by Jim Gordon
I have read many articles about church abuse. It seems many Christians have been through bad times in the organized church and they have become angry and frustrated with the system. Certainly understandable.
For me, I cannot say I went through anything I would call abuse in the system. I grew up in church and was very active over the years. I truly felt I was doing what was pleasing to God and I earnestly was trying to learn and do what He would want me to do.
When I hear all the abuse stories and all the troubling times in organized religion, I do not always understand. I know there are many people in the modern, organized church that truly love God and are trying to please him. I also realize there are many people who were unduly abused in various ways during their church life, and that is very sad.
For me, after several years of being unsatisfied with the system and feeling there certainly had to be more to it than what I had been part of, I stopped attending a traditional church. Obviously, this has to be something you feel is right for you. I do not think it is a good thing to tell people they should do the same. This is a choice that each believer has to make for themselves. I came to this conclusion after many years of seeing things, questioning things, reading things and just being completely frustrated with the system of organized religion.
I have no regrets in leaving, although I have no regrets for being a part of it for so many years either. I did learn a lot and made a lot of good friends. Of course, because of the years involved there are many beliefs and ideas I need to detox from now.
For now, feeling the system is wrong, my wife and I have decided to walk with God outside the walls of the organized church. Not that anyone is intentionally trying to do what is wrong but the whole modern-day organized church is off base. Granted, the system is the only thing we know. It has been this way for years and we grew up with it and thought it was the way it should be.
We have it engrained in us that to assemble ourselves together is to go to church on Sunday morning and sit through a scheduled program. Nowhere does scripture tell us that assembling together has to be done in a particular way, at a special time or in a set place.
We are told that the pastor is the spiritual head and the one we learn from and come under authority and guidance. Of course, God tells us that Jesus is the head of the church, which is his body and the Holy Spirit is our teacher and we need no one to teach us other than him.
We are taught that we are saved by grace, but we need to live by the law to be pleasing to God. Reading through Paul’s teachings it is easy to see that we live by grace. Now trying to live under the law is a curse (Galatians 3:10-13). Jesus fulfilled the Old Covenant Law for us because we could not do it. Jesus did the work, Jesus died and ended the Old Covenant. Upon his resurrection the New Covenant began and we now live by grace. The New Covenant tells us to love God with all our heart and love others.
The Law was a tutor to show us that we were completely incapable of keeping the law and living a perfect life. Only Jesus was able to live a perfect life. For us Christians, a tutor is no longer needed because we have come to Christ and depend on his work and grace.
We are taught that the Bible is the true, living, inerrant word of God. John 1:1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. To me that says that Jesus is the living Word. The Bible is the inspired words of God, but we are not to look to the Bible as the all-powerful, inerrant source of what God has to say. We should look to Jesus who is our all in all, our very life.
We are taught to tithe although that is not taught under the New Covenant. Giving as we see a need and as we feel lead is now done out of love, not tithing to the church as a requirement. I personally feel the church today is more of a big business than it is a religious organization. Tithing is pushed because the organization needs to have the bills and the salaries paid.
We are told we are poor sinners saved by grace and that we are weak, unrighteous worms who are unworthy of God’s love. Yet the bible says we were originally created in the likeness of God. We cannot live a perfect life in our humanness but because of Christ and the work he has done, we have been restored to fellowship with our Father. We are now the house of God and we are holy and righteous in his sight because of Christ.
People want to put themselves under the authority of a pastor or the elders of the church, but God says we are all kings and priests and Jesus is the head. We all have something to say when we come together to build one another up. There are no levels of authority among believers. We are all equal parts of his body and have equally important functions to fulfill in encouraging and building one another up.
I think an important fact for us to remember today is that no matter if you are ‘in church’ or outside the walls, we should be looking to each other in love and not fight and argue amongst ourselves. Whether you are going to church, you are going for the Lord, or if you do not go to church, you are doing so for the Lord. Accept each other as brothers and sisters in Christ, pray for one another, encourage one another and stop looking down on people who see things differently than you.
Even those outside of Christianity need our love not our condemnation. Jesus loved those who the religious leaders of his day did not want to have any association. We want our Christian church, Christian schools, Christian dating sites, Christian this, Christian that, whatever we can do to be separate and apart from the non-Christians. Yet we were told to go into all the world and show the love of God to all those that are around us.
I truly feel that being a person in Christ is a daily lifestyle. Being the church is a 24/7 way of life not a Sunday only thing. God said that He is building His church and that He no longer lives in buildings made with hands. We are the church, we are God’s house, we are the temple of the Holy Spirit, we are the body of Christ. We function together as equally needed parts of the body under the headship of Jesus.
We need to adjust our way of thinking and realize that church and Christianity are not a religion. It is a lifestyle we live day by day. Jesus is our life, it should be no longer us trying and doing, but resting in what Christ has done for us. We are in Christ and it is him living in us day by day that makes the difference. We may be the only Jesus a lot of people will ever know.
Don’t get me wrong! I by no means are telling you to dis the local church because that is where you get more in-depth and proper teaching of the Holy Scriptures. The local gathering of believers which meets once a week I attend is Christ Community Church of Weare, NH. If you are in the area at anytime, just give me a call or text me. Not all churches are the same, unfortunately.
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I would never tell anyone not to attend a local institutional church. I personally do not believe our way of church is what God intended, yet I spent over 55 years within the religious system. For many this way of gathering is all we know. My wife and I, after many years of being dissatisfied and discontent left the traditional church and have met with brothers and sisters in Christ in many different places on many different days. It is the fact that we meet with one another for encouragement, learning, support, prayer etc. that is the main thing, wherever that may be. I never found that type fellowship and acceptance sitting in an organized service once a week. Yet for many, this is very meaningful to them and many gather in small groups from time to time outside the weekly service. For us though, knowing that each of us are the Church, whether in an organization or outside the walls of religious meetings, is meaningful and encouraging. We have found this way to be much more meaningful to us. And yes, if we ever get in the Weare, NH area we would certainly be glad to attend a service. Thanks again for the comment.
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I appreciate your honesty. That causes me to wonder & I am truly curious, how does you and your family fulfill the great commission if you don’t get a recharge at least once a week from a pastor or elders who are supposed to have a deep commitment to God?
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For us, and this is my opinion, we do not need a recharge once a week from anyone. We look at it that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God actually lives within us. What more can man do than the Spirit? We feel church is not a building we go to, but we are the temple and the Spirit of God is within us every day. We look at any spiritual leadership as servant leadership, someone who is equal but runs along side to encourage and build up. We really do not agree with the clergy/laity divide. We feel we are all equally important members of the body of Christ and it is Christ who is head. Because of him we now have direct access to the Father without the need of pastors or elders intervening. We feel that with the Spirit leading and teaching us, we do not need any man to do so. Of course we need our brothers and sisters in Christ, but not as someone with authority to learn what God is saying. My wife and I have found more fellowship, back and forth discussion being outside of the organized church than we ever did sitting in a service once a week looking at the back of someone’s head and listening to one person talk. We all have a word and something to say. God has brought people into our lives at times and in places we did not expect for fellowship. We feel Church is people living each day in a community of fellowship talking together, praying together, encouraging one another and building each other up. It is not always a religious service type thing, but daily life under the guidance of the Spirit. Now I know not everyone agrees with this idea, but for us it works very good and we seem to get much more out of this way of living. I hope this helps explain your question and I thank you for being interested.
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It sounds like you come from the Catholic or Episcopalian church. I heartily agree with you in that we don’t need a priest or elder to have access to God. Jesus Christ stepped out of heaven for that purpose, that’s why the veil that separated us from God was torn in two. I don’t think God has religion as His ultimate goal for people. In fact, Jesus Christ’s life here on earth says the opposite. Read my recent post on John 11:35. He wants a relationship with us, turning Him into a god that wants us to follow the rules into a God that wants us to become more like His Son. 1 Peter 2:21 says, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you may walk in His steps” (ESV).
It was great communicating with you!
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Your points are so true. We have direct access to a Father who loves us and wants fellowship with us. I think that is what we all want whether we are in a traditional church gathering or outside the walls of religion. We are to love God and love one another. In regard to me, I grew up in the methodist church, then nazarene then non-denominational, never attended catholic or episcopal. Also enjoyed talking with you my brother.
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Unfortunately, people all around the world are creatures of habit, including Christians. May I be so bold as to recommend something to you & your wife? Search churches in your local area by going to the web, & then by process of elimination, you can select a church that fits what we are conversing about. Then, get involved. If there is no church, then go onto http://www.ChristCommunityNH.com & go under sermons. This is my church in Weare, NH. Just a suggestion. Take care, & I’m glad that you followed me. Check out the one I posted last Thursday on John 11:35. Peace of Christ be with you, Darren
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Thank you Darren.
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You are most welcome! Unfortunate on so many levels, you & your wife will not find the exact church that fits your exact wants, nor will any of us. But you need to find a church that ministers to both of your needs. 🙏ing for you! We use as a local body at Christ Community Church of Weare, NH the English Standard Version (ESV). ☺
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I appreciate your concern Darren. Thanks.
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👍
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I would recommend you read the booklet or book by Alexander Strauch called “Biblical Eldership.”
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Sounds interesting. Thanks.
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Excellent job, Jim. A great summary of all I’ve found myself coming to believe these last few years. Will be sharing on social media!!!
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Thank you Rocky. I appreciate it.
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After reading this, you make some good points like Christians are so obsessed with fulfilling the 10 commandments (found in Exodus, repeated in Deuteronomy) that some Christians cast judgment on don’t perform up to their local churches guidelines in order to be an elite Christian. Jesus taught against this (Matthew 7:1-6). In addition, 1 Corinthians 6:19 the Apostle Paul says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet, in Hebrews 10:23-25 it encourages to meet together, encouraging one another. Did you know that the Apostle Paul says to Timothy about the order of the gathering of believers in 1 Timothy 3? Unfortunately, the gathering of believers is a word that has been translated into church in Europe around the 1500’s. If you would like to carry on this discussion, I be delighted. Don’t forget to check out my website on WordPress; it is called http://www.TrueLifeChristianity.com. Once you get there, Happy Reading! ~Darren
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Hi Darren. Yes, we need one another yet assembling together, as you mentioned does not mean in an organized service in a building as we know ‘church’ to be. I will check out the website. Thanks for sharing it. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
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Oh this brought joy to my heart! Even though I know all of this, I still need to be encouraged….all of us do. Jesus has been gone a very long time, physically, but He lives in my heart. Faith in his finished work has declined. The world is in dire straits. We must encourage each other and Rest in what he has done. The veil of the temple was ripped apart. There is no more mystery behind that curtain. The way of the Holy of Holies was opened for all people. No middle man is needed for us to reach God. We go directly to him. He is not dwelling in a temple anymore made by hands. He was finished with the religious system. Christ is the only way to the Father. Jesus removed barriers between God and us. I am truly thriving outside of the wall. I was never spiritually abused in the system, but I knew there had to be more. I can honestly say that God took me out of the religious system. I tried to stay because I was reared that way….you must go to church every Sunday. He made it very miserable for me to remain in that system. If he hasn’t told you to come out, then you probably should remain there. Again, This post was so uplifting. Thank you!
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Hey Carol, I think this is the comment you said never showed up. I actually found it in the Spam folder. Not sure why it went there, but at least it is now showing. My wife and I came out of the system about four years ago after nearly sixty years in it. I was brought up that way also, but began having feelings of dissatisfaction and feeling there was a better way. We are happy to be living outside the walls of religion and traditional church and have met and enjoyed more meaningful fellowship with people since doing so. Thanks for such a good comment.
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[…] via Simple Truths from Outside the Walls […]
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So very good, Jim. Love it. If there’s anyone reading your blog from Cape Town, South Africa, I would love to get in touch.
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Thank you Jem.
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I was brought up Catholic and have recently, well it’s been years, turned away from the Church. As you said, no where in the Bible does it state that on Sundays you have to go to mass and hear a priest beg for money the whole time. The sermons weren’t even interesting anymore and the church has become a business like you said. I believe in confessing my sins to God and not to or through a priest. I do not believe in praying to anyone except God. Catholics pray to Mary and the Saints. I do not participate in the no meat on Fridays for Lent – that was a deal the Catholic Church made with the fishermen a long time ago. Also, they choose scriptures to teach out of context. I feel like I was led astray and lied to. It is very upsetting.
I stick to my Bible, and what it says goes. I don’t think I’ll ever trust another Church. So, I’m done with Religion too!
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Thank you for writing. It is good to know we can have a meaningful fellowship with God without the religious things we have been told we need. Man will let us down but God is always with us.
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