Cornerstone Content

What If Church Isn’t What You Think It Is?

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

WHAT YOU THINK CHURCH SHOULD BE Most people think church is a building. A place to go. A weekly check in point. A social gathering to be seen, mix and mingle. A time to pull out the Good Book and talk to the Man Upstairs. Perhaps you equate church with Potluck Sunday or Dinner On The Ground.

WHAT YOU WANT CHURCH TO BE

Most people want church to fill in the gaps of their already hectic lives. They want to add church to whatever they’ve already got going on. It’s not Biker Church, Cowboy Church, Sports Club Church or any other aspect of your life that you want to add the word “church” to.

WHAT CHURCH IS

Church isn’t a what; It’s a who. It is the ECCLESIA: The Called Out. The church is a people who have responded to the call to come out of the world into the Kingdom of God.

“Church isn’t a what; It’s a who. It is the ECCLESIA: The Called Out. The church is a people who have responded to the call to come out of the world into the Kingdom of God.” Click To Tweet

“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.“ (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)

Church is coming OUT and AWAY from previous lifestyles, cultures and beliefs INTO the culture and Kingdom of the Living God. It is a MAJOR change. A new way of THINKING and LIVING.

“Church is coming OUT and AWAY from previous lifestyles, cultures and beliefs INTO the culture and Kingdom of the Living God. It is a MAJOR change. A new way of THINKING and LIVING.” Click To Tweet
  • Church Is Apostolic.

Jesus left His Church in the hands of his disciples, who came to be known as Apostles. He left them with instructions on how His Church should function. It is impossible to have true Church in a way other than the way the Apostles had Church. You can find a very detailed account of the first generation church in the Book of Acts. (of the Apostles) If the Apostles believed it, preached it and lived it, that is what Church should be.

-The Apostles’ teaching and lifestyles included the necessity of the New Birth (Repentance, Baptism in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in unknown tongues.)

-The Apostles’  teaching and lifestyle included signs, wonders and miracles done in Jesus’ name.

-The Apostles’ teaching and lifestyle included the belief in the Oneness of God. This meant very specifically that God, who is a Spirit, manifest Himself in the son to become the sacrifice for our sins. They believed this to their death and in the face of much persecution.

-The Apostles’ teaching and lifestyle included consistent fasting and prayer to subdue flesh and stay in communion with God,

-The Apostles’ teaching and lifestyle included extravagant worship.

-The Apostles’ teaching and lifestyle included the belief in Jesus’ second coming to the Earth to set up a natural Kingdom.

-The Apostles’ teaching and lifestyle included the belief in the Rapture or Catching Away of the Church to be with the Lord forever, at which time they would be changed from mortal to immortality.

-The Apostles’ teaching and lifestyle included the belief in Jesus’ Millennial Reign -When Jesus returns for His Church, He will rule and reign from Jerusalem for one thousand years, and we will rule and reign with Him.

  • Church Is Oneness.

The early Church was totally, 100%, unequivocally believers in the Oneness of God. When early converts were Born Again, they left their beliefs in multiple gods behind them. They came out from these idol worshiping beliefs of the surrounding heathen nations to believe in the one, true, living God whose name is Jesus. The erroneous doctrine of the trinity did not even exist and take root in the Church until the Nicene Council in 325 AD. Until this time, the early Church only baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ, not in the titles, father, son and Holy Ghost.

  • Church Is Pentecostal.

No matter what sign is on your church building, the early Church was Pentecostal. Before denominations were a thing, when Believers were simply called “Christians,” they all experienced the fundamental infilling of the Holy Ghost, evidenced by speaking in tongues. Pentecost means fifty. It was the Holy Day that occurred fifty days after Passover. It is God’s Holy Day that commemorates the giving of the Law to the children of Israel on Mount Sinai. On this day in Acts (of the Apostles) 2, God’s Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus’ followers. They all spoke in languages unknown to them as evidence that they had been filled with the Holy Ghost. To be the Church is to have this Pentecostal experience.

  • Church Is Holiness.

The early Church didn’t try to fit Jesus into their way of living. They forsook everything about their former lives that was contrary to godliness. They were serious and persistent about rooting all sin from their lives. They didn’t have a list of rules to check off. They simply shed everything that related to worldliness: Lifestyles, culture, language, wardrobe, habits, vices, excesses, passions, pursuits, hobbies and pastimes. They walked away from it all into a life of service to Jesus.

BE THE CHURCH

Hopefully, what you want church to be, what you think church is and what church truly is has come into clear focus. One thing is for certain. Church will never be more or less than the example left by Jesus and His Apostles. Church isn’t a what; It’s a who. Be the Church.

 

What’s The Big Deal About Being Born Again?

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment

Here’s the situation: Jesus told Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, that unless a man is BORN AGAIN he cannot see the Kingdom of God. That makes it a pretty big deal.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

At Nicodemus’ confusion concerning how he was expected to be born a second time from his mother’s womb, Jesus explained further that this New Birth would include WATER and SPIRIT, and that it was necessary to ENTER the Kingdom of God.

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:4-5)

HOW DO I KNOW IF I’M BORN AGAIN?

Good question! I’m glad you asked, because the answer is so very important. If you are truly born again, you will have experienced the WATER and SPIRIT being applied to your life that Jesus spoke of.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE?

Again, another very good question. We must turn to the Word of God, the book of Acts in particular, to find the answer. We need to find out how Jesus’ apostles followed through with his instructions.

ACTS CHAPTER TWO

In Acts 2, one hundred and twenty of Jesus’ disciples were gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem, waiting for the wonderful gift that Jesus had promised them before he ascended into Heaven. After ten days of praying, they all received the Gift of the Holy SPIRIT, and began to speak in unknown languages/tongues.

When the crowds in the streets heard them speaking in tongues, they thought they were crazy, or even drunk. But Peter stood up and preached that this was actually the gift of the Holy SPIRIT that the disciples had received.

After the crowd listened to Peter preach about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, they wanted to know how they could be saved. This is what Peter told them:

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:38-39)

Three thousand people believed Peter’s message, repented of their sins, were baptized in Jesus’ name, and were filled with the Holy Spirit that day.

ACTS CHAPTER EIGHT

In Acts 8, Philip preached Jesus to the Samaritans. They believed his preaching, and were baptized in Jesus’ name. They didn’t receive the Holy Spirit at this time, but it was so important that Philip called in reinforcements. He asked Peter and John to come and help him pray for the people. When they arrived, they laid their hands on the people who had been baptized in WATER in Jesus’ name, and then they received the Holy Ghost/SPIRIT.

“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 8:14-17)

ACTS CHAPTER TEN

Cornelius was a good man. Actually, he was a very good man. He loved God. He prayed. He gave money to the poor. He served God to the best of his ability, and with what knowledge he had. You would think that such a good man as Cornelius was would for sure be saved. I mean, that’s who Heaven is for, right? Good people?

Actually, the truth is that Heaven is for BORN AGAIN PEOPLE. We can never be good enough on our own to deserve a place in Heaven. Thankfully, God loved Cornelius so much that He went above and beyond to bring a preacher to him to tell him what he needed to do.

It’s a miraculous story full of visions and angelic visitations that you can read about in Acts 10. The point is that God. Add a way for Cornelius and his family to hear the TRUTH of their need to be BORN AGAIN of WATER and SPIRIT.

“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord…” (Acts 10:44-47)

ACTS CHAPTER NINETEEN

In Acts 19, the Apostle Paul ran across some Believers in Jesus. He asked them if they had received the Holy Ghost yet. (With no cellphones, word travelled rather slowly) They didn’t even know what the Holy Ghost was!!! Paul asked the most obvious next question. How were you baptized??? He k ew if they had been baptized in Jesus’ name, they should have also known about the Holy Ghost.

It turns out that they had been baptized by John the Baptist. This made perfect sense to Paul now. He explained to them that John only baptized u to repentance, but that John had told his followers to believe on Jesus when He showed up on the scene. Now, everyone was expected to be baptized in Jesus’ name to take away their sins.

THE PATTERN HAS BEEN SET
Maybe you have seen yourself in one of these groups of people.

  • Perhaps you know absolutely nothing about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection to purchase your salvation.
  • Perhaps you’ve never heard that you need to be BORN AGAIN to go to Heaven.
  • Perhaps you have just assumed that when you accepted Jesus has your personal Savior, that automatically meant you were born again.
  • Perhaps you have been baptized using a different formula than in Jesus’ name.
  • Perhaps you know nothing about the Holy Ghost/Spirit.

I urge you to follow the steps that Jesus and His Apostles laid out so plainly. The pattern has been set. Have you been BORN AGAIN of the WATER (Baptism in Jesus’ name) and the SPIRIT (Infilling of the Holy Ghost/God’s Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues)?

Warm Regards, -Pat Vick PAT@PATVICK.COM 

 

 

 

 

When God’s Love Won’t Save You

~ Pat Vick ~ 4 Comments

As I scroll through my social media feeds, I see posts from well-meaning professors of Christianity. These posts are usually in the form of a poster or meme that has been circulated and shared over and over.

Statements such as TRUST GOD WITH YOUR PROBLEMS or IF YOU DON’T STAND FOR GOD, YOU’ll FALL FOR ANYTHING or GOD WILL COME THROUGH FOR YOU fill my newsfeed. There’s certainly nothing false about these declarations. I wonder, though, whether people who are scrolling through social media really take them to heart…Or, even more importantly, maybe they DO take them to heart, and use them to feel justified in continuing to live in sin while professing themselves to be Christians.

People who are living in sin don’t need to be rocked into spiritual slumber with CHRISTIAN CLICHES. They don’t need to feel comfortable in their sinful lifestyle. Allowing the sinner to believe they can continue in their sin, and just WAIT ON GOD to come and turn their life around for them will be to the destruction of their souls.

If you are living in sin, no amount of catchy, faith-building phrases will make you right with God. You must repent, and turn away from sin.

If you are a born-again Christian, the world doesn’t need you to make them feel safe and secure in their sin. The world needs a CHURCH who will PROCLAIM TRUTH to the point that sinners will:

  1. Be Convicted.
  2. Turn from their sin.
  3. Repent.
  4. Be baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins.
  5. Receive the infilling of the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in tongues.
  6. Live a holy and sanctified life.

Born-again Christians need to listen to themselves through the ears of the world, and read their posts through the world’s eyes. We need to communicate Bible Truths in a way that brings CONVICTION, and offers HOPE…but NOT the latter WITHOUT the former.

In this time of “any way you like it,” our voices need to give CLEAR INSTRUCTION, and not mamby-pamby, feel good phrases that offer DECEPTION, and not DIRECTION. I want my life and witness to be more than a CHRISTIAN CLICHE.

GOD IS LOVE, but even His love won’t save a person who refuses to REPENT and OBEY the Word. His love will DRAW you, but YOU MUST RESPOND.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” (Acts 2:38-40)

The Holy Ghost Is For You

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment


Receiving the Holy Ghost is the third step in the New Testament New Birth experience. Remember, (1) repentance symbolizes Jesus’ death, (2) baptism in Jesus’ name symbolizes His burial, and (3) receiving the Holy Ghost symbolizes Jesus’ resurrection. Just as Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins would be incomplete without all three natural elements, so would our salvation experience be incomplete without all three spiritual elements. Each one is essential to the whole.

The words “Holy Ghost” or “Holy Spirit” can be used interchangeably to describe this wonderful gift which is simply God dwelling inside of people. The same Spirit that was embodied in Jesus Christ, the Spirit of the Father, is now available and even essential to our salvation.

Only a select few ever knew God in the power of His Spirit in the Old Testament, but the Prophets foretold of a time when He would pour out His Spirit on whosoever wanted it. A time when He would abide not only with mankind, but in mankind.


Foretold By the Prophet Isaiah

“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” (Isaiah 28:11-12)

 

Foretold by the Prophet Ezekiel

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

 

Foretold by the Prophet Joel

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29)

 

Foretold By John the Baptist

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” (Matthew 3:11)

 

Foretold By Jesus

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (John 7:37-39)

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18)

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49)

 

Fulfilled In The New Testament

On the Day of Pentecost, the Promise was fulfilled, as 120 people were gloriously filled with the Spirit of the Lord and began to speak in languages unknown to them.

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord none place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4)

To the crowd that was gathered in the streets of Jerusalem that day for the Feast of Pentecost, Peter explained the phenomena, “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;” (Acts 2:16) He also took the opportunity to preach Jesus to them, and when they responded to his preaching with sincerity, he shared with them the New Testament salvation message.

“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every on of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” (Acts 2:37-40)  

 

For You Today

It has been taught that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is not for us today, that it was only for the early Church. If this is so, how am I filled with the Holy Ghost today? We live in the same dispensation as the early Church with every one of God’s promises to them still in effect.

From the Day of Pentecost until this, throughout the New Testament, throughout the centuries and decades and years and last week and today, God has and is still pouring out the Holy Ghost on anyone and everyone who seeks Him with a whole heart in true repentance. Every day we are hearing and reading the reports of Missionary friends from all over the world of tens and hundreds and thousands who continue to receive this priceless gift of the Holy Ghost.

 

Is Essential To Salvation

“But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” (Romans 8:9)

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” (Romans 8:11)

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” (Romans 8:16)

Don’t let anyone tell you that’s it’s not real, or that it’s not for you today, or that it’s not necessary. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is real. It is for you today, and it is most certainly necessary to your salvation.

Warm Regards, -Pat 

As always, if you have questions or comments, don’t hesitate to reach out, either by leaving a comment here, or emailing me at pat@patvick.com.