According to Jesus, many of the so-called churches today
that are large and famous are actually spiritually dead.
In many churches today, pastors are preoccupied with the
size of their congregation. Some take a census every
church-service. Others keep statistics of the number of
people who answer their altar-calls. When pastors meet
socially, how big their church is determines their social
status and prestige; ensuring that many are prone to
exaggerate their numbers. The bigger the church, the more
highfalutin and celebrated the pastor.
However, the wisdom of God is contrarian, she shouts in
the street; she lifts her voice in the public square: “No king
is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not
delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for
safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great
strength.” (Psalm 33:16-17).
Let me apply this scripture more precisely to the context of
mega-churches. No man is saved by the size of a church,
neither is the wicked delivered by the great charisma of a
pastor. When we are preoccupied with size in churches, we
are guilty of trusting in the multitude of our mighty men.
(Hosea 10:13).
First become last
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might
nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.
Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you
shall become a plain!’” (Zechariah 4:6-7).
One of the great mountains before Zerubbabel was
Solomon’s temple. Those charged with rebuilding it were
concerned the new temple would not have the splendor and
majesty of the old. But God is not concerned with size and
other physical attributes. Through Haggai, he declares: “The
glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the
former.” (Haggai 2:9). Accordingly, Zechariah asks: “Who
has despised the day of small things.” (Zechariah 4:10).
Indeed, according to God’s kingdom dynamics, “every
valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought
low.” (Isaiah 40:4). God says: “All the trees of the field will
know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have
exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have
made the dry tree flourish.” (Ezekiel 17:24).
This indicates in the day of the Lord, we are likely to
discover that the big church is small in the sight of the Lord
and the small church is big. Before Zerubbabel, even the
great mountain of Solomon’s temple becomes a plain.
Preference for small things
In the kingdom of God, good things come in small
congregations. Jesus says: “Where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there I am in their
midst.” (Matthew 18:20). In effect, we don’t need to be in
the thousands and tens of thousands in order to feel the
presence of God. But because Jesus says where two or
three are gathered, and not where at least two or three are
gathered, he is actually expressing a preference for small
gatherings.
According to Jesus, the appropriate size of a church is not
“mega” or “big,” but “little.” Thus, he reassures the small
congregation: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s
good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32). It is
the “little flock” and not the big flock that the Father has
decided to give the kingdom. Mega-church pastors are akin
to the Israel of old: “Israel has forgotten his maker, and
builds temples.” (Hosea 8:14).
As a matter of fact, the large size of a church is eloquent
testimony of spiritual deficiency. Jesus says: “wide is the
gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and
many there are who go in through it. Because narrow is the
gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and
there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13).
It is the stone the builders reject that becomes the
headstone. (Psalm 118:22). This prophecy is bad news for
mega-church pastors because they are currently the
accepted stones. Indeed, according to Jesus, “the first will
become last and the last first.” (Mark 30:31). This means
today’s “first-class” pastors will ultimately turn out to be
“last-class.”
Few are chosen
Because the gospel is naturally unattractive to the large
flock, Jesus says: “Many are called, but few are
chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). Therefore, numerical church-
growth is an unrealistic index of success in ministry. When
we are focused on the numbers game, we become
ashamed of the words of Jesus, and readily sacrifice his
doctrine on the altar of attracting a large following.
Indeed, God is contemptuous of size; he prefers the mini to
the mega. He says: “Woe to the multitude of many people
who make a noise like the roar of the seas, and to the
rushing of nations that make a rushing like the rushing of
mighty waters! The nations will rush like the rushing of
many waters; but God will rebuke them and they will flee far
away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before
the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.” (Isaiah
17:12-14).
David got into trouble with God because of his
preoccupation with numbers. When pride moved him to
conduct a census in Israel in order to determine the size of
his kingdom, God responded by decimating it with
pestilence, killing seventy thousand men. (2 Samuel
24:1-15). Jesus himself was not the product of a big church
but of little Bethlehem Ephrathah. (Micah 5:2).
Fake pastors: dead churches
Speaking to his disciples, Jesus provides this simple
kingdom dynamic as their mark of distinction: “If you were
of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you
are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19).
Therefore, the very fact that the world loves mega-pastors
indicates there is something wrong with them. If something
is very popular, it is not of God. The evil spiritual “ruler of
this world” will not allow what is godly to be well-liked.
Therefore, Jesus says: “Woe to you when all men speak
well of you, for so did their fathers to the false
prophets.” (Luke 6:26). Mega-pastors are in trouble with
the Lord because all men love them.
The people of this world do not like the doctrine of Jesus.
Neither do mega-pastors otherwise they would be mini. If
the general public like what a pastor preaches, it is a sure
sign it is not of God. God and men hardly ever see eye to
eye. Jesus says: “That which is highly esteemed among
men is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15).
This shows the true Church of Christ is inevitably anathema
to the world. Jesus insists his kingdom is not of this world.
(John 18:36). Therefore, his Church cannot be worldly;
neither will his disciples preach the world in order to attract
a crowd.
According to Jesus, many of the so-called churches today
that are large and famous are actually spiritually dead. He
declares: “To the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These
things says he who has the seven Spirits of God and the
seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that
you are alive, but you are dead.’” (Revelation 3:1).



Source : www.nigerianeye.com/2015/09/beware-of-celebrity-pastors-and-mega.html?m=1

Sounds gibberish

ascek:

According to Jesus, many of the so-called churches today
that are large and famous are actually spiritually dead.
In many churches today, pastors are preoccupied with the
size of their congregation. Some take a census every
church-service. Others keep statistics of the number of
people who answer their altar-calls. When pastors meet
socially, how big their church is determines their social
status and prestige; ensuring that many are prone to
exaggerate their numbers. The bigger the church, the more
highfalutin and celebrated the pastor.
However, the wisdom of God is contrarian, she shouts in
the street; she lifts her voice in the public square: “No king
is saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not
delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for
safety; neither shall it deliver any by its great
strength.” (Psalm 33:16-17).
Let me apply this scripture more precisely to the context of
mega-churches. No man is saved by the size of a church,
neither is the wicked delivered by the great charisma of a
pastor. When we are preoccupied with size in churches, we
are guilty of trusting in the multitude of our mighty men.
(Hosea 10:13).
First become last
“This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might
nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.
Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you
shall become a plain!’” (Zechariah 4:6-7).
One of the great mountains before Zerubbabel was
Solomon’s temple. Those charged with rebuilding it were
concerned the new temple would not have the splendor and
majesty of the old. But God is not concerned with size and
other physical attributes. Through Haggai, he declares: “The
glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the
former.” (Haggai 2:9). Accordingly, Zechariah asks: “Who
has despised the day of small things.” (Zechariah 4:10).
Indeed, according to God’s kingdom dynamics, “every
valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill brought
low.” (Isaiah 40:4). God says: “All the trees of the field will
know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have
exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have
made the dry tree flourish.” (Ezekiel 17:24).
This indicates in the day of the Lord, we are likely to
discover that the big church is small in the sight of the Lord
and the small church is big. Before Zerubbabel, even the
great mountain of Solomon’s temple becomes a plain.
Preference for small things
In the kingdom of God, good things come in small
congregations. Jesus says: “Where two or three are
gathered together in my name, there I am in their
midst.” (Matthew 18:20). In effect, we don’t need to be in
the thousands and tens of thousands in order to feel the
presence of God. But because Jesus says where two or
three are gathered, and not where at least two or three are
gathered, he is actually expressing a preference for small
gatherings.
According to Jesus, the appropriate size of a church is not
“mega” or “big,” but “little.” Thus, he reassures the small
congregation: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s
good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32). It is
the “little flock” and not the big flock that the Father has
decided to give the kingdom. Mega-church pastors are akin
to the Israel of old: “Israel has forgotten his maker, and
builds temples.” (Hosea 8:14).
As a matter of fact, the large size of a church is eloquent
testimony of spiritual deficiency. Jesus says: “wide is the
gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and
many there are who go in through it. Because narrow is the
gate and constricted is the way which leads to life, and
there are few who find it.” (Matthew 7:13).
It is the stone the builders reject that becomes the
headstone. (Psalm 118:22). This prophecy is bad news for
mega-church pastors because they are currently the
accepted stones. Indeed, according to Jesus, “the first will
become last and the last first.” (Mark 30:31). This means
today’s “first-class” pastors will ultimately turn out to be
“last-class.”
Few are chosen
Because the gospel is naturally unattractive to the large
flock, Jesus says: “Many are called, but few are
chosen.” (Matthew 22:14). Therefore, numerical church-
growth is an unrealistic index of success in ministry. When
we are focused on the numbers game, we become
ashamed of the words of Jesus, and readily sacrifice his
doctrine on the altar of attracting a large following.
Indeed, God is contemptuous of size; he prefers the mini to
the mega. He says: “Woe to the multitude of many people
who make a noise like the roar of the seas, and to the
rushing of nations that make a rushing like the rushing of
mighty waters! The nations will rush like the rushing of
many waters; but God will rebuke them and they will flee far
away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before
the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind.” (Isaiah
17:12-14).
David got into trouble with God because of his
preoccupation with numbers. When pride moved him to
conduct a census in Israel in order to determine the size of
his kingdom, God responded by decimating it with
pestilence, killing seventy thousand men. (2 Samuel
24:1-15). Jesus himself was not the product of a big church
but of little Bethlehem Ephrathah. (Micah 5:2).
Fake pastors: dead churches
Speaking to his disciples, Jesus provides this simple
kingdom dynamic as their mark of distinction: “If you were
of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you
are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world,
therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19).
Therefore, the very fact that the world loves mega-pastors
indicates there is something wrong with them. If something
is very popular, it is not of God. The evil spiritual “ruler of
this world” will not allow what is godly to be well-liked.
Therefore, Jesus says: “Woe to you when all men speak
well of you, for so did their fathers to the false
prophets.” (Luke 6:26). Mega-pastors are in trouble with
the Lord because all men love them.
The people of this world do not like the doctrine of Jesus.
Neither do mega-pastors otherwise they would be mini. If
the general public like what a pastor preaches, it is a sure
sign it is not of God. God and men hardly ever see eye to
eye. Jesus says: “That which is highly esteemed among
men is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15).
This shows the true Church of Christ is inevitably anathema
to the world. Jesus insists his kingdom is not of this world.
(John 18:36). Therefore, his Church cannot be worldly;
neither will his disciples preach the world in order to attract
a crowd.
According to Jesus, many of the so-called churches today
that are large and famous are actually spiritually dead. He
declares: “To the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These
things says he who has the seven Spirits of God and the
seven stars: ‘I know your works, that you have a name that
you are alive, but you are dead.’” (Revelation 3:1).



Source : www.nigerianeye.com/2015/09/beware-of-celebrity-pastors-and-mega.html?m=1

TRUE

Worship God in truth and in spirit. Do not be among them that have turned Christianity to a show off of their worldly goodies.
Watch out for the day of the Lord is at hand.

Jn. 6:66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
Jn. 6:67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Jn. 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
Jn. 6:69 We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

Most of the pastors of today would never let their members go, because of tithe and offerings. But Jesus asked even his inner-circle members if they did not want to go like others who left him because of the hardness of his message.

It's all about money. I want to belong to the private jets club.

Aribisala is Standard. He has just followed the footsteps of Pope Francis when he preached yesterday that the very big and beautiful Cathedral in Philadelphia be pulled down brick by brick and scattered up to the end of the world. Both of them are reiterating:- 1, the purpose of God in Destroying the Tower of Babel; 2, the purpose of Christ in scattering the Traders in the Synagogue-Matthew 21: 12-16; 3, the purpose of Christ in Matthew, 10. God in Christ Jesus, values all He has revealed Himself to, and wants them, to carry on revealing Him and preaching Righteousness up to the end of the world without ceasing. The Church can remain big, strong and beautiful but the Purpose for which it is built, i.e. The Gospel of The Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus must be propagated more outside than inside the Church. The Righteous must be world Criers for Righteousness