The Concept of Worship

The Concept of Worship After Covid-19

By. Irnawan Silitonga

Covid-19 has taught us many things as followers of Christ. One of them is about the concept of worship. Let us begin by paying attention to the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4). The Samaritan woman still had a concept of worship tied to a certain place or geographic location, along with its rules of course. But Jesus emphasized that the time has come when one must worship in spirit and in truth.

Worshiping in spirit and in truth is a matter of the inner being. A person may worship here or there… in this way or that way, without being bound to a particular method or rule… as long as all of it is an expression of his inner relationship with God. Some prefer worship in a church building, some prefer worship at home. Some prefer joyful songs, others prefer quiet songs… and so on. As long as it is the expression of one’s heart, then all of it is valid. Truly, worship is a personal matter. We cannot force others to worship according to our ways and rules.

If worship is personal, why then does Hebrews 10:25 say that we must not neglect our meeting together, as if worship is about gatherings? Some leaders even add that the gathering must be in a church building, with a pastor, a denomination, offerings, and so on. Let us first check the word ‘meeting’ in Greek. The Greek word used for ‘meeting’ in Hebrews 10:25 is ‘EPISUNAGOGE’. ‘Epi’ means ‘above’, ‘sunagoge’ means ‘gathering’. So ‘episunagoge’ means ‘a gathering above’. This does not mean a physical meeting, but a gathering in a higher realm, the spiritual realm. A Christian gathering is a gathering in a higher realm. That is why Paul said to the Corinthian church that even though he was not physically present, he was present in spirit (1 Corinthians 5:3).

Here is where our concept of worship must undergo a radical change. If thousands of Christians are gathering in a church building with a pastor, music, and offerings… do not be quick to assume that they are fulfilling Hebrews 10:25. For if most of them are not living in the Spirit, then they are not fulfilling Hebrews 10:25. On the other hand, if 2 or 3 gather in His Name, meaning in the Spirit… then those 2 or 3 are indeed fulfilling Hebrews 10:25, even if there is no pastor, no tithes, firstfruits, or other regulations. We must recognize them as fulfilling Hebrews 10:25.

If a meeting is held at home by a family with the father leading, in my opinion, it is easier for such a home gathering to fulfill Hebrews 10:25 compared to a church building with hundreds or thousands of people. Why? Because fellowship happens more easily at home than in a large building. It is not that church gatherings are wrong… but the time has come to question why many denominational leaders insist so strongly on church-building gatherings. It is time for us to examine their motivations…

In the previous writing, we discussed that worship is a personal matter, and that gatherings of hundreds or thousands of people do not necessarily fulfill Hebrews 10:25. In fact, perhaps a gathering of 2–3 people in a home fulfills Hebrews 10:25 more, because fellowship is easier to experience at home than in a building.

Now we will discuss further about worship as something personal. Let us once again pay attention to the conversation of the Lord Jesus with the Samaritan woman (John 4). In verse 10, Jesus says He will give living water, but in verse 14, Jesus says that the living water He gives will become a SPRING within a person’s INNER BEING. This means there is GROWTH. Naturally, we think someone grows when they eat. In this passage Jesus says, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work”. So, if someone does God’s will and completes His work—which means they eat—then they will grow. That means the living water within will become a SPRING that keeps flowing outward.

Therefore, we must define worship as doing God’s will and completing His work. If someone carries out their worship correctly, then within them there is GROWTH—from water to spring. Have you seen that worship is a personal matter? If someone carries out daily activities according to God’s will for them, whether at home, at the office, or anywhere else, then as long as it is God’s will for them, they are WORSHIPPING. And the living water within them will grow into a spring.

Worship is not directly related to going to a building, singing songs, giving offerings, or even listening to sermons. Worship is directly related to the Father’s will for that person.

Now I will move on to a discussion that may be unpleasant, especially for denominational leaders. As long as apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, and evangelists equip the saints so that they understand GOD’S WILL for themselves, that is very good. But what if what happens is something described in Acts 20:29–30? Here Paul says that some leaders will draw disciples to themselves. And this has already happened. The church that was originally an organism has become thousands of organizations or denominations. Doesn’t this mean that some leaders are drawing disciples to their denomination, their organization, or to themselves? If you don’t see this matter, I can only pray that you will. This is no small issue, because it means tearing apart the Body of Christ into thousands of denominations.

Let’s return to our main issue. Worship is a personal matter. A person’s worship is determined by whether they personally do God’s will for their life. In the current situation where the church has become thousands of denominations, can a leader confidently say that GOD’S WILL for someone is to go “worship” in their denomination, follow this or that liturgy, give this or that offering, carry out this or that program, and so on? While for ourselves, we do not yet fully understand God’s will—how then can we know it for others?

At this point I want to speak to leaders. Are you sure that God’s will for someone is to go and follow all the programs of your denomination? What if God’s will for them is something different? Are you truly equipping someone to understand GOD’S WILL for their life, or perhaps are you DRAWING someone to yourself?

Why do I write this? Because I love the Body of Christ. I see the Body of Christ being continually torn apart. May the saints learn to be independent in understanding GOD’S WILL for themselves. May the saints worship truly, in the sense of carrying out God’s will for their life and completing their part in His work. May it be that after COVID-19 the saints rethink their worship to God.

In the previous writing, we defined worship as doing God’s will and completing His work. Since worship is a personal matter, an individual’s worship is doing God’s will for himself. A person’s daily activities—whether at home, at the office, or anywhere else—if they are according to God’s will for that person, then in fact, he is worshiping.

We also discussed that worship must be in spirit and in truth. It is not about worshiping in this or that place, performing this or that ritual, but rather following the leading of the living water within one’s inner being. If a person diligently follows the leading of the living water within, then that living water will become a fountain that keeps flowing unto eternal life. Therefore, worship must follow the flow of the living water inside us. In other words, worship must “FLOW” according to the guidance of the spring within our inner being. It is this matter of “flowing” that we will now discuss.

Not many Christians like the term “flowing,” because it is unclear what must be done routinely. Most Christians prefer routine worship—on certain days, in certain places, with certain preachers, certain rules, certain styles of singing, certain denominations with all their specific regulations. Why is that so? Because certainty brings a sense of security, safety, and assurance without having to critically question everything. Meanwhile, Christ’s followers are those who follow the Lamb wherever He goes (Revelation 14:4).

Let us look more deeply. Jesus came into the world not to bring religion, but to give living water. What is religion? Religion teaches and gives people rules about what is good and what is evil. Religion comes from the tree of knowledge. Jesus is the tree of life that gives life. Many Christians prefer religion rather than following the leading of the living water, because religion, once again, provides a sense of security, even though it binds with many rules. The word ‘Religion’ comes from the Latin term ‘Religare’. ‘Ligare’ means to bind, like a ship tied to an anchor. ‘Re’ means again. So, religion means ‘to bind again’. A Christian who lives by religion is actually bound again by various rules—rules about tithing, first fruits, liturgy, and so on. A religious Christian is like the Samaritan woman who thought worship had to be on this or that mountain… must, must, must. Do you want to be bound again by countless rules? Worship is not about following a string of regulations. Worship is about following the leading of the living water.

Let us reflect on why God allowed Covid-19 to happen in such a way that worship in church buildings was prohibited by the government. Have you ever thought that the “building” where Christians routinely worship is the SOURCE of many rules? Would you be upset if I told you that by routinely going to the “building,” you are actually being BOUND AGAIN by various regulations?

Jesus said, if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free. Free to follow the leading of the living water. Free to follow the Lamb wherever He goes.

In conclusion, worship must FLOW… Worship is not about following a thousand and one rules… Worship is about following the guidance of the spring within our hearts. Hallelujah.

We have already discussed that worship must flow like the living water within our inner being. We have also seen that the living water within us will grow into a spring as long as we continue to do God’s will and finish His work. We have also discussed that worship is not about following countless religious rules. Furthermore, we now understand that the “building” where Christians gather for worship has been the source of many regulations—starting from tithes, first fruits, and other organizational rules.

Now we will discuss the growth of living water in relation to worship in the ‘building’. As we know, in general, Christians feel comfortable if they have fulfilled their obligation in the ‘building’. On certain days, if they have not gone to the ‘building’, they feel they have not yet fulfilled their obligation before God. When Covid-19 came and the government forbade worship in church buildings, requiring people to worship at home, problems began to arise. Many Christians did not feel they were truly worshiping if the service was at home. To resolve this, the ‘building’ provided online services… and as for offerings, they could be transferred.

Why do God’s people feel that worshiping at home seems invalid… if there is no pastor, no offering, or perhaps no confession of faith, etc., it feels incomplete? The answer is simple… because the “building,” knowingly or unknowingly, has taught God’s people various rules—including that Sunday worship must be in the “building.” They teach that worship without a pastor is invalid, even though the Bible says that we are ALL priests and kings. They teach that if you don’t give tithes, first fruits, or any offering in the House of God, you won’t be blessed… and so on.

I want to respond first about the House of God and about ‘not being blessed’. Where does the teaching come from that the ‘building’ is the house of God, while the house of the congregation is not the house of God? The Bible says that WE are God’s house. But perhaps someone will argue that Israel as God’s people had the Temple. Fine, I’ll first accept that argument, which actually doesn’t understand the context of the Old and New Testaments. What if the situation was like when Jesus ‘overturned’ the Temple because it had become a marketplace? The Temple was no longer the House of God but had become a den of thieves. What if the “building” where Christians worship is filled with prosperity theology, preachers who love money… filled with quarrels over money and positions within the “building”? Wouldn’t the house of the congregation resemble the House of God more than the “building”? In the home of a believer, there is a father, with the help of a mother, raising their children in love—not taking tithes or offerings, even willing to sacrifice their lives for their children. John 10 says that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. Isn’t there a good shepherd in the believer’s home? Can we be certain that in the ‘building’ there is always a pastor who is willing to lay down his life for his congregation? Perhaps they don’t even know them personally… since the congregation could number in the hundreds or thousands…

How can you dare to say that the ‘building’ is the House of God and the believer’s home is not the House of God? I want to speak to church leaders… Let us study the Bible more earnestly… Let us purify our motivation in serving God… Because we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account for everything.

Now I want to talk about ‘giving offerings in order to be blessed.’ The Father already loved the world when the world was still rebelling against Him. Jesus already died for us WHEN WE WERE STILL SINNERS… Reflect on this… What teaching says that we must give in order to be blessed? If it’s not witchcraft, it’s bribery. We give BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY BEEN BLESSED…

How can the congregation grow under such ‘building’ conditions? Growth happens when the congregation obeys the flow of living water within their inner being, not the ‘building’ in the condition I have described above.

In the previous discussion, we talked about the growth of living water connected to the habit of Christians going to worship in the ‘Building’. We already understand that the ‘Building’, where Christians usually worship, is the source of many regulations, starting from tithing, firstfruits, and other organizational rules. We also understand that the living water within a believer will grow into a spring only if that believer “flows” by following the guidance of the living water within.

We have also discussed the general condition of the ‘Building’, which is filled with commerce, just as the Jewish Temple was during the time Jesus ministered on earth. Believers who do not follow the flow of the living water within but only follow the rituals in the ‘Building’ will find it difficult to grow. A believer might faithfully attend the ‘Building’ and warm church pews for 10, 20, even 30 years without experiencing meaningful growth. Their revelation of the Bible does not significantly increase, their spirit does not burn more fervently, their character does not change much, their love for God and willingness to sacrifice does not deepen, they do not become more willing to carry the Cross… and perhaps, the living water within them even becomes weaker and drier. Why is that? Because worship is about following the guidance of the living water, not following the ‘Building’ with all its rules.

The Bible says, “But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things…” (1 John 2:27). This verse does not mean we should not learn from others, because if that were the case, the Apostle John would not have written his letters. This verse emphasizes that within every believer there is an anointing (living water) whose teaching MUST BE OBEYED. That living water TEACHES the believer, but unfortunately, believers are too focused on the ‘Building’. They swallow the teachings of the ‘Building’ whole. When hearing the teachings of the ‘Building’, it should be like eating fish: take the meat, discard the bones.

Which ‘Building’ dares to say that its teaching is perfect? Which denomination dares to claim, ‘we are right, you are wrong’? Even though we often and almost always hear that, rest assured, my brother/sister… it is merely the preacher’s talk… not the VOICE OF GOD… Return to the living water and anointing within you. We are all priests and kings… we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord… That is why Jesus said, let none of you be called a leader, for I am your leader (Matthew 23:10).

But why are believers so drawn to the ‘Building’? Or more precisely, ‘drawn to its leaders.’ Some even say, ‘If Christians’ Lord is insulted, they can remain calm and patient… But do not ever attack their pastor, for they will usually strike back by saying… do not judge… do not touch the Lord’s anointed… that is between them and God… and so on… and so forth.

The last paragraph in our previous writing was: why are believers so attracted to the ‘Building’? Or more precisely, ‘attracted to their leaders’. Some even say, “if Christians are mocked because of their Lord… they can remain calm and patient… But don’t try to attack their pastor, usually they will strike back by saying… don’t judge… don’t disturb the one anointed by God… that is between him and God… and so on.”

Surely we ask, what is it about leaders? The answer is quite simple, leaders have a certain appeal. This appeal comes from the gifts that God has given, ranging from spiritual gifts, knowledge, eloquence, even physical appearance, and so on. None of that is wrong; what is wrong is when all of it is used to draw disciples NOT TO CHRIST BUT TO THE LEADER HIMSELF.

Before continuing our discussion, I would like to testify about the early days of my Christian life. At that time I was introduced to the writings of Watchman Nee. Watchman Nee was a great leader of God’s people. His movement in China, the “little flock”, is still felt today in the house church movement. But he was a man who suffered much because he followed the Lord radically. Nee ended his life in a communist prison after languishing and suffering for nearly 20 years. His writings are very well known in the Christian world, even to this day. I not only read but studied almost all of his books. And I was truly blessed and fully equipped to follow the Lord until today.

Yet strangely, I did not become a follower of Watchman Nee, nor was I a “Watchman Nee disciple”. But through his writings I became someone who desired to choose the will of the Father, whether it meant suffering or being misunderstood. I became deeply longing for the life of Christ. I was DRAWN through Watchman Nee’s writings not to himself or his movement, but I was DRAWN to the life of Christ.

In one of his writings, he explained how Mary broke her alabaster jar at Jesus’ feet and the fragrance filled the room. Nee explained that only those who have broken their “jar” can spread the fragrance of Christ to others. And throughout his writings, Watchman Nee emphasized that only those who willingly CHOOSE THE WILL OF THE FATHER and suffer because of it are the ones who can bring people TO CHRIST and not to themselves. Until today I have always longed for the WILL OF THE FATHER and to suffer because of it… Only in that way can I be used to lead people to Christ.

Back to our issue. In this modern era, there are many great preachers with such strong appeal that they can draw thousands or even tens of thousands of Christians. For me, this raises a question: are those thousands being drawn to Christ or not? If symptoms like what I described

earlier appear, namely that some would say, “if Christians are mocked because of their Lord… they can remain calm and patient… But don’t try to attack their pastor, usually they will strike back by saying… don’t judge… don’t disturb the one anointed by God… that is between him and God… and so on.” If such a symptom occurs, then it is very possible that the leader, whether consciously or unconsciously, has drawn people to himself.

We will discuss this matter of leadership further by explaining three teachings that cause the church to fall (Revelation 2–3). These teachings are NICHOLAITANS, BALAAM, and JEZEBEL….

We have already discussed that leaders possess a certain appeal. If a leader only uses their gifts and the grace of God upon them, but has not yet been shaped and had their “jar” broken, then they will attract disciples not to Christ but to themselves. We also understand that worship means following the guidance of the living water within our inner being. God’s people need to ask whether they are following the leader or following the living water within them. Learning from leaders is a necessity. Being equipped by leaders in order to follow Christ is God’s ordinance. But being drawn to leaders in such a way that one does not follow the guidance of the living water becomes a serious problem. Because if that is what happens, then in truth God’s people are not worshiping. That is why it is very important to talk about this matter of leadership.

We will discuss this issue of leadership by looking at three teachings in the Book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3, which caused the church to fall, namely the teachings of the Nicolaitans, Jezebel, and Balaam. These three teachings were, of course, taught by leaders. For now, we will only discuss the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

First, we must understand that the Book of Revelation is the revelation of Jesus Christ and His church, expressed through SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE. Revelation 1:1 affirms that, “… He (Jesus Christ) made it known to His servant John.” The phrase “made it known” comes from the Greek word SEMAINO, which originates from the word SEMA, meaning SIGN or SYMBOL. Therefore, Jesus Christ revealed to the Apostle John using symbolic language/signs. A symbol is a sign that contains meaning behind it. For example, in Revelation 12:1, a woman is described as clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. The woman here is symbolic, for no literal woman can be close to the sun, tread upon the moon, and wear a crown of stars. In the Bible, a woman is a SYMBOL of the church. Thus, the Apostle John saw a church completely under the authority of Christ (the Sun), no longer governed by the “reflection” of Christ (standing on the Moon), and led by the sons of God (the stars). This is how we should read Revelation 12:1.

Let us return to our subject and try to understand the term NICOLAITANS. Since Nicolaitans are symbolic, Nicolaitans do not refer to the name of a single leader. The term Nicolaitans comes from two Latin words: NIKO = to conquer, and LAOS = the laity. Thus, Nicolaitans means “to conquer the laity.” This teaching was used by leaders to justify their actions of dominating, controlling, and ruling over God’s people. One teaching of the Nicolaitans asserts that the church is an ORGANISM that needs to be ORGANIZED. To apply organization and hierarchy to the church

is considered valid and right. Incidentally, I wrote my thesis on leadership. So I studied various management theories, from classical management, human relations management, and many kinds of modern management.

The principle remains the same: an organization is merely a tool in the hands of leaders to manage a community so that its goals can be achieved. So it is natural for leaders to create organizations, whether political leaders (various political organizations), business leaders (companies), or social leaders (social organizations), and so on. But Jesus said in Matthew 20:25 that rulers exercise authority… but it shall not be so among you (verse 26). The authority and power of rulers are exercised through what we call ORGANIZATION. Without organization (hierarchy), rulers cannot exercise authority. Organization is indeed a TOOL in the hands of rulers to govern the people. Within an organization, the lines of command are clear, showing who is accountable to whom, and who has the right to govern whom.

But in the church, there must not be organization (hierarchy), for if there is, the AUTHORITY of the church changes drastically—from the authority of the Holy Spirit to the authority of man (leaders). Leaders HAVE NO AUTHORITY over the congregation. Leaders are SERVANTS of the congregation, and servants HAVE NO AUTHORITY over their masters. Have you ever reflected on the difference between an organism and an organization? The difference lies in the TYPE OF AUTHORITY. An organism, which is the church, has the authority of the Holy Spirit, while an organization has the authority of its leaders. That is why Jesus said, let no one among you be called leader, for I am your Leader. Here Jesus was speaking about AUTHORITY, not about the roles of apostles, prophets, shepherds, teachers, and evangelists in the church.

I must end this writing here… there is much more I could say on this topic. But I will close by saying that THE CHURCH IS AN ORGANISM where the AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT prevails. But today the church has been torn apart into thousands of ORGANIZATIONS by leaders who uphold the teaching of the NICOLAITANS. The Book of Revelation says that God hates the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Why? Because this teaching has broken the church into thousands of fragmented organizations.

We have discussed the difference between an organism and an organization, which lies in the type of authority. The authority of an organism (the church) is the authority of the Holy Spirit—or more precisely, the authority of life (Life = zoe), because the Holy Spirit is the Spirit who gives life. If someone is “within the organism,” they will be led by the living water, whether at home, at work, or anywhere else. This person is worshipping, because worship is following the leading of the living water. Conversely, if they are ‘within the organization’, then like it or not, they must follow the leadership above them, where the highest level lies with the top leader, whether that be a pastor or a senior elder.

Here is where conflict arises: if this person has truly been born again (having the living water within), but “worships” within an organization, chaos occurs. Sometimes the authority of the organization aligns with the leading of the living water within them, but usually it contradicts it.

That is why those who serve full-time in an organization, following all its programs, often experience “dryness” and boredom. Such people feel the need for retreats, whereas serving under the leading of the living water itself is spiritual nourishment. Those who serve under the living water do not need retreats—their spirit only grows more fervent… never feeling “dry” or bored. But why do those within the organizational context often feel “dry” and bored? Because they are not following the living water, but only the directives of the organization.

Christians—even those called full-time ministers—can spend 10, 20, even 30 years in an organization, yet not grow much in life. Perhaps they grow in organizational skills, understanding more theology within that system, but hardly at all in receiving fresh and new revelations. Their sermons now may be the same as they were 10 years ago… Nothing new, just repeating the same things… This is a serious matter, my brothers and sisters. We must truly reflect on this. Worship is about following the Lord, and following the Lord means following the leading of the living water. Let us not drain our energy for 10, 20, or 30 years only to see no real growth in the freshness of the Word.

Let us look at the early church, which was an organism. They lived, moved, and served under the leading of the life-giving Spirit. One of the marks of an organism is spontaneous and flowing life. Peter and John held a “sudden” gospel rally without planning, without organizational meetings, without budgets and proposals… yet the congregation grew to about 5,000 people (Acts 4:4). The church prayed, unscheduled, but spontaneously… and the result was not only that the place where they prayed was shaken, but they were all filled with the Spirit and proclaimed the Word boldly… Miracles upon miracles happened spontaneously… Philip evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch, and after baptizing him, the Holy Spirit carried him to another place… with no follow-up program. Paul too served under the Spirit’s leading… sometimes the Spirit forbade him to evangelize in Asia and instead led him to Europe… Everything flowed according to the leading of the life-giving Spirit. Without organizational programs, without budget meetings and proposals, and without BUILDINGS, they only worshiped in homes… and within the first 200 years, the church had conquered the known world of that time. Why? Because they were led by the life-giving Spirit—led by the living water within them…

In the previous writing, we saw how the early church, as an organism, was led by the Spirit who gives life. Everything flowed according to the guidance of the living water within the hearts of the believers. Without organizational programs, without discussing budgets and proposals, and without BUILDINGS, where they only worshiped in homes… within the first 200 years, the church had conquered the known world at that time. On the contrary, today the church, which has become thousands of organizations with its luxurious buildings and diverse evangelistic programs, is unable to conquer the world as the early church once did.

We also saw that the cause of the church—originally an organism but now thousands of organizations—was the action of its leaders who supported the teaching of Nicolas. Once again, NICOLAS represents the actions of leaders subjugating the laity by using a tool we have already discussed: organization. Now we will discuss another tool in the form of the teaching of SUBMISSION.

The Bible indeed teaches submission, but we must look at its context. Is this teaching within the context of the Old Testament (Israel) or the New Testament (the church)? Is the context within the family, or society (government)? Supporters of Nicolas’ teaching usually do not pay attention to context. For example, the law of tithing and the law of firstfruits. They love to quote Malachi 3:10 and apply it to the New Covenant people (the church). Yet we know that tithes belonged to the Levites. But they twist it… They say they are the “Levites,” even though Peter’s letter clearly states that the entire church is a royal priesthood. These supporters of Nicolas elevate themselves above God’s people and deceive them by cherry-picking verses without considering context. Of course, the verses they pick are the ones that support their position. The law of stoning rebellious children is never quoted—because what if the rebellious child belongs to a pastor? Would the congregation have to stone the pastor’s child???

Now let us return to the matter of submission. The supporters of Nicolas’ teaching love to quote verses like “Do not touch My anointed ones.” They also love to give examples of how David did not dare to harm Saul, even though Saul had been rejected by God. They also like to mention how Moses, who had taken a Cushite (Hamite) woman, was still defended by God when Miriam and Aaron criticized him. All of these examples are within the Old Testament context that applied to Israel. But when it comes to the church, one must not randomly apply Old Testament verses. The Old Testament was merely a SHADOW, while the reality of salvation is found in the Lord Jesus Christ (New Testament) – see Hebrews 10:1.

Now let us look at the teaching of submission in the New Testament. Submission in the New Testament is connected with the issue of AUTHORITY. Regarding authority, the Lord Jesus said, “Do not let anyone among you be called a leader, for I am your Leader… you are all BROTHERS.” This speaks of authority. None of us, as members of the church, has authority over another member. Of course, there are church leaders. But those leaders are servants whose role is to equip the congregation so that they may grow and obey the true Leader, the Lord Jesus. That is also why the New Testament mentions the term “one another” thirteen times. This means that as fellow members, we must SUBMIT to one another, WASH one another’s feet, ADMONISH one another… ONE ANOTHER… ONE ANOTHER… and ONE ANOTHER.

Submission in the New Testament context must ‘flow’. If two Christians are walking together, naturally, they will understand who should learn to submit to whom. If a church member rebels against a church leader, do not expect God to open the earth and swallow the rebel like He did with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram who rebelled against Moses. In the New Testament, submission speaks of humility.

But what if a church member rebels against the pastor? We will discuss this later… But we must first understand that THE POSITION OF PASTOR DOES NOT EXIST IN THE BIBLE. The gift of shepherding exists… but the POSITION, which implies authority over the congregation, DOES NOT EXIST IN THE BIBLE….

We will continue our discussion about one of the teachings of Nicolas, namely submission. This time, we will first discuss whether the position of Pastor (Shepherd) exists in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. The term shepherd (Greek: Poimen) appears 18 times in the New Testament. The term shepherd specifically related to church leaders appears 4 times, namely in Matthew 9:36, Mark 6:34, John 10:2, and Ephesians 4:11. The rest of the references to shepherds point to the Lord Jesus and literal shepherds of sheep.

Now we will discuss whether shepherding is one of the GIFTS of leadership, or whether it is an OFFICE, as is common today. To understand this clearly, we must look at the history of how hierarchy (organization) entered the early church, which, as we know, was originally an organism.

We know that leadership in the early church consisted of elders assisted by deacons shepherding God’s people in a particular city. It should be remembered that the elders functioned as caretakers of the congregation in the context of an organism, since the early church was not an organization. The term elder is translated from two Greek words, Episkopos and Presbuteros. Episkopos means overseer (one who sees “from above”), while Presbuteros means an older person (spiritually mature). These two terms were used interchangeably, referring to one person. In other words, an elder was a spiritually mature person who functioned as an overseer in order to care for the church. All elders and deacons functioned in the context of an organism.

So why is it that today the church has split into thousands of organizations, each usually led by ONE pastor or ONE senior elder? History records a man named Ignatius (115 A.D.), a church leader in Antioch who was martyred under Emperor Trajan. It was Ignatius who first taught that Episkopos (bishop) was different from Presbuteros (elder). I will quote some of his words, written in ‘The Apostolic Fathers’ (1956) by J.B. Lightfoot.

“Therefore we must regard the BISHOP as we would the Lord Himself” (p. 65). “For as the Lord does nothing without the Father – being united with Him – so you must do nothing without the BISHOP and the elders” (p. 70). “Submit yourselves to your elders and your BISHOP, and you will be sanctified in all things” (p. 64). “Obey the BISHOP” (p. 72). “He who does anything without the BISHOP, elders, and deacons has an unclean conscience” (p. 74). “All of you follow your BISHOP” (p. 84). “He who does anything without the knowledge of the BISHOP is serving the devil” (p. 84).

Ignatius not only distinguished between EPISKOPOS (bishop) and PRESBUTEROS (elder), but also taught absolute submission to the bishop. After the distinction was made between bishops and elders, bishops in each city began to compete with each other, leading to the rise of Archbishops. Then the Archbishops competed, leading to the rise of Cardinals. Then Cardinals competed further, leading to the rise of the Pope. Thus hierarchy (organization) entered the organism (the church). By the 6th century, the hierarchy was fully established—that was the Roman Catholic Church. And then the church entered the DARK AGES for 1000 years.

Do you now see the seeds of Nicolas’ teaching here? The early church (organism) did not recognize the OFFICE of Pastor. If you are not convinced, look in the Bible—who was the Pastor of the church in Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, etc.?

In this writing, we will try to summarize the teaching of Nicholas, namely submission and organization within the church (hierarchy = ranks). We will re-quote the source or seed of this teaching from the words of Ignatius in the book ‘The Apostolic Fathers’ (1956) by J.B. Lightfoot, as follows…

‘Therefore we must regard the BISHOP as the Lord Himself’ (page 65). ‘For just as the Lord does nothing without the Father – because He is united with Him – likewise you should do nothing without the BISHOP and the elders’ (p.70). ‘Submit yourselves to your elders and your BISHOP, and you will be sanctified in everything’ (p.64). ‘Obey the BISHOP’ (p.72). ‘He who does anything without the BISHOP, elders, and deacons, this person is not pure in conscience’ (p.74). ‘All of you follow your BISHOP’ (p.84). ‘He who does anything without the knowledge of the BISHOP is rendering service to the devil’ (p.84).

By distinguishing between the Bishop and the elders, and teaching absolute submission to the Bishop, Ignatius unconsciously sowed the seed of Nicholas’ teaching, which later developed into hierarchy within the church—namely the Pope, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and elders. Regarding absolute submission, we often hear the phrases, ‘Father can do no wrong’ or ‘The Pope has spoken,’ meaning that if the highest leader has made a decision, it should no longer be discussed. Nicholas’ teaching has already entered the church.

This teaching of Nicholas—absolute submission and hierarchy—essentially shifts the AUTHORITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT and replaces it with the AUTHORITY OF THE LEADER. Therefore, leaders can draw God’s people and then RULE, DOMINATE, and CONTROL them.

The church is an organism. Submission in the church is not absolute, because Jesus said, YOU ARE ALL BROTHERS, I AM YOUR LEADER. Submission in the church must be in the context of an organism so that the authority of the Holy Spirit is not displaced. Leaders are indeed given delegated authority, but still it is the authority of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if someone in the church submits to a leader, he is actually submitting to the authority of the Holy Spirit. But today, the church has been fragmented into thousands of organizations. There is no longer submission in the context of an organism, unless a person is outside the organization.

Once again, we emphasize that the chain of command or authority line within an organization is the authority of the leader or human authority. Whoever holds the highest rank is the one with the highest authority, regardless of whether he is led by the Holy Spirit or not. That is why there is no position of Senior Pastor in the Bible’s teaching about the church. Once the position of Senior Pastor is introduced, it is no longer the church of Jesus Christ, but the church of that Senior Pastor. The highest authority is not in the hands of the Lord Jesus, but in the hands of the Senior Pastor. I hope God’s people understand this…

This is the teaching of Nicholas that entered the early church through Ignatius. However, we should not consider Ignatius an oppressive leader. Ignatius was a brave man, who, while writing his letters, was on his way to Rome to die a martyr there. This is a serious lesson for us, especially leaders, that the spirit of Nicholas can still infiltrate us no matter how courageous we are in following the Lord.

For God’s people, the lesson is let us reflect more deeply… Who are we following? Are we obeying the authority of the Holy Spirit or the authority of the leader? Are we following the flow of living water in the freedom of the organism, or following a certain leader in the bondage of an organization? Let us always remember that WORSHIP IS FOLLOWING THE LEADING OF THE LIVING WATER WITHIN US.

In the previous writing we discussed the teaching of Nicolas, namely hierarchy and submission with the intention of controlling, dominating, and obtaining authority over God’s people. This time we will discuss the teaching of Jezebel, which caused the church to fall into adultery and idolatry. All the teachings in the Book of Revelation chapters 2–3, namely NICOLAS, JEZEBEL, and BALAAM, were carried out by the leaders. However, it must be emphasized that we are not talking about leadership. We are talking about the WORSHIP of God’s people, but because these leaders with their teachings influence the worship of God’s people, we must recognize their teachings. This writing is intended so that God’s people remain watchful and able to worship according to the teaching of Jesus in John 4, which we have already discussed, where worship is following the GUIDANCE of the living water within the believer’s spirit.

Let us look at Revelation 2:20, “Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.” We know that the Book of Revelation is a revelation about Jesus and His church IN SYMBOLIC LANGUAGE. So Jezebel here is a symbol.

A symbol is a sign that has a meaning behind it. In Israel’s history, Jezebel was the daughter of the king of Sidon who married Israel’s king Ahab, that wicked man. Therefore, we must understand the history of Jezebel (1 Kings 16–21) in order to understand the meaning behind the symbol of Jezebel. For now, we will pay attention to only three things in Jezebel’s history: about seizing her husband’s authority in the case of Naboth, about the prophets of Baal who ate from Jezebel’s table, and about her character who loved to incite her husband (1 Kings 21:25).

Before we discuss Jezebel further, we need to first understand who Jezebel really was. In Revelation 2:20 above, Jezebel calls herself a PROPHETESS, meaning she claimed to be a spokesperson for God, someone who spoke in God’s name. But her teaching misled God’s people into sexual immorality and eating food sacrificed to idols. If we apply this to today’s condition, then Jezebel is the teachers, and of course the leaders, who cause the congregation to worship idols. Of course, the idols of this age are not Baal or the Asherah poles worshiped by Ahab and Jezebel in the past. But the idols of modern times are MAMMON (Wealth). Thus, modern Jezebels are the proponents of the Prosperity Theology, wealth, or whatever it may be called.

Let us directly mention examples of these “Jezebel” teachings. In their blunt version, they like to quote the verse where it says, “Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy” (Genesis 26:12–13). And they teach God’s people that if you follow Jesus, then you will become rich, richer, and very rich… In their softer version, they like to quote John 10:10, teaching that Jesus came so that we may have abundant life… of course also materially. And in an even softer version, they quote Malachi 3:10, encouraging the congregation not to “rob God’s money.” They don’t care about context, or perhaps don’t understand that reading the Bible requires careful attention to context. What matters to them is getting richer, more prosperous, more secure… and so on…

In the next writing, we will discuss the three matters of Jezebel’s history mentioned above and interpret them for today’s condition…

In the previous writing we already gave examples of these “Jezebel” teachings, where in the blunt version they like to quote the verse that says, “Isaac sowed seed in that land… and the man became rich, and continued to grow richer until he became very wealthy” (Genesis 26:12-13). And they teach God’s people that if you follow the Lord Jesus then you will become rich, richer, and very rich… In the softer version, they like to quote John 10:10, teaching that Jesus came so that we might have life abundantly… of course also materially… And in an even softer version, they also quote Malachi 3:10, urging the congregation not to “rob God’s money”… They don’t care about context, or perhaps they don’t even understand that when reading the Bible you must pay close attention to context. What matters to them is becoming richer, prosperous, and successful… etc., etc.

Before we move into the three aspects of Jezebel’s history—seizing authority, Jezebel’s table, and her persuasive nature—and interpret them for today’s condition, let us first explain briefly about Jezebel’s teachings from the letter of Jude. The letter of Jude says that false teachers are those whose teachings “…pervert the grace of our God into sensuality” (verse 4, ILT version). This means teaching that the Father is full of love and therefore He will bless us… but the focus of the Father’s blessing is wealth, health, prosperity… In short, the focus is on the physical, outward, and material. God’s people who are constantly preached such teachings will not focus on the living water within them, let alone follow its leading. Yet God’s people need to be equipped in such a way that the living water within them continues to grow into a spring, so that they truly worship according to the teaching of the Lord Jesus in John 4. God’s people need to be equipped on how to bear the cross, seek the Father’s will, and learn to leave worldly desires, not seeking human glory but seeking God’s glory.

We need to recognize these false teachers according to the letter of Jude, namely those who were once saved out of Egypt but were later destroyed again because of unbelief (verse 5). False teachers are NOT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN BORN AGAIN. In fact, perhaps, they are people filled with many gifts, such as prophesying, casting out demons, and performing various miracles. But according to Matthew 7:21-23, the Lord Jesus will one day SPEAK PLAINLY to them. Before

the judgment seat of Christ, everything will be clear… who is truly God’s servant, and who TURNS OUT TO BE A SERVANT OF MAMMON. We must speak plainly now so that God’s people are NOT DECEIVED. It may be that followers of Jezebel’s teachings are respected figures in today’s fallen Christianity. Perhaps they hold high positions in Christianity, are very knowledgeable, skilled preachers, and respected by their congregations—congregations that may number in the hundreds or even thousands…

Now back to the three things about Jezebel. First, Jezebel was someone who usurped her husband’s authority (1 Kings 21). Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name. What does this mean today? Those who shift the authority of the Holy Spirit and introduce organization (hierarchy) into the church are those who usurp the authority of the Holy Spirit. Leaders who support the existence of hierarchy and organization in the church are the “Jezebels” of today. Perhaps they not only support it, but also enjoy those positions. Of course not only positions… they also gain money and human glory…

Second, Jezebel had a TABLE where the false prophets ATE (1 Kings 18:19). All false preachers whose focus is money surely eat from “Jezebel’s table.” Jezebel’s table was the royal table, with delicious food… False preachers who became rich in today’s fallen Christianity… are those who EAT FROM JEZEBEL’S TABLE. We say this not because we want to eat from “Jezebel’s table.” We eat and are sustained by God through “Elijah’s table.” Sometimes we are sustained by “ravens”… Sometimes by “a widow in Zarephath”… We live and eat because of God’s provision. Covid-19 has NO EFFECT AT ALL for us who eat from “Elijah’s table.” Covid-19 speaks only to those who eat from “Jezebel’s table”… Hopefully, they repent…

Jezebel also killed the prophets of the LORD (1 Kings 18:4). If we are cast out, considered “strange,” or rejected… that’s okay, my brother… it’s proof we are on Elijah’s side. Do not fear Jezebel’s threats… There are still “7,000” chosen ones of God who have never bowed to Mammon…

Third, Jezebel was a persuader. She had a strong-willed character, loved to dominate, and was fanatical in following her idols. In today’s fallen Christianity we also see that these “Jezebels” have such traits.

In the previous writing we discussed the teaching of Jezebel, where this teaching misled God’s people into committing adultery and eating food sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:20). Now we will discuss the teaching of Balaam which also caused God’s people to commit adultery and eat food sacrificed to idols (Revelation 2:14).

We also already understand that the idol of this era is Mammon (Wealth). So, the teaching of Jezebel is a teaching that makes God’s people focus on Mammon. As a result of this teaching, God’s people worship, whether in Sunday services, giving tithes, first fruits, and following every church organizational program… all of these are aimed at prosperity, well-being, and other material blessings. God’s people are not focused on the living water, let alone following the guidance of the living water within them.

The teaching of Balaam is almost the same as the teaching of Jezebel because both cause God’s people to commit adultery and worship idols. The difference lies in WAGES. We know that Balaam “served as a prophet” but FOR WAGES. The teaching of Balaam is a teaching that supports the WAGE SYSTEM. In the Christian world, those who serve, certainly within an organization, are sure to receive WAGES, whether in the form of a monthly salary, love offering, or whatever it may be called.

The Bible does not support the WAGE SYSTEM. The early church did not recognize the wage system. New Testament ministry existed in the context of an organism. Everything moved according to the guidance of the living water. The authority of the Holy Spirit truly functioned. Sometimes the Holy Spirit moved the church in Philippi to help Paul. Sometimes Paul had to make tents to support his ministry. We never knew how much ‘salary’ Paul, Peter, and the other apostles received. Even if the early church collected money, it was usually to help the poor, widows, and those in need. New Testament ministers were not hirelings. They were not hired shepherds who ran away when the wolves came to attack the sheep…. They did not collect TITHES, FIRST FRUITS, or offerings from the congregation for their own interests. Indeed, Paul taught not to muzzle the ox while it treads out the grain, and he also said that it would not be too much if he received material blessings when he had sown spiritual blessings… but he did not ESTABLISH A WAGE SYSTEM as we see in today’s Christianity. Paul spoke like that WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF AN ORGANISM… where everything moved under the LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

This teaching of Balaam has turned the Christian world into a marketplace. Balaam was accustomed to selling his prophecies… In the Christian world, not only ‘prophecies’ are sold… almost everything can be sold. We will arrive at Revelation 17–18 to discuss this more deeply. What matters now is that we understand that the teaching of Balaam is what caused Christianity to become a marketplace with its wage system, of course.

In the situation where Christianity has become a marketplace and in the current situation where the Father allowed COVID-19, what can we learn? The lesson we must understand is TO STAY AT HOME. Just as going out of the house too often may cause us to be infected by Covid-19, likewise worshiping outside the house too often may cause us to be infected by the “marketplace virus.” Going out of the house should only be when it is truly necessary… Once again, worship means following the guidance of the living water within us, not necessarily going outside the house…

I am convinced that after Covid-19, if people ask, “Where is your worship?” The answer will be, “At home”… and no one will be surprised… because they will understand…

This writing is the conclusion to the theme “The Concept of Worship After Covid-19.” We need to review the important points from everything we have discussed, before we touch a little on the New Covenant, so that we can better understand the Father’s intention with the occurrence of Covid-19.

We have discussed that worship is following the leading of the living water within our spirit; thus, we can do God’s will and fulfill our calling, whether at home, at the office, or wherever God places us. Since many Christians already have the concept that worship must take place in a church building, we have explained Hebrews 10:25, showing that worship at home is actually more likely to fulfill Hebrews 10:25. Why is that? We also explained that church buildings are the source of regulations that cause Christians to focus on outward matters instead of inward matters.

And most seriously, most church buildings are places where the spirits of Nicolaitans, Jezebel, and Balaam take root… we have already explained this. So, what is the Father’s intention with the occurrence of Covid-19? The intention is to BREAK… to break the congregation’s attachment to the “BUILDING” and return them to their own homes, just like the early church, so that families can worship by following the leading of the living water… The Church functions as an ORGANISM…

What about the leaders? There is nothing wrong, as long as leaders EQUIP the congregation to grow in the Lord so that the congregation, in turn, can follow the leading of the living water within their spirit to build the Body of Christ—that is what the Bible teaches… But if leaders DRAW disciples to themselves, DRAW them to their organizational programs, DRAW money from them in the form of tithes, firstfruits, and so on… THAT IS A BIG PROBLEM… Why? Because in this way the church is torn apart into thousands of organizations and denominations… in this way the authority of the Holy Spirit is overthrown and replaced with the authority of the senior pastor, elder, or whatever the title may be… in this way the church becomes focused on the Old Covenant and outward matters… in this way the church becomes a den of robbers, where the struggle for money and positions happens within the “building”… in this way the church becomes identical to the world’s system… Leaders who DESTROY THE BODY OF CHRIST IN THIS WAY ARE SURELY CONTROLLED BY THE SPIRITS OF NICOLAITANS, JEZEBEL, AND BALAAM…

We will explain a little about the New Covenant, because with the leaders’ behavior described above, in reality they, knowingly or unknowingly, have led disciples astray and diverted them from the New Covenant that was ratified by the blood of Jesus and sealed by the Holy Spirit… Let us look at Hebrews 8:8-13. There are at least three points here, all of which are inward. First, the written Law (Torah) will be written by the Spirit into the hearts of believers. Second, knowing the Lord inwardly. Third, the forgiveness of sins in the true sense, not the symbolic one practiced in the Old Covenant with the blood of animal sacrifices. So, the New Covenant is inward… the first to come (OT) was natural, and then came the inward (NT)…

I once heard a sermon on the “COVENANT OF BLESSINGS,” which I believe is widely preached in church buildings, perhaps with slight modifications… At least seven points were presented there, with the fifth point being about tithing… The preacher called this the Covenant of Blessings… But clearly it is NOT the Old Covenant, and NOT the New Covenant either… This is more like a MIXED-UP COVENANT, a PATCHWORK COVENANT… not for Israel, nor for the Church… What happens if the congregation continuously listens to such a PATCHWORK COVENANT? What will the result be?

Let us return to our main concern. How should leaders build the congregation so that they WORSHIP ACCORDING TO THE TEACHING OF JESUS… Worship in spirit and in truth… What is the solution? The Father Himself has already worked out the solution through Covid-19… AT HOME… If leaders hold Online or Live Streaming services, as long as these are to EQUIP the congregation to follow the leading of the living water, that is very good… But if the intention is to DRAW disciples to the leader, especially still demanding their money through transfers and so on, this is behavior controlled by the spirits of NICOLAITANS, JEZEBEL, and BALAAM… but that is up to them… I can only give a reminder as His servant… after all, we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ… There nothing hidden will remain concealed… everything will be revealed… who is a servant of God, and who is a servant of Mammon…

I will close this writing with an expression… AT HOME… Yes, AT HOME… Speaking of the concept of worship… once again… AT HOME…  AMEN.