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THE CHURCH: YESTERDAY AND TODAY

Article · May 2013

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Flourish Itulua-Abumere
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 THE CHURCH: YESTERDAY AND TODAY
5/9/2013

Flourish Itulua-Abumere
 www.flourishabumere.com

of Nazareth who believed by Christians to be the

The Church: Yesterday and Today. Son of God and Christ the Messiah. It is usually

THE CHURCH thought of as beginning with Jesus' Apostles.

According to scripture, Jesus commanded them to

The Christian Church is the assembly or association
spread his teachings to the entire world. Springing
of followers of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament
out of the first century Jewish faith, from
the church is referred to as “church” basically
Christianity’s earliest days, Christians accepted
meaning “assembly”. It appears in two verses of the
non-Jews (Gentiles) without requiring them to fully
canonical Gospel of Matthew, 24 verses of the Acts
adopt Jewish customs (such as circumcision) the
of Apostles, 58 verses of the letters of Paul the
parallels in the Jewish faith are the Proselytes, God
Apostle, 2 of the Letter of the Hebrews, 1 of the
fearers, and Noahide Law. Some think that conflict
Epistle of James, 3 of the Third Epistle of John and
with Jewish religious authorities quickly led to the
19 of the Book of Revelation. There are four
expulsion of the Christians from the synagogues in
traditional notes of the Christian Church and they
Jerusalem.
include unity, holiness, catholicity and apostolicity.

(McKim, 1996) In the phenomenological sense, The Church of Yesterday” was overflowing with

there are many associations that call themselves strength and dedication to serve God. Then, there

Christian churches. In New Testament the term is seemed to be a better desire for the word of God,

used for local communities and in a universal sense and a better desire for The Lord. The apostles

to mean all believers. Traditionally, only orthodox preached about Jesus in a way that will make an

believers are considered part of the true Church, but unbeliever believe that indeed Jesus is truly the son

convictions of what is orthodox vary. (Harper, of God and then there preaching changed the lives

2001) of so many people. Souls were been worn for God

and people preached not out of the doctorate degree

Church yesterday
in divinity but out of the spirit of God. There were

The early Church originated in roman Judea in the chosen to preach, not forced to preach. They simply

first century AD, founded on the teachings of Jesus preached JESUS and allowed the Holy Spirit to

Flourish Itulua-Abumere
convict the heart of the hearer of sin whereby they but today people worship God half naked. You go to

repented and accepted the gift of salvation through church and in your presence, a brethren sister wants

their acceptance of Him. The church yesterday to share your husband with you. Today’s church has

showed love by word and by deed. Genuine failed to teach the truth and that is why all sort of sin

miracles happened. We say water turning into wine is seen in the church today. It’s so sad to no that

but today, preachers and prophet fake miracles, some of the worst and cruel being like secret cult

some are paid to stay in wheel chair and rise and members call themselves Christians and go to

stand during church services as sign of miracle. The church. (Khandie’s Korner, 2005)

church yesterday was best with spiritual wealth but

Church Today
what we see today is different. They seek after

ungodly wealth, they are not concerned about there Today’s church is now scattered and disorganised. I

spiritual growth any more as long as they can buy have wondered if the true church Christ actually

themselves a private jet. created still exit in this recent times. Teachings have

fallen apart and in general today’s church is in a bad

The church yesterday was lead buy Christ, today
shape. The question is “Is God in today’s church?
who leads the church? Most churches are lead by
Are the preachers telling the truth or are they telling
devil himself with Gays standing on the pulpits
the people exactly what they want to hear? (2
preaching, church worker stealing money from
Timothy 4:3-4). Most things thought by Christ is
offering bag, married pastors having sexual
not thought in today’s church. It is evident in our
relationship with a brethren sister. Some pastors
churches today as divorce has reached its peak. The
even support abortion. Recently in Nigeria, a well
divorce rate within the church has not only equalled
known church joined a man who is still married
but surpassed that of the world. It seems to me that
with his wife in holy matrimony with another
every little thing that goes wrong is a reason for
woman who apparently is a local actress in Nigeria.
divorce in our modern society.
The church was a united body yesterday. Today,

pastors in the same church fight over power and Nude churches now exit in our presence just as we

money. Christians worshiped God is godly manners have ongoing nude clubs and bars. It is unbelievable

Flourish Itulua-Abumere
 www.flourishabumere.com

when I find women going to church almost Let me give you example of the church today. In

completely naked in the name of fashion. In Nigeria, the church has now become a limited

Nigeria, it’s no news for a man to step into church liability company. This is no joke. Almost all

with his four wives and as long as he donates money churches now own there own nursery, primary,

regularly, he will be used as good examples to other secondary and university institutions. You may be

church member. Sometimes they are given roles in thinking this no big deal but it is because even there

church like counsellor. Now tell me, what’s this members pay through there nose to attend there

kind of person going to teach couples? Where’s the schools. In a country were poverty has ruined the

truth? All these are done all in the name of liberty, lives of millions of people, the average school fees

however, it seems like Christians of nowadays has of a primary school child in these church school is

failed to remember that in his word, God gave us three thousand dollars per term. Why can’t this

liberty, but then He added, "Do not allow your schools do there members a favour by reducing the

liberty to cause you to sin." fees to the minimum after all, the schools are build

out of the offerings of this same members?

In today’s church, we have so-called churches of

God that are sanctifying and performing same sex Conclusion

marriages; queer to queer, lesbian to lesbian. Did

There is clear difference between the church of
Jesus the founder of Christianity ever think us this?
yesterday and the church of today. The church of
I have never read in the bible were it is said that men
yesterday was based on truth, purity and holiness;
can now marry men and women marry women. To
this is now hard to find in today’s church. Over here
show the extent of deformity in Churches, not only
in Nigeria, there are far more people behind the
do member turn homosexual but the preachers and
pulpit that have no right to be there than there are
prophets. The teachings of yesterday are no longer
those who have truly been called by God and do
valued in some churches today. It’s sad to say the
have the right to be there. The pulpits of Nigeria are
majority of churches have now deviated from the
filled with men and women who are involved in all
truth.
manner of immorality and perversity; those who are

involved in adultery, those who defraud their

Flourish Itulua-Abumere
 congregations, stealing money from their own

church, and those who are preaching false and

The Church Yesterday The Church Today
demonic doctrines. In all honesty, most so-called
1. The dunamis of the
'Christians' have never fulfilled the scriptures as it A degree from seminary
Spirit was the primary
is the basic qualification.
requisite for ministry.
was taught yesterday. Today’s church needs to go
2. Leaders were selected Leaders were elected by
back and read the scriptures and act according to the by prayer and fasting. canvassing and bribing.
3. Even the deacons had Some pastors are not even
biblical scripture, they should learn the right things.
to be full of the Spirit. born of the Spirit.
You can’t teach what you don’t know. Let them 4. The apostles refused to Pastors and preachers
leave prayer and cleave to administration
embrace the vitality and commitment of spreading preaching. and business matters.
5. They had little gold We have lot of gold but
the words of the lord. Most especially, pastors
but lot of glory. little glory.
should allow the spirit to lead them into the 6. When they were When there is problem,
persecuted, they resorted we run to the police or
profession rather than studying for it. The doctrine to prayer. native doctors
7. The ministers had no
of Christ should be strictly adhered to in churches so We have numerous titles
titles or special dresses,
and sacred robes, but the
but the demons trembled
that God can be present in there mist. Twisting devils trifle with us.
before them.
what’s in the bible to benefit your own interest will 8. They were multiplying.We are dividing.

invite Satan into the house of God. The government

References
and society has a role to play in how today church

can be amended to be like the church of yesterday. Khandie’s Korner (2005): Timely Insights into
God's Word from Khandielese Reyes. The church
Churches reported to be into criminal acts like of yesterday

surrendering all your properties before gaining McKim, Donald K. (1996): Westminster Dictionary
of Theological Terms, Westminster John Knox
salvation, should be dealt with under the criminal Press

law. Society should stop looking for churches with
miracles, prophesies and magic rather they should
seek a church that preaches the truth, a church that
care about the welfare of its members.
Harper, Douglas (2001): "church". Online
EtymologyDictionary.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=churc
h. Retrieved 2008-01-18. "O.E. cirice "church,"
from W.Gmc. *kirika, from Gk. kyriake (oikia)
"Lord's (house)," from kyrios "ruler, lord."".
http://www.christring.org/khandie/TheChurchOfY
esterday.htm

www.en.wikipedia.com

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