The problem that Christians face.

 

What is the primary thing that is consistently destroying the life of the ecclesia?  

It is the institutional usurpation of the way things were meant to be carried out in the body of Christ. Let me make this point clear-- for much of the last 1800 years (but more so, from 325ad onwards) everything that we assume to be the correct manner is not only error; it is a danger to the health of the church.  In other words, the hierarchical system has no scriptural bearing.  The church as it was brought into existence through Christ and His Spirit by means of His apostles was an organic reality and not an institutional system. Take note of the following passages and tell me that what we have today in Evangelicalism (Today: institutional Christendom)  is what Christ put in place. 

Paul teaches us that the function of the church is an internal all body dynamic-- and that all believers are to be participants and not spectators of some grand show:

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love."  (Eph. 4:12-16)

"We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over (taking the lead of) you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5:12-21)

We might want to notice these passages like many others which have the familiar "one-another" thoughts flowing through them, speak of a living and breathing expression of faith where all members are active in every aspect of the meeting that we are to participate in-- both inside and outside the "church"-- but I want us to see something which they speak to is the all body ministry being seen in every member being a teacher.

And how is this accomplished?  By going to a seminary which is systematic in nature NO. But through what I refer to as the true hierarchical pattern: didactic succession:

You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. (2 Timothy 2:1-7)

There it is:  Timothy is to teach other how to teach-- just as Paul taught him-- and this is the pattern. Down through the centuries. But this is not the way Institutional Christendom wants us to go. In fact,  it want everyone in this system to think and act in a manner that mirror the corporate world and not the organic way that Christ our Lord done things. Let us come away from this monstrosity.  

In this I would like to recommend a few books that are helpful:

(1) David Gay's  "Pastor"  and "Veneer or reality"

(2) Frank Viola's "Pagan Christianity"  and "reimagining the church"

(3) David C Norrington's "To preach or not to preach"

And then there is a series on you tube on Cross to Crown ministries:

(1) The church (that meets in my home) 

The bottom-line in all of this is clear: all true Christians should flee the Institutional Christendom. it is a blight upon the ecclesia. It sucks life out of our real purpose of being an all body ministry where all Christian must participate in the Gathered Saints;  the meeting is not a time of worship but is one aspect of a life of worship (Romans 12:1-2).   I believe that this is the best way to understand the whole salt and light metaphor in Matthew 5:13-16 where it says: 

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."   

This is the next step in the false teachers infiltrating the ecclesia.