During the last 28 years, I've always attended a church. It was taught that we should never forsake the assembling of fellow believers. Why? Because we build one another up in the spirit as we gather together, praising, praying and hearing the word preached.
This year I stopped going to church. The Spirit inside of me could no longer sit in that seat listening to that person up at the front telling everyone how much Jesus Christ loved the world. Yet, knowing in my spirit that at the heart of this traditional, non-denominational church they would not welcome gay, lesbian, transgender, or questioning Christians just as they were.
I knew that since the Lord moved in my life to recognize the lessons being taught were erroneous when it comes to homosexuality, I could no longer be in any leadership position because of that. I could no longer share with other believers in church what the Lord was really doing in my life.
When the praise and worship team would sing songs stating that the one and only true way to God was through the Christian God, I could no longer sing in unity. I found myself out of place in a place I once called home. I've since come to understand through dialogue with non-Christians that God speaks and touches lives in innumerable ways, not exclusively through the Christian way.
During a conversation thread on CToBM last week in response to Franklin Graham's comment that President Obama wasn't a true Christian because he didn't attend church regularly, I realized that I would also not be recognized as a Christian. Some of the comments on that thread were disturbing as my fellow Christians sounded glaringly like the Pharisees in Jesus' day.
Since when are there "requirements" when calling yourself a Christian? Many will quickly respond, as did Franklin, that if you call yourself a Christian, you must speak out loud with your mouth and confess that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Fine. I've done that. But, I guess now the new requirement is that you also must attend church regularly. Oh really????
John 7:24 "Stop judging by surface appearances, and judge the right way!" [Jesus Christ]
It seems to me that the mainstream Christian community needs to be enlightened about what Jesus really taught. Did He not say we are not to judge by outward appearances? Back then He was referring to circumcision. I guess today's circumcision is attending church.
Let me tell all of you fellow Christians out there something. The Spirit of Jesus Christ, who lives inside of me, pulled me away from church. He is doing a new thing in me, a "thing" that you cannot see with your eyes.
So, step back, close your mouth, read the words of Jesus, and examine your own life, your own heart, your own walk and leave the rest of us who have been called away from church in the hands of God. God is more than capable of guiding us, directing us, teaching us, and inspiring us through other avenues other than the traditional Christian gathering.
By the way, that includes your judgement of President Obama's Christianity, I might add.
By: Janet from CToBM
Amen, Janet. I've not set foot in a church building in over two years.
ReplyDeleteI was really struck by a comment one of the deacons from a church I used to attend made to me recently. I stopped attending there several years ago for reasons similar to yours. I do sometimes attend another church with friends, although the deacon probably doesn't know that. He approached me at work and said "you should come back to church, it would be good for you" and walked away. My thought was "wow! what kind of assumptions are you making about me?" I was also struck that he didn't want to know why I don't attend or if I was attending elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteI like attending church because it gives me a chance to fellowship with other worshipers and learn more about the Bible and the teachings of Jesus. However, sometimes it is hard to find a church that teaches Jesus. I have left more than one church because of the hypocrisy of the church leaders. If you feel the need to attend church in the future, check out some non-denominational non-fundamentalist churches in your area. It may take several visits to several churches to find a good one, but they do exist.
ReplyDeleteAmen Brother... thank you for your heart. I too have felt the touch of grace and the spark that it carries, and yet as I sat at my evangelical church listening to the words of "Anger' and "distrust"... "If you aren't working for the cross you are against it' I began to take inventory of the billions of souls that have come and gone through time never hearing the Name Jesus Christ, and the realization that our Father would not cast them to the fiery depths simply for being born in the wrong place or time... So I began to question the very fabric of this thing called the New Testament and asking for assistance from my Pastor I was immediately struck by the change in tone and demeanor.
ReplyDeleteThese people are the Pharisees, and they hold on jealously to their rituals and their heretical fever for dominion. Jesus above all else seems to me to be a teacher and philosopher.. the re-branding by Paul through the New Testament leaves little doubt about the intent of this second book. I will not judge but it seems more clear to me than ever that we are in defiance of our Father by subscribing to the elitism and "cultural-ism" of the modern Church. I do not believe the Jews will be wiped from the face of the earth so that Christians may rise.. I do not believe that the Father would parse the sons and daughters of Abraham based on their geographical location. Every society, every culture wants to take the love from the center and wrap themselves in it and by doing so raise themselves up in superiority to their neighbor. I'm not even sure I accept Jesus beyond his teachings as a man and philosopher. By creating the supernatural Jesus we mute his message of love, by allowing the superimposition of Roman doctrine over the philosophical messages of Love, empathy and generosity. God was not a Roman.
"I've since come to understand through dialogue with non-Christians that God speaks and touches lives in innumerable ways, not exclusively through the Christian way."
ReplyDeleteTrue, God speaks wherever God wills. But, the very label in dispute, "Christian,"isn't about piety (in this case church attendance). It is however an attribution to the people of God who believe in the work of God through Christ alone.
I'm sorry to those burned by the Church (I am one of you). May we kneel at the cross of Christ, "the way, the truth, and the life."
The corporate church is now infatuated with saving as many souls as possible, making money, and judging others. The message of our Jesus has been abandoned. What's more, the church is now the face of Christianity. The public views Christianity as the church. (That thought makes me cringe, as the church is nowhere near the message of Christ) Christians focus on Jesus on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights and don't take the message into the rest of their lives.
ReplyDeleteBut I do want to let you know that in the midst of all of this, there is a movement to restore the church to its original state. I attend a house church. My house church is just what the name sounds like: a church in a house. We meet in the house of one of our church members, and there are never more than twenty of us. We worship in a church similar to the one Jesus worshipped in. Not all churches are abandoning the message of Christ. Don't completely turn your back on the Church because of what is wrong with most churches. That's like turning your back on Christianity because there are Christians who aren't living like it. While the Lord has called me away from the conventional church setting as well, there are several churches out there seeking revival.
Chris Hedges adresses the flaws of the corporate church in his article "Where Were You When They Crucified My Lord?"
http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/where_were_you_when_they_crucified_my_movement_20111205/
I like my church because I can see that God is really working there. But I feel tired too and pressured too because now I feel that even at home (spiritual) I need to perform, eg attending regularly the meetings (yes, attending meetings is good, serving is good, joining the fellowship is good). If attendance and serving have become a requirement and assessment of one's spirituality, then I guess the work of Christ on the cross will be in vain. I have come to my own conclusion a few days back: The only good person in the house of God is God Himself
ReplyDeleteJanet,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better. I'm all that in my Christian experience, and if it wasn't for my 10 year old learning about the faith I'd be out of church for good. It is sad the way the church has treated my friends and my sister (rest in peace) as long as I live. If we are to be a thriving church, then we are going to have to allow more to come in and experience why Jesus means so much to us. Since my best friend came out to me as a lesbian, I've met so many people in 20 plus years in and out of the community that has meant so much to me. I thought I was alone in this belief...I was wrong. --Eddy Hooper
Your Christian experience is like mine (i.e. charismatic), but for a long time I felt I was alone. I lost a marriage mainly because we both were on opposite sides of the issue. I almost gave up my faith because I couldn't reconcile my faith's attitudes towards my friends and family by a "rules only" mentality. Thank God He restored my faith, I am still in contact with my fellow believers (gay and straight), and I'm ready for a new fight for equality. But if it was up to me I'd would truly just give up going to church to maybe meet up with fellow believers and just walk in the way of grace.
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