Church Outside The Walls

[familyroom]

Many of the people that have left Christian religious organizations stated that the control the leaders and the organization had over them is what drove them out. What is your opinion about this? Do you think Christian organizations are too controlling? Have you had any negative experiences with this? Or do you think the people in the DVD are just “belly aching” about something that is not a problem?

"The Dropouts" part 1 of the Church Outside the Walls video series

[LadyJubilee]

I think we're all human and take the path of least resistence. Its easy for church folks to follow. Someone gives us safe boundaries and we don't have to trust the Holy Spirit to guide us. Or if we're leaders or pastors, when we have control we don't have to worry about some nutter getting out of line or introducing heresy.

Basically, it means that we can take the Bible's concept of excousia and not use it to DO anything but rather to have it over someone.

Recently, while helping to decorate a church for Christmas, I was told we couldn't hang a wreath in one spot because it had always been in another spot (a spot in which by all accounts it was in the way!) unless we asked the pastor's permission. Now, do I really think that pastor cared whether the wreath was hung on the left side or the right side of the door. Nope, of course not. But it was it showed just how much control the church members felt in the church. This in a church were the pastor thinks he's open to new ideas and input.

In another church when the pastor encounted disagreement he made the announcement from the church pulpit that, "this is my church and anyone who doesn't like it can leave". I wonder if Jesus realized it was this guy's church.

But bottomline, these pastors are human and make mistakes. And their church members are human and make mistakes. We should be to the point that we know that we all need each other....or more accurately, we all need the Holy Spirit and the gifts that He gives to each of us in order for the church to grow in maturity. As long as we're content to hide behind the church robes of another and not be bold and stand up and offer our own gifts, we the church will never-no, can never grow up in the Lord.
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Lady Jubilee
www.alabaster-jars.com

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ."