O.K. so here it is. I grew up thinking church was a club. Why?
- Church had it’s own uniform (dresses and ties).
- Church had it’s own rules (no running in the church, no happy, outgoing, emotional behavior whatsoever).
- Church had it’s own unspoken code (share about anything that seems holy and good. But, don’t share the fact that you might have real life problems or that life might be hard in any way).
I found it impossible to follow it’s ways. And tended to detect very early the counterfeits, hypocrites, and fakes.
……And I wanted out. Out from the walls of all man made religion.
And yet, church seemed to make sense when I read…..John 10.
“He leads them into the gate.”
See, I envisioned church as a pen. A pen that keeps us in…..and keeps the world out.
Inside the pen…..we all looked the same. All holy (supposedly). All looking, acting, being…..clones of one another. Meek. Quiet. Obedient.
See, I never saw the church in the way that God created it to be…..
Open. Free. Without walls.
But then, I watch, “God in America”. Christianity as we know it….spread because of people like John Wesley. Who left the confines of traditional rules….and got up on a soapbox outdoors to preach the gospel.
And I wonder why the best churches seem to have no walls.
Like Billy Sunday. Tent revivals. Breaking through with….no heating. Velvet lined benches. All those things….that make churches so comfortable now.
And I think of the church with a tarp up high in the mountains of Guatemala. The place where we took our children. Many, many miles away from where cars can reach them. And how powerful the weight of God seemed to be. There. On a mountain. In the middle of nowhere. The place where hungry people meet Jesus.
But, then…I keep reading John 10.
Jesus didn’t just call His sheep…..but He leads them out. Out of the pen. Out of the wall of rock that at the time might have kept them in.
Jesus calls His sheep to freedom.
Like Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned, when He gave His speech…..”I have a dream.”
The same freedom found in Psalms 23 when it says He leads His children to green pastures. Beside still waters….
Freedom……according to John 10….to leave safe places.
The temple of Christ….because of Jesus now…..not needing walls to restrict.
For doesn’t the church now reside in us?
In living emblems. Empty vessels. Flesh and bones.
So, why do people fear or hide in man-made pens or shelters…..of religion?
Didn’t Jesus come to open the door?
And what a waste. My childhood believing. Our Shepherd: Controlling. Manipulating. Restricting. Limiting. Keeping us, His sheep, in a pen…..with little freedom.
And what need is there for Jesus….is we live by rules that keep us from really living what the gospel paid for?
When Jesus is the doorway. Jesus is freedom.
And I thank Him…..as He calls us out. To still waters of refreshment. To graze on the earth that He made for our enjoyment.
The True Shepherd of the sheep. Leading us out…..
Beyond the pen. Out from traditions of man. To green pastures. Open skies. The water of life. A place of no limits. Free from “religion”.
Linking this post w/ Michelle @ Graceful & Shanda @ A Pause On The Path
& Jen @ Findingheaven
10 Comments
wow…all I can say is AMEN…AMEN…who the Son sets free is free indeed.
great post…blessings Jen
Absolutely friend! Absolutely! 🙂
Jen,
Glad you mentioned MLK…yours is the first post today that said anything about him!
Great post. ” I wonder why the best churches seem to have now walls.” then you moved it to church in our empty hearts, empty vessels. . I love the visual of my heart as His church with no walls – now that IS freedom! Well said
Amy – Good to remember this man who brought light to our nations own blind spots…the freedom of Christ…to more than a select few.
Jean – Yes, my friend. You & I ARE the church! What a powerful concept, huh….one I am still trying to fully comprehend.
Awesome! So true! One of the things I like best about Celebrate Recovery, is it breaks down the religious rules that you can’t have problems and be in the church. Jesus would never fit the mold of some churches today. Unfortunately, many churches would prefer pharisees in their churches instead of real Christians. But when we step out of those boxes we become a true disciple, the ones that Jesus became closest to! Isn’t that worth striving for!
There is such freedom when we realize God is much more (and better) than tradition!
Brownie – Amen, my sister! We are trying to start a Recovery Program at our church also. Problem is…things get messy. Yet, the good thing is….things get messy! 🙂 Can’t wait to see what God is going to do when we reach with Christ arms to the one’s Christ would have reached to. Becoming…as you say….close to…those who Jesus would have been closest to! Thanks for sharing!
Shanda – Amen!
I agree, church can look like anything. I understand the backlash from priests hurting children, ministers predicting the end of the world, churches protesting veteran funerals. But the church is not IN us. We cannot be church alone. We need to meet. We need to fellowship. We need to be accountable to each other to be obedient. We NEED to tithe. Don’t throw the church away because of a few bad apples. God loves the church.
Oh Happygirl – I so agree with what you say, my friend…We need the church!! And fellowship and communion should not be thrown away because a few white washed tombs try to scrape the speck out of their brother’s eye or are led away by the enemies schemes.
Oh, what exceedingly great joy the day when Christ returns for His Holy Bride….the Bride of Christ. One without spot or blemish. Those living by relationship, not rules. Sonship….not man made laws and legalistic traditions of men.
My prayer for each of us is that we would each personally hear the call of Christ. “Come….come. Taste and see…that the Lord is good.”