to effect change among the religious elite:

Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you are like whited sepulchers. (Matthew 23:27)

You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell? (Matthew 23:33)

You are of your father the devil. (John 8:44)

Calling a spear, a spear is what the gospel of change and truth requires. This approach will advance the relevancy and mission of the church in a world that is still searching for truth. Appealing to the deeper spiritual endowment, people are asking for a radical change that will cause the betterment of individuals and impact the world in a positive way. Transition starts with one person, then it becomes contagious as issues of the heart and conscious are corrected in ways that will cause a chain reaction.

From the inception of the church at Pentecost until now, the church has