How the Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, and
Evangelicals Got It Mostly Wrong
By Pastor Jim
Friends, back on the farm in Wisconsin, raising my
sheep, a shepherd's most important job wasn't about building a fancy barn or
getting his picture in the paper. It was about faithfully tending to the flock,
day in and day out. In the same way, the Christian Church, regardless of its
denomination—Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, or Evangelical—has, in many ways,
lost sight of its original purpose and foundation. It's time to peel back the
layers and confront some uncomfortable truths about how we've all gotten it
mostly wrong.
1. The Separation from Our Jewish Roots
The greatest and most tragic mistake made by the
Church was its abandonment of its Jewish roots. The early followers of Jesus
were a Jewish movement called "the Way" (ἡ ὁδός). They saw
their faith as the fulfillment of Israel's promises, not as a replacement for
them. But the Jewish-Roman Wars, particularly the First Jewish-Roman War (66-70
CE), created a political and social chasm. The destruction of the Temple in 70
CE was so total that the Sadducees, whose power was tied to the Temple,
disappeared entirely. Only the Pharisees survived, their focus on the Law
allowing them to pivot and create Rabbinic Judaism.
To avoid persecution from both the Romans and the
new Jewish movement, Gentile Christians began to distance themselves from their
Jewish brethren. This led to the rise of Supersessionism (Replacement
Theology), a theological error that teaches the Church has replaced Israel. The
Church, in its desire for a new, distinct identity, severed itself from the
root that sustains it (Romans 11). We see this entrenched in most if not all
Christian denominations today.
2. The Rise of the Hierarchical Church
The primitive Church was a decentralized, organic
body. It was led by a plurality of elders (πρεσβύτερος) or overseers
(ἐπίσκοπος), who were often one and the same. There was no single bishop
presiding over a diocese. But in the second century, in a well-intentioned
effort to combat heresy, figures like Ignatius of Antioch promoted a
centralized, monarchical episcopacy. This model of authority, while perhaps
effective at the time, evolved into the rigid hierarchies we see today in the
Catholic, Orthodox, and even many Protestant denominations. Authority shifted
from a shared responsibility based on faithful service to a top-down structure
based on position and title.
3. The Professionalization of Ministry
The early Church was a community of gifted
believers. Apostles, evangelists, and teachers were not professionals with
titles and fees but were simply those who did the work of the ministry. They
were people who "got their hands dirty," whether by farming, fishing,
or turning a wrench. But today, even much of the conservative Church has become
entangled in a "Evangelical Industrial Complex"—a network of
publishers, conferences, and publicists that has commodified ministry. As we've
seen, this system rewards "performers" and "celebrities"
who can draw a crowd and sell a book, while marginalizing humble, faithful
servants who minister in uncomfortable places. This has created a clergy-laity
divide where the value of a pastor is measured not in the lives they transform
but in their market platform and brand.
4. The Myth of the "Original Church"
Finally, the myth that the Catholic, Orthodox, or
some brand of Protestant Church is the "original" Church is a
dangerous and misleading narrative. The truth is, that shortly after the
crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the Church became a fellowship covered
with so many trappings and superstitions that we have largely lost sight of the
original organic, primitive Church called "The Way."
Just as God intended Adam to live in total communion
with Him, only to see that plan fail shortly after creation, we should not be
surprised that the perfect fellowship God intended for His Church also became a
"shadow of itself." The early Church, in its desire for survival and
power, traded its spiritual identity for a temporal one, and in doing so,
allowed a human-made hierarchy to eclipse a divinely-inspired community.
The Church, in its current state, is not the
perfected bride of Christ that will one day be presented to Him. Instead, God
will one day, perhaps through the refining fire of tribulation, perfect His
Church to what He originally intended it to be. The biblical name for this
fellowship, "The Way," speaks to a path of righteousness and a
people set apart for a specific mission.
This name “The Way” is found in both the Old and New
Testaments. In the Old Testament, the prophet Isaiah spoke of a future time
when Israel would become a light to the nations, living according to the "way
of the Lord" (Isaiah 40:3, 42:16, WEB). The early Christians adopted
this name because they saw themselves as the fulfillment of this prophecy, the
community living out the very path of salvation found in Jesus.
The book of Acts repeatedly refers to the early
believers as followers of "the Way" (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4;
24:14, 22). This was their identity before they were ever called
"Christians." It was a name that signified a living relationship with
God, not an institutional affiliation.
Therefore, the ultimate hope for the Church is not
found in returning to one of its historical deviations but in returning to its
original mission: to be a people who are on the path of salvation, living out
the "way of the Lord" with humility and authenticity. God's purpose
for His Church, and for His people, is for a perfected fellowship—the true
"Way"—that will one day be revealed in its fullness.
So, what does this mean for the reader? Should they
leave their current Church? Not necessarily, but it is important that the
organic principles of the Church be encouraged and taught within the fellowship
you are now a part. If not, you perhaps need to find a place where Christ is
honored, the Way of Righteousness (salvation and sanctification) is taught, and
the Word of God (the Bible) is taught as the sole rule of faith.
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