There are over 300,000 evangelical Christian churches in America. That equates to tens of millions of professing Christians and hundreds of thousands of Christian ministers. Think of the church sanctuaries, educational facilities, schools, camps, radio broadcasts, television programs, colleges, seminaries, preschools, youth retreats, etc., that grace America. In some communities there is a church building on just about every corner. In spite of this massive exposure to the modern Church, however, the nation has been left virtually unaffected, uninfluenced, and unimpressed.
In fact, one could make the argument that while America's churches have experienced unprecedented growth in membership and wealth during the last half-century, the country as a whole has simultaneously nose-dived into corruption, deception, socialism, and even an increasing federal despotism. How can this be? Where is the influence for God, for good, and for liberty from these hundreds of thousands of churches and multiplied millions of professing Christians–not to mention billions of dollars raised and spent by these religious institutions?
For all intents and purposes, the modern American Church is pathetically impotent! Not only has the American Church failed to influence the nation to any significant degree, it has proven itself to be ineffective in influencing its own membership!
Professing Christians today can be some of the most hateful, spiteful, mean-spirited, slanderous, and vindictive people on the planet. And I could give personal testimony as to just how treacherous, disloyal, and cowardly these people can be. I can truly understand why so many unsaved people never darken the door of a church. After all I have seen and experienced inside the Church, I don't blame them.
How did this happen? It wasn't always like this. In Colonial America, churches were, without a doubt, the most influential, powerful institution in the country. The Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th centuries were certainly among the most significant events in early American history–literally changing the course of the nation for decades. But not only has there been no "awakening" in the 20th (and now 21st) century, the Church seems to be totally ineffectual–and content to be so.
Think of the power and influence of the prophets of old. Shoot! I can even remember hearing powerful hell-fire-damnation preaching when I was a youngster. I'm old enough to remember the brush arbor meetings, the citywide revival crusades (when real revival broke out), and the "saw dust trails." Yes, I even remember attending revival meetings in the very last Billy Sunday Tabernacle in Winona Lake, Indiana.
Those days are gone!
Today's churches are much about political correctness, preachers stroking their congregations with sugar and honey, building financial empires, prosperity theology, entertainment, social networking, and fun and recreation. Some of the best politicians that money can buy are not in State capitols; they are in church pulpits!
Again, how did this happen? Quickly, I believe there are two main culprits: 1) the 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt corporation status taken by most churches, and 2) the erroneous Obey-The-Government-No-Matter-What interpretation of Romans chapter 13. These two monsters have all but destroyed real Holy Spirit-controlled, fearless, history-changing revolution-Christianity and turned it into this milquetoast religion we see today.
I will deal with the 501(c)(3) problem at another time. For now, I want to focus on the Romans 13 problem. I just completed a four-part video message series on "The True Meaning of Romans 13." We put all four video messages on ONE DVD. We did this so people could obtain all four messages conveniently and inexpensively.
In this four-part video series, I delve deeply into the entire Word of God to clarify the scriptural teaching of submission to civil government. Scores and scores of Biblical references are examined. As no Scripture is of any "private interpretation," it is necessary to research the entire Bible to properly interpret any passage, including Romans 13. And that's exactly what we did.
This four-part video message series might just be the most relevant and important series I have ever delivered. Rather than trying to use this series as a "fundraiser," we put all four messages on ONE DVD so people could afford to obtain multiple copies. I truly believe the proper interpretation of Romans 13 could bring a revival of freedom and liberty to these United States of America. I believe the proper interpretation of Romans 13 could result in a spiritual revolution, akin to what was experienced in Colonial America.
To order my four-part video message series, "The True Meaning Of Romans 13," on ONE DVD, go here.
Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery, as we try to keep pace with requests.
If the preachers of America would begin trumpeting the true meaning of Romans 13 and exposing the evilness of the 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation status, I truly believe America's churches could once again become the dynamic force for good and for God that they once were. I pray this video message series will somewhat help accomplish the first half of this revival formula.
Just imagine what could happen in this country if 300,000 churches truly taught the Biblical, Natural Law principles of liberty and submission, and would disentangle themselves from the enslaving tentacles of the IRS! Imagine what could happen if only 30,000 churches would do it! If God would deliver Israel with Gideon's 300, I wonder how many churches it would take for God to deliver America?
Dr. Chuck Baldwin recently left the Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida to move to Montana. He hosts a weekly radio show. His website is here.
