Going Beyond Y2K

Magi Forum: Going Beyond Y2K
The Star of 2000 is the first book to anticipate how Christ should be honored during the millennial years 1999-2001. More at book preview.

Welcome to Going Beyond Y2K. Your thoughts?
  • Has apocalyptic obsession distracted the church from its mission at the arrival of the third millennium?
  • How must the church change in order to be relevant for the future?
You may read any of the articles above by clicking on the appropriate link. Or you may post your own response to these questions in the space below.

By
Michael Sartori on Monday, January 8, 2001 - 09:01 pm:

Is the church (in it's current traditional format) really how it is supposed to be? As a Full Preterist I tend to believe the church set up / government as established in the N/T was for a transitional period, from AD 30 to AD70.

I think the early church needed this format as it was such an enormous change from Judaism to the New Covenant. The New Testament was not completely written and ground rules needed to be established.

Miracles were still in use to confirm Jesus' teaching and authority and the Old Covenant had not yet passed away (Hebrews 8:13).
The church still needed pastors, elders, shepherds etc. to enable the transition to run smoothly.

Also in Hebrews 8 we see vs:10 and on: For the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord, is this: I will set my laws in their understanding and write them on their hearts: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach one another, saying to brother and fellow citizen, "Know the Lord!" For all of them, high and low, shall know me;. (The New English Bible)

I would contend that the O/C passed away in AD70 and the N/C commenced in AD70, at the destruction of Jerusalem.

For to long we have placed so much authority and, dare I say blind trust in our 'pastors, elders etc. Gods' word tells us we shall have our understanding from God himself, let us start reading Gods' word for ourselves and stop relying on one man for all our spiritual understanding and answers.

What does the world see when they look at christians in our beautiful buildings, some with robes and assosiated 'important' accompaniments (pastors chair etc.?) What about all of the denominations and massive administration set ups?

The church has become a business, and consequently we christians have become insular in our associations, our speech is so 'churchified' that we can not relate to those who speak diffirently to us.

The way ahead is probably to meet in groups of perhaps no more than 10 where we can invite our neighbours, work mates etc. in a warm, caring non church environment.

We can share our love for Jesus through our personal lifestyles, our beliefs will become evident to others through what we do and don't do.

Yes we still need aid agencies etc. however they do not need to be affiliated with a church. We can show others outside the faith a true communal lifestyle by assisting each other with our various needs as they arise.

You may not agree, if not that's okay. Just some thoughts to reflect on the church and where it is heading.

Regards,
Michael from Australia.


By Thom L on Tuesday, March 6, 2001 - 07:49 pm:

Hi Michael, et.all.

While doing a search for notes/comments on Hebrews 8:13 I ran across your post and wanted to say hello from the West Coast of the USA. For about a year now I have been reading anything I could get my hands on concerning the Preterist view of Eschatology. At this point in my research, I can truly say I am a died-in-the-wool Full Preterist.

I home school and home church my family and came to many of the same conclusions you expressed in your post concerning the Organized Church back in 1993...which was the last summer my family attended a "Church" service.

My family and I are active in a mid week bible study whose members are all futurist in their views of Eschatology. There have been exciting times for all as I've shared some passages from the Pret viewpoint... My kids say I really know how to shake up a living room!!!

I pray that it is God who is doing the shaking! And not the flesh or man...

Lord Bless you and yours,
Thom
In the USA


By jgary on Wednesday, March 7, 2001 - 08:25 am:

Hello Thom and Michael, This is Jay Gary. I agree. Fundamentally, the church needs to be rexamine its biblical foundations, especially with respect to eschatology. To many "work-around" solutions have been tried in order to get the church focused on this world, rather than the next world. Ultimately, they all break down, sooner or later.

--Jay Gary, the Millennium Doctor


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