Can I be a CHURCHLESS Christian
This morning as I was battling nature on my five mile run I allowed my mind to escape the pain my legs were encountering as I broached a hill that seemed like it was bigger than Mt Everest. As I struggled through the last mile my thoughts wandered to a time where I was in an emotional turmoil as to how I could possibly be a good Christian yet be so disenchanted with church. Thankgoodness my thinking made the last mile seem quick (even though I am sure it was slow). Now I would love to share my thoughts on being a good churchless christian.
I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I walked into church feeling somewhat confused as to why people have to go through so much to have the label Christian. It isn't as simple as just deciding to live a good life, oh no, we must (or so we are told) join the ranks of the dues paying people that attend church on a regular basis. Once you join that church you are then expected to start living a lie or at best hiding who you are to some extent so others can see your goodness externally but not the real you internally. I lived in that facade of a world for years until I was enlightened by the good people of the world that refuse to be a part of what we will call main stream religion. Keep in mind these were my thoughts this morning as I was fighting to survive my hill workout. I must also add as I do weekly that I am in NO MEANS saying all churches are bad nor am I saying people should not attend church. This was my thoughts about my life.
As I left church that day for what would be the final time I had mixed emotions. I had seen the good and the bad. I witnessed lost souls make their way into church and truly transform their lives. I saw great people get abandoned when they faced trials in life. The one thing though that consumed my thoughts this morning more than any was the WHY churches approach peoples religious life with such a cookie cutter approach. It is as if everyone's problems have the same answer. Just pray more, give more, volunteer more, etc. This approach pushes more people out than pulls them in. Not because they do not desire to pray more or give more, but because the church clergy, elders, or whatever refuse to see past the problem and into the heart. We are sinners encapsulated in a body trying to navigate our way through the rough waters. It takes more than words to direct a lost ship it takes a deep genuine love that I feel as though many churches have lost.
I believe with all my heart that God made us uniquely different so that collectively we could make a positive impact. For years the religious community has attempted to hog tie people into believing that you have to do this or that in order to be a card carrying Christian. For years I proudly displayed my religion to whomever I could whenever I could. I even used the term that I was taught which was WITNESS. It didn't take long for me to sense that something was bad wrong with this model. Even though I continued on I privately knew that the approach I was taking was not what God placed in me from birth. I always tell people that our talents are God's gift to us and what we do with them is our gift back to God. The problem I had was that I was allowing everyone else to tell me what my talent was and day after day, year after year my music was slowing but surely dying.
I wanted to love, promote peace, extend hope, be the reason someone smiled, etc. I wanted to make a difference in the world. I soon realized though that the world was to big and too broken for me to fix so I finally decided to focus on the one thing God personally gave me and that gift was SELF. Once I fully grasped his deepest agape love for me I found the courage to get off the roller coaster. I must admit here and now that it took motivation for me to take the leap of faith to leave my church life. I was certainly no saint and as I faced my own sins I also faced my own epiphany. I saw the power of God and his healing love working in and through me. I once saw the world through the eyes of the masses but once God cleansed my lenses I now see the world for what it is. I see good in everyone yet I also so the existential battle they face trying to balance who they are with who the world thinks they should be. We are taugth early on that our book of life is not written by us but written and edited by others and we just have to accept it. I now see clearly how false that truly is.
I have met some of the best peace loving people over the last three years. People that not only desire to make a difference but are doing just that. Once they stepped out of the bounds and confines of rules and regulations they found the ways and means to help the poor, hungry, sick, weak, or simply just someone needing a fresh start. This people that I will call churchless christians now only talked the talk, they walked the walk. They did not have to hide who they were in an effort to not shame Brother Joe or Sister Jane at church. They were able to live their lives on the clothesline of public display.
Did I think this out all during this mornings run? Yes remember I run slow. If there is a summation to this story it is this. God created you and I to do small things with great love and in this small things our impact will have huge effects. We were not born to conform we were born to stand out. In order for the world to hear our music we must make sure that we hold the pen that does the writing. God did not and I repeat DID NOT make a mistake in creating you or I. The mistake was made by the conformist trying diligently to form our matter into something that looks and feels like a blank piece of paper. We are not bland people inhabiting human skin we are spectacular beings inhabiting a human soul. We are filled to the brim with love and yes our cup overflows as long as we disallow the world to teach us the meaning of hate, jealousy, revenge, and bitterness. God placed in us his greatest gift and that is absolute love in it's highest form. It is up to us and all the other people of faith to focus internally on our own lives so that collectively what we do will make a impact on this world the likes of which has never been seen. We can move mountains with love, peace, forgiveness, and acceptance. But even bigger that the awe inspiring mountains of the landscape we can also move the stones that have been blocking our hearts from uniting with our soul which will give you courage to be the best version of yourself possible. As you begin this new growth of love it will take on the snowball effect. It will gain momentum in your life and before you know your hopes will give way to dreams and those dream will become reality. It starts with the simple leap of faith to just be who God created you to be.
Peace be with you
Dale
I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I walked into church feeling somewhat confused as to why people have to go through so much to have the label Christian. It isn't as simple as just deciding to live a good life, oh no, we must (or so we are told) join the ranks of the dues paying people that attend church on a regular basis. Once you join that church you are then expected to start living a lie or at best hiding who you are to some extent so others can see your goodness externally but not the real you internally. I lived in that facade of a world for years until I was enlightened by the good people of the world that refuse to be a part of what we will call main stream religion. Keep in mind these were my thoughts this morning as I was fighting to survive my hill workout. I must also add as I do weekly that I am in NO MEANS saying all churches are bad nor am I saying people should not attend church. This was my thoughts about my life.
As I left church that day for what would be the final time I had mixed emotions. I had seen the good and the bad. I witnessed lost souls make their way into church and truly transform their lives. I saw great people get abandoned when they faced trials in life. The one thing though that consumed my thoughts this morning more than any was the WHY churches approach peoples religious life with such a cookie cutter approach. It is as if everyone's problems have the same answer. Just pray more, give more, volunteer more, etc. This approach pushes more people out than pulls them in. Not because they do not desire to pray more or give more, but because the church clergy, elders, or whatever refuse to see past the problem and into the heart. We are sinners encapsulated in a body trying to navigate our way through the rough waters. It takes more than words to direct a lost ship it takes a deep genuine love that I feel as though many churches have lost.
I believe with all my heart that God made us uniquely different so that collectively we could make a positive impact. For years the religious community has attempted to hog tie people into believing that you have to do this or that in order to be a card carrying Christian. For years I proudly displayed my religion to whomever I could whenever I could. I even used the term that I was taught which was WITNESS. It didn't take long for me to sense that something was bad wrong with this model. Even though I continued on I privately knew that the approach I was taking was not what God placed in me from birth. I always tell people that our talents are God's gift to us and what we do with them is our gift back to God. The problem I had was that I was allowing everyone else to tell me what my talent was and day after day, year after year my music was slowing but surely dying.
I wanted to love, promote peace, extend hope, be the reason someone smiled, etc. I wanted to make a difference in the world. I soon realized though that the world was to big and too broken for me to fix so I finally decided to focus on the one thing God personally gave me and that gift was SELF. Once I fully grasped his deepest agape love for me I found the courage to get off the roller coaster. I must admit here and now that it took motivation for me to take the leap of faith to leave my church life. I was certainly no saint and as I faced my own sins I also faced my own epiphany. I saw the power of God and his healing love working in and through me. I once saw the world through the eyes of the masses but once God cleansed my lenses I now see the world for what it is. I see good in everyone yet I also so the existential battle they face trying to balance who they are with who the world thinks they should be. We are taugth early on that our book of life is not written by us but written and edited by others and we just have to accept it. I now see clearly how false that truly is.
I have met some of the best peace loving people over the last three years. People that not only desire to make a difference but are doing just that. Once they stepped out of the bounds and confines of rules and regulations they found the ways and means to help the poor, hungry, sick, weak, or simply just someone needing a fresh start. This people that I will call churchless christians now only talked the talk, they walked the walk. They did not have to hide who they were in an effort to not shame Brother Joe or Sister Jane at church. They were able to live their lives on the clothesline of public display.
Did I think this out all during this mornings run? Yes remember I run slow. If there is a summation to this story it is this. God created you and I to do small things with great love and in this small things our impact will have huge effects. We were not born to conform we were born to stand out. In order for the world to hear our music we must make sure that we hold the pen that does the writing. God did not and I repeat DID NOT make a mistake in creating you or I. The mistake was made by the conformist trying diligently to form our matter into something that looks and feels like a blank piece of paper. We are not bland people inhabiting human skin we are spectacular beings inhabiting a human soul. We are filled to the brim with love and yes our cup overflows as long as we disallow the world to teach us the meaning of hate, jealousy, revenge, and bitterness. God placed in us his greatest gift and that is absolute love in it's highest form. It is up to us and all the other people of faith to focus internally on our own lives so that collectively what we do will make a impact on this world the likes of which has never been seen. We can move mountains with love, peace, forgiveness, and acceptance. But even bigger that the awe inspiring mountains of the landscape we can also move the stones that have been blocking our hearts from uniting with our soul which will give you courage to be the best version of yourself possible. As you begin this new growth of love it will take on the snowball effect. It will gain momentum in your life and before you know your hopes will give way to dreams and those dream will become reality. It starts with the simple leap of faith to just be who God created you to be.
Peace be with you
Dale
Comments
And yes, without the confines of "church" we can live and love unconditionally, bless others with peace, celebrate with joy and have an even more personal relationship with Him. I am a believer. I am a follower of His. Is that enough? I am not a member of a church. I am not a judge. I don't live anymore because some man says this is what Christians do or don't do. It's called freedom...Christianity is not a country club and churches shouldn't be either.