#NO MORE LONE RANGERS!
A "multi-faceted life or calling" requires a "multi-dimensional grace or context" - for application, comprehension and understanding of God's Design & Purpose, for your future!
The degree of preparation denotes "the potential" and "the implications" thereof, of what - "yielding to HIM", will mean!
Somewhere in our determinations to be "free", we've gotten "out of balance and weird", about being accountable and responsible to others...
The "sophisticated consumer" has now created an environment - where people believe "research on the Internet" is "qualification enough", instead of seeking help from an educated professional; like an attorney, doctor, Elder/Pastor, or Tax Attorney...
"In the church", we either swing from the pendulum of "strict allegiance to one person", or "no accountability to anyone - BUT GOD"? Not SO!
Our "corporate context" for experiencing both the "edification, maturity and perfection" as the Body of Christ, is to first be spiritually-grounded in "submission to the authority of our spiritual elders"; secondly to take "personal responsibility and accountability for our representation as leaders in our communities, homes and workplaces"; and finally in our "ultimate surrender to God", in every facet and aspect of our lives!
"Lone-Ranger-Syndrome" is an indication of hurt, immaturity and pride!
Pray for all of our brothers and sisters, who are still battling with "church hurt", rebellious tendencies and an "orphan spirit"...
CHRIST is the Ultimate Head, but our lives are impacted as a result of interaction "with mature people", if we're still going to be effective- "here on planet earth"!
#Growth-Requires-Community! WS-3
Sent from WS-3's iPhone
The degree of preparation denotes "the potential" and "the implications" thereof, of what - "yielding to HIM", will mean!
Somewhere in our determinations to be "free", we've gotten "out of balance and weird", about being accountable and responsible to others...
The "sophisticated consumer" has now created an environment - where people believe "research on the Internet" is "qualification enough", instead of seeking help from an educated professional; like an attorney, doctor, Elder/Pastor, or Tax Attorney...
"In the church", we either swing from the pendulum of "strict allegiance to one person", or "no accountability to anyone - BUT GOD"? Not SO!
Our "corporate context" for experiencing both the "edification, maturity and perfection" as the Body of Christ, is to first be spiritually-grounded in "submission to the authority of our spiritual elders"; secondly to take "personal responsibility and accountability for our representation as leaders in our communities, homes and workplaces"; and finally in our "ultimate surrender to God", in every facet and aspect of our lives!
"Lone-Ranger-Syndrome" is an indication of hurt, immaturity and pride!
Pray for all of our brothers and sisters, who are still battling with "church hurt", rebellious tendencies and an "orphan spirit"...
CHRIST is the Ultimate Head, but our lives are impacted as a result of interaction "with mature people", if we're still going to be effective- "here on planet earth"!
#Growth-Requires-Community! WS-3
Sent from WS-3's iPhone
My dear brother,
ReplyDeleteIn reading your comments it is obvious that you place great emphasis on submission and accountability to church leadership. In essence, you seem to be a big believer in the “spiritual covering” philosophy. First, I’ll say this. I was once indoctrinated with the whole “submission” to a spiritual leader’s authority theology. I still strongly believe in Christ-centered, Spirit-led leadership within the Body of Christ but no longer from the sense that I was once taught to believe or you and others have been taught to believe. You’ve used figurative language with terms such as “consumer” and “educated professional” to describe which seems to be to me the relationship between clergy and laity. That is the problem today. The church has become more of an organization rather than a living organism. Jesus didn't choose "professionals" to establish His church but called ordinary, unschooled and unlearned (not to say that they were stupid and uneducated) men to do an extraodinary work for Him. Leadership in the Body of Christ was NEVER designed to have rule and lordship over the people but instead with an attitude of humility and servitude to contribute in directing people to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and have a relationship with Him. Christ is not only the ultimate Head but He is the ONLY Head of the church. Too often, I’ve seen Christians equate their relationship with their church and its leadership to their relationship with God as a result of buying into the perverse idea of what they believe spiritual authority is. I’ve witnessed time and time again marriages being destroyed, families and friendships deteriorate because of allegiance to a pastor and I’ve seen and experienced confidences being betrayed because of the jaded view of accountability. People are moving away from the idea of giving pastors/elders more power than they deserve which really have no true biblical origins. I also hear the condescending tone in your statement in labeling people with church hurt as “immature” and “prideful”. Many brothers and sisters have been driven away because of the attitude of condescending Christians who put labels on people and self-righteously judge them instead of loving them pass their flaws and imperfections.
I’ve also spoken with a female pastor who had taken the same approach in labeling those with church hurt as “rebellious” and “orphaned” so I’ll share with you my viewpoint just as I did her. As I explained to her, believers who’ve defected from the institutional church have not forsaken the concept of fellowship but instead have abandoned the false doctrines and pagan-rooted practices that the church has embraced that is contrary to the Word of God. I believe that God is removing from the hearts of believers the idea of “going to church” so that we as believers can just BE the church. To your point, the “Lone-Ranger syndrome” for some may be an indication of hurt, immaturity, and pride. But most often, it is the “Ego-driven syndrome” of church leaders who have contributed into causing that hurt, immaturity, and pride amongst believers. From personal experience, ever since I left the institution almost 8 years ago I’ve experienced the love of God more and more each day. I’ve joyfully experienced Christ as being our Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He is the Shepherd and Bishop of my soul. Many pastors have scattered the sheep and left them hanging out to dry. But I know Him to be the Pastor who can have a hundred sheep and leave the ninety-nine to find the one that went astray and the covering over my life is His blood. And where His Spirit is there is freedom.
Dear Anonymous: The comment you left is beautifully written and thoughtful, and I agree with the spirit of what you've written, but I am NOT a champion or advocate of any kind of hierarchical mumbo-jumbo that is a ruinous stench to Christ, who is the ONLY HEAD of the Body of Christ. My blog is about the unevenness and imbalance of the pendulum swinging all the way in the other direction, with NO REGARD for Christ-appointed authority that is NOT called to lorded-over people, but follow the principles of reconciliation that are a definitive part of the "church discipline" that the Apostle Paul writes about in both 1 and 2 Corinthians, Titus, etc. For you to get to know me, it would probably be more beneficial for you to read other blogs from just this week that expands upon my thoughts more. I appreciate your comment, and wish you all the best in your growth in the grace and knowledge of Christ. WS-3
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon. As I read your blog, there is something that jumps out at me. People that have left church have a variety of reasons for leaving. "Church hurt" is only one of them. Manipulative church leaders, including pastors, and greedy pastors actually rank higher on the list than church hurt. Also on that list are leaders that have no accountability to no one but God. I know that you believe that "lone rangers" have no accountability to anyone. That is not correct. Those of us that have left church have a large community of brothers and sisters that we are accountable to. For instance, Tamara Jones is a person I would place in the function of an elder. If she sees something off with me, she'll check me, and vise versa. Also, there have been several times when I had to call on her expertise in certain areas. She knows her stuff. So, because there is a community of believers that believe in the spiritual welfare of others, there is accountability.
ReplyDeleteMost people, such as myself, that have gone through a church hurt period are actually over it. For me, it took three years, but I'm done. So, why have I not rejoined a church? Actually, I did. A couple during my travels. Yet, I have found that the manipulation and control of the people administered through the leadership and the lack of biblical literacy in the pulpit was much too much to bear. As I learned from the church, I also learned on my own in the practice of the Berean Christians of Act 17. I found through research, using several different bible translations, many different commentaries and a host of different Hebrew and Greek dictionaries that what I was learning from these leaders was not the truth at all. The things I have found on tithing, speaking in tongues, coverings, as well as the actual system of the ekklesia, or "called out ones", as compared to today actually made me mad! So, I decided that I, through God's Spirit, was going to learn for myself. Interesting thing about a shepherd, he leads sheep to a pasture to eat. Once the sheep is there, the sheep feed themselves. And this is what we "lone rangers" have done. Christ, The Ultimate Shepherd has lead us where to eat and we feed ourselves.
So, there are no lone rangers here. We all have leadership through Christ and the people that Christ has lead us to. We are all accountable to each other and we listen. The freedom that we have is surely in Christ. No bondage to a hierarchical system that Jesus never set in place. No bondage to a pastor, bishop, apostle prophet, etc. that believes his helicopter blades are more important than my soul. Freedom in Christ.
And by the way, I went to your Facebook page and saw that your timeline and message inbox has been disabled. In my experience, this is a sign of someone, most times in leadership, that refuse to be challenged on any measure. It is my prayer that this is not the way you operate as I believe that all leaders should not only be held accountable, but should also be able to defend what they believe. Because how do you expect me to follow you if you don't even know what you believe?
Best Regards,
Andre Watson.
Andre: WOW! I appreciate the excellence in which you've responded to this blog, which ORIGINALLY was NOT directed towards ANYONE in particular. The BLOG that I just posted, is definitely referencing the earlier exchanges that I had, while reading some of the most nasty and negative communications from "believers" (?) that I have EVER SEEN! I I disabled or unfriended the person, because people's criticism of my background page, etc - is NOT relevant or representative of a healthy exchange about the subject at hand...
ReplyDeleteThere is NOT one point on this communication that I would disagree with..You've read ONE BLOG, and have outlined this lengthy response "in defense" of what exactly - I don't know..But, I did NOT call YOU a "Lone Ranger". I'm GLAD that you're NOT, and the accountability structure and "sharing of one another's grace" that you've eloquently described - is both BEAUTIFUL and BIBLICAL! Amen. Thanks for reaching out! May The Lord bless you as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ! WS-3