by Brett Jacobsen

This brief article is an excerpt from the author's book Heaven's Underground Blueprint which is available here - http://www.christisall.org/hub-book.

 
It was a shady church that nose-dived headlong into the Dark Ages and it is a shady church that has existed ever since. We would be kidding ourselves to say or think that it has been anything more than a shadow of the complete “fullness of Christ” church that God is searching out and preparing.

by T. Austin-Sparks

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14).

It is interesting to notice the particular way in which the Apostle speaks of the world here. That term is a very comprehensive term and includes a very great deal. Here Paul gets right down to the spirit of the thing. You notice the context; it is well for us to take account of it:

"For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh" (Galatians 6:13).

An excerpt from Chapter 9 in David Orton's book,
"Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church" 

Part 6 of 6

by David Orton

God views a human king as idolatry

Third, Samuel was shown that in rejecting him, as prophet, Israel was not only rejecting God but, in fact, pursuing other gods: “…but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods” (1 Sam 8:8 NIV). The kingship was the product of the nation’s idolatry and proven to be so by its unfolding history as the kings by-and-large led the people further in their pursuit of false gods.osea, as a prophet recognised the connection between idolatry and human government: “They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction” (Hos 8:4 NIV).

An excerpt from Chapter 9 in David Orton's book,
"Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church" 

Part 5 of 6

by David Orton

WHAT IS GOD’S RESPONSE

TO HUMAN GOVERNMENT IN THE CHURCH?

As we have seen, just as Israel rejected God as king in their rejection of the prophet Samuel, the church rejected Christ as king when the office of bishop (the senior pastor) superseded the apostles and elders.

A few of us are going to Myanmar (Burma) in February/March to speak with church leaders in various parts of the country about the Kingdom of Christ and the current, ongoing reformation of His church. Myanmar is a very spiritual place, being about 89% Buddhist, and they are in desperate need of our King of kings’ saving grace. There is much oppression, poverty and political unrest in the country, and the churches are fairly stagnant, despite the fact that there are many wonderful Christians there. Traditional church and systemic sanctuaries make even less sense there than they do in the West. Real New Testament underground community would flourish throughout the country… if given the chance.

by Brett Jacobsen

This brief article is an excerpt from the author's book Heaven's Underground Blueprint which is available here - http://www.christisall.org/hub-book.

by Tom Sparks

For as far back as I can remember the Lord has been unveiling the competition He experiences with those things that oppose Him, and the story of my life is a journey from one exposure to another exposure of the religious systems that compete for centrality of life focus.

Let me make this as simple as I know how to.  Either Jesus is going to be the focus of our lives or religious systems are, but you are never going to find a religious system that maintains the focus on Jesus He is due.

We have now reduced the price of Heaven's Underground Blueprint to what it costs to print (plus freight and tax) because we feel the Lord would have us do so. Although I wouldn’t condemn people who do make a profit from their book sales, I am not comfortable with doing it myself. So, you can now purchase the book for cost price no mater which country you’re from, but the freight is on you. You can also get the e-book version for free if you like. Of course we are open to donations towards the ministry from people who purchase the book (or get it free), but there is no compulsion. If you would like to read the introduction and back cover of Heaven's Underground Blueprint, and/or obtain a copy, click here- http://www.christisall.org/hub-book

Part 4 of 6

by David Orton

Confusion of terms - Elders, Bishops, and Pastors

Consequently, the Western church’s traditionally inherited structures have confused three important terms: elders, bishops, and pastors. Traditionally, they have been seen as three distinct layers of church office: the bishop originally presiding over one congregation but in time over many, and, therefore the pastor of each congregation, who in turn presided over the elders. It is important to note that Paul in his address to the Ephesian elders used all three terms inter-changeably, for one category of person. In verse 17 of Acts chapter 20 he called the presbuterous or ‘elders’ of the church to meet with him. In verse 28 he also referred to them as episkopos - as ‘overseers’ (NIV, NASV) or ‘bishops’ (NKJV, NRSV), reminding them that it was the Holy Spirit who placed them in this role. And in the same verse he exhorts them to poimainein (to feed and rule) or ‘shepherd’ (NASV, NRSV) the flock, which is the verb form of poimen, translated ‘pastor’ in Ephesians 4:11.

This post, called Talking Tithes and Other Money Issues, is in three parts. The first is a small article form Heaven’s Underground Blueprint concerning money amongst true New Testament communities. The next part is a lengthy dialogue/disputation between myself and my now friend Tom Sparks which was in response to my article some time ago. The third part is a link to an article of Tom’s called Provisioning the Minister of God which he has recently posted on his sight. (In my opinion, his article is insightful, balanced, clear, and biblically anchored).

Which Kingdom Do You Inhabit?

by Brett Jacobsen

There are many prophetic shadows in the Bible which display what God has done and will do in the New Covenant season of His Kingdom. One such biblical illustration of the current transition from old wineskins to new, from flesh to faith, from Christendom to Christ, is the relocation from Sinai to Sion. This shift from mountain to mountain: from kingdom to kingdom, is very instructive for all those who wish to live “in Christ”.

Which Mountain?

The writer of Hebrews has done a great service to the Kingdom of Christ in drawing a bold line between the carnal kingdom and Christ’s:

An excerpt from Chapter 9 in David Orton's book,
"Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church" 

Part 3 of 6

by David Orton

How did the Apostles function?

So, how did the apostles function, and who led the local congregation?

Christ anoints and appoints apostles, but apostles appoint elders.176  While the former were mobile ministries planting and caring for multiple congregations, functioning according to their relationships and the leading of the Spirit, the elders were the local resident shepherds of one congregation, functioning as a team of general overseers. However, the latter, while free, never operated independently of their relationship with the apostles.177

How did the Apostles relate to the Churches?

 
by T. Austin-Sparks

A Message to Younger Christians

"I bear branded on my body the marks of Jesus". (Galatians 6:17.)

The marks of Jesus; whether these were actually marks on his body, scars of his sufferings, or whether he was using a figure, a well-known figure of speech, we may not be quite sure. It is possible that Paul meant both; that is that there were marks on his body, marks of the rod with which he had been beaten, marks of stones with which he had been stoned, marks of the hardships through which he had passed, and then, looking at them, he thought of them in the light of the brand. You know what the brand is. Animals are branded, branded with hot irons. And he looked at those scars and thought of them as brands. But it does not matter very much which it was. It was quite true that Paul bore branded in his very being the marks of Jesus. It is that that matters - that there shall be the marks of Jesus.

by Thomas Hohstadt

A terrible virus has spread through today’s church—the cold sickness of a faith that simply "thinks"—a "thinking-man’s" religion. Mere words, hard facts, and the trivial surface of language hardly suffice in a world of deeper realities. So it’s no surprise that today’s "spiritual leaders" seldom claim "spiritual awareness." They fly blind in the Spirit, yet still expect changes in the "flesh." Indeed,

The spiritual and social implications of Pentecost, which define the relationship of the human spirit to the Holy Spirit, have yet to be explored for the age in which we live.1

So today’s faith is more passive than empowered, more anemic than energized. It’s more an inert mass of doctrines—a group of dormant ideas—a collection of lethargic labels than anything else. As a result, its Milquetoast believers pretend beliefs they don’t even have.

An excerpt from Chapter 9 in David Orton's book,
"Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church" 

Part 2 of 6

by David Orton

Apostles and Prophets replaced by Senior Pastors!

Tragically, as Israel did, they opted for a king, for human government. As the church transitioned into the sub-apostolic era, the ascension-gift ministries of apostles and prophets were gradually replaced by the office of the bishop.167 It was believed that this office was the only legitimate continuity of apostolic authority and teaching (apostolic succession)168; thereby addressing the two-horned dilemma of heresy – the crisis of continuity in apostolic teaching – and division – the crisis of apostolic authority.

by Brett Jacobsen

This article is an excerpt from the author's book Heaven's Underground Blueprint which is available here - http://www.christisall.org/hub-book.

The Secret Place of Underground Power
 
You could go to a new church-growth seminar every week for the rest of your life and learn how to build “your church”. However, you cannot escape the fact that biblical principles (which many of these seminars are virtually void of) not only work, but they glorify God rather than man. It is very clear who God wants in the limelight and, sorry to all the famous preachers and “worship leaders”, it’s not you. We all know the victorious place that Psalm 91 has available to the saints, but have we missed the key that unlocks that victory? It lies in the first verse: 

by T. Austin-Sparks

“It pleased God… to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him” (Gal.1:15,16)

1. Everything Tested by Inwardness

by Tom Sparks 

The rule of Plato

Over the years, as a former participant in Christendom’s Traditional Church approach, I found myself working hard at squeezing the bible into nice neat theological categories, with all the appropriate proof texts to support those categories.  But, for me, with the passing of time, and changes in perspectives, I’ve come to doubt the legitimacy of forcing the bible into a tight systematic theology, and I no longer believe the bible was given to us for that purpose.

by David Orton

An excerpt from Chapter 9 in David Orton's book,
"Snakes in the Temple: Unmasking Idolatry in Today's Church" 

Part 1 of 6

“They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval.
With their silver and gold they make idols for themselves to their own destruction”
Hos 8:4 NIV
“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way…”
Jer 5:30-31 NIV 

by Brett Jacobsen

 This article is an excerpt from the author's book Heaven's Underground Blueprint which is available here - http://www.christisall.org/hub-book.

Quite recently, I have done a back-flip with my end-times theological stance. This eschatological repentance is no minor detail in God’s grand scheme of things, as it aligns with our prophetic future and dovetails the current reformation. The reason that this postmillennial/preterist doctrine is so important is that, unlike pre-millennialism with its pre, mid and post raptures, it aligns with the biblical timeline for history and provides real hope for the kingdom. This is in stark contrast to the pessimistic eschatology that many modern saints hold to. As I am only relatively new to the largely suppressed, yet wonderfully bible-based world of postmillennial/preterist eschatology, I will give just an appetiser in this book. I must add that I don’t agree with everything that postmillennialists teach, just as I would expect nobody to agree outright with all that I say.