Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’ But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Matthew 23:1-12 NKJV

There are countries where the followers of Jesus are persecuted with slandering, beatings, destruction or loss of property, imprisonment, and even death. In the face of these hardships, there is an underground church that is thriving and in many cases experiencing revival. Faith is put to the test, and the followers of Jesus demonstrate that they will lay down their lives for the sake of His glorious gospel.

As an American Christian, we don’t really face the kind of hardship noted above. Not really. Yes, there is an increasing tension in our culture and I do in fact know of some Christians in America who are genuinely experiencing persecution due to their faith. Yet, this is not the norm for most Christians. We do not feel the pressure of persecution that pushes us to secret fellowships blind to the eye of watching persecutors.

We have a different problem in much of America and much of the West. Our “persecution” does not come from beyond the walls of the church. Rather, it comes from within. We have an endemic cancer within the church that has existed since the days of Constantine. (I know, those of you who get that reference are probably rolling your eyes).

Here’s the cliff’s notes version of what I am getting at: Once upon a time, the body of Messiah was led by Messiah. Now, it is led by priests, fathers, bishops, pastors, apostles, and so on. Just depends on your denomination or tradition. As a people, our Christian traditions have adopted a bastardization of “church” and Christian community. While the reformation delivered us from some of the heinous grip of Catholicism, there is just as much Christian blood on the hands of the protestant church as there has ever been on the Catholic church. The Pharisee within the Christian church is just as steeped in violent and dead religion as the Pharisee of Jesus’ day ever was. The only difference is that we do it in “Jesus’ name”.

I believe it is time for the body of Jesus followers in America and the West to abandon the “church” ship. The system (some may say “ecclesiology”) is too steeped in the leadership styles of the world. Whether your church structure reflects the ancient Latinized/Romanized hierarchy of liturgical churches, or the more modern corporate “CEO” model, much of what we have to speak of in regards to Christian leadership is little more than a bunch of well-intentioned heresy disguised as biblical governance.

Church leadership as we know it has seen it’s day and run its course. The dead fruit is falling off of the tree. The mega church pastors have made more money than they ever need to make. The perverted priest doesn’t need to rape any more little boys. We can stop the next charismatic prophet from manipulating more women into sexual perversion. You no longer need to put down $5, $10, or $200 a month any longer to get on to an intercessor’s prayer wall. You no longer need to submit to an unbiblical spiritual covering of a bishop, priest, or “man of God” so that you can get your own spiritual blessing and anointing. It is all rubbish and perversion.

Do not call anyone on earth father, for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

Does this mean that every pastor, priest, prophet, bishop, apostle, reverend, or minister out there is a liar and a hypocrite? Of course not! I still very much hold to the notion that most people who serve in a ministerial or clergy capacity do so because they felt a sincere call of God on their lives and they want to serve Jesus’ body.

The problem is that we “plug and play” these noble ministers into a calling that is not well described in Scripture.

Does this mean that all “church leadership” and “church structures” are bad and evil and need to change. Again, of course not! There are good examples of biblical leadership out there. The only problem is that you’re not likely to see them in any organization that calls itself a church.

We talk a lot about deconstruction in my generation. Many of my peers are deconstructing their faith due to abuses from their religious system and it’s leaders (some of whom are even very well-meaning and generally godly people). To my peers who are deconstructing your faith, I plead with you, “It is not your faith that needs deconstructing, it is your church that needs deconstructing.”

It is time for the body of Messiah to find a new underground. I will follow-up to this letter with more substance in the near future. For the moment however, the time has come to lay an axe at the root, to set it all ablaze, or use whatever metaphor you need to remind yourself that the church is not okay, but Jesus is still mighty to save.

You cannot rebuild what you do not first deconstruct.

~ J. S. Marek

My heart within me is broken
Because of the prophets;
All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man,
And like a man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the Lord,
And because of His holy words.
For the land is full of adulterers;
For because of a curse the land mourns.
The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course of life is evil,
And their might is not right.

“For both prophet and priest are profane;
Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord.
“Therefore their way shall be to them
Like slippery ways;
In the darkness they shall be driven on
And fall in them;
For I will bring disaster on them,
The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 23:9-12 NKJV