Each time I hear this statement – The church in our generation is very rich and will become more and more rich, I keep looking out for the indices with which we have used to arrive at this conclusion. We also hear some people say that the church was so poor that even poor people called it poor and which gave birth to this statement – As poor as the church rat, I also wondered what indices were equally used to arrive at this conclusion.
Thinking through this conclusions made by men at different times in the church life, the only indices that readily comes to mind for which these assertions have been made is on the non availability and availability of physical possessions.
So the riches/wealth of the church is described based on the material/financial prosperity the church has been able to acquire, as against when the church didn’t have these material/financial prosperities.
Therefore because minister’s of the gospel now own exotic car’s, live in mansions, are CEO’s to companies, own private jets, build cathedrals of different magnitudes etc, we now say that the church in our generation is very prosperous, so when these things were not there, the church which Jesus Christ founded was called a poor church by humans and even Believers in Christ agreed with this.
We also hear that the goal of the church is to buy up the industries and companies owned presently by unbeliever’s and turn them into the property of the church, what a great dream.
In the mist of all these, am troubled by this questions;
A. Who is the church
B. Who is actually rich – is it the church or the human owners
C. When did the material/financial prosperity of this world become the basis for the wealth of the church etc
These and many more issues have become a problem in today’s church, because many who are celebrating the new found wealth of the church are mainly doing so because they have a desire to be stupendously rich through the church in the future. Looking at the question who is the church – permit me to say that the church should be a group of people who have a common belief which is Christ and who live daily by those belief’s. So the church is not the magnificent buildings we have put up for worship, neither is the church the various denominations that have been founded by different people over the years. The church is One people who believe in Christ Jesus and who live daily by His standards.
This brings me to the next and most important issue – who is actually rich – is it the church or the human owners?. I have no doubt many will be offended with me because of this question. Looking at who the church is, it is obvious that it is not the church that is rich, rather it is very clear that those who have the riches that is been celebrated today as the riches of the church are actually the human owners of the church. I don’t expect many to agree with me on this point.
The fact that is available in public domain is very clear on this matter, for instance if you Google the Question – Who are the riches pastor’s in the world or the riches churches in the world? It is the name’s and the physical possessions or the material/financial worth of the human owners of the various denominations that will be listed.
If this is so, why are we celebrating the entity called church as becoming very rich and leaving out the actual person’s who own the riches? This looks more like a cover up, so the name church is used to describe and celebrate the riches in the possession of the human owners of the church. No wonder the issue of proliferation of churches have been on the increase. Some people now see church ownership as the New Goldmine and as the means to be influencial.
Since we have chosen to define the riches of the church on the basis of material/financial possessions, then we should be bold to equally celebrate the actual owners of the riches attributed to the church and stop celebrating the entity called church as becoming very rich/wealthy.
But when the church began in Acts chapter 2, we saw a different definition of the riches of the then church which was – Cooperate Riches/Wealth.
Therefore those who accepted and welcomed his message were baptized, and there were added that day about 3,000 souls. And they steadfastly persevered, devoting themselves constantly to the instruction and fellowship of the apostles, to the breaking of bread [including the Lord’s Supper] and prayers. And a sense of awe (reverential fear) came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were performed through the apostles (the special messengers). And all who believed (who adhered to and trusted in and relied on Jesus Christ) were united and [together] they had everything in common; And they sold their possessions (both their landed property and their movable goods) and distributed the price among all, according as any had need. And day after day they regularly assembled in the temple with united purpose, and in their homes they broke bread [including the Lord’s Supper]. They partook of their food with gladness and simplicity and generous hearts, Constantly praising God and being in favor and goodwill with all the people; and the Lord kept adding [to their number] daily those who were being saved [from spiritual death]. {Acts 2:41-47 AMP}
Truly time’s have changed for which we all who believe in Christ Jesus cannot come under one roof for both worship and to meet each others individual needs from a common purse but that principle is still very much relevant today as it was in the day’s of the Apostles. The principle of having all things in common can still be practiced in today’s church, and if you ask me it can be the solution to the extreme wealth and extreme poverty we see today not just out there in the world but equally in this celebrated church that is very rich. Again I maintain that The riches of the church of Jesus Christ should be that of Cooperate Riches because Christ is the source of that riches. No wonder the scriptures declares – For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied). {2Cor 8:9 AMP}
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