Mime Ministry -
Pagan Practice in the Church!!
Why are churches opening their sanctuaries to pagan and
secular activities in these last days of the year 2014? The so-called mime
ministry is a typical example of this invasion. The origin of mime is Greek and
Roman pagan practice.
Pantomimes or “the
panto” originated in Greece and was worship to the pagan god of the theatre, Dionysus.
Dionysus inspired joyful worship, ecstasy and festivals. At these festivals and
celebrations mimes, actors and a myriad of entertainment filled the theaters. It
involved a dance of bodily movements - facial gestures preformed by actors at
festivals in honor of Dionysus. Mimes were used in Greek religious ceremonies
and banquets and Telestes in Greece is believed to be the first pantomime actor.
When the Romans adopted pantomime, men and
women would paint their face white - so that
no one could tell who’s who during the performance. Sometimes all kinds of
wild orgies and drinking parties followed the event. When Roman mimes
(sometimes naked) performed at private banquets and courts all over Europe,
they honored the fertility goddesses.
The Apostle Paul
encountered pagan practice when he visited Athens, Greece. This is recorded in
Acts 17. The Bible says in Acts 17:16
Now while Paul waited for them at
Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was given
over to idols.
The Apostle Paul preached the gospel on
Mars Hill. As he was preturbed at the sight of false idols and pagan worship that
went on in the temple theatre. Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ Hill, and
said,
“Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all
things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions,
I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD Whom therefore ye
ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you” Acts 17:23
The great theologian Charles
H. Spurgeon, (in an article in “Cult
of Celebrity” posted on July 17, 2013 by Chrystal Whitt), warned the
church of his day of the futility and falsehood of using amusement and
entertainment to win souls - he pointed out two things:
(i) My first contention is that providing
amusement for the people is nowhere spoken of in the Scriptures as a function
of the church. If it is a Christian work, why did not Christ speak of it?
(ii) “In
vain will the Epistles be searched to find any trace of this gospel of
amusement!
It is sad to see Christians (some deceived
and some knowingly) support pagan worship in the church. They seem to think
that the church can increase its membership by bringing secular practice into
the church. There is a belief that this will attract people (especially young
people) into the church. This is apostasy; this is compromise of the Gospel of
Christ. This is mixing the holy and the profane. This is a sign of the rise of
the false church from within the true church.
The Apostle Paul warned the church in Acts 20: 28- 30:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to
all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed
the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For
I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you,
not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves
shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
It is time for more
of us, Christians to be more vigilant and stand against false pagan invasion of
the church. In 2 Corinthians 6, the Apostle Paul warns us about mixing the holy
and profane. For there cannot be any agreement
between the temple of God with idols because every believer is the temple of
the living God. We must come out from among pagan practices, be separate, and do
not be associated with “mime ministry”
We
have to expose this cancer, "Mime Ministry" wherever it shows its ugly head. It is satan behind the mask. We have souls to
win for the Kingdom of God in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
