It is interesting to see the tactics of a Church Sardis. Does the gospel set us free or is it used by fallen leaders to control and to spiritually abuse? That is a good question! We have talked about how the pulpit has been abused by fallen leaders through innuendo and talk given to congregation members not from God but from man.

The latest innuendo was to be expected and predicted long before it was spoken. (When you have had experience with false prophets they become extremely predictable!) Fallen leaders recently talked of do-gooders. But what is a do-gooder? Is it someone who does good and expects something back or to receive favouritism, or is it to work for God to shine His light into peoples lives.

So lets look at things a little deeper. What does the Bible say about doing good. Let’s take a look.

First up we have a scripture from Matthew, specifically in chapter 5.

Matthew 5:16

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Next up a Psalm of David in Psalm 37.

Psalm 37:3

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.”

Do you see? There are plenty of scriptures that tell us to ensure we are doing good, letting your light shine before others, so that good works maybe seen to which it glorifies God.

Another scripture is given to us in the letter of James chapter 2. Have a read.

James 2:14-17

“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

Do you see? Without works your faith is dead. This is what the word of God tells us. What do these scriptures have to do with Church of Sardis tactics. Firstly what is the Church of Sardis. Jesus was not afraid to tell a church what it was! Here is Jesus calling out the Church of Sardis in Revelation 3 verse 1 to 3.

3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits[b] of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.”

The church of Sardis appeared alive but in fact was dead. They looked the part, people were being saved apparently, there were baptisms, there was preaching, but Jesus called it all a sham.

Example of a Church Sardis in our modern age

Don’t forget there are Churches out there today who are operating just like the Church of Sardis did 2000 years ago. They appear alive but are actually dead. Let us give you an example. One of our church members was given a task by God to make welfare officers compulsory in over 50 running clubs in Wales.

The reason for this was the running community was like the wild west when it came to bullying. There were no real safeguards in place to protect people from bullies. Until God showed up! In 2019 a campaign commenced with the local MP to get welfare officers made compulsory in running clubs. By the grace of God we won! Today there are welfare officers in place where bullying can be reported and dealt with.

This is how God protects people in todays modern age. He uses Christians to go and safeguard people. He uses sinful people to do good! This is why there are scriptures such as Matthew 5 v 16, Psalm 37 v 3 and James 2 v 14 to 17. God is a gracious God and gives you grace to go out and do mighty things.

Here is the letter confirming the campaigning undertaken to get welfare officers made compulsory in running clubs all over Wales.

This is an example why church congregants need to step up and do good and trust in God. He will use you to help society as He has helped the sporting community in Wales.

How has the church let people down in this campaigning!

We had the upper hand when it came to safeguarding people who wanted to take part in the running community. We wanted to go further. The reason this campaign to get welfare officers made compulsory in running clubs was because bullying was taking place when it came to people of faith taking part in the running community. People were being mocked because of their faith.

It was important to let people know that people who followed a faith whether it be Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, Hindu or whatever, they were allowed to take part in sporting environments such as the running community, Why? Because the governing authorities law have made it clear they are allowed to, it is not just a place where atheists and LGBT people are the only people welcome.

Churches were approached for support to make the running community more inclusive especially for those who follow a faith. However, Churches who claimed to care about justice were all about talk, puff and no substance. They were raising a church to look just like the church of Sardis.

Jesus said in this life you will have trouble. As confirmed in the Gospel of John.

John 16:33

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The churches that did not support us, the church of Sardis types have decided that trouble is cancelled. Leaders prefer their high salaries, their plane rides to countries all over the world, enjoying their luxurious journeys going in and out of airports and so much more. But when it comes to matters of justice like ensuring people of faith are allowed to take part in sports, they would not stand up to be counted. This was a disgrace.

This is proof that the church of Sardis is live and up and running in this modern age. They look alive but they are dead just as Jesus spoke these words in Revelation 3. We are indeed in the end times where false prophets are rising, the pulpit is being abused filled with innuendo and talk not of God but false doctrines being embraced and false disciples raised up.

We must pray and pray some more for the safeguarding of the church, to pray that false churches do not change the doctrine subtly and in a way where a fickle congregation can follow oblivious to what is really going on. Maybe this is the example that is needed for a fickle congregation to wake up.

Remember this scripture:

2 Corinthians 11:14

“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”

We must be ever watchful because the pulpit can potentially be used by the enemy. 1 Timothy 4 v 1 says:

4 “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”

This confirms that people can be used from the pulpit to teach deceiving doctrines. So lets keep praying.

Why did God allow self-promotion? This we find is a very interesting question! Obviously when you use social media it should always be done with the correct motives and with integrity. But in an age where discrimination is rampant and favouritism a cancer in society, we wonder to ourselves could these be the reasons why God allowed self-promotion, to expose favouritism.

What does Gods word say about favouritism? Let’s take a look.

James 2

Favouritism Forbidden

2 “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favouritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

How has social media and self-promotion exposed favouritism?

Let’s look at a scenario. A person who has a lot of talent blessed by God, he or she may well excel at what they do in their lives and are highlighted for their work. For example, they may manage a social media profile, and it was found by social media giants like Twitter now called X and complimented. The person managing the profile did nothing other than do a good job in running the digital platform but attracted Twitter in, a platform with 400 million users.

If Twitter now called X knock your door through no fault of your own, we would say that is a huge blessing. However, if that person has features about them that society does not like, that is when rejection and discrimination can occur against a person regardless of whether Twitter found your work or not. Let’s give you an example.

God may have built a person to be a heavy weight sort of person, well built and carries a few extra pounds than others, or let’s say what is deemed in todays society not perfect (But then who is perfect!). Here is a picture of a person who potentially could be rejected by society because they carry a few extra pounds.

The chap above gets his work found by Twitter, but nobody really cares, because of what that person looks like. This is discrimination. A person can be favoured over another person not through merit but through favouritism, and this is how self-promotion exposes favouritism and makes it SO OBVIOUS.

Again to drive the point home. A person who is discriminated against gets his or hers work accredited by Twitter, but nobody cares because of the way he or she looks etc, it is so obvious that favouritism and discrimination is taking place that it leaves egg dripping all over the offender’s face.

Could God be allowing self promotion to convict people of favouritism because self-promotion is making it so obvious that people are being discriminated against!

Where does favouritism take place in the church?

There are churches out there that do uphold Gods word, but there are those that do not. Over the course of the last 12 months, we have been focusing on what a Church of Sardis looks like and the tactics they employ to look good. Jesus was not afraid to call them out for what they were. Let’s take a look at the scripture in Revelation 3 below.

Revelation 3

3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

The Church of Sardis was a church that appeared alive, there were likely baptisms, there were so called passionate worshippers, there were community groups, there were people who prayed, however this appeared correct, even though they did all of these things Jesus is in fact calling their actions dead, because there were things like discrimination and favouritism taking place in the church. Self-promotion has made it SO OBVIOUS that discrimination and favouritism is rife in society and also in our churches.

The good news about the scripture in Revelation 3 where Jesus calls out the Church of Sardis is this. There are still a few people left in these churches that have not soiled their clothes, meaning there is hope for these churches that they can do the right thing and apologise and turn from their wicked behaviour.

Those pastors who do not like self-promotion and have complained about it, they must now shut down all of their social media platforms in order for them to lead by example, including their personal platforms and the churches, because they think self-promotion is bad. However, we don’t think that they will until they acknowledge their hypocrisy.

Keep praying and pray some more for churches that appear alive but are in fact dead. Jesus gives them a chance and so should those who have been discriminated against and have fallen victim to the cancer of favouritism.

If this is a convicting read, then is God pulling at your heart strings. For those who use self-promotion in a respectful and integral way where it is helping society keep up the good work! Stay tuned we will be writing more about self-promotion shortly.

We know just how important it is to be a witness in places like pubs. Yes, we need to be alert and ready to give an answer for the faith we confess to follow as it says in 1 Peter 3 v 15:

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

The concern in today’s church culture we have is this. Are Christians going into the places that are deemed to be toxic? IT IS NOT HARD TO GO AND FIND PLACES TO WITNESS. You will never find it hard to find a person with problems, you just have to find a pub.

Why do people who have no hope or joy in Jesus turn to a pub? It is because they turn to alcohol, to fun music and are in search of some kind of community that they can be a part of to block out the problems they have in this fallen world. Pubs numb the senses to people’s problems temporarily, however, when waking up in the morning they are not just faced with their problems once more, they face them with a whopping hangover.

For the past three years we have made it our mission to go into pubs, to be a witness of the good news of Jesus beyond the four walls of the church building. We have spoke to many people and have seen Jesus breakthrough in peoples lives.

Considering how many churches are in the local area, it is staggering to see the lack of Christians in pubs within the Canton area. How do we know this? Because we have been able to see this with our own eyes.

It raises questions! Such as this, are leaders leading by example? They preach from the pulpit to go out and witness for Jesus, all the while they are being paid vast sums of money, yet you never see them in so called toxic environments!

Another example. A homeless ministry we served and witnessed time and again, and yet leaders who said go out and serve the poor, did we ever see them there themselves while serving the poor, NOT ONCE! While being paid vast sums of money.

We must PRAY and PRAY some more for our leaders who practice the faith in false humility who are wrapped in self-deception. They call themselves Christians, they smell like Christians, they talk like Christians, but they are never around in so called toxic environments.

Christians who enjoy the experience

There are many Christians who enjoy the experience of being a Christian, they are in it for the experience, we are talking about the Christians who would rather hang out in airports, and relax on a plane 50,000ft in the sky making the excuse their mission is global and Jesus’ mission is global travelling thousands of miles, yet they cannot venture less than a mile from the four walls of their church to witness to people who desperately need to know Jesus.

Jesus was not afraid to call out churches as we know in Revelation 3, as He did calling out the churches in Sardis and Laodicea. Churches who appeared alive but were in fact dead, or churches that were lukewarm.

Churches like the one in Sardis and Laodicea were probably to busy introducing destructive heresies and manipulating the true word of God, leading people astray. However, the good news you can take from Revelation 3 was this, Jesus gives those churches a chance to repent and to look into their hearts to assess them in order to change. We believe that this is still open to churches who have become misguided.

Jesus specifically said that when He returns, He will take the few who have not soiled their garments from churches dealing in self-deception, few! So, pray for these churches and let’s see God advance His kingdom in churches dealing in false humility, because with God He can change these churches.

Pray that these churches go into pubs where the harvest is ripe day in and day out, in pubs that are less than a mile down the road from their church entering so called toxic environments to witness for Jesus.

Let there be light in the places where sinners can easily be found.

Pray they be saved and will know that eternal life can be there’s and they can be forgiven for their sins, be in Gods good love and provision.

Last week we delved more into what a church of Sardis deceitful tactics could look like. Over the course of this last year, we have looked at spiritual abuse, self-deception in the church, how the pulpit is being abused by man through innuendo, as well as recently looking at deceitful campaigns manipulating church congregations.

Well, we are going to share another tactic a Church of Sardis could be caught up in. A church was under scrutiny and investigation. While that investigation was taking place the pulpit was rife with innuendo and ungodly talk. We never heard from God from the pulpit, however what we did hear were threats and all kinds of messages that contained hidden meaning. Again, the congregation oblivious to know what is going on behind the scenes, they are fickle.

While the investigation was running it was decided by that church that was under scrutiny to deliver a preaching series. What did they do right in the middle of an investigation? They used the pulpit to threaten.

The teaching series was labelled with a graphic of a headstone and a grave. What were church leaders trying to convey through innuendo to the ones bringing the investigation. It goes like this. If you carry on with this investigation, we will stick you in your grave. How very loving of them! Here is an example of that graphic.

The pulpit is a sacred place. It is where we want to hear from God to be convicted by Him to help sanctify us, not to hear threats from man who want to muster up anxiety and fear in people because they are under investigation trying to scare people off the road. This tactic is ungodly. We are to fear no other thing except for God. This tactic is spiritual abuse!

We are sorry if you have been up against this kind of abuse. However, we know one thing. Turn to God in all of it. Pray about it and pray specifically. Habakkuk in the Old Testament was a prayerful person who prayed specifically, he complained to God and when he thought God was taking no notice, God showed up. So, keep praying and pray some more.

Our God is a loving God; he does not threaten us as man threatens us. He is not afraid to call out churches for wrongdoing which was evident in Revelation 3. Read it for yourselves.

The good news about the churches that Jesus called out in Revelation 3 in each case of Smyrna, Pergamum, Sardis, Thyatira and Laodicea is this, He said REPENT. Jesus gives them a chance to turn from their false humility.

Your prayers can lead churches to repentance and to a place where truth and justice matter. A place where the pulpit is where we hear from God and what He wants us to hear, not the innuendoes of man trying to protect themselves in their own strength.

Keep praying and pray some more and wait and see what happens! Things will happen BECAUSE prayer is powerful, and God is listening to you.

As Jesus said the end times will come. We do not know the time when Jesus will return. However, Jesus did tell us the signs that will be present on His imminent return. Specifically in Matthew 24.

Jesus specifically says that signs of the end times are wars taking place and rumours of war. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. Jesus goes on to further explain that there will be earthquakes, famines and pestilences. He says that many will betray one another and hate one another, false prophets will rise and deceive many.

In Matthew 7 Jesus gives clear instruction on what true and false disciples look like. Specifically in Matthew 7 v 15 as displayed:

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

Are these signs prevalent today?

Absolutely! Since Israel was formed as a state in 1948 there has been nothing but rumours of war, famines, earthquakes and plenty of false prophets. False prophets look like Christians, they smell like Christians, BUT they are not, they are FAKE!

The book of Amos

We have read through the book of Amos, and it is amazing to see how God still uses the Old Testament today to help us understand that He has seen it all before, and likens todays situations to what we are experiencing today.

Amos was a prophet and a fig tree farmer. He lived in a time where the kingdom of Israel was split in two. The northern and the southern kingdom. Jeroboam was the king of Northern Israel during AMOS’ life. Jeroboam generated lots of wealth and won many battles, however the prophets were not in his favour.

Jeroboam allowed the worship of false Gods and ignored matters of Justice and the neglect of the poor. In fact, he allowed the poor to be sold into slavery. All of this was detestable in the Lords eyes so He would go about and deal with it all.

In Amos 5 v 21 to 22 the Lord says this:

“I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me.

22 Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.”

God is saying their faith is a SHAM! Their faith is religious! What God is saying is that Israel just went through the motions of practicing faith but with no conviction. They went to the festivals not in reverence of God, but just to go and turn up, and say well I did it and when they leave, they will go about their lives living in deceit and carrying out unjust acts and forget all about God. This was not what God intended.

For the error of their ways God says He has no regard for their offerings, they are a stench to Him. God through Amos warned Amaziah a priest of Bethel that Jeroboam king of Israel will die by the sword, and Israel will go into exile away from their native land.

Here is that passage in scripture specifically.

Amos 7 v 10 to 11

10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying:

“‘Jeroboam will die by the sword,

and Israel will surely go into exile,

away from their native land.’”

How was the news delivered by Amos greeted by Amaziah? It was greeted with distain. Amaziah told Amos to remove himself and go back to where he came from. Here is the scripture specifically in Amos 7 v 12 to 13 shown below:

12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

The truth was clearly a hard thing to bear, and it fell on deaf ears, why? Because instead of repenting of their ways, they continued in false humility, however God brought the exile of Israel as He promised back in Amos 5 v 27 as shown below:

“Therefore, I will send you into exile beyond Damascus,”

says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.”

Conclusion

Now this is going to be a long conclusion. How is the book of Amos speaking to us today? The book of Amos should still be heeded with respect. Yes, it is an Old Testament book. However, it confirms that there is nothing new under the sun, God has seen it all before, where so called believers are congregating together even in New Testament times that are displaying false humility. Basically, where church meetings are a sham!

Jesus was not afraid to call out the faults of churches as we know from the book of Revelation. In Revelation 3 Jesus talked of the Church of Sardis. He called them out saying that they appeared alive, but they were actually dead. Let’s take a specific look of what Gods word says in Revelation 3.

Revelation 3

3 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write:

These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.

4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels. 6 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

How is this similar to the days of Amos. Worshippers in Amos’ day would gather, but their faith was dead. It could be said that today so-called believers are gathering but again their faith is dead. We are seeing the end time signs as Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24, for example false prophets showing themselves in plain sight.

We must be vigilant that we are following the Lord and His plan for our lives and His church, we must be careful who we are listening to because Jesus has warned us to watch out for false prophets. False prophets could be leading the church into an artificial state picking and choosing scriptures to follow and also introducing destructive heresies. A church that is manmade not Holy Spirit grown. A church where we hear from man from the pulpit and not God.

Again, God says it clearly once more about false teachers in 2 Peter 2, here is what Peter said.

“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.”

The word of God mentions many times of God’s love for us, we know that! But it also speaks of scriptures in 2 Peter 2 v 1 – 3 about false teachers and how we should be wise to them. So how can you protect yourself and your church. Pray for your leaders and pray that they are good stewards of what God has entrusted them with, or if you suspect a false prophet in your mist then pray for them as well. Ask God to protect you and His church.

The good news about the churches that Jesus called out in Revelation in each case of Smyrna, Pergamum, Sardis, Thyatira and Laodicea is this, He said REPENT. Jesus gives them a chance to turn from their false humility.

Your prayers can lead churches to repentance and to a place where truth and justice matter. A place where the pulpit is where we hear from God and what He wants us to hear, not the innuendoes of man trying to protect themselves in their own strength.

Keep praying and pray some more and wait and see what happens! Things will happen BECAUSE prayer is powerful and God is listening to you.