When Will The American Church Return To Faithfulness?

The Minor Prophets Speak to Today

Afterwards My People Will Return

Hosea 3:1-4

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After What? 

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 A.     When Will The People Return/Be Replanted

1.     After the Loss of the Current Leadership:

For Isreal that meant loss of their governing officials, specifically a king or prince.

For us the equivalent could be loss of all the current congregational and ecclesiastical leaders.

2.    After the Controlling Powers are Gone: 

 

The family or families which have ruled the church.

The elder who has become a despot.

The board of elders who have grasped control.

The people who seek the status quo over a fresh leading of God.

A minister who has lead the church away for God, usually substituting himself or herself for the Holy Spirit.

The generation which has been unfaithful to God.

Any persons or groups that have taken up lordship of the congregation

3.     After the Current Forms of Worship Cease:

 

The worship center may be abandoned or taken away.

The forms of worship may become impossible to perform due to loss of resources, skills, or people.

4.     After an Absence of God Anointed Leadership: 

 

This has been occurring more and more frequently in recent years in the form of  congregations having to go without a pastor or spiritual leader assigned to their church.

5.     After the Lose of those Aspects of Community or even Worship are Gone which the People have Declared Holy and Necessary:

Usually these are the local traditions of the congregation. The culture unique to the congregation's founding fathers or which they hold as the necessary signs of difference between themselves and the community in which they are located.

Those things which have been treated as holy and necessary but which biblically are not.

May he who wishes to discern the practical local meaning of these things be granted wisdom and insight by the Lord our God.

B.     And What Happens Different Afterwards:

 

The people return and devote themselves to the Lord their God and his appointed and anointed leaders. They tremble in awe of the Lord and of his goodness.

I want to be a part of that congregation - that Living Church.

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