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Transcript of Interview |
| Rod |
Rachel, a lot of us may not fully
understand or even agree with what you and your husband are doing. But I
think we do have to respect you because you have made a lot of sacrifice
for what you believe in, I think a lot more than what I have made for
what I believe in, so I appreciate this stand that you are taking.
Can you tell us a little about your
Church, the Embassy of Heaven Church? How is it different from say, the
Baptist Church on the corner? |
| Rachel |
We don't emphasize so much that we are
a church, but that we are a government. And that may help you understand
a little bit better. We get our authority to exist directly from Jesus
Christ. He bestowed a Kingdom upon the apostles. It's recorded in Luke,
Chapter 22, and we are executing His government on earth. His government
is based on the Golden Rule, love God and love your neighbor as
yourself.
Now the typical churches in America
today will tell you they get their authority to exist from Jesus Christ.
But in reality they get their authority from the State because they have
gone to the State and become incorporated. We feel we must be separate
from the State. We cannot incorporate with the State because we are
called not to yoke ourselves with unbelievers. |
| Rod |
What about your doctrine? Who is Jesus
Christ in the Embassy of Heaven? |
| Rachel |
He is the Son of God. He is the
Center, the entire focus of our lives. |
| Rod |
But to you, is He God incarnate? God
in the flesh? |
| Rachel |
Yes. You won't find a lot of strange
doctrines here. We are trying to return to the basic teachings of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached on the Kingdom of Heaven. He
announced the Kingdom and urged people to repent, and that is the same
thing we are doing. Our emphasis is on living in the Kingdom of Heaven
now. |
| Rod |
So you believe that He is, of course,
the Son of God, that He is God incarnate and that we are saved by His
blood. |
| Rachel |
That's right |
| Rod |
It sounds like you folks are just
brothers and sisters in the Lord with us. |
| Rachel |
I pray we are brothers and sisters.
The problem we have with the State Christian Churches -- |
| Rod |
You're talking about Assembly of God,
or Baptist, or Methodist? |
| Rachel |
Right. I urge those who are members of
those churches to find out why their church leaders have incorporated
with the State because we are called to be separate, we are the
"called-out ones." |
| Rod |
We do it to save a buck anywhere we
can. I mean, that seems legitimate. |
| Rachel |
If you ask most churches the reason
they incorporate, it is for liability, for insurance purposes. God is
our insurance, He is going to protect us. There is no better insurance
than the Rock of Jesus Christ. |
| Rod |
Would you tell us just a little bit
more about your belief of the State churches. |
| Rachel |
It may seem rather insulting for those
that are members of those churches. |
| Rod |
That's OK, because most of us just
aren't sure, you know, what's going on with the State churches, a lot of
goofy stuff is going on. So maybe you can . . . |
| Rachel |
We believe the state incorporated
churches are harlots. |
| Rod |
I didn't know we were that goofy, but
continue. |
| Rachel |
The church should be exclusively under
the authority of the Kingdom of Heaven. As the State shows its position
stronger and stronger, it becomes obvious they are against Christ
everywhere you turn - in the schools and in the courts. I would not want
to be a member of a church that was a State corporation. They are
beholden to the State. In fact, you can't be a State corporation unless
you agree to abide by all the laws of the State. I think the State
Christian churches must come out from among them - come out of the beast
system. |
| Rod |
But right now I don't really see where
those restrictions are hurting us. But is that irrelevant? I think every
pastor that is listening is going to just bail out of the State system
once they stop them from preaching the Gospel. |
| Rachel |
You know what? The pastors are going
to have a log in their eye because they are getting benefits from the
State. That log will keep them from seeing what the State is doing. The
State is encroaching right now with more and more little things. |
| Rod |
I don't see it in my church. All it
has to do with is income tax deductions and that kind of stuff. I don't
really see where they are stopping us from doing what Jesus has told us
to do and in some aspects it might be helping us. |
| Rachel |
How do you think it's helping you? |
| Rod |
As far as making church income, I
don't understand it because I've never incorporated the church, but a
church doesn't have to pay income tax on the income that comes to it.
Just the pastor does on his salary, but the church is free from that.
What's wrong with that? |
| Rachel |
Are you serving God or money? |
| Rod |
The more money you have the more Bible
tracts you can get out and the more radio time you can buy, at least
that's the way I look at it. |
| Rachel |
If the means aren't correct, you're
not going to get correct results. |
| Rod |
Rachel, we have to go. This was a fun
interview. And thanks for calling, and say "Hi" to your
husband for us, OK? |
| Rachel |
OK. And may His peace be upon you and
your audience. |
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