Passing the Baton of Tradition or Creating Our Own

January 23, 2012 By 2 Comments

Rachel Held Evans posed two interesting questions on her blog this week while informing us that she is speaking to a group about her generation of Christians. She also says that some comments might be used in her Power Point presentation to this group.

Her two questions are as follows:

1. What made you leave, or consider leaving, the Church?  (or, What made you stay?)

2. In what practical ways would you like to see folks from older generations come alongside us as we evolve and make our faith our own? 

First of all, I want to say that as much as I am sure she means well and I do pray she makes headway for our generation, I’d like to point out that she only represents a portion of our generation of Christians, not all of us as a whole. However, I do see the need to address such issues with the older generation as this new and upcoming generation will be, essentially, replacing theirs.

To answer her first question honestly, we need to be very clear that leaving a traditional style of church service and it’s hierarchy structure is not equivalent to leaving “The Church”. The Church is the Body of Believers and they gather in a variety of ways and each one functions uniquely. In order for a person to be declared as “leaving The Church”, they would be people who totally reject all of Christianity. Therefore she can not possibly represent these folks since she is not one of them.

Now, if she was asking why have we left the Traditional style of ‘church’ as an institution then here is what my response would be;

We first ventured away from the Traditional style of gathering for several reasons, one being that the hierarchy governance has been known to breed too much abuse of power and hinders the Body’s individuals from functioning equally.

In her second question she brings up a powerful topic and valid concern. The first thought that goes through my mind is that the older generation needs to realize that we do not all need to, nor desire to, keep on with their traditions. Here’s an example, my mother has long held and cherished traditions for how she celebrates Christmas. However, my husband and I are the parents of our own children and desire to create our own traditions. It’s not that her traditions are ‘bad’, it’s just that we would like to create our own. The traditional style of Christianity that has been passed down through the generations is not truly “of” our generation. They are from a former generation. In the Bible, there is plenty of room for each generation to create their own traditions. Most churches have a sample style of the Lord’s Supper (piece of cracker with a plastic shot glass of juice), but we certainly can observe the Supper on a larger scale if we want to. There was a time when getting baptized at the river or lake was the tradition, whereas now it’s in a heated spa on the platform of a ‘church’ building.

We do not need the older generation’s approval to continue celebrating our faith in a way that best suits each individual group. This is our freedom to follow Christ as he guides us. I don’t mean any disrespect, but this is truly our freedom as believers. It is in my opinion that this older generation can ‘come alongside us’ by respecting our unique paths in Christ and stop accusing us, harassing us, and belittling us for choosing unique ways to live by faith. Furthermore, it would be truly beneficial if they would openly express this to their congregations as well. Quite frankly, it is very discouraging to get continual attacks from people who think that holding to ancient traditions is ‘doctrine’. Should a local Body of believers choose Sunday afternoon at 2pm to start their gathering, they may do so. There is absolutely nothing in the Bible that says we are required to host Sunday morning AND Sunday night gatherings. There is no time limit specified in any of the apostle’s writings. Taking an offering does not need to be public with the nudges of elbows, nor do we need to ‘vow our children to the organization’. These are just a few examples of traditions that are not commanded by God, yet many generations have come to believe they are.

If the older generations desire to encourage young people in their faith, then they can stop trying to control our paths in Christ. We are unique and many of us do not desire to be forced to take on a carbon copy of what they have done for so many years. Their traditions can grow old gracefully and die out peacefully, unless some groups would like to freely choose to take the baton of Tradition for themselves. And should there be some who do, we will respect their choice and we ask that they respect ours. It would be wonderful if some would carry on some of those traditions for those who embrace them with the nostalgia of the eras of yesteryear and at the same time I look forward to seeing how this up and coming generation creatively introduces their own.

That sums up my initial thoughts on the questions Rachel asked.
church by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere
Sisterlisa

Filed Under: Discussion, Organic Church Tagged With: , , , ,

How to Become a Christian vs. Being a Disciple

January 13, 2012 By 2 Comments

There are many different views on what it takes to become a Christian and many times churches place too much of a check list in your way. It can become discouraging and thus hindering you from walking forward in your faith. It has been said that the Gospel is so simple that a small child can understand it, but when I look at the requirements of being a Christian (by many church’s standards) even an adult has to ask for a translation to understand it.

It’s as simple as this, God reconciled you to himself through Christ. If you believe that and embrace it as truth then you are a Christian. Everything else after that is part of discipleship.

Oftentimes, a church will put you into some kind of discipleship class then declare you a Christian afterward. They rely on you verbally and publicly claiming allegiance to a set of their ‘doctrines’. Some might even require baptism to ‘seal the deal’.

Some people like to learn as much as they can about God, Christ, and the whole story in the Bible before making up their minds about becoming a Christian. I can understand that. After all, one does take time to get to know someone before taking the step of a lifetime commitment. Why not give the same amount of time to understand God before making a decision to follow him?

There are some drawbacks in that, since each church has differing views on the teachings of Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles. It really all boils down to what Jesus asked Peter, “Who do you say that I am?”

There are some arguments about people who choose to follow a specific tradition of a church without the heart’s desire to know their Deity. Only you know for sure if you have that heart connection or not.

My desire in upcoming posts is to introduce you to the simplest way I have found to follow Christ and the traditions I have chosen to add to my connection with him. I will share some of the most popular traditions in the Christian community as well as some that may not be as well known.

Perhaps you are feeling like you’re drowning in a sea of busyness of religious practices, rules, and regulations and you just want to get back to the basics. I hope you’ll join me for some simple ways to approach your faith path in Christ instead of jumping ship and tossing the whole thing out. It’s ok to take a break from all the traditions and re-examine them to see if they fit in with where you are in your journey. God’s mercy is new every day and is grace is sufficient.

sunrise by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

 

Sisterlisa

Filed Under: Organic Church Tagged With: , , ,

On Leaders and Movements

September 20, 2011 By 2 Comments

The term ‘leader’ has been viewed differently by various people so when someone says ‘leader’ it would do us well to simply ask what they mean. Sometimes we can tell the context by reading the full sentence, paragraph, or full article in which the term is referring. Sometimes we simply can’t tell and all we need to do is ask.

I referred to Frank Viola as a leader of a movement in my article about the Royal Priesthood and he contacted me to get some clarification. See, it’s that simple. Just ask. He doesn’t view himself as a leader who is leading a movement. I have no doubt he will be planning an article about that in the near future. I look forward to his views on what a leader and a movement is.

I think we all have different perspectives on what a leader is and what a movement is. Some movements are more controlled and highly organized, while other movements are started by simply opening the flood gate and keeping that gate open. The movement than moves forward on it’s own. This is an organic movement. Even rivers have a flow..a movement if you will, and it flows through mountains, valleys, and even trickles down through limestone, creating creeks. All natural water brings life.

Some ‘leaders’ dig a well and control how much a person can drink, other bust down the dam so the flow will go where it wants. People will view people as leaders and teachers from their own perspectives. Some critics think Frank is a ‘dangerous’ leader and have spread their disagreements with his books, while others view Frank’s writings as liberating them from bondage.

I’ve received criticism too. I’ve been both accused of being a false teacher and praised for being a good teacher. It’s all by each individual’s perspective. We’re not going to all agree on everything and that’s ok. Some are viewed as dangerous, some are not. I don’t think Frank’s writings are dangerous for a person’s soul, but perhaps his books might be viewed as dangerous to the Institutional Church since his views give people freedom to leave. Leaving an Organized Religion or ‘church’  is not ‘dangerous’. If a person is going to fall victim to their lusts then it’s going to happen sooner or later regardless of whether or not they’re in a church. Simply google, “Pastor arrested” for evidence of that.

But this topic of leaders and movements is not confined to the Christian circle, but also in Pagan circles as well. All faiths deal with this issue of leadership. While Pagans generally believe in their own soul liberty, or Priesthood of Believers, they do have more outspoken folks who tend to become natural leaders. But they hold firmly to their own individuality and priesthood. This is something that Christianity has not quite grasped yet, although we find Peter telling us that we are indeed a Royal Priesthood of Believers.

Pagans have their ways of gathering together for corporate ceremonies for their faith, but they affirm each person’s personal priesthood. They get it! We don’t. It’s time that we do.

It’s time that the Believers in Christ come to understand and exercise their personal Priesthood.

Maybe we need a coming out party.

Filed Under: Organic Church Tagged With: , , , , ,

1st Church of the Dolphins

September 17, 2011 By 3 Comments

While my family was on vacation to Southern California, we visited Huntington Beach with the children. We ran along the shore, splashing sea foam with our toes and jumping in the waves. We were having a blast! Just off the shore about a hundred yards or so we sighted wild dolphins frolicking together. They were playing with the pelicans and seemed to be having a grand time and I stood there..listening to the Spirit as the wind caressed my face with salty kisses from above and in that stillness of the moment it dawned on me that I would never want to force those dolphins into an aquarium. How could I possibly bring myself to force them into captivity when they were already enjoying the home they were born into?

Ironically, we also visited Sea World in San Diego while we were down in Southern California. We got to see many animals in captivity, although these were animals who had once been injured and were safest with professionals who could care for them at the park.

dolphins sea world by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

I thought deeply about this and realized how ridiculous it would be of anyone to tell the wild dolphins that they must join the aquarium in order to be the safest. While the dolphins in captivity certainly are safe, that doesn’t mean the aquarium is the best place for a healthy, wild dolphin.

Some may think the wild dolphins are in danger since they do have some natural predators, add to that the fishing nets they get tangled in, but that doesn’t mean they should leave their natural habitat. With all this in mind I began thinking about us, as spiritual people. I was thinking about how many times people in churches are so fearful for those outside of church. Especially believers who do not belong to a specific church family. This doesn’t mean that those outside of church are at fault for not going to church. They are no more prone to dangers than those who do attend a church.

Folks who attend church have their routine set in stone, they have their activities, get together opportunities, support, and more..yet there are those who find the church system sorely lacking..for them. They desire something fresh, new, alive for their journey..and so what do they do? Where do they gather? How do they worship?

Although the book of Hebrews says not to forsake the gathering together, it does not specify how they gathered and what they did while they gathered. For anyone to dictate that we ought to gather in the hierarchy structure we see in churches today, would be quite a stretch of the imagination. There is nothing in the Bible to indicate they gather wrongly, just as there is nothing written that says gathering in another way would be wrong.

It has often been said by many theologians that we can learn about God through nature. While many clergy today might refute that in favor of their structured traditions, it is still true that we can hear teaching directly from God without a clergy telling us what God says to us.

Over the last couple of years a new movement has been growing called, the Organic Church. While at first the idea caught my attention, I’ve been keeping my eye on it and discovering that the very thing they claimed we had the freedom to depart from is forming within their own house gatherings. I’m not going to criticize them, as we all have the freedom to gather as we so desire, but for those who are interested in not getting back into such a routine, I will begin to share more about living an organic life of faith.

Perhaps the wild dolphins are their own church..the 1st Church of the Dolphins? Yes, it’s humorous, but think about it. Dolphins are in their own pods, usually the ones they are born into. They don’t all gather in the same pods, nor do they swim the same oceans. They aren’t out to try and make sharks into dolphins or put a suit and tie on the lead dolphin and worship him. They simply enjoy life together. You may also find them helping mankind or other animals from time to time. Dolphins have been known to circle swimmers to keep them safe as sharks approach. They simply respond as needed at the appointed times.

Isn’t that what living an organic life of faith all about? Responding as we can at just the right time, as the need arises?

But who teaches the dolphins how to be good dolphins?

How does a Christian learn to be a good Christian? Is there such a thing as a good Christian? What makes one a good Christian as opposed to a bad Christian?

Aren’t we all equally sinful yet equally redeemed?

In the wild, the lead dolphins are the ones who can protect the pods the best. It has nothing to do with teaching out of a book or who wears the most ‘goldy’ clothing. It also has nothing to do with who gets to tell all the other dolphins what to do. They live life as a team, a family…and in the wild. May we take a lesson or two, …or three… from the 1st Church of the Dolphins.

dolphins by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

This article has been added to the Organic Faith Tour

Also from the Tour:
Coffee, Love, and Grace from Hillary McFarland
To Love Simply by Sisterlisa

Filed Under: Grace, Organic Church Tagged With: , , , ,

What is Killing the Modern American Church

September 3, 2011 By 1 Comment

After serving for 15 years in an organized religion, leaving it for 3 years, and finding our own unique walkabout with Love, it has given me a different perspective on the idea of what we call today’s church. Many pastors, their wives, and staff are writing numerous articles on the Net about why the people should go back to church, but I have yet to find any foundation in their teaching that would draw a person back out of genuine inclusive love.

More often than not they perpetuate this arrogant “we know it all” attitude and their tone belittles anyone who thinks outside the box.

There are a few out there who are welcoming to folks no matter what they believe and they present their views as equal humans in this life and value others no matter what they believe. They don’t put themselves, or their churches, on a pedestal and they are respectful to people who don’t go to church. Come whenever you want..not pressure, and it’s ok if you don’t want to go.

These folks are onto something.

The awakening to the fact that much of the religious institution of today is twisted and dissolving before our very eyes is not surprising to me. The Spirit of God was never about coercing people into religion, Jesus was about crushing religion and awakening people to the idea of everlasting life already belongs to them. He was awakening his Sleeping Beauty from the religious stupor and setting her free.

Religious institutions would rather she prick her finger on the spinning wheel again and remain captive to the system.

When a pastor’s wife approaches non church going folk with an arrogant “get your butt in church“ message and threaten them with “don’t even bother complaining about your problems unless you give 10% of your money to the church first” it makes me do a double take. This is how you win someone to embracing the fold you’re in?

No, thank you.

But allow me to express myself further.. for I would not want to be misunderstood.

I have no problem whatsoever with people gathering together to enjoy music, worship, teaching, fellowship, etc. I think it’s a grand idea and we certainly have the freedom to do so. In fact, we have more freedom to gather than most people realize.

We have the freedom to set the day for any day we choose. We can set the frequency of such gatherings, we can use whatever music we want that lifts our souls, we can have massive potluck feasts or appetizers of cracker and juice if we so desire.

We can baptize or not baptize..with water..you can sprinkle, or dunk, or do a canon ball in the deep end of the pool. Whatever way you want to celebrate your Spiritual Life is totally up to you. Some folks are more formal, some are informal.

But the point of gathering is not to train people in religious practices, it’s for the edifying of the people. To encourage them to walk in faith…not religion.

Oh I don’t mind religious practices, but they aren’t required. They are optional.

Participating in ceremonial expressions of your faith to remind yourself of the spiritual fulfillment you have can be a beautiful thing. It’s when people try to force their own practices on you that church takes a dive.

My husband is a pastor, and has conducted weddings for folks..each couple has the freedom to plan their ceremony with whatever traditions they want. They can have a formal wedding in a church or an informal wedding with bare feet at the beach. It really doesn’t matter. What matters it that they are surrounded with people who love them and bless their commitment to becoming one with each other.

Why can’t more folks view church the same way?

What is it that causes a pastor and his wife to have such disdain for people who don’t go to their church? Is it the frantic despair they feel that the offering is low and therefore their bills aren’t getting paid? Being paid church folk has it’s downfalls. Eventually your focus leaves loving the people and begins to morph into a numbers game to keep the dough rolling in.

I’m not meaning to get into a debate about whether or not a pastor should get paid to serve the people. I actually see a lot of good in a church who has a credentialed pastor who can counsel people for free or low cost while the church who believes in his style of counseling gives offerings to support him or her in their desire and passion to help people that the church folk aren’t credentialed to do. I’m not opposed to a church having a building of their own as they can generate the funds needed to support it by renting out their building for banquets, weddings, and such.

There can be a lot of good from going to a place where the folks are growing together.

Perhaps the key..is to remain humble.

When the servants of the church are gracious and wise, the people can grow and learn how to be a community.

Notice I said servants, not leaders?

The leadership concept is killing the modern American church..no matter how ‘old school’ it tries to be.

God didn’t put us UNDER a leader, he put himself under us to serve us and if we’re going to learn what it means to live in the Kingdom then we will learn to be humble people who serve, not lead.

It’s the churches who are truly serving one another in love that will draw the people back into corporate fellowship.

The beauty is found in serving one another, not in getting a position of authority over the people.

Maybe if pastors would stop telling people what to do and actually humbled themselves to being servants..they might see a difference in their church attendance. But keep this in mind..it’s not about having a good church attendance..it’s about lifting one another up to BE a community of love and support.

So however you are growing as a community of love and support, continue on and enjoy it.

Filed Under: Organic Church Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Freedom to Choose

June 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Over time we have been coming in contact with more people who have been disenchanted with church and all for various reasons, but the one thing that seems to stand out the most is how superficial the program of “church” plays out in comparison to what the Spirit  is saying to their hearts. I’m not going to go into the pros and cons of the church programs here, but what I would like to share is the deep intriguing curiosity people have with our out-of-the-box Christian lives.

cottage by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

{photo credit Sisterlisa at Pix-O-Sphere}

We don’t go around handing out tracts to people about living the Christian life outside of the program, although we have humorously giggled about making tracts that say, “No, you don’t have to go to church.” We don’t feel it’s necessary to proclaim our non church going status to folks, but if they ask we do tenderly reply. We understand that for some people they have an intense longing for an organized form of worship and fellowship. We are not opposed to their style of church. We realize that the Body of Christ is the true Church and the building in which they choose to gather, and the frequency in which they schedule their meetings, is entirely up to them. They can meet in a tent, a park, an office, a school, a store front, or a gymnasium. We also happen to believe that they can also gather in homes, which is what the early believers did. Not only them, but many churches today actually began in homes.

Each gathering of folks has the freedom to decide what they can afford to support, which charities or missionaries they want to send funds to, and who organizes the activities within their groups. Just as any bride knows, there has to be a coordinator to plan a large event like her wedding, so also it requires a person who is organized and congenial to orchestrate large fellowships, activities, and study times. There are times when we attend a local gathering or activity and respect the manner in which they plan it. It’s not our place to dictate to them how to delineate responsibilities within their congregations. We have had our part in serving in churches, creating programs, and banquets so we understand all the hard work that goes into such things. Not only that, but organizing volunteers to handle large events is quite difficult. An organization can’t require very much of a volunteer without crossing the line into slave labor. If there are scheduled times, hours, and requirements that can bring punishments for not following through, it might be viewed by the IRS as an employment situation and then of course you know they want their cut.

Inside the Church by lacybekah, on Pix-O-Sphere
{photo credit Lacy at Pix-O-Sphere}

This is where we believe it might be wise to hire a staff of people to help keep things in tip top shape. But just how much should religious staff be paid? We discussed this again last night and we continually come to the same conclusion that a person who is gifted in the Spirit is to function as God created them to, without profit. However, if the group has decided they would like to see those folks function full time (which would take away from their family’s income if they keep volunteering) that their needs must be met. Yet, if the gifted teacher is to be studying for a bible lesson for discipling the people, then that person must be given the time to do so and not require them to also be the janitor, landscaper, or anything else that would draw them away from their intended function.

Certainly there will be volunteer days when the group as a whole comes together to tidy up the building, pull weeds, or disinfect the nursery. I which case everyone is welcome to participate and encouraged to do so. Then a fellowship will come to the place and time when they may have to discuss paying a janitor or landscaper to work full time. It all depends upon the economy of the congregation and the growth of their ministry. In all the ministries we have had experience with and the many other pastors who have confided in us, we have seen that the larger the fellowship becomes, the more difficult it becomes to be at peace and keep it organized.

I was in a house church one evening as folks were pouring in the door when a woman says to me, “It looks like it’s time for a church split.” This was intended to be a good thing! The larger a group becomes, the more difficult it is to have healthy growth, communication, and spiritual intimacy. When we attempt to have intimacy in a large group, cliques tend to form. More often than not, a clique can destroy a congregation. It certainly may be that a group grows slowly and intimacy and unity has been able to remain intact quite well. Although I believe this is more of a rarity and people within the organization are reluctant to speak up.

Since we have witnessed and experienced so much of this, we felt that it was better for our family to remain as independent believers who happen to fellowship, worship, and study with various congregations and home fellowships.  We even host fellowship days in our own home. Some have asked if we are able to develop intimacy with people since we aren’t a part of one specific church, to which we reply with a resounding, YES! We take time to contact friends, invite them over, plan outings together. Oh my yes, we develop spiritual intimacy with folks and we grow together.

Jesus is the Rock, the Foundation, of the true Church and therefore that foundation must be built upon with wisdom. He is our individual Rock as well as our collective Foundation. We are Living Stones with Him as the Cornerstone. No matter where we go, what time we gather, or how many of us get together at any one given time, we are One in Him. Find a fellowship that is best for you and if you discover that the time has come to make a change in where you go, that is your freedom to do so.

For those within the group, as someone decides it is time for them to move along, that can be difficult for you. I know that over the years when my friends decided it was time to move on, I was heart broken. So here is my advice for those groups, let them depart peacefully with an open door. Leave that door graciously open so they will feel welcome to return, even if it’s just once in a while. The practice of shunning people for choosing another place for fellowship is unbecoming of a person who walks with Christ. This might seem silly, but even nursery rhymes have a moral to them.

Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can’t tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they’ll come home,
Wagging their tails behind them.

Even the father allowed the prodigal son to depart with his freedom with an open door of love waiting for his return. And just because someone leaves doesn’t mean they are ‘lost’ or a ‘prodigal’. Remember that Abraham left his land, because he believed God wanted him to. Then there was Joseph who seemed to “leave”, but was secretly forced out by his jealous brothers. We never know why people move along in their journey, but may we always allow people the freedom to choose and love them with an open door.

Filed Under: Grace, Organic Church Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Resurrected Life

April 25, 2011 By 2 Comments

Today marks the third Resurrection Day that we have not been planted in any one specific gathering. Our journey out of the IC began on a Resurrection Day which we believe to be such a great reminder of what resurrection really means to us. Jesus raised us up with Him on that spectacular day, but so many Christians don’t see the resurrection as an event that took place for all of humanity. So many are sitting in their pews each weekend, begging Jesus to return and take them out of this ‘wretched world’. I used to be just like that. I thought people needed to ‘ask’ Jesus to be their Savior. How silly of me to think Jesus needs us to ‘make’ him the Savior.

eggs by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

We were wrapped up in the church activities following the pattern the preacher said was ‘the only way to raise our families’ that would be ‘pleasing to God’. He promised that raising our kids around the church would ‘work every time’. But the busyness of the church life left us very little time to be a family outside the church property. Our lives were so engulfed in that cycle that we felt like we were drowning our lives into an abyss of circus acts to keep God happy with us. The motivating factor was fear. We followed the ‘laws’ as best we could, according to the preaching, that somehow this was exactly what God wanted of us in order to keep us ‘safe from the world’and to keep him appeased so we wouldn’t be cursed.

But over the years we saw many preachers whose kids suffered in car accidents, cancer, down syndrome, and more. Deacons were cheating on their wives, teen girls were cutting, and teen guys were struggling with homosexuality. This was the ‘church’ we were promised would ‘work every time’ if we raised our kids there.

The concept of the resurrection is to bring life and it was that very day our lives began to make sense. That resurrection day 2 years ago when we were raptured out of the Institutional Church and given wings to fly free.

We finally understood what it meant to have The Spirit be our Teacher and He revealed to us that we ARE the church. We are the Living Stones that our Savior indwells and we began to understand what it meant to be ‘In Christ’.

No longer did I look up at the sky each day with a tear stained face and agonizing prayers for the Lord to return and get me out of this hell hole.

He revealed to me that He already is here with me and this home He has given me was not a hell hole, but a gorgeous garden to be enjoyed. He showed me that His presence is always with me and no need to wait for a ‘return’ when He is already here with us..our very present help in trouble.

He never promised that life would have no tragedies and heart aches, but he did promise to be with us and He is!

There are different perspectives on the ‘snatching away’ that is mentioned in the Bible and various angles on understanding what He meant when the angle said “He will come again”.

We are selling the Savior short to expect that He is only coming at the end of some ‘end of the world’ type of teaching, when He is already here with us now!

I came to understand that I had been living life in a state of unbelief of His very real presence in my life. All my prayers were being sent up to him because as I saw it,  he wasn’t really down here with us. And many times it felt as though my prayers were stopping just short of heaven’s gates and falling helplessly to the earth again, never to be heard by God.

God revealed to me how He resurrected me WITH Christ that glorious day.

Colossians 2:11In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.

I have been seated with him in the heavenly places since before I was born, I just hadn’t realized it yet.

I thought I had to do something to ‘get’ resurrected.

Here I was, hearing Him tell me that I was already raised with Him.

I had been in Christ all along and hadn’t known it.

How could I have possibly missed this for so long?

Maybe listening to someone tell me for many years that Jesus is not here yet, that I am worthless, and have to do all these religious works to make God happy with me, was part of the problem. I was told I had to die first before I could be resurrected and that would not happen until the end of the world.

He had opened my eyes and revealed his amazing presence in me and removed the veil of deception from my eyes and all of a sudden this world looked more beautiful than I had ever seen it before.

Life seemed to be so much more brilliant than I could have ever imagined.

The trees seemed greener, the clouds were refreshing, and the flowers so vibrant!

trees by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

The rain no longer made me sad, I now saw it as an opportunity to feel the moisture sprinkle on my face and collect the sweet drops on my tongue. It became a gift from Him.

The dry summer heat no longer angered me. It made the creek so much more enjoyable as I waded into the cool current to be refreshed.

The snow no longer frustrated me, I now took it as an opportunity to snuggle under warm blankets with my children and sipped hot cocoa.

Everything I had once saw as a negative thing was turned into a reason to be thankful and He made me to see the beauty in it all.

Because my resurrection had given me a new perspective on this life in Christ.

Today, this third Resurrection Day in our freedom, was enjoyed with my family. We slept in until 9am, woke up to fresh brewed coffee, and enjoyed watching our children wake up to a basket filled with candy.

We savored pancakes topped with butter, hot peaches, and blueberries drizzled with syrup.

We decided to go out and enjoy the earth God has given us. We parked the van and walked along the bike path near the park where wild flowers reached up towards the sun. The fragrance was amazing!

wildflowers by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

We listened to birds chirp, watched butterflies pollinating, heard thunder crack as the clouds gathered above us.

trees and sky by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

I removed my sandals and walked into the sandy shore of the creek, dug my toes into the earth and felt the cold water surround my ankles.

sandyshore by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

Life has been happening all these years and we spent them closed up in buildings built by man when we could have been enjoying the life that we have been blessed with walking on this earth that our Creator gave to us.

Closing my eyes, I breathed deeply.

Feeling the cool spring air filling my lungs.

creek by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

Hearing the harmonious song of our feathered friends, my heart was lifted to the skies above me.

We are already seated with Him in heavenly places.

He is here… with us now.

We are alive in Christ!

I no longer look here or there, thinking the kingdom will come in some tangible way, descending from a cloud like Mary Poppins. The kingdom is here..with us now.

I don’t want to miss one single day of living in this kingdom.

God doesn’t expect me to obey a bunch of church laws in order to keep myself safe in a tragedy free bubble.

Life isn’t tragedy free, but through tragedies we learn grace, mercy, and love in ways only found in the kingdom.

In this resurrected life we can embrace tragedies and be thankful that all things work together for good.

He raised me with him over 2,000 years ago and He raised you too.

Open your eyes and behold… the day of the Lord has always been with you.

God isn’t mad at you, He loves you!

He embraces you every step of the way.

Christ did everything needed to reconcile us to Father and we get to be the partakers of this life in Him.

He loves you as you are.

Wake up to Your Soul Lover!

You’ve already been resurrected. Walk in the reality of it!

2 Corinthians 5: 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

flowers by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

{All my photos hosted and shared at Pix-O-Sphere}

Filed Under: Organic Church Tagged With: , , , , ,

False Christian Leaders in China

April 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hundreds of Christians were apprehended by China Police for public worship. According to ‘Voice of America’ news,

“The detentions are the latest in a crackdown on individuals and groups deemed by the government to pose a threat to social stability.”

I think most Christians know that Christianity is not highly favored in China so this story really perplexes me.

Why would these Christians put themselves in danger like this?

This group was an ‘unregistered congregation’ who had been ‘evicted from their last place of worship last week’, so why would they go public? They clearly put themselves in the spotlight unnecessarily. Was this an attempt to root out the Chinese government’s persecution of their gatherings? Is this the way of Christ?

What would cause a group of Christians to defy their government, put themselves in harm’s way, and at the same time go completely against the warnings Jesus gave in matters like this?

From the article;

“Their church leaders asked them to gather at an open-air venue for Sunday services, after they were evicted from their usual place of worship last week.”

The “church leaders” told them to do this.

They believe they should be able to meet publicly and proclaim their faith and freedom.

In a communistic country.

They were swept away by buses to a school and some unknown locations.

Did the church leaders not teach these Christians that this was unnecessary?

Our freedom in Christ doesn’t mean we should put ourselves in harm’s way just to gather on a large scale to sing hymns together. There is nothing in scripture that says a group must sing hymns in a public place. There is nothing in scripture that says to put sheep in the way of being devoured by the government.

Was the Roman Coliseum not enough of a warning for Christians?

Jesus was clear that we should be wise in regards to the government. When God places you in a country where you can’t follow certain Christian customs, he doesn’t ask us to put ourselves and our families at risk for those customs.

The article goes on to say;

“The round up of Christian worshipers is the latest in a far-reaching crackdown on individuals and groups the government says may pose a threat to social stability.”

The Spirit of Christ would not cause instability to society. Jesus brings peace.

When we read in the Bible that Jesus brought an uprising it was among the religious leaders, not the government. Remember that Pilate said in John 19:6 that he (as the government) found NO FAULT in Jesus.

It was the religious Pharisees and Sanhedrin court (religious council) that found fault in him.

Our freedom in Christ is not something we have to shove in the government’s face in order to practice customs and traditions.

Jesus would not be pushing the buttons of the government, he pushed the buttons of the religious.

All powers are ordained by God.

God allows governments to play a specific role in their nations.

We need to be wise in our speech, our behavior, our faith.

He never said we needed to boldly proclaim religion traditions.

He said to be at peace, to love others, to be kind.

The apostle Paul wisely stated that we should not cause others to stumble and that we are no longer under the old covenant law. Anything that resembles the old covenant temple worship is not necessary. Therefore, to be told you can’t worship in a building, or publicly does not mean you are disobeying God when you don’t gather in a traditional way.

Jesus would not be preaching against the Chinese government for their desire to keep peace in their nation. He would be telling them that God loves them and to be at peace.

I’m not saying I agree with how the Chinese government runs their nation. What I am saying is that Christ is not at war with them and neither should we be. We should not be provoking them to anger, we should be peace makers. The people of Christ are to be people of grace, mercy, and peace. We are to love.

Be wise before you follow a ‘leader’ into a battle that doesn’t belong to you.

It appears to me that these “church leaders” led the sheep to a slaughter.

Filed Under: Inquisition, Organic Church, Persecution Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

That We May All Be One

February 2, 2011 By 3 Comments
With so many denominations in Christianity and each one insisting they have it right in more areas than any other denomination, how are we to choose who to believe?
Is Christianity really THAT difficult to understand? It’s no wonder so many people reject it. The whole “we’re right and they’re wrong” angle is absolutely confusing to most people. Except the ones who think they’re on the ‘right’ angle, oh wait..that would be most of you. That’s right… you’re all right? If you’re all correct then why do you all insist everyone else except your denomination, is wrong? Someone once asked me why there were so many variations of Baptist churches and all I could think to tell him was, “They can’t agree”.
But let’s not narrow it down to just the Baptists. There are a variety of Pentecostal denominations, as well as Reformed, that have differences. A friend of my daughter’s said that she was going to a church in an office complex. This church was right next door to another one. Their churches were divided by a single wall and during worship, the girl could hear the next church’s music. They were singing the same song. So why the wall?
Some church’s feel strongly about evangelism by door knocking, while others believe it’s by serving the people in the community. A paper tract and invite to church versus loving their neighbor by action. The paper tract church insisting they are the only ones in town who ‘win souls the right way’, while the other insisting they shouldn’t be pushy, but rather be an example to the community.
Then there’s the debates about the End Times, judgment, and the afterlife. In all my studies I have come to one conclusion that I know I can stand firmly on. My salvation is not contingent upon my understanding of the English translations per the handing down of our religious forefather’s interpretations right after they left the Catholic Church.
Have you ever noticed when a person leaves a church they were in for a great length of time? Ever notice how their theology is a bit mixed with what they are discovering, while they retain some teachings from their former church? If you have ever studied the writings of some historical figures, you can see how their beliefs began to evolve over the years. Even Billy Graham’s beliefs have evolved over the years.
Who do we think we are to be so arrogant to think we know it all, the closest to the Bible, and the best interpretations? The answer is simple, arrogance. Arrogance will plant us right smack in the middle of thinking we have finally arrived at some biblical knowledge utopia and create ourselves our own little ownership of interpretations.
The next rite of passage is to write out what we believe as if to create some teachings for others to follow. People will begin to come with intrigue to discover what we believe and why. Some might agree and some might question us. Some may even question with such severe inquisition that you feel persecuted and belittled.
I have had the pleasure of studying for two years with some incredibly intelligent theologians from all over the world. I am fascinated with where they’re ‘coming from’. In all my studies, I continue to learn and grow and even though there are different interpretations I know WHOM I have believed and that, to me, is far more important than WHAT I believe. Although, I do feel that WHAT we believe shapes how we love one another.
Galatians 5: 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
It has wisely been said, “Know what you believe and why you believe it.” But even better is that I know WHOM I believe and that He loves us all.
In all our quests for understanding the bible, may we do so in love for one another and may our discoveries lead us to loving God and others more and more.
John 17:20“I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one,23I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.
heart in sand by lady_jess, on Pix-O-Sphere

Filed Under: Agape, Grace, Organic Church

How Does a Home Fellowship Function

January 12, 2011 By 6 Comments
I have been asked many questions about our home fellowship and will be putting together some articles in Q and A format. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comment section and I will answer them in upcoming articles. (Other home fellowships function differently and I’ll be sharing more about that soon)
When and where do we meet?
We gather in my home on Monday nights. We rent a clubhouse for larger gatherings every so often. Where we live, we have access to a clubhouse with a deposit we get back the next day, so this really has no cost to do. We sometimes gather in other homes too. We each like to take turns hosting the fellowship.
How do you celebrate the Lord’s Supper?
bowlsetting by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere
We have pot luck every Monday night and at the larger gathering. Some nights we do dessert and coffee only. We dine together at the table, if there are more people, we use TV trays in the living room to accommodate. We believe in the full feast style supper..imagine an Italian family dinner night..that’s us. :)
How do you teach?

Acts19 by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere
We have no hierarchy structure, only Christ is the Master of the meeting. He functions through various people through the night. His Spirit flows through each of us in a very spontaneous and loving manner. He edifies and encourages us through one another. If you can imagine a good peaceful ping pong table where no one has a desire to ‘win’..just enjoy the game. The conversation style teaching goes back and forth. It’s not a one way street here.
Do you believe in apostles, bishops, elders, pastors, and teachers?
Yes, but we do no use titles nor ‘authorities’ here. We are all equal in Christ. We believe in the function of the Spirit of these gifts, but not as a man made structure. We are in fellowship with people who function in all these gifts. As His Spirit guides, they function. No one person is more of a master teacher than another, Jesus is our master, his Spirit is our Teacher. All these functions are not always here every Monday. Sometimes we gather at one of their homes instead of here.
How do you handle the offering?
wish I had more by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere
We don’t mandate an offering. Since we own our home, we have no need to ask our guests to give us money just to host them for an evening in our home. We share in the meal by having it potluck. If someone has a need and they mention it, people will give as the Spirit guides them. No one has ever abused this by asking for handouts. People are generally quite humble and hesitant on even asking for financial help. We rely on the Spirit to speak to us about who needs assistance. We do get donations of nonperishable food so we do offer food boxes to everyone if they need it, all they need to do is ask. All the ‘teachers’ have their own income, so we have no need to pay them.
Do you have a nursery?
nub and monie by chasingcars, on Pix-O-Sphere
No. We allow the children to play all around the house. The older children play with them. Parents tend to their own children’s needs.
Do you have a creed?
No, our gathering has no creed. Mostly it’s just love Father and love one another. We believe each person has their own unique walkabout with Father and they are certainly free to hold to their own creed. As long as we each understand that we live in this life with love and mutual respect, then the fellowship is sweet. We welcome people of differing beliefs and encourage theological discussion. If they don’t feel comfortable with fellowship with open minded people who question, then they may not like it here. We allow for all questioning. There is no spiritual tyranny here. We live in America where there is freedom of religion. We do not feel it’s fair, spiritual healthy, nor Constitutional if we usurp their beliefs and make them believe as we do. You can believe in pre trib, post trib, tongues, healing, or women who teach. But also realize that if someone asks about these things, you’ll be in for a long night. If a matter becomes a wall, we’ll shelve the discussion until another time.
We are not out to get everyone to believe the same..we gather because of love for Father and one another. Bible study is challenging here. If one is not up for the challenges and study, they are free to depart peacefully after the meal. We still love them.
Do people commit to serving in your fellowship?
feasting table by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

We don’t see it that way. We believe in living the ministry life every day, not just on the day we gather. As we prepare the meal, people just naturally offer to help. There’s plenty to do around here when a potluck meal for more than ten people is being prepared. We encourage people to participate in serving the community in whatever ministry they feel led to. Whether it’s the homeless center, recovery homes, or day care centers for the disabled. We hold no ‘positions’ here. We are a family.

What about baptism?
boy creek by sisterlisa, on Pix-O-Sphere

We believe Jesus baptized us in His death. We believe that water baptism is a work therefore it is between the person and Christ if they want to do this. We are a very non traditional gathering here..and while we mean no disrespect, if someone wants to get wet as a celebration of their revelation of Christ, we’ll have a pool party or go to the creek and we’ll all canon ball together in celebration. I know this may sound silly, but we happen to think Jesus wants us to enjoy life and not be so stiff necked about rituals. If you want to get wet, we’ll all get wet together and have fun doing it. With a huge barbecue of course. Can’t leave out the Supper for such a momentous occasion as ‘Christ in you’.

More to come. Feel free to ask about anything I have not covered in this post. Please refrain from trying to force me to adopt how your church functions. We are all unique and I hold firm to our soul liberty.

Filed Under: Organic Church Tagged With: , ,
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