Political and Church Law Version

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IS YOUR CHURCH LAWFUL? A reflection on what makes a church legal! Is it Christ or Man laws? Editor’s Perspective The Purpose of the Church!

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CHURCH OR STATE? Are we really building the Kingdom of God or The State?

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RELIGION BIG LIE’S Candid article on the lie’s religion won’t expose to you

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Apphia, Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the Church in your house", Philemon 1:2 . EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE

Mat_16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. What did Christ mean when he said this? What was he trying to convey? Well we will attempt to give some insight to the questions ask or statement made by our Lord. Frist: The Church is the catalyst to advance the Kingdom of God through mankind, to complete the original mandate that was given to Adam from the beginning. It’s not just a building, but is the flesh and blood of men and women, who make up the body of Jesus the Christ, by proclaiming, teaching and living the gospel of Christ, as it is written; "he is the head of the body, (the Church), who is the beginning, the first born from the dead", Col 1:18 , and, "ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular (individually)", 1 Cor. 12: 27 , and "for His body’s sake, which is the Church", Col 1:24 , and since, He "hath put all things under his feet, and gave Him to be Head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fullness all in all", Eph 1:22-23 . Second: 1 Cor. 3:16-17 identifies our bodies as a "temple of God". A temple is a place where we worship our God. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” [ 1 Cor. 3:16-17 , Bible, KJV] Third: The Church can meet in many places and is not restricted to any building or Physical place, as it is written; "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them ", Mathew 18:20 . The Church can be a building where the body meets or it can be any house (of a believer in Jesus the Christ) in order to function as a Church of Acts, since Paul spoke, "and how I kept back nothing that was profitable (helpful) unto you, but showed (proclaimed) you and have taught you publicly and from house to house", Acts 20:20 "and to our beloved

Fourth: In the U.S. Supreme Court decision considering the case of Everson vs. Board of Education, 330 U.S. 1 (1947), LEd 2nd 711 , the Court held that: The " establishment of religion " of the First Amendment means: Neither a state nor the Federal Government can set up a church. Neither can it pass laws which aid one religion, aid all religions, or prefer one religion over another . Neither can it force nor influence a person to go to or to remain away from a church against his will or force him to profess a belief or disbelief in any religion. No person can be punished for entertaining or professing religious beliefs or disbeliefs, for church attendance or nonattendance. Well, as you can see the Church mandate was to raise up a nation or the Kingdom of God in the people hearts and minds, not just brick and mortar! Heb_8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: Heb_10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; this not to say that we should not meet in a building nor to forgo altogether the assembly of ourselves because this is a sin also. Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised ;) Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Cont. see pg (10)

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There are a few basic forms of local church government in the world today. Yet there are many variations to each form and also the combination of forms. We hear heated debates, contending on which kind of government is of God and which is not, turning the church into a political arena, giving opportunities for the enemy and self- centered manipulators to gain control of the ministry. The result - loss of zeal, diversion from God’s purpose, church splits and innocent casualties. This article attempts to diffuse the confusion of the issues, hoping that the knowledge imparted here will help God’s people to tide over some rough spots or manage some growing up pains. Let’s first familiarize ourselves with the few basic forms of government. The key to identify the form is not who is at the pulpit, or who holds the money, but who is the real decision making power.

1. CENTRALIZED form of church government is where a central council has much authority over the running and ordinances of the local congregation. This is typical of denominational mainline churches where the pastor is appointed and regulated by the directions and rules of the central council. This kind is usually one with a long history and has established branches. 2. PRESBYTERIAN form of church government is where the local church is governed by a board of elders which has final authority over every aspect of the church, including the appointment and work of the pastor. The pastor may or may not be a member of this board. This kind of church may be denominational or independent. 3. CONGREGATIONAL form is where the majority rules, the democracy style of government where the people vote to elect their pastor and the church board to administer the affairs of the church. It is usually an independent church.

4. PASTORAL form of government is where one is in authority, with the board or elders or deacons in the advisory and co- laboring capacity. The pastor receives from and is directly accountable to God, and he runs the ministry according to his depth and knowledge in God. It is usually an independent church. The person may not be a pastor in his primary call, but it is considered as pastoral in that the pastoral function has a more dominant role and the vision is more localized, called to raise a church in a particular place and time. 5. APOSTOLIC form of government. Apostle means "one sent out", one with an outward thrust and a pioneering or restoration cutting edge, the edge that causes revolutionary impact and can either be of a new movement or a work of extensive scale, or even both. The leader is a commander with a mandate and an extended vision which is usually cross- cultural or global, but not always. He has to be one raised and equipped for the job and for the hour. He usually presides over a council of fellow ministers that has direct calling and anointing for the thrust,

covering the 5-fold ministry in varying degrees. It is a patriarchal, theocratic and can be a physical government, where the Word of God reigns supreme, where the leadership is strong and the followership intelligent, where revelations from above chart the course and the leader is directly accountable first to God. Is he also accountable to the people? Yes, but not in the same way as he reports to his God. The spiritual authority of his leaders is derived very much from ministerial calling even though seniority is respected. Dynamism, life and drive are clearly visible in such churches. It is usually an enlargement of the pastoral government with a revolutionary mandate. The leader is usually called the senior pastor with different ranks of anointed pastors and leaders working with him. The title "pastors" here may mean spiritual leaders with diverse ministries. What is the right form of church government? The right form is the specific form that God wants them to be, at a certain point and time in its growth development and in its history, and a price for change may be needed to be on the move with God. The leadership and

In the Bible, the Lord has established an ecclesiastical government by which his people are to be ruled. Just as Christ has instituted civil government to ensure civil order, so he has established ecclesiastical government to preserve order in the church ( 1 Cor. 14:33 ). A man is not free to dispense with the church's government any more than he is at liberty to disregard the civil authorities. When the appropriate law applies then man should yield himself to. Rom_6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. This article attempts to explore several features of church government which men are obligated to receive as scriptural institutions. These tenets are: ( 1 .) scriptural church officers; ( 2 .) church courts; ( 3 .) confessional standards; and ( 4 .) biblical church membership . These principles combine to form the distinctive nature of Presbytery Polity. Presbytery government exists wherever these features are present. It should be noted that some churches which uphold Presbytery order are not Presbyterians in name; this is the case with many churches coming out of the Continental Reformation. Nevertheless, these churches are still Presbyterian because they adhere to biblical principles regarding church officers, ecclesiastical courts, confessional standards, and church membership. Over 150 years ago, Professor Samuel Miller (of Princeton Seminary) wrote: It is plain, from the word of God, as well as from uniform experience, that the government of the Church is a matter of great importance; that the form as well as the a dministration of that government is more vitally connected with the peace, purity and edification of the church, than many Christians appear to believe; and, of consequence, that it is no small part of fidelity to our Master in heaven to "hold fast" the form of ecclesiastical order , as well as the "form of sound words" which he has delivered to the saints ( 2 Tim. 1:13 ).

Thought: Can (The

Church) serve two masters?

the people must of themselves find out how they were started, what is the vision that God has given them, what God wants them to be and the direction in which they are heading. Whether that leadership should be singular or plural, consolidated or shared at the specific point and time. A singular leadership can develop into a plural one and vice versa. Where hearts are sincere, God will speak and vindicate. But better yet, the first century church was the blue print and perfect model for the Modern Church and its action today. Whatever forms they are in or moving into, they must be theocratic, in that the ministry must always allow God's Word and revelations to take precedence at all times and over all things. The functioning forms do not necessarily determine its legitimacy before God. The question is whether God or man is ultimately in charge and whether the Holy Spirit is moving freely in that ministry, whether the church is moving in the intended purpose and into what God is doing universally. This itself would give an indication of whether the present form is what it should be and leaders are who they should be. To many readers, the subject of church government will not seem terribly exciting. Judging from the lack of contemporary literature on the topic, one might conclude that church polity is not very important. Yet, if the truth were known, many of the practical problems facing the church are the result of an abandonment of scriptural church polity. The church is not a mere social club. The church is the Kingdom of Christ ( Col. 1:13 ), subject to his rule.

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2Ti_2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

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As saints of God we must keep in mind that the first century church Leaders had an earlier model or foundation to build the New testament church. This foundation or model was the Old Testament model of the Church. The New Testament speaks of the rulers in the church by the designations of Apostle, Prophets, Teachers, Pastors, Evangelist, which were mostly elders. While Overseers and shepherds are different terms used, today they refer to the same office: that of the elder.[1] Presbytery takes its name from the Greek word presbuteros, which means elder. Apostolic Presbytery upholds government of the church by elders. The people of God have been ruled by elders since early times recorded in the Old Testament. When sent by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, Moses was told to "gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, 'The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me ....'" (Exodus 3:16) At the time of Moses, elders were both rulers and covenantal representatives of the people (Deut. 21:19; Exodus 24:1; Num. 11:16; Lev. 4:15). Elders were present in the time of the judges (1 Sam. 16:4), the period of the kings ( 1 Sam. 16:4; 2 Kings 19:2 ), and the time of captivity ( Ezek. 8:1; 14:1; 20:12 ). Elders provided leadership in the rebuilding of the temple after the return from captivity (Ezra 5:5, 9; 6:78, 14). Information on Jewish history during the intertestamental period also bears witness to the rule of elders in the synagogues.[2] At the time of Christ's advent, references are found to the "elders," "rulers," and "rulers of the synagogue"( Matt. 15:2; Mark 7:3; John 3:1; 7:26, 48; Mark 5:22; Luke 8:41; cf. Acts 18:8,17 ). Although the Jewish leadership was quite corrupt at this time, it is important to note that the Jews had not become so apostate as to allow the biblical office of elder to fall into disuse. These scriptural references are important because they establish a continuity of government within the church in both the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament and the gospels provide crucial background information about the church government erected by the apostles. The apostles did not create

erected by the apostles. The apostles did not create something radically new; they built upon the foundation of previous biblical revelation. When the apostles described church officers, their hearers recognized much of the governmental framework which was found in the Old Testament. Therefore, a Apostolic rule (rule by elders) is not simply New Testament church government; it is biblical church government. The New Testament contains abundant information on government by elders elevated to the five fold. The apostles deliver significant directives on church polity. Since God has established the rule of elders in the church, it is the duty of members to submit to these officers: "Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account" ( Heb. 13:17 ). A primary emphasis of the New Testament is on the qualifications of elders. It is insufficient to have men merely appointed to assume the title of elders. They must be qualified to govern, as demonstrated in the scriptural criteria for officers. Even this point is nothing new, for the Old Testament required such rulers to be "wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes," "able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness" ( Deut. 1:13; Exodus 18:21 ). The apostle Paul delineates qualifications for elders in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. It should be remembered that these requirements are the essential standards for men considered for this office. Far too often, however, this list is approached as though it contains only desirable qualities  or suggestions which may be loosely applied to potential elders. The implicit assumption is that men really cannot be expected to possess such demanding characteristics. Yet the text is clear: a man "must be" qualified ( 1 Tim. 3:2 ). The same word is used when Jesus tells Nicodemus he "must be born again" ( John 3:7 ).The matter is not optional.

The qualifications for civil offices may be listed in the constitution of the nation (or state). For example, one qualification given for the President of the United States is that the man must be at least 35 years old. The architects of the constitution included this requirement to deter the hasty induction of political novices to an important office. No exceptions are made. No man may serve in the office unless he first fulfills this requirement. In civil government, it is easy to detect the importance of qualifications for officers. Yet, for some reason, people balk at the idea of binding requirements in church government. It is as though the church's business is inferior to the role of the civil government. And it is as if the civil government has a more authoritative constitution than the one given by Christ (in the Bible) to the church.

An elder must also possess a mastery of Christian doctrine. He must be "apt to teach," as well as "to exhort and convince" those who contradict the truth of God ( 1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:9 ). It is not enough for a man to be free from obvious error in his understanding of the faith. To serve as an elder, he must have (and be able to express) keen theological perceptions; he needs to be able to sniff out heresies and destroy them at their roots. Any man considered for the office of elder must have a stable family. "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?" ( 1 Tim. 3:5 ). A man who fails to exercise godly dominion in his family is unfit for public trust as a ruling official in the church. [3] All of these basic qualifications for elders point to a corollary principle with respect to the officers of the church: the principle of time. The potential elder cannot be a novice ( 1 Tim. 3:6 ). It takes time for a man to become mature in the faith. It takes time for a man to develop those qualities necessary to be an officer. It also takes time for those qualities to become manifest outwardly to the church. [4] The congregation will have to scrutinize potential officer-bearers to evaluate their personal lives and families. Only then will the church be able to recognize those men whom God has graced to be officers in the church. Congregations would do well to ponder these things. "Lay hands suddenly on no man" ( 1 Tim. 5:22 ). The scriptural mandates on the qualifications of the eldership require emphasis because they are frequently ignored in the church. An analogy to civil government may clarify the issue. In the civil government, men are not allowed to serve in an office unless they meet the prerequisites for that office.

By: Dr. Reg Barrow , Apostolic Presbytery Forwarded by: Apostle Gary Carter, Jr.

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Yes! The church can be re-empowered and regain the former glory and influence she once knew in America. But in order to do so the church must stop acting as an underling, as a subordinate, as a dependent, of the State. The church must cease asking for State favors and come out of the whore . Here you will learn some important facts and problems associated with the corporate 501c3 status, and what happens to churches and ministries when they ask for these State favors and operate as "nonprofit tax-exempt religious corporations." We'll present some indispensable legal, theological, and historical facts that will probably amaze you. Ok, it all starts with how the church is birth? Is it birth as a Corporation or a Church? So, let’s look into each of the legal entities and see the advantages and disadvantages. Corporation. An artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state. An association of persons created by statute as a legal entity. The legal attributes of the corporation and the alleged “benefits” that attorneys most commonly discuss with churches to convince them of their need to incorporate are: A corporation is defined as: 1. A corporation has limited liability protection. 2. A corporation may exist in perpetuity. 3. A corporation may hold title to real property. One additional legal attribute of any corporation is something that attorneys generally don't like to discuss with their church clients: In point of fact, there is a great deal that your attorney is not likely to disclose, in the way of the various legal attributes of the corporation, that you might not find so attractive. In the landmark case of Hale vs. Henkel, the U.S. Supreme Court stated the following regarding corporations: A corporation may sue and be sued .

“Has The IRS has succeeded in gagging The Church.”

“In the matter of changing religion, State favors are stronger than penalties.”

“The federal government has proved a tremendous impediment to the ongoing work of Christians. In all the laws that they have passed against Christian schools, gagging the church, taxation, and all kinds of things that they have done, they have made it harder for the church to exercise its prerogatives and to preach the gospel. “Take the last presidential election. There were numbers of things that I knew that I was never able to say from the pulpit because if you advance the cause of one candidate or impede the cause of the other you can lose your Government Favor (501c3) status not (tax exemption, will explain the difference later in the article). That would have been disastrous not only for the church, but for any school and seminary, everything. So you are gagged. You cannot do that. The IRS, a branch of our government, has succeeded in gagging the Church. " Acceptance of State favors ( 501c3 ) has, indeed, had "disastrous" consequences on the churches in America. The church has been effectively silenced? Now the disastrous consequences are being felt by the entire nation. Is there a remedy?

Baron de Montesquieu (1748)

The Framers of America's Founding Documents relied heavily upon the writings of the French political philosopher, Baron de Montesquieu. Typical of Montesquieu's brilliant insight, he once wrote that: “A more certain way to attack religion is by favor , by the comforts of life, by the hope of wealth; not by what reminds one of it, but by what makes one forget it; not by what makes one indignant, but by what makes men lukewarm , when other passions act on our souls, and those which religion inspires are silent . In the matter of changing religion , State favors are stronger than penalties.” The Spirit of the Laws, Baron de Montesquieu (1748)

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There is no original sin. If you can agree with this idea as a possibility, wait to decide. If you can rid yourself of this rediculous concept, you will be empowered to lose an emotional burden. This burden was placed upon your back. This burden was placed upon your emotions . This burden was placed upon your soul. Ministers and priests put it there bit by bit from the time you were born. They did this simply by telling you a lie. By telling you a lie over and over again for years. This is the first example of The Big Lie. The Big Lie of inappropriately applied guilt. You were just a child. You believed a person who was in a position of authority over you. You didn’t earn this guilt by misdeeds, but it was hung on you anyway. It filled your backpack with stones. It held you back. The purpose of The Big Lie was to hold you down. The purpose of The Big Lie was to control you. The purpose of The Big Lie was to keep you from being yourself. God, even through Jesus , has never spoken to us of Original Sin. Original Sin is the invention of corrupt men seeking power and money. There is no original sin. If you can agree with this idea as a possibility, wait to decide. If you can rid yourself of this rediculous concept, you will be empowered to lose an emotional burden. This burden was placed upon your back. This burden was placed upon your emotions . This burden was placed upon your soul. Ministers and priests put it there bit by bit from the time you were born. They did this simply by telling you a lie. By telling you a lie over and over again for years. This is the first example of The Big Lie. The Big Lie of inappropriately applied guilt. You were just a child. You believed a person who was in a position of authority over you. There is no original sin. If you can agree with this idea as a possibility, wait to decide. If you can rid yourself of this rediculous concept, you will be empowered to lose an emotional burden. This burden was placed upon your back. This burden was placed upon your emotions . This burden ws placed upon your soul. Ministers and priests put it there bit by bit from the time you were born. They did this simply by telling you a lie. By telling you a lie over and over again for years. This is the first example of The Big Lie. The Big Lie of inappropriately applied guilt. You were just a child. You believed a person who was in a position of authority over you. You didn’t earn this guilt by misdeeds, but it was hung on you anyway. It filled your backpack with stones. It held you back. The purpose of The Big Lie was to hold you down. The purpose of The Big Lie was to control you. The purpose of The Big Lie was to keep you from being yourself. God, even through Jesus , has never spoken to us of Original Sin. Original Sin is the invention of corrupt men seeking power and money. There is no original sin. If you can agree with this idea as a possibility, wait to decide. If you can rid yourself of this rediculous concept, you will be empowered to lose an emotional burden. This burden was placed upon your back. This burden was placed upon your emotions . This burden was placed upon your soul. Ministers and priests put it there bit by bit from the time you were born. They did this simply by telling you a lie. By telling you a lie over and over again for years. This is the first example of The Big Lie. The Big Lie of inappropriately applied guilt. You were just a child. You believed a person who was in a position of authority over you.

There is no original sin. If you can agree with this idea as a possibility, wait to decide. If you can rid yourself of this rediculous concept, you will be empowered to lose an emotional burden. This burden was placed upon your back. This burden was placed upon your emotions . This burden was placed upon your soul. Ministers and priests put it there bit by bit from the time you were born. They did this simply by telling you a lie. By telling you a lie over and over again for years. This is the first example of The Big Lie. The Big Lie of inappropriately applied guilt. You were just a child. You believed a person who was in a position of authority over you. You didn’t earn this guilt by misdeeds, but it was hung on you anyway. It filled your backpack with stones. It held you back. The purpose of The Big Lie was to hold you down. The purpose of The Big Lie was to control you. The purpose of The Big Lie was to keep you from being yourself. God, even through Jesus , has never spoken to us of Original Sin. Original Sin is the invention of corrupt men seeking power and money. There is no original sin. If you can agree with this idea as a possibility, wait to decide. If you can rid yourself of this rediculous concept, you will be empowered to lose an emotional burden. This burden was placed upon your back. This burden was placed upon your emotions . This burden was placed upon your soul. Ministers and priests put it there bit by bit from the time you were born. They did this simply by telling you a lie. By telling you a lie over and over again for years. This is the first example of The Big Lie. The Big Lie of inappropriately applied guilt. You were just a child. You believed a person who was in a position of authority over you.

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“ WE ARE NO GODS ”

APOSTLE GCJ : FOUNDER & CHIEF EIDTOR

We thank you for your support!

The primary purpose of Kingdom Family Learning Center Church & Ministries is to win souls! We believe the best way to do this is by teaching the uncompromising word of God and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ! The ( Apostolic Kingdom ) vision is for a church without division. a church void of segregation because of race or nationality. a church without the walls of denomination where God’s LOVE is working in and through all of us. a church of born again, Spirit-filled believers who are governed by the truth and principles of God’s word. a church of believers where the fruits of the Spirit thrive; love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and temperance are abundant. . Our ministry’s vision is to reach out to the lost and teach the found! We have been called to reach out beyond the walls of this church and provide a demonstration of living the principles of the Apostolic kingdom of God in Christ. Not only do we assume responsibility for this church locally, but for our community, our state, our nation, and the world. We are called to be the moral conscience of society. By influencing and impacting our government and setting a standard of righteousness, we believe that we can help change the world and make it a better place.

Our goal is to set a standard of living and show how the Kingdom of God is to operate until the return of the Messiah! This ministry is called to equip people and to help bring maturity in the Body of Christ. We are not here to merely distribute fish to the people, but to teach the people how to fish for themselves. We are called to disciple men and women so that they may disciple others. We are here to help develop God-given gifts and talents and to inspire a spirit of excellence in the Lord. As we minister and strengthen individually, we collectively strengthen the corporate body of the church. And by ministering to couples, marriages, and families; we minister to the most essential part of society. As families are changed, society is changed. We want to impact every facet of mankind: the spirit, mind, and body. With the submission of your time, talent, and treasury, we can make this vision a beautiful, God- glorifying reality! Shalom! Apostle Gary Carter, Jr. Jr .

We must lead by example. Therefore, the best way to