The following is an email from my sister Ashley who lives in Colorado:
Just been thinking about some ideas about the church over the past few years and wanted to share some thoughts.
My dad once wrote, “The church of Jesus does not need money to run, a denomination, building, directors, an agenda, or a marketing plan, but rather the spirit of God, power of his word, love of brethren & authority of scripture.” I believe this is the way the church was meant to be. Being a part of an institutional church program, where a man claims to be able to hear the voice of God for your life and tells you that without his vision for the church, or someone’s vision, we would become lost in the wilderness, is not what Jesus called us to do as the church of Christ. I'll admit that I don’t like institutions. I feel that people seem to have always have an agenda. But does God's church need an agenda to run? I once heard a preacher refer to Judges 17:6, “No king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” And the sermon was based on the idea that if you are not in a church you will fall into sin. You will live your life only according to what is right in your own eyes. But Judges 18:5 says, “Ask counsel of God that we may know direction.” 20:28, “And the Lord said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand.” Is there hope for freedom in God outside of the institutional church, without the fear that you are all the while falling into sin unbeknownst? Matt. 7:18 says, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” Is your foundation made of rock or sand? Does God only speak to you through other people or does he also use creation and his word? Matt. 23:8,9 says “We are to call no man leader, teacher, or Father.”
My dad once wrote, “The church of Jesus does not need money to run, a denomination, building, directors, an agenda, or a marketing plan, but rather the spirit of God, power of his word, love of brethren & authority of scripture.” I believe this is the way the church was meant to be. Being a part of an institutional church program, where a man claims to be able to hear the voice of God for your life and tells you that without his vision for the church, or someone’s vision, we would become lost in the wilderness, is not what Jesus called us to do as the church of Christ. I'll admit that I don’t like institutions. I feel that people seem to have always have an agenda. But does God's church need an agenda to run? I once heard a preacher refer to Judges 17:6, “No king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” And the sermon was based on the idea that if you are not in a church you will fall into sin. You will live your life only according to what is right in your own eyes. But Judges 18:5 says, “Ask counsel of God that we may know direction.” 20:28, “And the Lord said, Go up; for tomorrow I will deliver them into thine hand.” Is there hope for freedom in God outside of the institutional church, without the fear that you are all the while falling into sin unbeknownst? Matt. 7:18 says, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” Is your foundation made of rock or sand? Does God only speak to you through other people or does he also use creation and his word? Matt. 23:8,9 says “We are to call no man leader, teacher, or Father.”
I desire to live my life without trying to prove to others that my church attendance is directly related to my relationship with God. I often hear the voice of God most clearly alone on a mountain top, worshipping in my garage, or when going for a long run but it is also in the communion of friends that I am stretched and challenged to see God in a different ways. It is then that God will use others in my life to teach me about him. I believe accountability is important in relationships. Because without trust and openness, how can you expect to grow? Close relationships are sharing your life’s journey together, not as an island. Through sharing your life with others, you find renewal and preservation of spirit.
I believe that as the church we are a colony from heaven, loving one another, living & sharing life, devoted to prayer, filled with the Holy Spirit, and speaking the truth in love. What this means to me is, that as a child of God, I choose to open up my heart, listening to others and contributing joy to those relationships.
Ashley
