A Call For Unity(Forgive me Lord)

It seems The Lord has put it on my heart, to release some things, that are in my heart, before the close of this year.

The following post will not be the theme of this blog. Except for the unity part. Like my post the other day, I believe that this post is just a type of bridge from what once was acceptable for me to put up here, and what I know The Lord is calling us to enter into.......
Sometimes we see others with similar, deep, heart felt passions about the change that we desperately need in the church, and we connect with them in our hearts. However, if their beliefs have thrown the baby away with the bath water, and totally disregard a huge part of doctrine and scripture, just to prove their point, then it is error, no matter how successful they are, or how many people have connected with them.


They are doing the same thing they started off to correct. They are building a following and a gathered group around their theology. I don’t care if you call it The House Church, The Emergent Church, The Universal Body of Christ, ETC. If it cast off the need for a Pastor or if states there is no authority structure in The Church then it is all off.

I will say, that I agree with much of what this type of belief system states. Some of the core passions are good, GREAT actually. Some of the truths they reveal are 100% true and are 100% the change we need in The Church. They hit it where it needs to be hit, but then miss terribly where WE CAN’T AFFORD TO MISS IT.

I WILL ALSO SAY: I don’t necessarily believe that the commonly held authority structure in most churches today is what The Lord intended, but for other reasons, that are more natural than spiritual. I believe the things that I see, as error, are having a terrible detrimental effect on The Church.

However, and this is where the irony comes in, I believe, that the structure of leadership that we have now, is actually keeping truly called and truly anointed Ministers that are called to be The Apostle, The Prophet, The Evangelist, The Pastor and The Teacher from ever realizing or reaching their call. Matter of fact, I believe that many are lost or left to follow extremes, especially that of The Prophet and The Evangelist, because of the narrow and erroneous way most of our churches are structured.

I will not go in details here. Because I cant tell you how I would “fix it”. It is not that easy. With every answer, there arises a new question of whether that change is balanced or not.

I want to state that again:

I cant tell you how I would “fix it”. It is not that easy.

I am not one to debate much or argue. With every point, one could make, there can be a counter point. No side wins in any of this. The ones that are harmed are the sheep.

That goes for every error and fight in The Church world today. The Leaders are not losing. The TV minster that spews all sorts of non-sense about the triple top secret, doubled green prayer cloth, Teflon anointing isn’t losing out. He is rolling to the bank everyday fleecing the sheep with that non-sense.

You think that late night preacher, that seems to always be camping (as close as I will come to naming names) cares if you buy into his theology, or lack there of. Nope, he is getting paid, he could care less, but he is extorting The Kingdom and her precious people. He will answer for it someday.

On The Flip side: Do you think the Pastor in a poor and closed nation that watches his precious ones die from lack of food, medicine or safety, cares a bit about our little theological debates? Think he is real concerned, when he sees another baby die, or another church burned, about whether or not a celebrity preacher gets offended or "persecuted", for being rich? Let that sink in.

If you have maids, a mansion, perks of a multi million dollar businessman, then please don’t ever talk publicly about “sacrifice” and “suffering” for the Gospel. You slap your comrades in the face, which are actually suffering, being persecuted and dying, every time you do that.

We just have to turn some luxury ships into war supply ships with captains that can live down on earth, lead by example, train the troops and live a humble life, like most of their crew.

Counter that thought with this:

Who are we harming when we pull down one of those celebrity ministers or the pastor of a "mega-church"?

Many of them have been the source of great blessing to those who are hurting. Many people are lifted out of deep pits of depression because of the call on these ministers’ lives.

The Lord has used their television ministries to prevent some from committing suicide, to reach into prisons and into the lives of people that are home bound.

New believers are blessed mightily through their ministries. Many have the door opened to accepting Christ. Some of these ministers that we like to target, have a real call and a real anointing to destroy strongholds and roadblocks people have in their souls and minds.

So who do we harm by making them out to be "apostates" or wolves in sheep’s clothing, or any other silly name some extreme "church police" website can call them......

We only harm the sheep, the babes in Christ and ourselves.

I always seem to be placed squarely in the middle of a battle that should not be. Trying, praying and interceding for the Army of The Lord to turn their swords away from each other and toward their common enemy!

I have from time to time been pulled into the battle and have joined forces with one side or the other. However we can’t afford that anymore, especially those of us with a call to prayer.

It is such a shame, that instead of allowing The Lord to bring our passions together, so that we can accomplish His Mission, we have allowed them to separate us.

We have been so bogged down by religious tradition, a warped sense of what authority means and our own personal missions against error, we have become ships anchored, hindered and worn out by weights, we were never meant to be carrying as part of our load.

Mutiny of true leadership structure and Authority is a spiritual crime that only harms the ones we should be protecting.

Forgive me LORD.

Randy S Furco