So often when we talk about leaving church, people usually misunderstand why we made such a decision.
Far to often christian people who remain in the traditional church system automatically think we have left our faith, gave up on God or are in a back-slidden condition spiritually.
Rather than listen to our reasons and trying to understand, many are more interested in proving why our decision to leave was wrong. They try their best to encourage us to come back to God by going to church. Unfortunately many just write us off as someone to avoid and forget.
If they would only watch and listen a while they would see that we have not left God. We have only left a system that we feel is flawed and not what God intended. We have left the man-made system to follow God in what we feel is a more natural way by putting our dependence on the guidance of the Spirit alone without the middle-man known as a pastor.
We feel we no longer get much out of the weekly organized service with one person doing all the talking. A building where only a select few have anything to do with the pre-planned service.
We feel that when we gather with others each of us should have a voice, some word of teaching or encouragement.
For those who are followers of Jesus, most of us grew up in the church system. That is all most of us have known. Yet it seems the Spirit is drawing many out of the system and into a more organic way of gathering. Church no longer is seen as a building or an organization based on traditions and doctrines of men.
Church is community, it is people living daily under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the love of God. It is coming along-side other believers for fellowship, encouragement and building one another up in Christ. This can happen anywhere and any day, in homes, restaurants, parks, pubs……even in buildings when all can participate and be used by the Spirit to encourage others.
For those still in the traditional system, please do not worry about those of us who have left. We have not left God. There is no reason why we cannot all accept one another and the choices we make in regard to attending a religious organization or following Jesus outside the walls of religion and traditional ways of gathering. Whether in or out of the institutional church, each of us in our own way are trying to follow Jesus in the way we feel he is leading us.
[…] Jim Gordon: So You Left The Church […]
LikeLike
Here’s why there is no need to worry about us who have left. We’ve found something even more amazing. To get a taste of it, search for: ONE: Unfolding God’s Eternal Purpose From House To House.
LikeLike
Thanks Steve. We have not left the Church, just the building and the religious system. We follow His Spirit and show his love to all…and yes, it is more amazing. Thanks for the comment.
LikeLike
Okay, please don’t take this wrong because I myself have one foot out the back door of the IC, but…. how do you deal with their “don’t forsake the assembling….” auto response that almost always comes out of their mouths.
LikeLike
The way I see it, forsake not the assembling of yourselves together basically means we need the fellowship and encouragement of our fellow believers. But we need that daily, not one day a week in a building listening to one person talk. We are to be ready to have fellowship anytime God brings two or three together. That can happen any day, any place, any time. We need one another. Yet in the organized church service when we all sit and listen, how can that be true fellowship? When we come together we all should have a word, a psalm, a word of encouragement. That just does not happen when under the leading of a pastor. No where does it say in the bible that assembling together means an organized service in a building under the leading of one person. Hope that helps. Thanks for writing.
LikeLike
PERFECT answer. Thank you.
LikeLike
Thanks Michael.
LikeLike
The definition you gave of church in the box to the right is priceless. It is simple, but complicated by the religious system. I really enjoy what you write. It enriches my life. There is really freedom in the blogsphere. Freedom to express what Father is putting in your heart. We’re not allowed to do this in organized religion. I use to enjoy Sunday School when I was attending church because I could participate.
I can relate to Kevin’s experience. I like what he said: ” start learning what it really means to follow Jesus and let Him be our teacher, like He promised.”
When I tell someone in organized religion that I no longer go to church, they become offended and speechless. They won’t allow me to explain why not. They just want to leave my presence. I might get asked: “who’s your covering?”
My reply is: “I thought we had the same covering: Jesus.” I am living free in Christ and there is still hope for others to reach this freedom on their journey.
LikeLike
Thank you Carol. It is sad that those still in the system cannot accept us who have left. It is a system that most of us grew up in and it is hard to get its teachings out of us. The Spirit is drawing people out so we need to enjoy our freedom and pray for those still in the system.
LikeLike
A while back my wife and I had dinner with some friends we have known for several years. They live about an hour away, so we don’t see them often. They were talking about their church how much they love it, and the question came up about our church. It was one of those caught off guard moments, and my wife looked at me with a “what do we say?” kind of look. I just responded pointedly, “I haven’t been in a church service in over four years.” My wife still likes sitting in with the kids in the nursery at the church we attended, so she still technically goes once a month. I thought the reaction by the wife of the couple was interesting though. Over these past four years these people have seen and interacted with me in some of the things I post on Facebook, so they know I haven’t “left God,” or “abandoned the faith,” but I saw her visibly disconnect from the conversation when I said that. Her eyes glazed over and she stopped looking at me. She wouldn’t talk anymore, or anything. I was really kind of shocked. I may have interpreted her response wrong, but it was as if anything I had ever said that was spiritual related was completely invalidated because I no longer attended a weekly church service. The reality is, stopping attending has caused me to take responsibility for my own “spiritual growth,” rather than farming it out to someone else. As far as I’m concerned, the best thing anyone can do is to stop going to church and start learning what it really means to follow Jesus and let Him be our teacher, like He promised.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow Kevin, that is actually kind of sad. I get it though. It is sad that many people seem to put more importance on church attendance than a living fellowship with the Spirit and one another.
LikeLike