Church, we’re failing in discipleship. We fail the Christian community when we rush teenagers off to bible school to rush through 4 years of classroom education then push them into pulpits in their early twenties and rush rapid growth of filling pews. We’re failing the Christian community and the surrounding communities when we make the numbers more important than solid Christian discipleship.

Making disciples comes with great responsibility. It means we are committing ourselves to a new believer as they take this walk of faith in God’s grace. It requires nurturing them and admonishing them to grow into responsible people who value their spirituality in Christ as a high priority. It’s high time we stop rushing people into the pews in order to push for a confession of belief and quickly get them started with giving ten percent of their income to keep the building open. That’s not what being a Christian is about. It’s not about the numbers, it’s not about the money, and it’s certainly not about competing with the church next door.

It took over 2000 years to build what we call The Great Wall of China and it stills stands today. It took hard work, many people, many sacrifices, and lots of patience to erect such a strong wall. Are we approaching discipleship with the same effort?

I think this is what Jesus meant in Matthew 7: 24“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (ESV)

If we have worried ourselves with rushing the construction of a fancy building, filling the pews with wallets so we can rub elbows with the prestigious churches and sit at fancy tables with the religious, then we are going to fall in the storm and many are testifying that this fall is already happening.

It’s time we repent of this bizarre rebuilding of Babel. Jesus isn’t concerned about rushing people to pledge allegiance to creeds and give their money to build temples. He created His temple within us. Peter gives us this beautiful illustration of the holy temple, us.

1 Peter 2: “4As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (ESV)

A true disciple of Christ is one who walks by faith. They commit themselves to growing in grace and seeking wisdom to walk circumspectly, to exercise self control, one who seeks to drink from the Living Water and bear fruit.

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.” (ESV)

These are not fruits that can be super glued to your life in haste. They can’t be mere labels stuck to knock offs who want to look like the real deal. It takes time to grow fruit and we must take our path in Christ seriously. We must not fancy ourselves as “arrived Christians” just because we complete a 6 week ‘discipleship’ course at a church. How dare we think a bible college graduate has the wisdom to lead a congregation fresh out of bible school without being mentored after graduation.

We need spirit filled Christians who have walked the path of faith, who have grown through adversity and still cling to a walk of faith, who extend grace and impart wisdom to our community. How can we expect to see mature Christians who hold fast to faith in Christ when all we’re doing is pumping out clones on a conveyor belt?

What do we need to do? Slow down.

We need to realize what it means to invest in one another, to walk with one another, to love one another in grace. Gone are the days of quick recruitment into a church and speedy public profession of creeds. We need to stop misrepresenting Christ by branding him into business logos and copyrighted self help programs. We need to stop identifying ourselves with denominations, popular pastors, and fancy new movements.

We need to take our time to mentor others in what it means to be a Christian before we rush them into agreeing with our interpretations and getting their signature on a church membership agreement.

Making a decision to be a disciple of Christ needs to be a very personal decision and must be accompanied with a commitment. Not a commitment to a brand of churches, but a commitment to walk in faith and to grow in grace. It takes a commitment to learn Christ within. Being a disciple of Christ is not something you ever graduate from, there is no point of arrival, and it can’t be something that gets a stamp of approval from a pastor.

Walking in discipleship is a journey in Christ. If you’ve been burned by what seemed to be pillars in your Christian community, I’m so sorry. They aren’t people who have arrived, by any means. They may have lacked in true spiritual discipleship. We do hope that a Christian would be someone who has integrity, wisdom, and compassion, but that’s not always the case.  You don’t have to seek discipleship from people who haven’t been truly discipled.

So how is a person to find others who take their spiritual walk with Christ seriously? How can you find a community of believers that are willing to be committed to discipleship?

More often than not, you won’t find a ready made church that is equipped with all the bells and whistles. Cookie cutter style discipleship doesn’t work. I’m not fond of people putting out an ad to say, “Here we are (raising hand), we have the answer and best discipleship class in town.” You won’t find a solid spiritual journey by ‘liking’ the latest Facebook church ad. It’s not found in signing up to some website with your email to invite a leader to your home to instruct you.

Finding followers of Christ are more often seen sitting with the homeless at the beach. They don’t fancy themselves with suits and ties, they humble themselves to be real and relational. They aren’t interested in harnessing wealthy people into the pews, they are found holding tearful women at the exit door of an abortion clinic. They rarely are seen performing public feats of religiosity to get media attention, and are more likely to be found driving a drunk friend home and watching him all night so he doesn’t drown in his vomit. These are people who are disciples of Christ and it’s the Spirit of the Lord who guides them to have this kind of compassion.

They grow in grace and listen to the Living Word that is written on their hearts. It’s hearts of love that no longer fear being rejected by the religious. They aren’t into quick fixes, they embrace longevity in relationships. They don’t fit into the church systems and are often ordered into silence because they preach the true Gospel of grace and that grace scares the religious.

If you’re interested in being a disciple of Christ all you do is ask Him to guide you. His Spirit will guide you into truth and you’ll know it’s true love that sets your feet upon a solid Rock. as you walk by faith, He will guide you to others who are on the same journey. They’re out there, keep your eyes and ears open and He will show them to you.

Matthew Paul Turner courageously posted a piece about Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington that has the global Church deeply disturbed. It’s not the fact that he posted the testimony of one man that disturbs us, it’s the tactics used against this man he reports about, that is so disturbing.

I had quite a discussion with a friend last night who had also left the same environment I did. We discussed how much freedom we really have in Christ to gather, worship, and study as equals. When Peter offered to build Jesus a temple, his response was simple, “No.” Jesus’ plans were to build a new temple, in us. So why do so many Christians feel the need to build modern temples and call them churches? It’s the People who are the Church, not the buildings or programs. It certainly is within our freedom to create organized places to socialize together and develop a governance to keep the community center supported financially. However, what often happens in these kinds of community centers is deeply disturbing and the global Body is taking notice.

Many cry out, “This should not be happening in The Church!” It certainly is a heartbreaking situation when we come to love and trust a leader of such an establishment only to find accusations of alleged abuse and it’s extremely difficult to see the truth. We often tell teenagers that their love for each other has them blinded. It seems that this may be the case within the Body as well.

Does the entire Body of Christ have the authority to speak up about what happens in just one community center? Or is it a private matter for that local Body alone? Andie Redwine, Writer and Co-Producer of Paradise Recovered, has this to say;

“My position is that Mark Driscoll has a wide audience that transcends denomination. MPT gave Andrew a place to go to chat about what happened to him. The fact that we are all so moved by it means that the onus is on Driscoll to make a statement.” (MPT refers to Matthew Paul Turner)

She certainly has a point. This particular pastor has a much wider audience than just his local community of believers. When a pastor opens up to the public audience with videos, books, audios, public speaking, etc then he sure does open himself up to public outcry from the Body as a whole. Another thing to keep in mind is that Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington (not to be confused with the fascinating and gracious work of Rob Bell at Mars Hill Bible Church) has a seriously crafted membership that requires a disturbing amount of rules to live by that has many labeling as legalistic. Again, they do have the freedom to create their own governance, but the people have the freedom to not agree to it. Just because someone initially submits to it, doesn’t mean they are legally obligated to stay under such leadership. How much more reminding do we need that we live in America where we have the freedom of religion?

Regardless of how we all feel about this particular community, The Church is raising awareness of Spiritual Abuse. The government protects your freedom of religion, but you willingly submit to the church community of your choice. You have the freedom to walk away without suffering from harassment. Sadly, many congregations do not understand how to draw the line between church discipline and harassment. If you believe you are in danger of being harassed or stalked upon leaving a church community, don’t be afraid to call a lawyer and talk to a professional counselor.

Are you blogging about Spiritual Abuse in support of victims? If so, please comment with your link and I’ll add it to the list.

Matthew Paul Turner

Eric Pazdziora

David Hayward

Dr. Robert Cargill

Provender

Quivering Daughters

Michelle Pendergrass

Mike Fehlauer

Lisa Kerr

Matthew 5

 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
  
(Matthew 5:2-12 ESV)

~Sisterlisa

photo credit Lacy

As much as some denominations of Christianity wish to silence the freedom of inquiry in their congregations, the heritage we have as Christians to continue to study and question each other thrives today. Some may want to halt such communication, however I propose that we embrace this tradition instead of trying to stop at the doorsteps of the mainstream view. Just because a view is in held by a majority doesn’t make it true. Americans live in a time when we won’t be burned at the stake or sent to jail for questioning the preachers. And God forbid any pastor in America today EVER vote for the power to do such a thing.

“An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.” Mohandas Gandhi

The topic of hell is not the only theological topic that has been debated for many years. Among other arguments are the Trinity, Christian works, security/loss of salvation, and the working of the Holy Spirit through ‘supernatural’ gifts. I support the tradition of free inquiry without the fear of reprisal from among our Christian brothers and sisters. The apostle Paul said this about divisions,

1 Corinthians 11: 18“For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,^d 19for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.”~ESV

In Galatians 2 Paul goes on to discuss the disagreement yet peace that came about between him and other brethren (verses1-10). He went on to publicly rebuke Peter in verses 11-21 for his contradictions. Furthermore, we see in James what appears to be opposing teachings to that of Paul’s gospel of grace. Martin Luther debated against the Catholic Church and Michael Servetus argued theological points with John Calvin. Yet somewhere along the line some Baptists think they cornered the market on theology while Pentecostalism rose up and presented some interesting and valid perspectives on the working of the Spirit.

Thankfully the tradition of burning people at the stake was halted here in America and we continue to have more tools at our disposal for studying the Hebrew and Greek through the Internet. We no longer have to live in fear that our lives will be at risk for disagreeing with the denominational styles of Christianity. There are over 35,000 denominations of Christianity today and not one of them has the corner market on truth.

So to the older generations who hold fast to their traditional teachings, please do everyone a favor and stop trying to forbid people from thinking on their own, studying the scriptures, and coming to their own conclusions. Simply present your conclusions and people will present their own. In Christ, we are free to question, debate, and find our own paths that Theos has laid out before us.

 The sites linked into this article may or may not represent the views of this blog author.

The following blogs are a variety of different perspectives on theology;

Sermons.com

Julie Ferwerda

Rachel Held Evans

Charles Stanley

Brian McLaren

Frank Viola

TentMaker.org

Bless you,

Sisterlisa

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.

Sisterlisa

I will be using the word ‘religion’ with the definition of  ’tangible ways in which we carry out traditions in our acts of worship’. It is commonly taught that these tangible traditions are a path to a person’s salvation. However in this perspective I present today, ‘religion’ is not the “road to Salvation”. I think this definition I share of “religion” is the outward manifestation of what is already taking place in the heart…Salvation is what is happening within.

I believe that whoever we consider the Creator/Deity/Divine etc can and does work that salvation within us in a spiritual way that best fits who we are and how we come upon the revelation of such salvation. Expounding upon that thought, I wish to emphasize that our Creator meets us “where we are” and “as we are”. If our Creator decides to use metaphors from childhood fables, Hollywood sci-fi, Science, or religious texts is up to that Creator. It doesn’t mean only one of these avenues is “the only road to salvation” for all people.

I believe that being a “Christian” is a mix of cultural and theological components gleaning from the bible as their text. Other religions follow a similar concept..cultural and theological components gleaning from their spiritual texts. I will use the terms ‘Theos’ and ‘Creator’ interchangeably as a non gender spiritual being outside of and yet within our realm of existence. For the sake of keeping Theos as a relatable being to us, I use ‘him’  as a non gender term as opposed to ‘it’ which seems to break the relational aspect off from us.

What we call Theos , just may be using all kinds of avenues to get his message across… reconciliation to our Creator. It is debatable on whether or not human-kind was ever broke off from Theos or if we were simply deceived into thinking we were. I will not get into that argument here. The angle I introduce today is that of a concept of universal reconciliation. This angle is what I believe to be the foundation of all that is going on between human-kind and Theos. So in this perspective, there is no such thing as “all religions lead to god” but rather.. Theos uses any means necessary to speak the evangel( good news of reconciliation) to his creation. The people Theos speaks to in all different cultures and paths will understandably follow a unique path based on their cultural and theological communities and with whatever spiritual texts have been handed down through their generations.

If we look at this relationship between Theos and human-kind, we can see how each culture of people have found a variety of ways to come to know this Theos, how to express their path of understanding, and what that looks like for each individual(and as groups) is manifested in diverse ways.

It may very well be that Theos wants each culture of peoples to follow in a traditional pattern. Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Pagans, etc have cultures that embody such traditional patterns that are unique to their people. It is entirely possible that Theos does not want Christians to weave their beliefs and traditions in with Muslims, nor Pagans with Jews. It is evident that each religions seem to hold to a varying degree of belief about that. Maybe instead of arguing over this, we might come to respect that this might be the way in which Theos has planned out humanity to be among one another. It could be that Theos wants us to learn about each path and find ways in which to live in harmony among one another while respecting our differences and celebrating our similarities. Whatever the case may be, each individual needs to decide for themselves what traditional teaching they believe Theos wants them to participate in.

This is not pluralism, inclusiveness, nor exclusiveness, but I do believe it is the basic foundation where all three perspectives grow from. I believe that many from human-kind has done their best to navigate their lives and carry on the heritage of their tribes the best they knew how. Sadly, this has manifested many religious and political wars over the ages in their quest for freedom to continue their spiritual paths.

There is another perspective on the word ‘salvation’ that is not the same as the cosmic reconciliation of human-kind to Theos, but can be viewed as an extension of it. This ‘salvation’ I am referring to is obtained through understanding truth that leads to clarity and healthy decision making. These healthy decisions grow the metaphorical fruit that is pleasant to the growth of our spiritual lives as well as nourishing to our human relationships. This kind of fruit grows from the tree of life which is deeply rooted within us all and is drinking from the living water that is an ongoing wellspring coming from within that cosmic spiritual revelation of our reconciliation and the larger hope for the reconciliation of all to Theos.

Some may never have this reconciliation journey for themselves in this life, but this larger hope is that Theos has a way of bringing all things and people into his balance, in whatever way is best for all.

This perspective is not a religion, just a neutral perspective on what just may be the greatest hope for all mankind. It is inclusive to all, yet exclusively experienced by those who have been awakened. In this belief, Theos sends his messengers to us in a variety of ways and people need to be free to listen and follow Theos as he guides them. He may or may not guide them to follow one path for a time then divert them to another path. That is between them and Theos.

The tradition I have been following is by respecting one another’s paths while extending the invitation to learn the evangel from our/your perspective, but remain humble and not insistent on our/your way being a better or a ‘more right’ way. In all of this the philosophy of the ‘golden rule’ holds true in all paths and has proven to be a healthy way in which to find peace among each other.

I don’t know if a term already exists for this perspective, and I hesitate on coining a term for it out of the concern for it becoming misrepresented or hijacked by another insistent religion that wants to own it or change it. I dislike the ideas of labels that box people up. All I can say is that I call it an Ageless Hope that is inclusive to all, yet exclusive to those experiencing it. It may very well be witnessed at the roots of various beliefs since the beginning of time. All are invited to this evangel and may observe it and participate in it.

In upcoming articles I will share how I have come to live my life within this perspective. In my opinion, there is no reason to leave the traditions you already observe in order to participate in the celebration of life among your fellow humans who do embrace this perspective. They might be within your existing churches, PTA meetings, clubs, frats or various other circles of friends and loved ones. Many fear confessing to this Ageless Hope out of fear of disassociation from their groups. Those of us who do embrace this perspective do not require that you convert or give up anything in your life to celebrate with us. Everyone is free to celebrate and even create their own ‘tangible ways in which you carry out traditions in your acts of worship’. Bless you.

Sisterlisa

]]> http://soullibertyfaith.com/an-ageless-hope/feed/ 0 http://soullibertyfaith.com/can-there-be-some-diplomacy-please/ http://soullibertyfaith.com/can-there-be-some-diplomacy-please/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 19:37:05 +0000 Sisterlisa http://soullibertyfaith.com/?p=1218 In this fast paced religious society of cultural wars waged by the “I know the absolute factual truth about our ancient texts in entirety” clans, I sense an ongoing battle to remain in the barbaric days of yesteryear instead of advancing forward into our new world as intelligent, spiritual beings. Having come out of Traditional Christianity myself, I wrestled with where I was supposed to gravitate to. Each time I found what I thought was a leading voice in the Christian community I watched as their writings unfolded into more dramatics rather than the inclusive love of Christ. With all the hate I have seen coming from much of the Christian community I can understand why some folks leave it entirely and the draw of community among the Pagans becomes a refreshing oasis for spiritual growth. I adore my Pagan Kinfolk, and yet I remain a Christ follower because of the delicate and in depth nature of my personal experience with Christ.

Much of the Christian community divides over theological perspectives, religious practices, and by what you claim your allegiance to. Sadly, a lot of them are pushing hard for allegiances to be to their clergy as well. If you disagree with their pastor’s latest book, you’re somehow not “right with God” and in “rebellion to your Creator”. We Christians sure do seem to be in a mess much of the time as we claim to have the latest clarity on Christ. Who are we kidding? We’re a hodge podge gloppity gooey mess and I think it would be much more honest if we just admitted it than pompously proclaiming that we have “the” answers to all the questions.

I’m not opposed to theological differences and a diversity of perspectives, but why does one need to join forces with one over the other? Why can’t we simply glean from each camp while enjoying the fellowship with each one without corralling into the next cow stall? You see, I have said before that I don’t claim to be of the “Orthodox” (ie Traditional Christianity), but that doesn’t mean I don’t see some good in it. I’m not a Neo-Reformer or a Southern Baptist, but I know some very good people who are. Why can’t we simply enjoy the faith without drawling the lines? If I may use a secular topic as a metaphor… I find it difficult to only eat Mexican food all the time..as much as I love it.. there are times when I need to go to the organic salad bar. In fact, I would probably do much better if I had a variety of meals in moderation instead of eating from one restaurant all the time.

Ok so I’ll admit…some restaurants are just flat out unhealthy all the time and it’s best to not eat from their kitchens, ever! The health department inspections can be atrocious. But that doesn’t mean they can’t improve the quality of service, cleanliness, and offer more balanced meals. Do you get what I’m saying? Is it possible to simply share what kind of meals we serve while being open to trying the feasts in other places?

Will we ever have a Christian community where diversity is celebrated rather than condemned? I admit, I wrestle with this myself. Sure there are times when we disagree, but can we disagree in a way that helps one another to see the other’s perspective and at least try to understand one another? Is it ever going to be possible to be diplomatic among one another so that we can join in efforts to feed the hungry or bring fresh drinking water to a dehydrated community? Or will we have cut each other off in such a way that our own pride hinders us from feeding and clothing “Jesus” when he needs us to?

Is it possible to have an open forum of diverse conversations where we can both agree and disagree without getting our feathers so ruffled that we think we have to create wars against each other? I’m certainly not claiming to have the answer to this dilemma. I would hope that we can all add our own voices to the discussion.

What do you think? Can there be some diplomacy without more religious wars? What are your suggestions?

Sisterlisa

Is it any wonder that traditional religions want to reinforce their ways in a world of ongoing growth and modernization? The Amish are adamant about preserving their religious culture and today’s Traditional Christianity seeks to do the same. It certainly is their freedom to do so, however we are not obligated to agree with their traditions nor adhere to them. The beauty of being free in Christ is that we have a choice in how, where, when, and how often we worship. Regardless of which verses some people twist in order to keep their women silenced and under foot, Christ seemed to think very fondly of women and never rebuked the women disciples from teaching or being an influence in their culture.

We live in a time where women are following the guidance of the Spirit to be ministers in today’s churches and more men are finding peace about sharing the pulpit with their female counterparts. As I read about the accomplishments of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I am reminded of the turmoil that came with the fight for freedom and equality among the races. Is it going to be any different for women seeking equality in the churches? Will we be able to function as the Spirit guides us without opposition coming from Traditional Christianity? While the desire for equality among the genders continues, I’m afraid we won’t be able to see a solid break through without an onslaught of accusations of heresy and rebellion.

I shake my head in disbelief that a religion like Traditional Christianity would push so hard to continue in such opposition to freedom for all. They resist women, gays, and in some neighborhoods they still have prejudices for the poor and those of other races. I don’t foresee this ending any time soon, but thankfully we do have freedom to depart from such prejudiced gatherings and begin our own. The battle for abiding by the Law versus living a life of grace in Christ is ongoing and we were told clearly that they would always be at war. Those of us who have left Institutional and Traditional Christianity find the opposition to be disheartening to say the least. Some argue against those who say Jesus came to free us from religion. They insist that Jesus came to make religion perfect and that we are required to continue in it. If that were so then why aren’t we all converting to the Jewish faith? If Jesus came to perfect what was already in place, to continue as a follower of Jesus the Jewish Rabbi, then we most certainly would be attending a synagogue rather than a church.

Author and Public Speaker, Frank Viola, paved the way for inquiry into the traditions with his book, ‘Pagan Christianity’. We read books like Rob Bell’s, ‘Love Wins’ and Julie Ferwerda’s book, ‘Raising Hell’ in 2011 which sparked an insurgence of freedom fighters who braved deeper inquisition into what has been commonly called, Orthodox. As those in traditional Christianity continue their arguments with one another over gays, which version of the bible is most accurate, and if women should teach men, lets not fail to keep the momentum of freedom going so those who leave the nest in search of freedom can find a community of people who are not getting caught up in the fray. Lets be ready to receive those who are in exodus and help them be free from the fighting and walk with them in the path of peace and grace.

Where will they go after their exodus? where can they gather with people who have suffered the same as they have? Who will they find camaraderie with in their journey to freedom? Some may want the utmost break from Christianity all together, but some may want to continue in faith with others who are free. Who will be available for fellowship with them?

photo credit Tom

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.

Sisterlisa

When Christ presented himself to me, he did not hand me a list of “essentials”, he simply embraced me in love…. everything else I learned came later. Something he has been discipled me in over the last few years is humility. It would be an incredible oxymoron to get a degree in humility as it is something that we humans can not achieve mastery in. However, my fellow minister, Monica Barden, pointed out that we can have degrees OF humility. Which means, we grow in humility and may find ourselves in different degrees of it. I’m not sure we can arrogantly claim to have a deeper degree in humility over another, for in the day we attempt to do so we may find ourselves so full of pride and totally blind by the beam in our eyes. I do think we can recognize when someone else’s humility surpasses our own though. We certainly can recognize that Christ is truly the most humble of us all.

Now lets get back to this idea of Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy is a word that many have come to accept as “right belief”. Within this realm are many beliefs in which they claim you must believe in, in order to be a “real Christian”. I have come to wrestle with this term Orthodoxy because it leads me to see pride involved. In the Orthodox view, the followers claim to be right and thus everyone else is wrong. This calls to my attention an argument of superiority and a serious problem with seeking to be a humble Christ follower.

Anyone who puts their faith in Christ becomes a Christ follower. Hence, they become a Christian. To attempt to disqualify someone as a Christian based on a set of beliefs creates a whole different realm of man led authority. When a person chooses to put their faith in Christ, that is all it takes to become a Christian. Everything else after that is theological study. Our academic education of all the diverse perspectives on the bible has nothing to do with our initial decisions to follow Christ.

I challenge the word and basis for Orthodoxy as an authority over who is Christian and who is not. I believe a better word for this group of people would be ‘Traditional’. The group that has followed their same old perspective of the Bible are Traditionalists. If they want to describe themselves as Orthodoxy then that is their freedom, however just because they claim to be Orthodoxy doesn’t mean they are. It also doesn’t mean they have authority to dictate to anyone else who is a Christian and who isn’t all based on their traditional views.

I am not against Christians who follow in their traditions, I’m just leery of them assuming authority over who is and is not a Christian. We are free in Christ and can follow him as HE guides us. When you place your faith in Christ, you then become a Christian. Everything else in your journey after that is called discipleship. So don’t worry yourself about what an “orthodoxy” group says to you about your journey in Christ. They are simply following an old traditional view and that is their freedom, they just do not have the authority to reject you from calling yourself a Christian.

Many would say because I have an obligation now to tell other people about that place of never ending torture. Pardon me while I speak (write) so boldly as I declare that there are real life dangers, scams, and hells on earth to assist people with as it is, NOW! Those people have a difficult time imagining an afterlife of torture when they’re already living a torturous life as it is. I also found that using hell as a threat to ‘choose Jesus or else’ shaped a very dysfunctional relationship with God and Jesus that was not yielding the peaceable fruit of the Spirit within. For those who believe in this fiery torment, you may be relieved that you won’t be tortured, but it doesn’t alleviate the tension you feel over your loved ones eternal destiny in unending flames.

I don’t believe that God ever intended to put the weight of your family’s sin on your shoulders when Jesus already bore that burden on our behalf. So what’s the point in evangelism then? Why preach the kingdom if there is no eternal fire chamber that people dangle over by a thread? Is that all Jesus is good for? The get out of hell card? Or is there more to Jesus and this Kingdom Life that goes largely unnoticed by much of Christendom today?

With over 35,000 denominations of Christianity today, you can bet that none of them have all the answers to everything nor does any one in particular hold “the right” interpretation on every point in the bible. We listen to the pastors and famous theologians of yesteryear to determine what to place our beliefs in. Everything we believe as Christians is done so by faith…without evidence.  Yet, we know to test everything by the Spirit and in doing so I look for the fruit.

Nevertheless, I continue to walk by faith in Christ by the experience I have come to attain in this evidence-less journey. No matter what interpretation a person chooses to follow, they do so by faith. When it all boils down and we come up against brick walls within Christianity, I rest in grace. Grace is such a paradoxical way to live and often times is widely criticized by many. What grace looks like to God is many times not agreed with by mankind. Why should sinners get a break when religious people live by such high standards? How is it that those sinners can get away with riotous living while the religious work so tirelessly to perform feats of perfection for God?

Shall we be like Baal’s priests in the Old Testament who cut themselves to get the attention of their god? Or can we boldly go before the throne of God because Jesus already showed us the way? Do we have to abstain from certain things to be good representations of our God or can we do whatever we want?

Can we love the beaten man on the road like the Samaritan did or are we to ignore the poor and refuse to get dirty in the sin of the world? What about the gays, pagans, or Christians who have been divorced? Are we to ‘put them away’ in a ‘writing of divorcement’ from fellowship due to the hardness of our hearts or can we take the high road and extend grace and love to them?

These are all very important questions and I invite you to join me in 2012 as I share with you how I came to find a balance in this Kingdom Life. I will share with you how important I believe it is to become a part of the solution to finding peace in our communities instead of dividing and creating wars among ourselves. I hope that my input in 2012 can be a positive contribution to the ongoing discussion on living a life in Christ based on faith, but in no way do I intend to produce a new format for living the Christian life. I don’t believe that my path is going to be the final formula of success that everyone needs a carbon copy of. I don’t want to be the next guru who is trying to convince you that I have all the answers, nor do I want anyone to put me on a pedestal. I’m just a person on a journey and I invite you to be a fellow traveler with me.