Table of Contents

i. Introduction
i.1 Overview
i.1.1 Purpose
i.1.2 Background
i.1.3 Uniqueness
i.1.4 Synopsis
i.2 Organization
i.2.1 Format
i.2.2 Corrections
i.2.3 Conventions
i.3 Preconceived Notions
i.3.1 "I Don't Really Care"
i.3.2 "Are You a Cult?"
i.3.3 "Can You Prove It?"
i.3.4 "What About This..."
i.3.5 "It Won't Work Today"
i.4 Warning

1. Identity
1.1 Scriptural Truths
1.1.1 What is the Church?
1.1.1.1 Church Membership
1.1.1.2 Church Formation
1.1.2 Scope of the Church
1.1.2.1 Transcending Geography
1.1.2.2 Transcending Meetings
1.1.3 Life of the Church
1.1.3.1 Purity of the Church
1.1.3.2 Church Discipline
1.2 Counterfeit Philosophies
1.2.1 Unbiblical Newspeak
1.2.1.1 The Invisible Church?
1.2.1.2 The One True "church"?
1.2.2 Institutional "churches"
1.2.2.1 Organizational Birth
1.2.2.2 Organizational Life
1.2.2.3 Organizational Death
1.2.3 Governmental Control
1.2.3.1 Regulatable Entities
1.2.3.2 Voluntary Servitude
1.2.4 Maligning the Church
1.2.4.1 Evil "churches"?
1.2.4.2 Non-Christian "Christians"?
1.3 Practical Applications
1.3.1 Join the Church
1.3.1.1 Identifying the Church
1.3.1.2 Identifying with the Church
1.3.2 Embrace the Things of God
1.4 Challenge Questions

2. Unity
2.1 Scriptural Truths
2.1.1 The Basis for Unity
2.1.1.1 Living in Unity
2.1.1.2 Preserving Unity
2.1.2 The Sin of Division
2.1.2.1 Division by Attributes
2.1.2.2 Division by Disagreements
2.1.2.3 Division by Leadership
2.2 Counterfeit Philosophies
2.2.1 Characteristics of Division
2.2.1.1 Institutionalization
2.2.1.2 House "churches"
2.2.1.3 Membership
2.2.1.4 Proprietary Names
2.2.1.5 Divisive Actions
2.2.2 Consequences of Division
2.2.2.1 Selecting a "church"
2.2.2.2 Inoperable Scriptures?
2.2.3 Distorted Concepts of Unity
2.2.3.1 The Open Invitation
2.2.3.2 Unity within Division
2.2.3.3 Institutional Ecumenism
2.2.3.4 Non-Denominationalism
2.2.3.5 Merging
2.3 Practical Applications
2.3.1 Attending Institutional "churches"
2.3.1.1 Institutions Become Irrelevant
2.3.1.2 In the "church", but not of the "church"
2.3.2 Reforming Institutional "churches"
2.3.2.1 Missionaries to the "churches"
2.3.2.2 Institutional Elimination
2.3.3 Leaving Institutional "churches"
2.3.3.1 A New Direction
2.3.3.2 Counting the Cost
2.4 Challenge Questions

3. Fellowship
3.1 Scriptural Truths
3.1.1 Fellowship of the Spirit
3.1.1.1 Priesthood of Believers
3.1.1.2 Spiritual Gifts
3.1.2 Family of God
3.1.2.1 Committed Relationships
3.1.2.2 Environment of Love
3.1.3 Outreach
3.2 Counterfeit Philosophies
3.2.1 Fellowship of the Flesh
3.2.2 Priesthood of Couch Potatoes
3.2.2.1 Where's the Beef?
3.2.2.2 Orange Trees in Antarctica
3.2.2.3 The Priesthood of One
3.2.3 Dysfunctional Fellowship
3.2.3.1 The Lone Ranger
3.2.3.2 Relationship Idolatry
3.2.3.3 Negative Fellowship
3.3 Practical Applications
3.3.1 The Wilderness
3.3.1.1 Unlearning and Relearning
3.3.1.2 Persecution from the Establishment
3.3.1.3 Returning to Egypt
3.3.2 Building Relationships
3.3.2.1 Fellowshipping with Christians
3.3.2.2 Finding the Right People
3.3.2.3 Where Do You Go to "church"?
3.4 Challenge Questions

4. Meetings
4.1 Scriptural Truths
4.1.1 What is a Meeting?
4.1.1.1 Who Should Meet?
4.1.1.2 When to Meet?
4.1.1.3 Where to Meet?
4.1.2 Meetings of the Church
4.1.2.1 Meeting as the Church
4.1.2.2 In Jesus' Name
4.1.2.3 Open Participatory Meetings
4.1.2.4 Mutual Deliberations
4.1.2.5 Lampstands
4.2 Counterfeit Philosophies
4.2.1 Lifeless Meetings
4.2.2 Attendance-Based Religion
4.2.2.1 The Big Show
4.2.2.2 Ten-O-Clock Charlie
4.2.2.3 Meeting-Centricity
4.2.2.4 Spiritual Osmosis
4.2.2.5 Remote-Control Christianity
4.2.3 Distorted Evangelistic Meetings
4.3 Practical Applications
4.3.1 Meetings Led by Jesus
4.3.1.1 Let Jesus Call the Meetings
4.3.1.2 Let Jesus Run the Meetings
4.3.1.3 Let Jesus Lead You in the Meetings
4.3.2 Dealing with "Success"
4.3.2.1 Coping with Visibility
4.3.2.2 Aren't You Just Another "church"?
4.3.2.3 Who is the Real Cult?
4.4 Challenge Questions

5. Authority
5.1 Scriptural Truths
5.1.1 What is Authority?
5.1.1.1 Physical Power
5.1.1.2 Moral Government
5.1.1.3 Spiritual Authority
5.1.2 Spiritual Discernment
5.1.2.1 General Revelation
5.1.2.2 Specific Revelation
5.1.2.3 Collective Discernment
5.1.3 Mandatory Obedience
5.1.3.1 Messengers
5.1.3.2 Commands
5.1.3.3 Scripture
5.2 Counterfeit Philosophies
5.2.1 Authority of Men
5.2.1.1 Apostolic Succession
5.2.1.2 Obedience to Positions
5.2.2 Institutional Control Freaks
5.2.2.1 Covering Theology
5.2.2.2 Those That Rule?
5.2.3 Decisions of Men
5.2.3.1 The "What" is Wrong
5.2.3.2 The "Who" is Wrong
5.2.3.3 The "How" is Wrong
5.3 Practical Applications
5.3.1 Authority in the World
5.3.1.1 How You Play the Game
5.3.1.2 Order of Precedence
5.3.1.3 Submitting to Evil Authorities
5.3.1.4 Anti-Authoritarians
5.3.2 Authority in Institutional "churches"
5.3.2.1 Compliance with Foolishness
5.3.2.2 Resistance to Foolishness
5.3.2.3 Conflicts in Authority
5.3.2.4 Ignoring False Structures
5.3.3 Authority in the Church
5.3.3.1 Consulting with Others
5.3.3.2 Speaking to Others
5.4 Challenge Questions

6. Leadership
6.1 Scriptural Truths
6.1.1 What is Leadership?
6.1.2 Spiritual Leadership
6.1.2.1 Servant Leadership
6.1.2.2 Leadership without Position
6.1.2.3 Plurality of Leadership
6.1.2.4 Responsibilities
6.1.3 Voluntary Submission
6.1.3.1 Submitting to One Another
6.1.3.2 Attitude of Submission
6.1.4 Spiritual Gifts of Leadership
6.1.4.1 Emissary
6.1.4.2 Overseer
6.1.4.3 Servant
6.2 Counterfeit Philosophies
6.2.1 Positions of Men
6.2.1.1 Figureheads
6.2.1.2 Immoral Leaders?
6.2.1.3 "church" Politics
6.2.2 Clergy and Laity
6.2.2.1 Religious Titles
6.2.2.2 Positions of Honor
6.2.2.3 The Sin of the Nicolaitans
6.2.3 Redefined Spiritual Gifts
6.2.3.1 The Big Three
6.2.3.2 The Five-Fold Ministry
6.2.4 The Man at the Top
6.2.4.1 The Chief Elder
6.2.4.2 The Protestant Pastor
6.2.4.3 Apostle's Syndrome
6.2.4.4 The Roman Catholic Pope
6.3 Practical Applications
6.3.1 Formation of Leadership
6.3.1.1 Recognition of Leaders
6.3.1.2 Dealing with Dominators
6.3.2 Rethinking Institutional Positions
6.3.2.1 "Pastors" Who Really are Pastors
6.3.2.2 Women Leaders
6.3.2.3 Financial Support
6.4 Challenge Questions

7. Practices
7.1 Scriptural Truths
7.1.1 What is the Correct Structure?
7.1.1.1 Preeminence of Life
7.1.1.2 Wine and Wineskins
7.1.2 Traditions of God
7.1.2.1 Duration of Practices
7.1.2.2 Scope of Practices
7.1.3 Traditions of Men
7.1.3.1 Extra-Biblical Nonsense
7.1.3.2 Works without Faith
7.1.3.3 Instead of Christ
7.2 Counterfeit Philosophies
7.2.1 What Do They Mean?
7.2.1.1 The Average Joe
7.2.1.2 Bait and Switch
7.2.2 Where Did They Come From?
7.2.2.1 The Traditions of the Fathers
7.2.2.2 Borrowing from the Pagans
7.2.2.3 Good Instead of God
7.2.2.4 Old Wine in Old Wineskins
7.2.2.5 Gimme That Old Time Religion
7.2.3 Do They Agree with Scripture?
7.2.3.1 Why Can't Johnny Read?
7.2.3.2 Unbiblical Problems
7.2.4 What is Their Fruit?
7.2.4.1 Institutional Achievements
7.2.4.2 Negative Enhancements
7.2.4.3 Defending the Indefensible
7.2.4.4 The Religion of Churchianity
7.2.5 Our "church" isn't That Bad
7.2.5.1 But God is Blessing Us
7.2.5.2 We Can Do Whatever We Want
7.2.5.3 God Told Us To
7.2.5.4 Modern Day Pharisees
7.3 Practical Applications
7.3.1 Rejecting Traditions of Men
7.3.2 Accepting Traditions of God
7.3.2.1 Direction of the Spirit
7.3.2.2 Order of the Spirit
7.3.2.3 Freedom of the Spirit
7.4 Challenge Questions

c. Conclusion
c.1 The Challenge
c.2 The Testimony of Scripture
c.3 The Call to Obedience

s. Supplemental
s.1 From Church to "church"
s.1.1 What Went Wrong?
s.1.1.1 Drifting from the Scriptures
s.1.1.2 Corruption of Leadership
s.1.1.3 Decline in Spirituality
s.1.2 Hypocritical Traditionalists
s.2 The Christian Temple
s.2.1 The Origins of "church" Buildings
s.2.2 The Church Rejects "church" Buildings
s.2.3 Idolatrous Temples
s.2.4 Old Testament Pseudo-Theology
s.3 The Christian Tax
s.3.1 The History of Tithing
s.3.2 Institutional Tithing Today
s.3.3 The New Testament Principle of Giving
s.4 Religious Holy Days
s.4.1 Pagan Holidays
s.4.1.1 Celebrating Saturnalia
s.4.1.2 Celebrating Eostre
s.4.1.3 We Don't Really Mean It
s.4.2 Cultural Holidays
s.4.3 Jewish Holidays
s.4.4 No Holidays
s.5 Translation Conspiracies?
s.5.1 The King James Disposition
s.5.2 The King James Tradition

a. Appendix
a.1 Bibliography
a.2 Internet Resources
a.3 Disclaimer