THE TROJAN HORSE COMES TO TOWN with Steve Morgan

Something happened to Christianity during the last century, and is continuing in this century, which has never happened before in the history of the Church. What was it? It is going to change the face of Christianity throughout the entire world. What is it? It was allowed to come in through the front door of the Church under the guise of liberalism, and now it is too late to stop it changing the Church forever - praise the Lord! What is it? Be patient while I trace the story so far.

In most aspects of life, the natural inclination is to side with the winners of society and to distance ourselves from the losers. How many of us fellas had cowboy suits when we were boys, and how many had Indian suits? When we became adults we couldn't see that Jesus would have been on the Indian's side. In spite of the fact that Jesus turned the world's thinking upside down, most Christians do not run to be on the side of the losers, but find within themselves a natural inclination towards the consensus.

A cursory glance at Church history reveals that most of the literature is written from the perspective of the 'winners'. The dissident groups that hardly get a mention are dismissed as 'schismatics' or 'heretics'. Those whose views and policies prevailed in each generation, made sure that their version of events became the official version. Many of the writings of the Montanists, Donatists, Waldensians, Lollards, and Anabaptists etc. were destroyed. The lives of their leaders and followers were smeared with false accusations, and their faults were exaggerated so as to put them in the worst possible light and make it easier to dismiss their teaching and experiences of the work of the Holy Spirit.

Only in the last half of the last century have the traditional evaluations of such reforming and revival groups been looked at again, and new insights been gleaned from the documentary evidence.

Let's have a look at some of the 'losers' over the centuries.

The sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation was not the first attempt at a radical reform of the Church. There had been many attempts by individuals and groups to call the Church back from moral corruption, doctrinal error, and the secular influences that were embraced by the Church as it developed its 'unholy alliance with the state'. Many of these groups were desperate to stay within the Church, but they were usually marginalised, persecuted and excommunicated. The life of a 'reformer' was often the life of a martyr. Potential reformers were imprisoned, tortured, deported. Many were taken before councils and courts and charged with treason.

Again, within the Church there were those who tried to call the Church back to deeper prayer and experiential features. Contemplative and charismatic groups were often dismissed as fanatics or wild enthusiasts.

Some groups became so disgusted with the established Church that they decided that the decay within the Church was so great that there was no way back for the Church and so they would have to break away and make a new start in the hope of re-discovering 'New Testament' lifestyle and ministry. The sacral societies that spawned these groups poured wrath and vitriol upon these 'satanic attempts to discredit the Church'.

Church history is usually written from a male perspective. This is sadly true even in the dissident groups mentioned above. As the more successful groups became established, they often encouraged women to play a full part in the life and development of the movement. However, male dominance soon reasserted itself. It seems that old habits die hard.

It was very early in Church history that the members of the Church were divided into the categories of clergy and laity. Most subsequent history of the Church, up to the Protestant Reformation, was written from the perspective of the clergy. Most of the dissident groups protested about this division as it was perceived as a division between first and second class Christians. The spiritual life of the laity was often of a higher order than that of the clergy. The spiritual credibility gap was good breeding ground for discontent.

However, a significant change took place during and after the Protestant Reformation. The stranglehold of the established Church was broken, and new dissident groups were able to emerge more easily. Sadly, some of the new Protestant churches which were formed, soon became persecutors of their own dissident minorities. Old habits die hard. However, the arrival of the printing press made it impossible for the writings of dissident groups to be gathered and expunged from historical record.

Since the Protestant Reformation, many new denominations began to emerge - with varying degrees of pain. But the pre-Reformation monolithic Church had been fractured beyond repair, as fifteen hundred years of reforming frustration finally succeeded in securing liberation.

Further fragmentation of the Body of Christ, the Church, continued as more and more new churches emerged. Then, in the last century, the reviving work of the Holy Spirit took a new and totally unexpected direction. A master stroke of divine initiative began to unfold from a source that most evangelical and charismatic Christians had written off as 'godless'. What was it?

All the mainline denominations opened their doors to the 'Trojan horse' of ………… They welcomed it. They embraced it. They devoured it. As they did, most evangelical and charismatic churches poured scorn on it and resolved to have nothing to do with it. But the established churches swallowed far more than they realised at the time. As the outer layers began to dissolve, a divine plan began to emerge, and the established churches will never be the same again. They are being redeemed and restored, and most of their members have not spiritually awoken to what has happened. What is it?

Well the answer is ………….. In the next issue of the magazine, I will tell you the name of the 'Trojan horse' and explain how it is in the process of changing Christianity for all time, and a vital part of God's eschatological plan for mankind.

(Editor's note - The above was actually in Issue 18. Continue now to Part 2)

THE TROJAN HORSE COMES TO TOWN - PART 2

by Steve Morgan

For the first time since the Early Church, we can see throughout the entire world the Christian Faith being revitalised by the Holy Spirit.

Within two centuries of the death and resurrection of Christ, the Christian Church had ossified into an institution in which the gifts and ministries of the Holy Spirit were not only marginalized, but also frequently repressed. The practical implication of the conversion of Constantine in the fourth century, and Augustine's advocacy of the use of political and military power to settle a church dispute, resulted in the suppression of all dissent, the Crusades, Christian participation in warfare, the development of the Inquisition, the use of torture and state terrorism. All this was done to maintain the supremacy of the State-Church relationship called 'Christendom'.

Church and State formed a relationship that enforced uniformity regardless of individual conscience. Many scholars now believe that this unholy alliance has done more than anything else in history to discredit the message of the gospel and to hinder Christian discipleship. In fact, the biggest hindrance to orthodoxy was Christendom itself.

No matter how one evaluates the many centuries in which Christendom dominated Europe, Western Europe is now regarded as post-Christian. Although many countries still have a State church, this arrangement is now thoroughly anachronistic. Christendom survived the challenges of the Renaissance and the Reformation, but was fatally wounded by the eighteenth century Enlightenment. This began to erode the authority of the Church. Reason replaced revelation as the normative source of knowledge. This may, at first glance, seem to be a backward step. After all, how can one say that reason is better than revelation? Surely it is a principle work of the Holy Spirit to bring revelation and to mediate, through spiritual gifts and ministries, the works and words of Christ? But wait a moment!

The name of the Trojan horse that was embraced by the Church was the philosophy of secularism. This has resulted in a plurality of religious expression rather than deadening uniformity. Secularisation finally demolished the Church and State stranglehold on belief. The Church could no longer rely on the State to enforce belief and punish heretics. However, the diet of secular philosophy proved unsatisfying and as a counter to its anything-goes plurality of belief and unbelief, a new model of Church has emerged. This model is called the Believer's Church and is now the dominant model in a post-Christendom society.

Believer's Churches have sprung up all over the world in the last hundred years. South Korea, China, Argentina, India, South Africa are just some of the many countries that have seen tremendous church growth as a result of the formation of Believer's Churches.

Here are some of the characteristics common to Believer's Churches.

The question is then asked, "If God is raising up Believer's Churches throughout the world, has He finished with the classic denominations?" The answer is a clear and resounding, "No". The evidence of neo-Pentecostalism in every mainline denomination today shows this to be the case. The mainline denominations are now seen to be embracing more and more of the principles and practices of the Believer's Churches, and by so doing, are experiencing new growth. This is not so evident in the UK today, but is certainly the case on a world-wide basis. The growth in the Anglican Church in Africa and Singapore represents just two examples, wonderful growth as a result of Believer's Church principles and practices being embraced.

A significant part of preparation for the expected revival in our land will be the embracing of the above principles and practices in the denominational churches. It has already begun. By the grace and mercy of God, it will be brought to completion.

Alleluia!

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