That’s interesting. I have always been taught that the letters were specifically targeted commendations or condemnations. I would not think of any part of Rev 3 as addressing the church as a whole.
Do you think the American church more resembles the church of Philadelphia (the church to whom this verse was addressed) or Laodicea, who has a very different message? Are all the churches in the letters going to share the same fate, or are some not even Christian?
It always seemed to me that the letters to the churches were more understandable than the later chapters whose meaning seems so divisive.
To understand you first have to get rid of the erroneous understanding most have of the term "church". The Greek word that the word " church" has replaced is ekklesia. It literally means an assembly of those who have been called out. The ekklesia (church) at Laodicea for instance was those who God has called out who met at that location. Those who God calls out meet at different locations around the world. Some of the groups remain faithful others not so much. Some groups have strayed but still have people who meet with them who have not.
The concept of an organized hierarchy called a "church" is no where found in the New Testament. Whenever you see the word "church" in English read assembly instead and it makes sense. The assembly at Laodicea simply means "those who God has called out" who meet at Laodicea.